MechWarrior 3 Review

The Visual

Graphically, MechWarrior 3 does not disappoint. Testament to Zipper Interactive's robust graphic engine work is decent performance even on a lowly Pentium 233 Voodoo1 system. The engine sports nice looking special effects, including realistic looking flame, light sourcing, and weapon effects. Moving
skies add to the nice looking scenery, and Mechs look great, animating quite well. Mechs will stumble and fall, limp when their legs are damaged, and wires will protrude from blown off joints. Texture detail will depend on the texture memory of your graphics card. On a beefed up system, MechWarrior 3 is undoubtedly very beautiful.

The Aural

The auditory experience is where MechWarrior 3 will disappoint MechWarrior 2 fans the most. Sound effects are quite good, with unique and realistic sounds for the different weapons and their impact noises. Being plummeted by high caliber blasts of energy sounds believable, and taking damage is appropriately jarring.

The soundtrack, or rather lack thereof, is where MechWarrior 3 fails. MechWarrior 2 fans enjoyed excellent soundtracks on the previous titles, with a variety of diverse top-notch musical scores ranging from eerie, suspenseful compositions (MechWarrior 2) to adrenaline pumping heavy metal (Mercenaries). Each new mission presented a new track, meaning more than 20 musical scores.

The one in-mission track (the other being background interface music) featured on MechWarrior 3 tries to recapture the feel of the previous MechWarrior games, but fails to do so. Initially it works, but after the 30th time listening to the same track players will find it short, annoying, and very repetitive. MechWarrior 2 fans will be wishing that Zipper had allowed the player to put in an audio CD in the tray while playing the game, so that they may stick in a Mercenaries or MechWarrior 2 CD.

This is definitely a faux pas to the MechWarrior series, and attributes greatly to the overall disappointment a MechWarrior 2 fan will feel.

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