MechWarrior Online

 PC
User Score
5.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 874 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 323 out of 874
  2. Mixed: 177 out of 874
  3. Negative: 374 out of 874

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  1. Garamis
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Just do some research on what this company says it is going to do and look at what has been accomplished after 2 years and several millions of its fan base's money.

    Aventurine (Darkfall) ring a bell here..... These two companies are so close in how they operate it is amazing.
  2. dtfauss
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    CW is vaporware, which leaves no purpose/endgame.
    PGI/IGP has significantly changed directions, have poor communication, and I have no faith in them.
    It's worth a shot, fun for a bit, but as with all deathmatch games, boredom and balance issues make it tiresome quickly.
  3. Gwaltney
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    There is no way this game is a 10. Expect to endlessly grind out in game currency using improperly balanced Mech's and weapon systems. Game is DirectX 9 .....REALLY?
    Has a horrible and clunky UI that is a chore to use. 8 basic maps, and two game types, Assault, and Conquest, which end up being played essentially the same.
    If you like grindy, clunky games, where the development team is    There is no way this game is a 10. Expect to endlessly grind out in game currency using improperly balanced Mech's and weapon systems. Game is DirectX 9 .....REALLY?
    Has a horrible and clunky UI that is a chore to use. 8 basic maps, and two game types, Assault, and Conquest, which end up being played essentially the same.

    If you like grindy, clunky games, where the development team is obviously NOT on the ball, play this. If you want a quality product, with a dev team who is responsive, or at least communicative to their PAYING customers, then you should try elsewhere.    … Expand
  4. NotThatGuy42
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    I have been with MWO since Closed Beta("NotThatGuy42" isn't my MWO handle as I am not ready to have my MWO account banned quite yet). I bought in as a Founder and had high hopes for the franchise reboot. Sadly, it became readily apparent over time that the developer, PGI, is arrogant, dishonest, and incompetent(although there are good people who work there, I am sure). They brought inI have been with MWO since Closed Beta("NotThatGuy42" isn't my MWO handle as I am not ready to have my MWO account banned quite yet). I bought in as a Founder and had high hopes for the franchise reboot. Sadly, it became readily apparent over time that the developer, PGI, is arrogant, dishonest, and incompetent(although there are good people who work there, I am sure). They brought in hated features they promised the die hard fans in the community they would not (Coolant Flush, 3PV) in order to dumb down the game and supposedly broaden the games appeal. To be honest, the game was more playable and balanced better at the end of Closed Beta than it is now. The game does look fairly decent (but still no DX11 and it looked better in Closed Beta) but balance is poor and there are are continuous stream of FOTM weapons and mechs due to wild changes PGI makes to the game at regular intervals (some would cynically say they do this in order to make the hero mechs you can purchase look more appealing...can't say if they are that devious or not). For a new player, I cannot imagine how painful the experience is...the grind makes it tough, especially with sub-par mechs and sub-par heat-management until you can afford double heat sinks. Not to mention that if you aren't "in the know" about what the current FOTM weapon combo or chassis is, you will die painfully, a lot. Also, the matchmaker is totally broken...it supposedly uses a player ranking system (which, BTW is a "secret" only PGi knows but new players and veterans are regularly put together. It also has no "solo drop only" que, so you could be in a group of 12 not-coordinated, not-on voice comms, players and have 3 groups of 4 coordinated, on-comms players on the other team. Nice, huh? Early on, I recommended this game to some friends. I would recommend it to no one at this point. And, to be honest, that makes me kinda sad. I really wanted this to be successful (and put a stupid amount of money into the game in CB and OB) but I am afraid there is nothing that can stop the train wreck now. Play it for free to try it out, but I wouldn't give PGI a thin dime unless they issue a mea culpa and turn this Titanic around...If I could separate my scores I would give MWO, as a Counterstrike-type random 12v12 mech shooter with limited maps and only two game modes, and no meta game (i.e. *why* you are fighting), a 3 or 4 and PGI/IGP a -100. But since those are not an option I give it a "0". It pains me terribly to say that I recommend you stay away from the reboot I, as a huge MW fan, waited 10 years to see. Sigh.… Expand
  5. kaevasel
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    This game is still plagued with bugs and glitches that have been present since alpha. PGI clearly doesn't care about creating an overall good game experience, all they want is to line their pockets and the presence of these problems after so long and the constant updates with grab deals and hero assets that can only be purchases with real currency are evidence enough of this.
  6. Jaynestown
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    Download it and try it. It's a fun game. Quite addictive. I have been hoping for more maps and game modes, and the release pace for them has been infuriatingly slow (for example, "Community Warfare" still isn't out at the time I'm posting this). I still love the game though. I've taken a few month-long breaks since I joined in Closed Beta (Founders Program) but I always keep comingDownload it and try it. It's a fun game. Quite addictive. I have been hoping for more maps and game modes, and the release pace for them has been infuriatingly slow (for example, "Community Warfare" still isn't out at the time I'm posting this). I still love the game though. I've taken a few month-long breaks since I joined in Closed Beta (Founders Program) but I always keep coming back for more … Expand
  7. Veev
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    The game was fun last July.
    During the beta process they have ruined the core aspects of what made it fun trying to chase a different crowd then the one they were marketing it to initially.
    They added a broken version of ECM without the counters in place. They added those counters and nerfed brawling while buffing PPC sniping, it has gone the same since. The developer's really have no    The game was fun last July.
    During the beta process they have ruined the core aspects of what made it fun trying to chase a different crowd then the one they were marketing it to initially.
    They added a broken version of ECM without the counters in place. They added those counters and nerfed brawling while buffing PPC sniping, it has gone the same since. The developer's really have no idea about how to balance or polish a game. They have no grasp about how to treat customers with respect and are surprised when customers get angry about this.
    Bottom line the game is not worth the money nor the time. I am a Mechwarrior fan and this game has been turned into a pile of feces.
    Issues:
    Hit Detection, lag shields, weapon balance, 3PV, the constant lies from devs etc...
    The list can go on, but it is not worth more of my time. The issues are all ongoing and never quite fixed.
    The devs really dont understand Mechwarrior or its fans.    … Expand
  8. limazulu
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    The story of Overstated Expectations.

    When the new Mechwarrior game was announced after almost 12 years discontinuation, It drew alot of attention of all fans of the series arcade simulator mech-combat game based on Battletech tabletop game universe along with Battletech's own fans. That's because developer team declared maximum possible proximity to the tabletop game rules as a goal    The story of Overstated Expectations.

    When the new Mechwarrior game was announced after almost 12 years discontinuation, It drew alot of attention of all fans of the series arcade simulator mech-combat game based on Battletech tabletop game universe along with Battletech's own fans. That's because developer team declared maximum possible proximity to the tabletop game rules as a goal for a first time of long (since 1989) Mechwarrior games history.

    In addition, a lot of features were announced: dynamic global map reflecting outcome of every match, multiple game factions and loyalty/reputation system, first person view only, deep combat roles system, day-to-day matching with universe rich and deep history, and a plethora of other things.
    Matched 12 vs.12 combat game mode were chosen as a backbone, with f2p as business model and Cryengine3 for graphics. As a concept it looked near-to-awesome.

    Closed beta started with very limited assets available for players four mechs, one map, one 8x8 game mode. Despite multiple stability issues, UI bugs and optimization issues, it was a solid base for a true Mechwarrior game. It had all core mechanics we all loved in MW series: multiple weapons, twisting torsos, separately armored locations etc. Graphics wasn't bad, even without DX11 support and interactive environment, while still far from Crysis level. But even then first problems emerged some tabletop stuff like ranges and weapon parameters weren't perfect for real-time action game, witch caused a lot of imbalance. Mechlab your battle machine customization system turned out to be another balance issue while giving alot of freedom in customization, it became a clear step back from the previous game Mechwarrior 4 in terms of balance and Battletech rules and lore proximity.

    With addition of new weapons and equipment, balance issues became more and more crucial, but developers decided to not change the core mechanics, adding some very anti-intuitive and complicated solutions instead. And that's not only about combat mechanics for example, economic system, implying repair and rearming your mech after battles, was completely removed as "unbalanceable".

    Combat role system was reduced to a bunch of very simple and totally linear "+N% to something" unlockable perks.

    Day-to-day concept also proved itself insolent, because of slow development process, unable to keep in pace with key universe dates event.

    Alot of improvement and content were added during Closed and Open betas, such as bugfixing and networking, alot of new mechs and maps, but core game wasn't really improved to the release date: it still offers very limited lobby capabilities (only random matchmaking for individual players and groups), only two no-respawn game modes without any match-to-match connections global map and faction system were postponed too and are not included to the 17th September release along with DirectX11 support, destructable environment. With every new patch game comes further from Mechwarrior and Battletech basics, desperately trying to be playable, but still weighted down by unresolved core mechanic issues. Optimization still is not a bright side too even on minimum graphics settings you'll likely need a quad-core CPU and descent graphic card along with 4gb of RAM.

    Now, after game left Beta state, it's very unlikely that small developers team will make a massive overhaul, and a lot of time will be required to achieve announced features, which weren't canceled completely. For now "release" is only a word in the profile.

    The bright side, actually, is business model unlike many f2p games, it's definitely not a pay-to-win. Despite players were able to buy premium subscriptions and mech for real money since closed beta, there is no way to receive any ultimate advantages this way.

    If you aren't hardcore Battletech/Mechwarrior fan, ready to forgive drawbacks just because you're crazy of mechs, you'd better wait for a moment, when game really will have something more than 12x12 15 minutes matches. There is a chance it will happen, after all.
    If you are, you'd better know, that the game world clock stopped just before Clans invasion, so you'll not see some iconic clan mechs of previous games, at least for a while.    … Expand
  9. KingCurt
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    A frantically fun free-for-all for free! I wouldn't miss out on Mechwarrior: Online. I've been playing Mechwarrior: Online since the early open beta it's still chilling the pangs of memories that eminate from the sound of stomping metal feet, pulsating pulse laser blasts and Betty keeping me updated. A game I play every day, highly recommended.
  10. Berjj
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    MWO is not all that the developers envisioned and promised it to be, but at it's core it is a solid and greatly entertaining game. Look at the fother reviews. Clearly the game is entertaining, but people are still disappointed with how the devs are handling it.

    The main problems people have with the game is that the devs have added features they promised would never make it into the    MWO is not all that the developers envisioned and promised it to be, but at it's core it is a solid and greatly entertaining game. Look at the fother reviews. Clearly the game is entertaining, but people are still disappointed with how the devs are handling it.

    The main problems people have with the game is that the devs have added features they promised would never make it into the game as well as the continued delay of certain core features such as community warfare and an updated UI. Couple that with a too early launch and you've a furious community. People are quick to forget that this is actually the norm of game development, so why people are making such an incredibly big deal out of it is beyond me. Blizzard are notorious for their delays in development. They haven't shipped a game on schedule to date and are known to cut features and sometimes entire products they deem non-functional. Halo 2, being hailed as one of the best shooters of all time on the Xbox by console gamers, even shipped with non-existing features despite the actual game packaging claiming the opposite!

    Indeed, I get the feeling that the publisher has pulled some strings (Like they often do) and forced this early launch as well as certain features to be included despite the community's vocal disappointment. None of this makes it any more OK, but people should remember that it's a much more common occurance than they make it seem to be.

    What I cannot defend the developers from is how they handle balancing and relay information to the community. Features and changes are often excluded from patch notes and news information is often displayed in a much brighter light in an attempt to hide the community's current dismay. Balancing certain weapons has also proven to take much longer than it should, sometimes severely tipping the scales in favour for a certain weapon type and then waiting weeks before addressing the obvious issue in a proper manner.

    FINAL VERDICT:

    MWO is an immensely entertaining game with solid core elements in place. It is quite rough around the edges though and it's future is made uncertain by seemingly odd design decisions and a community that has decided to initiate a full scale war against the developers for not getting their vision of the game 100% correct.    … Expand
  11. Horation
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    1. Game released whilst not finished.
    2. Developers buff weapons to sell mechs for real money then nerf the weapons the patch after the sale.
    3. Developers will say one thing, then go back on their word saying that "that was our position at the time." 4. Unintuitive systems such as ghost heat are not mentioned anywhere in the mech lab, how will newbies know? 5. Developers overpromise    1. Game released whilst not finished.
    2. Developers buff weapons to sell mechs for real money then nerf the weapons the patch after the sale.
    3. Developers will say one thing, then go back on their word saying that "that was our position at the time."
    4. Unintuitive systems such as ghost heat are not mentioned anywhere in the mech lab, how will newbies know?
    5. Developers overpromise and under deliver, often taking two steps back.

    This game is not fit for release, let alone charging players for content. Half the game is missing, clan wars are not in neither is Community Warfare. This means that the game becomes stale rather fast.

    My recommendation is that if you do decide to play this game, do not spend any money lest you become disappointed.    … Expand
  12. Qyzer
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    Great potential and great art ruined by poor planning, bad game design, broken promises, bad math, terrible communication and unwillingness to listen to anyone but the most sycophantic of followers.
  13. Dracol
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    Been playing since closed beta almost everyday. Game play is fun, graphics look better then any previous Mechwarrior title. Only recently has game balance leveled out making the drops an even better experience.

    If you're the type of person who doesn't enjoy the drive, just the destination, you may want to wait on getting into MWO. Right now it's like playing soccer for fun... a lot    Been playing since closed beta almost everyday. Game play is fun, graphics look better then any previous Mechwarrior title. Only recently has game balance leveled out making the drops an even better experience.

    If you're the type of person who doesn't enjoy the drive, just the destination, you may want to wait on getting into MWO. Right now it's like playing soccer for fun... a lot of fun to play, challenging each time against a variety of real people, but after the game you go your separate ways. Community created groups and events have helped give the battles a little more context, but until community warfare is added, I'm just playing to have fun and improve my skills.    … Expand
  14. Genxcraig
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Gameplay despite all it's faults and delays 7/10
    Developer competence and interaction 3/10

    Average 5/10

    Still the same as it was 6 months ago except for a couple new maps and a regularly updated cash shop. Pretty disappointed.
  15. japes
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    A game with plenty of potential that is currently being let down by slow, dishonest, arrogant, and just plain deceitful development. In its current state it's not even close to ready for launch.
  16. Khobai
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    The good: MWO is free to play and fun when played in moderation. The mechs look great, the weapons look and sound great, and the mech combat is truly convincing.

    The bad: MWO lacks the immersion factor of previous mechwarrior titles. The gamemodes are boring and make no sense. The game lacks the compulsory ambient/techno/industrial soundtrack of other mechwarrior games. Game is also    The good: MWO is free to play and fun when played in moderation. The mechs look great, the weapons look and sound great, and the mech combat is truly convincing.

    The bad: MWO lacks the immersion factor of previous mechwarrior titles. The gamemodes are boring and make no sense. The game lacks the compulsory ambient/techno/industrial soundtrack of other mechwarrior games. Game is also plagued with balance issues and devs making false promises. Anyone looking for something "more" than just a barebones game isnt going to find it.    … Expand
  17. Troggy
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    MWO is a very entertaining F2P game, with a tonne of potential. Like so many F2P games early in its development cycle, it lacks a full feature set, and could use a little polish. Nonetheless, MWO has addictive gameplay, and a very involved and vocal community (clearly). It is absolutely worth checking out!
  18. Voivode
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    MWO is based on Battletech and the popular Mechwarrior franchise of games. As such, it has inherited some hardcore fans. The thing about hardcore fans of any intellectual property is they are irritating and impossible to please. Those hardcore fans will be the most consistently unpleasant part of playing the game.

    That's not to say there aren't things that could be better. The learning    MWO is based on Battletech and the popular Mechwarrior franchise of games. As such, it has inherited some hardcore fans. The thing about hardcore fans of any intellectual property is they are irritating and impossible to please. Those hardcore fans will be the most consistently unpleasant part of playing the game.

    That's not to say there aren't things that could be better. The learning curve (as with most multiplayer only games) is rather steep. Expect to die a lot while you get used to the gameplay. It's frustrating, but it's worth it, because once you figure out how to play, the game is extremely fun and addicting.

    The studio producing this game is small and new. Don't expect lightning development. If you are OK with being patient you will be rewarded with a solid game experience. If you have a cool idea for the game and post it in the forums, they will not release your idea in a patch a week later. There are people who expect this (see hardcore fan inheritance above) and want some kind of "player revolt" because a game they were in no way obliged to pay money for made by a company of 40 people didn't do exactly what they wanted exactly when they wanted it. Yes. A "player revolt" rather than just not playing. It makes no sense. As I said, these people will be the worst part of the game.

    There are some things that could be improved upon, and some that will soon be improved upon. There is a totally new User Interface coming out and a strong in game component to improve cooperative gameplay in the next few months. Several new maps will be out soon that will round out the map rotation. The content tends to be released in a very gradual way rather than in large installments.

    All in all, I love playing this game. Like all multiplayer only games it has a sharp learning curve and can be frustrating if you get a slew of bad matches. That just comes with the multiplayer only territory. The development is from a small company so it is slow but the gameplay is solid and extremely fun.    … Expand
  19. 8RoundsRapid
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    This game is awful. If you are a lover of the Battletech IP, stear well clear of this stinker. If you're not necessarily a lover of the Battletech IP, stear well clear of this stinker.

    The gameplay is insultingly simplistic, the maps are extremely tiny, and the mech sizes are way off. The game modes are ridiculous, and there is no community warfare (which was promised over a year    This game is awful. If you are a lover of the Battletech IP, stear well clear of this stinker. If you're not necessarily a lover of the Battletech IP, stear well clear of this stinker.

    The gameplay is insultingly simplistic, the maps are extremely tiny, and the mech sizes are way off.

    The game modes are ridiculous, and there is no community warfare (which was promised over a year ago), there is no new User Interface 2.0. Which is the reason the development of the game was put on hold, to develop UI2.0, without which none of the stuff that makes this anything more than a 10min arena deathmatch can be implemented.

    We were told last fall, that CW and UI2.0 would be in within 30 days after open beta, then it was within 60 days, then it was quarter1 of 2013, and then it became summer/fall of 2013, and now its within 60 days of launch.

    This game is being developed by an incompetent, unprofessional, and unethical group of individuals who continually add 'features' that are unwanted, anasked for, and unannounced.

    There have been several attempts to add in P2W features, and the actual development of the game is virtually nonexistent.

    In short, this game is an insult to the Battletech franchise, and an insult to the intelligence and loyalty of Battletech fans the world over.

    But don't take my word for it. Try it yourself, and see for yourself.

    The only reason this is getting even a 4/10 is because of FlyingDebris art. Simply outsanding!    … Expand
  20. fenix0742
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    This game is absolutely unforgiving to people who have no experience with the source material. There is little to no information explaining complex game mechanics that are partially lifted from the original Battletech rules and sometimes heavily altered. The only source of information for these mechanics are buried in patch notes that may be months old, hidden in archives on the officialThis game is absolutely unforgiving to people who have no experience with the source material. There is little to no information explaining complex game mechanics that are partially lifted from the original Battletech rules and sometimes heavily altered. The only source of information for these mechanics are buried in patch notes that may be months old, hidden in archives on the official website. The barebones ingame tutorial is delivered entirely via textbox, without any voiceover, and only covers movement; it does nothing to describe the arcane construction rules. On top of that, the ingame income rate is very slow, meaning an uninformed purchase can cost several gameplay hours to reverse. Steep learning curves aren't in and of themselves bad things, but this isn't like a flight sim where you get a manual with your purchase. There is absolutely no reason for there not to be a rules compendium or some other reference guide provided in the UI.

    Additionally the game looks pretty ugly. It's hard to believe this runs on CryEngine 3. Textures are low res, muddled, and repetitive. Foliage is sparse or non-existant. Pallettes are bland. The mechs themselves look good enough, but the environments you get to use them in are boring and uninspired.

    It has the potential to be good, but there's a lot of work to be done concerning fidelity and ease-of-use. I wouldn't recommend this game to anyone at this point in time. However, if you like big robots, there are so very few games in the genre, it's at least worth checking in on in the future, as UI overhauls are common in F2P games.    … Expand
  21. Inertiaman
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    Free to play is the only good thing about this unfinished Mechwarrior game. There is no rich progression, only a series of pay incentives to climb over in order to reach what little additional skills are available. There are no class or pilot trees to diversify into, leaving only a handful of module slots to fill in order to make your character unique. Of these modules, two are soFree to play is the only good thing about this unfinished Mechwarrior game. There is no rich progression, only a series of pay incentives to climb over in order to reach what little additional skills are available. There are no class or pilot trees to diversify into, leaving only a handful of module slots to fill in order to make your character unique. Of these modules, two are so ludicrously good that there is little reason to equip anything else.

    The art is great, but the performance is poor and the handful of levels range from average (against current standards) to mediocre. One map, alpine features textures so badly warped you can see individual original pixels interpolated across great areas of the texture.

    Whilst sound is mostly good there is a near constant audio warning of missiles incoming even if you are not being fired at that drove me crazy

    It might be good when they finish it. As it stands there does seem to be much gameplay difference between this and the version I bought a founders pack for over a year ago. As such there's little to hold the attention.    … Expand
  22. Marsh3055
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    I can't use my real name for fear of ban from the game itself. I started out with high hopes on this game because they pitched high hopes. I wanted a game that wasn't just run and gun deathmatch, I wanted something with the substance to feel like I was fighting for an empire.
    What I got was typical run and gun robot fighting.
    The Community Warfare and updated User Interface still    I can't use my real name for fear of ban from the game itself. I started out with high hopes on this game because they pitched high hopes. I wanted a game that wasn't just run and gun deathmatch, I wanted something with the substance to feel like I was fighting for an empire.
    What I got was typical run and gun robot fighting.

    The Community Warfare and updated User Interface still haven't come in despite all the promises of "soon".

    Then the company tries to have their pitchmen sell this game again on their pet podcast show which tries to disguise itself as a fan podcast. The talking heads still babble on and on about other neat things they want to do but haven't event fixed or completed the stuff they promised more than a year ago.

    You keep reading and hearing about publisher problems, forum oppression, and overall mismanagement of a really good title. All I can say is some of this is absolutely true. The game has great potential, but it isn't really reaching it yet. I advise people to come back after a year and a half if they want something more than run and gun.

    For those that just want simple shooting fun with no substance and the same game mode over and over again, pop in a download it is free after all. Though be prepared to spend some money on champion Mechs because of the blasted meta gaming.    … Expand
  23. Sandshrew
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    Gameplay: there's a fun Mechwarrior pseudo-simulator in there somewhere when you can get a good match of rompy-stompy robots in you can have a lot of fun. The problem is, it's buried far beneath the mess of poor balance (1-2 weapons are almost always head and shoulders above the rest while others like flamers have never been useful), poor design decisions (only two game modes and theyGameplay: there's a fun Mechwarrior pseudo-simulator in there somewhere when you can get a good match of rompy-stompy robots in you can have a lot of fun. The problem is, it's buried far beneath the mess of poor balance (1-2 weapons are almost always head and shoulders above the rest while others like flamers have never been useful), poor design decisions (only two game modes and they both suck, poor matchmaking system/no lobbies, 'mech size scaling, "ghost heat"), awful maps (in both design and implementation), and bugs unending (getting stuck in terrain, hit registration). I highly recommend finding experienced players to get started with instead of doing so alone, as many incredibly important aspects to the game are never explained to a new player in-game how heat sinks work, especially double heatsinks for instance; or why you want to disable arm-lock in the options. There's no tutorial and the player base is so small that you'll be matched up against people who know what they're doing, so having people to help you out is a must.

    The game consists of only two game modes, Assault and Conquest, which are both functionally deathmatch but with a side of "stand-in-the-square-to-win". 0-damage matches are less common with the introduction of 12v12 matches but the game modes are nonetheless a horribly-designed source of annoyance. In practice it has the feel of a very slow arena shooter with no respawns other F2P titles such as World of Tanks and the like are a good point of reference, despite the developer's insistence otherwise.

    Features: a major draw of the MW games has always been customization. Mech sticks in many ways to the classic Battletech rules the way weight and critical slots work, for instance, only mechs have limited 'weapon hardpoints' to give them variety and (in theory) balance them. Again, it is an arcane system however plagued by balance problems and lack of information. The best source of mech customization info is actually a 3rd party website (look up Smurfy's mwo reference). For instance new player wouldn't know that Double Heat Sinks are essentially mandatory on most mechs, despite being absent on most trial mechs the developers put out, or which modules are actually worthwhile.

    Related to this, a big problem at the moment is the game's economy. Now with real-money-fueled "Premium Time" a player will make roughly the same c-bills as a player without Premium Time used to. Players not using Premium Time now make a pittance after the Cadet Bonus new players earn, if they buy a bad mech or otherwise spend their cbills poorly they will be stuck with their choice for a long time (dozens if not hundreds of matches, depending on what they want to buy next). As such many players, especially newer ones, will have a hard time than they used to.

    Of course, a new player could just buy MC to bypass the grind. But there's no other way to put this: mechs are downright absurdly expensive to buy with real money. Assault mechs, last I bothered looking, cost in the range of $30 USD a piece. I will say that again: thirty dollars to unlock a single mech. There is absolutely no defending the pricing scheme PGI has put in place, and it's highly unlikely that they will ever have a sale on MC again.

    As long as I'm on features, there's an extremely lengthy list of promised features that have not made it into the game: DX11 support, lobby system, Community Warfare, etc. It's not clear when most of these features will be in the game in any meaningful way.

    Visuals and Audio: the game frankly just doesn't look very good. Maps are the worst offenders, whether through bland colors, awful visual filters (Forest Colony), or bad textures/geometry (Tourmaline Desert). A game running on the Cryengine 3 in 2013 has no business looking as bad as it does.

    The one thing the game does right more than anything else is the mech designs the art team, led in this aspect by Flyingdebris/Alex Iglesias, has given us some of the best Battletech art the franchise has ever seen. On many of the mechs after the original four, however, this has not translated well to the actual game. Size is the primary issue, with many mechs being far larger than they should be, for flavor and for balance reasons.

    The game has some good sound effects (my favorite personal touch being the clanking sound an Atlas makes as it torso-twists) but there are issues and bugs with them at times. There's no music to speak of, despite there being a music volume slider in the options.

    Final: MWO is a game that could and should be so much better than it is. Through incompetence and flat-out lying, PGI has 'delivered' a buggy, broken experience that deserves a far better team working on it. It's salvageable, but considering PGI's hostile attitude to their own player base I don't have a lot of hope.    … Expand
  24. CmndoBrndo
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    Overpromised and underdelivered. What was an ambitious undertaking fell flat through what I believe are uninterested development and engineering teams.
  25. StandingCow
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Look, the game is fun, and since it is a F2P title (without P2W in it, thank god) you should at least give it a try. But let me make one thing very clear, it is NOT ready to come out of beta, not by a long shot.
  26. IceSerpent
    Sep 17, 2013
    1
    Pros: good graphics and sound effects.

    Cons: - severe lack of content (just a few maps and only 2 game modes) - badly broken game balance - terrible UI - game is very unfriendly to new players overall - lack of promised galactic conquest overlay (a.k.a Community Warfare) - lack of promised feature of all mechs being equally useful (a.k.a Role Warfare) - broken matchmaker - 3rd    Pros: good graphics and sound effects.

    Cons:
    - severe lack of content (just a few maps and only 2 game modes)
    - badly broken game balance
    - terrible UI
    - game is very unfriendly to new players overall
    - lack of promised galactic conquest overlay (a.k.a Community Warfare)
    - lack of promised feature of all mechs being equally useful (a.k.a Role Warfare)
    - broken matchmaker
    - 3rd person view and 1st person view are not separated (12v12 is 1PV only, but it's unreasonable to be able to have 11 more players available at all times). 3PV comes with all the peek-around-corners advantages one would expect from it.
    - game has very little to do with Battletech (aside from skins and names), despite promises to keep it as close as possible.

    Overall, a boring and repetitive arcade shooter.    … Expand
  27. Heffay
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    The game is a lot of fun. The gameplay is solid, and team tactics make a huge difference (as is true for any team based game). You can run almost any mech and contribute your fair share to the team.

    The graphics and animation are just beautiful! Watching a mech explode right in front of you is an awe inspiring experience. The game does lack some content; could use more maps, and    The game is a lot of fun. The gameplay is solid, and team tactics make a huge difference (as is true for any team based game). You can run almost any mech and contribute your fair share to the team.

    The graphics and animation are just beautiful! Watching a mech explode right in front of you is an awe inspiring experience.

    The game does lack some content; could use more maps, and the community warfare portion is still missing. It will allegedly be released in the next month or two, which should dramatically increase the content available. More game modes, more maps, more mechs. That's what it really needs right now.    … Expand
  28. ZORLY
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    This game has two game modes, Conquest (capture points and hold) and Assault (team deathmatch) and a handful of maps. The amount of grinding needed in order to get a mech of your own isn't bad, for the 1st 20 games, after that it is a terrible grindfest. The game quickly gets redundant and stale. There are no incentives to use a light, cheaper mech to capture points in conquest because theThis game has two game modes, Conquest (capture points and hold) and Assault (team deathmatch) and a handful of maps. The amount of grinding needed in order to get a mech of your own isn't bad, for the 1st 20 games, after that it is a terrible grindfest. The game quickly gets redundant and stale. There are no incentives to use a light, cheaper mech to capture points in conquest because the reward is so low. There appears to be no matchmaking balance as brand new players go up against founders. There are very little instructions on how to pilot, and nothing on combat training; with such a steep learning curve, the tutorial is practically useless. The user interface is clunky and trying to form a group is made unnecessarily difficult. There are alleged promises for a new user interface, but a quick look at the forums shows an angry player base crying for that "UI 2.0" that had been "promised" to be available long before launch. I often find my weapons firing into invisible barriers, my giant mech can't seem to step over a rock no bigger than its foot and terrain that looks like it should be easily traversed will often leave you looking for a new route, if you don't get stuck.

    I honestly feel that anyone scoring this higher than a 5 or 6 but lower than 3 or 4 is not giving an objective review. Many people are reviewing this game on the publisher and developer and their behavior.

    I score this game a 3 for its many flaws and overall feel of being incomplete, coupled with your choice between a money grabbing Free To Play model (the sooner we gamers stop giving our money to F2P, the better) or redundant grindfest. Even if you do chose the money pit, you are still in for plenty of redundancy.    … Expand
  29. VKsjg
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    So much potential wasted, so many promises broken, so many deadlines slipped. The game was hyped as one thing and is turning into a kiddie game. I've been playing since closed beta and though the game still can be fun, it has progressed so slowly and a lot of the promised features have yet to arrive. Add to the snarkiness of the certain members of the dev team and a near total disregardSo much potential wasted, so many promises broken, so many deadlines slipped. The game was hyped as one thing and is turning into a kiddie game. I've been playing since closed beta and though the game still can be fun, it has progressed so slowly and a lot of the promised features have yet to arrive. Add to the snarkiness of the certain members of the dev team and a near total disregard for what should have been their core base leaves me in doubt about the future of this game.

    Some good: It is fun if you take it for what it is. The artwork isn't too bad. They have captured I think, the flavor of big stompy mechs beating on each other. The mechs can be customized to a great degree and a lot of the fun is just throwing different builds together and giving it a whirl. The maps are decent in look though some would be better as 8vs8 instead of 12vs12 and two would be good as 16vs16. The weapon balance is OK. Still needs tweaking but the majority of weapons are useful. Lots of mechs are available to use and in general, they look good though there is some scaling issues. They made "Sarah's Jenner" to raise money for charity was pretty solid of them.

    The Bad: 3rd PV, should never have been put in the game or if we must have that trash, the queues should be split as promised. Match imbalances are still a bane both in weight and skill. There is only two modes of play. Maps come slowly and they often have spots that your huge mech should be able to step over but it fail such as a stone embankment/wall on the river city map. Community warfare is no where to be seen. The new UI that has been much hyped, still hasn't made an appearance beyond a screenshot. The devs have essentially made it clear that the Founders are not their target audience any more. 10 year olds that cannot grasp torso twist apparently is the new target. The promised role-warfare is still pretty sketchy. C-bills have been nerfed a great deal. Takes forever to earn the money for a new mech. You would think they would want to sell more mech bays but I guess they are betting on premium time sales. No integrated voice yet. No lobby. No custom match making.

    Can they recover? I have my doubts. I hope they can get themselves sorted as in spite of everything, the game does show promise. I just am not sure if the PGI crew has the moxie to make things right.    … Expand
  30. MwHighlander
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Its been over a decade since the last official MechWarrior title has been released, so lets go over the pro's and con's of this one. Btw, its NOT pay to win.

    Pros: The artwork and renditions of many of the in-game 'Battlemechs' are fantastic and well done. The sound effects and visuals are quite good. Sadly, not as good as it could be. The game nothing like average FPS by a long shot,    Its been over a decade since the last official MechWarrior title has been released, so lets go over the pro's and con's of this one. Btw, its NOT pay to win.

    Pros: The artwork and renditions of many of the in-game 'Battlemechs' are fantastic and well done. The sound effects and visuals are quite good. Sadly, not as good as it could be. The game nothing like average FPS by a long shot, rewarding patients and tactics over raw firepower. Those who often perform the best in this "Action-Sim" are those who keep calm and their head down, taking full potential of opportunities as they present themselves. Those who are used to the "run and gun" style of game-play of the current over saturated marked be ware. This is the fastest way for you to find yourself at the wrong end of the enemy teams gun barrels. Tact and Teamwork is the key here you won't 'one man army' your way to victory.

    The Mechlab is what gives this game far, FAR more depth than any other current FPS out there today, including other mecha competition. It stands a step above games like HAWKEN, gameplay wise giving a much more indepth feel over piloting mecha and plenty of feel for scale. Many players find themselves in the mechlab trying to build that elusive "perfect mech" more than being in game itself.

    Cons: The game's development cycle is slow, has its fair share of bugs and is clearly going through several growing pains. So lets start off shall we?

    First is the learning curve. Those who are new to the FPS genre in general will find this game abysmally difficult. Many small things are needed to be learned to even become a 'sub-par' mech pilot. All things from learning the individual weapons, torso twisting, aiming, setting weapon groups, heat management, learning how to build "good" mechs in the mechlab, etc. Of course this comes from simply playing the game, but the game itself does not help at all.

    The "Trial Mech System" is the process in which players obtain their first mech, and ooh boy. Are these mechs fubar beyond belief. Although yes these mechs are based on "TRO's" (Tactical Read Outs) from the Table Top game MechWarrior was based on 25 years ago, these mechs do not translate well into a FPS environment. This has to do with many problems, such as low armor values, misplaced mech roles (some mechs are meant for Anti-Air or Anti-Infantry, neither of which are a part of the game), broken heat scale system (The Awesome Mech for instance, is useless because of artificial systems in placed to prevent it from doing its standard loadout of using large energy based weaponry) and so forth. The sooner the new player gets his "Cadet Bonus" and purchases his/her own mech the sooner. You also cannot customize the "Trial Mechs" which is half the game. Furthermore, in order to ask for help on the forums, you cannot post until you have completed your initial 25 games with this horrid system. You MUST drudge through the garbage before you effectively can start playing.

    The second problem is weapon/equipment balance in game. Simply put, there is none.
    LRMs (Long Range Missles) are fubar, don't use them
    SRMs (Short Range Missiles) have hit detection issues
    Pulse Lasers are Heavier, shorter range hotter crap versions of regular lasers. Don't use them
    The LB-10X autocannon does not work at all like it is supposed to in canon or like previous MechWarrior Titles. It is also the most expensive weapon in the game. Don't waste your precious C-Bills on it and don't use it. Just take my word for it, its bad.
    Machine Guns are completely ineffective against armored mechs. Armored mechs are the only enemies you have in the game. See where I'm going with this?
    Flamers, see above.
    Autocanon 2's are too puny, heavy and run hot. They are only effective in LARGE groups, and even then are penalized by a system called "Ghost Heat". They are bad and the game punishes you from trying to use them effectively. So don't use them at all.
    ECM, this broken peice of equipment makes you immune to lock-on missiles! Yes, its as broken as it sounds, it also does not follow what its supposed to do canon wise.
    BAP, hard counters ECM and has no other purpose. Also does not follow canon rules what so ever
    Command Console, does nothing!
    NARC Beacon, is broken and weighs ALOT. So, effectively also does nothing!
    Streak SRM2's, have the same lock on mechanic as LRMs, so there is a bug where the "Artemis Upgrade" also benefits them with literally no tonnage/crit cost!
    3rd Person View, Turn it on to see enemies around hills then turn it back off to fight! Its like its own build in wall hack!
    C-Bill grind! This is the games in-money system, and you will earn almost nothing after the cadet bonus finishes, because the Devs think we earn too many!

    Lastly, No collisions, no lobbies, horrid chat system, game crashes, no DFA, no alt. ammo types, Horrible frame rates, no eye candy, no destrucable enviorments, no Dx11, bad game modes, TINY MAPS, etc.

    Enjoy    … Expand
  31. wolf777
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    Unfortunately as a Legendary Founder and someone who has paid for Overlord and MC (Mechwarrior credits) $300+ this game has gone nowhere fast. Instead of fixing and balancing they spend time adding "features" like 3PV. Instead of adding Community Warfare the add a couple of new maps and continue with basically 2 versions of death matches. Instead of listening to people who pay moneyUnfortunately as a Legendary Founder and someone who has paid for Overlord and MC (Mechwarrior credits) $300+ this game has gone nowhere fast. Instead of fixing and balancing they spend time adding "features" like 3PV. Instead of adding Community Warfare the add a couple of new maps and continue with basically 2 versions of death matches. Instead of listening to people who pay money they dismiss many of us as the vocal minority as the silent majority must agree with them cause they don't have any issues... and their forum MODs reguarly delete or edit (redact) posts if the feel it disagrees with them.
    Wanted to like them through ups and downs of closed beta and beta... but even with the "release" this is still no better than a beta. It is sad that PC gamer who gave away stuff last year had a recent issue devoted to Free to Play and Mechwarrior online was not mentioned... we'll it was mentioned in passing when they were talking about Hawken another F2P.    … Expand
  32. Barantor
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    Not going into the publishers problems. The game is a pretty but rather bland lobby shooter that would appeal to battletech enthusiasts but probably not to a more general audience. Lack of more grouping options, game bugs, balance issues and a complete lack of a new user experience beyond a fledgling movement tutorial makes it a hard game to play; especially new.

    Feels like a beta    Not going into the publishers problems. The game is a pretty but rather bland lobby shooter that would appeal to battletech enthusiasts but probably not to a more general audience. Lack of more grouping options, game bugs, balance issues and a complete lack of a new user experience beyond a fledgling movement tutorial makes it a hard game to play; especially new.

    Feels like a beta because without some of the features that are supposedly in the works, it is and admittedly so by the staff. I would only try it if you loved the mechwarrior experience in the past.    … Expand
  33. Wonko
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    A disappointing experience all-around. This is not like any Mechwarrior game that came before...don't expect MW5. It may be worth playing for a couple of hours just for the graphics...they are pretty good because of the detail of the mechs. But everything is concealed behind some sort of hazy grainy-vision. The time one plays will consist of mostly 4-8 minute games, repeated over andA disappointing experience all-around. This is not like any Mechwarrior game that came before...don't expect MW5. It may be worth playing for a couple of hours just for the graphics...they are pretty good because of the detail of the mechs. But everything is concealed behind some sort of hazy grainy-vision. The time one plays will consist of mostly 4-8 minute games, repeated over and over on poorly proportioned maps. The game is terribly frustrating with the strange weapon quirks that make no sense and the heat penalties that reduce one's effectiveness and ability to survive (no in-game description of the arcane heat system either). Be prepared to grind (a LOT) to get your mech improved enough to be competitive...because you have to level THREE variants of each mech. One must deal with incomplete and unbalanced weaponry; some weapons systems seem overpowered, while others are a total waste of space/weight. There's only one real roll: get the biggest mech there is with the biggest weapons it can hold, tag as many enemy as you can, then get/steal as many kills as you can. Scouting and support roles are rewarded at a much lower level. This design forces one to discard real teamwork in favor of selfish play...and one will see a LOT of it. Adding to the teamwork problem is a lack of in-game communication hot-buttons....or anything other than typing, unless you are in a group on TeamSpeak. The community is terribly full of mean-spirited and hateful people, both in-game and in the forums. The devs/admin are arrogant and condescending. STAY AWAY FROM THE FORUMS! It doesn't matter what one posts; it will be flamed by either a 'this game sucks' troll or a brown-nosing admin-lover, and either (both) will try to explain why they are so smart while demeaning any opposing view. I wasted time on this game (since closed beta) but no longer play it. Loved it once, hate the entire experience now.… Expand
  34. cybermech
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    Great game, have spent a year playing it.
    Also plenty of good guys in the community who just want to help new people out.
    There are some public TS's you can join in on and have some fun.

    Hope see you guys on the field!
  35. Gallowglas
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    MWO is an enjoyable game that effectively captures the feel of the Mechwarrior/Battletech Universe. The combat is visceral and the mechs models in particular are very well done. The F2P model isn't P2W, nor is it particularly intrusive or coercive.

    The major downside is that Community Warfare, the over-arching structure for battles that provides ongoing consequence for wins or losses    MWO is an enjoyable game that effectively captures the feel of the Mechwarrior/Battletech Universe. The combat is visceral and the mechs models in particular are very well done. The F2P model isn't P2W, nor is it particularly intrusive or coercive.

    The major downside is that Community Warfare, the over-arching structure for battles that provides ongoing consequence for wins or losses and which provides factional cohesion, is still missing months after we were first told it would be in the game and delays keep coming. Communication about how Community Warfare will even operate have been all but nonexistent despite assurances that we're very near to its release. Furthermore, PGI's communication in general and connection with the community is inconsistent at best, but often completely dysfunctional..

    Long story short: the core gameplay is pretty solid and entertaining. I wouldn't be playing it over a year after first installing it if it weren't. I can't say that about many other games. However, it's clear that PGI needs better project and community management.    … Expand
  36. Justsomeguy84
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    This game is really fun to play. Bottom line. The mech destruction is fantastic and the tactical element amazing. If you like driving tanks or taking a thoughtful approach to a battle or a thoughtful approach to attacking an enemy you will like this. It's deep and engaging. This has been my main game for more than a year.

    It's true, they launched without their core features but they are    This game is really fun to play. Bottom line. The mech destruction is fantastic and the tactical element amazing. If you like driving tanks or taking a thoughtful approach to a battle or a thoughtful approach to attacking an enemy you will like this. It's deep and engaging. This has been my main game for more than a year.

    It's true, they launched without their core features but they are coming. Hopefully soon.

    Criticizing this game will not get you banned as some say. The negative scores here are all political.    … Expand
  37. BladeSplint
    Sep 17, 2013
    9
    Excellent incarnation of the Mechwarrior franchise, brought back to life in a solid F2P system.
    The UI is a little clunky but is soon to be replaced.

    If you're a Mechwarrior fan or if you enjoy a slower-paced shooter with more strategy than fast-twitch aim, come join us!
  38. H0urg1ass
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    It's a lobby based matchmaker, much like World of Tanks, but far less refined and lacking a sense of achievement and progression.

    It's F2P, and worth the download, but doesn't really have much longevity unless the player really enjoys collecting every mech in the game. Lobby based matchmaking with no persistent world means that the only real achievement in the game is having a high    It's a lobby based matchmaker, much like World of Tanks, but far less refined and lacking a sense of achievement and progression.

    It's F2P, and worth the download, but doesn't really have much longevity unless the player really enjoys collecting every mech in the game. Lobby based matchmaking with no persistent world means that the only real achievement in the game is having a high Kill/Death ratio, which is great for the CoD kiddies, but an extreme letdown for true Mechwarrior fans.

    The Good:

    - The tutorial is a good starting point for new players and really helps get the hang of driving a mech without trying to learn it all in the heat of a player's first battle.

    - The feel of driving a mech is great. The controls are intuitive and easy to learn and the player will really have the feeling of driving a big stompy robot.

    - Each mech has it's own full compliment of sounds, from the noise the engine makes when idle, to the sound of the torso twisting. Each mech has it's own ambiance about it which truly makes it unique.

    - Each weapon has a role and a unique feel to it, and at the moment no single weapon is too overpowered, except when coupled with the easily abused hardpoint system which allows a player to stack several balanced weapons onto a mech until it is ridiculously unbalanced.

    - There's nothing cookie cutter about the vast majority of the Mechs in the game. Although the hardpoint system is easy to abuse, it also allows players a wide range of freedom for putting weapons which they are comfortable using on a mech that they want to pilot. There are many perfectly valid ways to assemble and pilot most of the mechs in the game with a few notable exceptions.

    The Bad:

    - The pre-match UI isn't full screen. Buying and assembling mechs for a battle feels like gluing arms onto ants. A UI overhaul has been promised for months, but is vaporware at this point without a release date on the day of launch.

    - Launching a match throws the players resolution violently into full screen with lots of flashing and flickering. Some computers have problems at this point and will DC or CTD.

    - There is a scale issue on several of the maps, where it doesn't really make the player feel as if they are walking around in several dozen tons of steel. It simply feels like a vision-restricted FPS on the maps that don't have good visual cues.

    - Graphics are very substandard for a CryEngine based game. The game is DX9 and the texture quality is poor at best. For some reason there is a film grain filter when looking outside the windows of the mech ****

    - Very few maps and matches only last about 5-6 minutes each so the maps get boring really fast.

    - No destructability in environment. Even trees aren't knocked down by a Mech walking all over them.

    The Middle:

    - Full joystick compatibility with most joystick models. Player will need to check the forums for configuration files or instructions for most models.    … Expand
  39. DracheM
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    MWO has good innovation on the Mechwarrior game in a few areas, utilizing modern technology and coding to implement things that may not have been feasible in previous titles. Some of these things that MWO gets "right" are:

    * Line-of-Sight radar * Armor Internals split hp * Arm reticule moves separate from torso reticule Unfortunately, there are also some areas where it falls short    MWO has good innovation on the Mechwarrior game in a few areas, utilizing modern technology and coding to implement things that may not have been feasible in previous titles. Some of these things that MWO gets "right" are:

    * Line-of-Sight radar
    * Armor Internals split hp
    * Arm reticule moves separate from torso reticule

    Unfortunately, there are also some areas where it falls short of the mark. For example, Heat is an interesting system but here, it is implemented the same as it was in previous Mechwarrior titles, with an automatic shutdown after a certain threshold. This seems like a wasted opportunity to leverage modern programming to bring the same granularity of mechanics into the game.

    There is also a certain lack of immersion from being in a big stompy robot. This immersion seems to end at the startup sequence, with the rest of a game's "match" becoming increasingly gamist, with points being shown as the player accomplishes tasks, number of players remaining, and concluding with a kill-cam.

    The purpose of the matches also lacks immersion. In the Assault game mode, players win by either killing all enemies or by capturing the enemy oil rig by standing near it until the bar goes down. In the Conquest game mode, players win by either killing all enemies or by reaching a number of points that increase based on the number of oil rigs they control. The points are just that a number; there is no further explanation to what these resources are that are being captured or their purpose.

    The terrain and visuals also miss the mark for giving a sense of scale. The exception to this is one map, River City, which pits players against each other in an urban environment. However, the terrain doesn't have a strong sense of detail at a close-up level.

    Further reducing the immersion are the lack of interaction with the environment. The "big stompy robot" feel is lost when one cannot affect the terrain or collide with enemy (or friendly) mechs.

    All-in-all, the game has a few new innovations for some of the older mechanics, but otherwise has a striking lack of attention to detail. I'm tempted to say that with a free to play game, you get what you pay for, but I can't see that any of the purchasable content would improve this game's fundamental flaws.    … Expand
  40. Protection
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Both the 10s and the 0s are blatant exaggerations. The 10s are from hardcore golds who defend the game to the death, and the 0s are overly negative beyond fairness basically a response to so many false 10s.

    What the game is? A disappointment. The new player experience is rather abyssmal, featuring a torturous grind and grab deals everywhere, with a pathetic excuse for a tutorial and    Both the 10s and the 0s are blatant exaggerations. The 10s are from hardcore golds who defend the game to the death, and the 0s are overly negative beyond fairness basically a response to so many false 10s.

    What the game is? A disappointment. The new player experience is rather abyssmal, featuring a torturous grind and grab deals everywhere, with a pathetic excuse for a tutorial and terrible interface with little explanation.

    There's a disturbing lack of content, plenty of mechs but two almost identical, equally brain-dead game modes across a small handful of maps, and no lobby system whatsoever. Not even an out of game chat.

    Core gameplay is unbalanced, and has been for some time, and there is little incentive to choose smaller mechs rather than armed assault mechs. Features like 3rd Person View and Ghost Heat seem like a huge waste of resources, and teamplay is basically limited to "everyone roll into a ball and run to this point."

    Based on what was once promised, it's a disappointment, but it it somewhat functional as a game. Does it deserve a 0? No, that's ridiculous. Is it a 10? Hahahaha, no not at all. It's a below average robot shooter experience.    … Expand
  41. Benden
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    I've been playing the game since closed beta, 2 years ago.
    Now the game is released and it's a shame the game is so shallow, missing so much content I would still consider it an Alpha version.
    So yes, you can have fun with this game if you're trying it for a month or two, if you can survive the very steep learning curve.
    I just hope the dev. (PGI) gonna wake up... FAST.
  42. malish
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    Claimed to free to play, free to enjoy, free to have fun... well, it's not completely true. You have only 4 bays, if you want more give them your money. Also yon can either spend your lifetime earning cbills (in-game currency) or spend your cash. It wouldn't be a problem if you didn't need TONS of c-bills. The majority of players (base on my open beta experience) end up spending $15-25Claimed to free to play, free to enjoy, free to have fun... well, it's not completely true. You have only 4 bays, if you want more give them your money. Also yon can either spend your lifetime earning cbills (in-game currency) or spend your cash. It wouldn't be a problem if you didn't need TONS of c-bills. The majority of players (base on my open beta experience) end up spending $15-25 each month to buy "comfort" such as aka premium time, mechs, XP conversion.....… Expand
  43. Effectz
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    I don't agree with them launching on Sept 17th and the devs are not good at communicating but alot of the big features are coming Oct/Nov like UI 2.0 The game is fun to play A steady stream of mechs and tweaks monthly.
  44. Iceash
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Ok here goes this game get's 6/10 and that is being generous, the game doesn't deserve the 0/10 but then again in no way does it deserve the 10/10's.

    The mechs look good, and handle quite well, the weapon systems keep getting hit with a balance that atm throw's everything out of whack for a while, since PGI are unable to do small changes to see how gameplay is affected, couple this with    Ok here goes this game get's 6/10 and that is being generous, the game doesn't deserve the 0/10 but then again in no way does it deserve the 10/10's.

    The mechs look good, and handle quite well, the weapon systems keep getting hit with a balance that atm throw's everything out of whack for a while, since PGI are unable to do small changes to see how gameplay is affected, couple this with bug's that keep popping up on maps and in system with several disconects leaves you feeling frustrated.

    New mechs are introduced to the rate of 1 a month but unfortunately you keep getting the same issues raising their head time and time again with poor hitboxes that just leave you wondering where is the quality control.

    We have 2 game modes that are quite similar but with no lobby or ability to see what maps you are going to play on you can take the wrong mech/mech loadout to a map.

    We still have huge missing features Community Warfare for example which has been promised so many times and then it's just gone silent with the promise of it is still comming.

    Poor UI though this is supposed to be changed soon)

    There is a very high new user lvl especially when they are dropped in with the vet's with a very poor tutorial.

    All in all we have a good core game but it s let down by PGI themselves with very poor game decisions/ leadership.    … Expand
  45. Harpyrnon
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    From the time closed beta started last year, the game has somehow managed to get worse with nearly every update. Graphics details that started out at a high quality have been steadily cut in an attempt to make the game run better on more peoples machines has largely been unsuccessful. Promised game features are largely nonexistent while features promised to be never introduced are added toFrom the time closed beta started last year, the game has somehow managed to get worse with nearly every update. Graphics details that started out at a high quality have been steadily cut in an attempt to make the game run better on more peoples machines has largely been unsuccessful. Promised game features are largely nonexistent while features promised to be never introduced are added to the dismay of their most devoted fans.

    Game balance issues are addressed months on average after they are introduced, and usually addressed in such a heavy handed fashion that the meta game is a wildly swinging pendulum going from one extreme to another. New players can expect to be confused by many systems behind the scenes that impact game play in huge ways, while being stuck in vastly inferior robots for a huge length of time if they are unwilling to pay large sums of their paychecks.

    While free to play games depend on micro transactions for revenue, the prices on most in game items are hugely inflated. Most robots cost more than $20 with some of the larger one costing over $40 for just the bare bones chassis, which will cost even more money to get into a playable state. These huge costs are inflated even more with the requirement to own the same robot 3 times before you can unlock its skill trees upper levels vastly increasing the robots capabilities.

    The basic game play in early closed beta was easily the high point in this games lifetime, with each new addition making the game more time consuming and costly to play. Developers who insult and berate their player base while seeming to actively sabotage their own game are the only things you see when visiting their site and social media.

    A launch has not reached such terrible crescendos since Star Wars: The Old Republic.    … Expand
  46. SirJockstrap
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Stomping around in big robots is fun, and blowing bits off of enemy robots is even better. over short periods this game is very good however it lacks the features to give it longevity at the moment. Later in development when the long awaited clan wars is implemented this may change but at the moment the game is most similar to counter strike with robots. As stated by many others theStomping around in big robots is fun, and blowing bits off of enemy robots is even better. over short periods this game is very good however it lacks the features to give it longevity at the moment. Later in development when the long awaited clan wars is implemented this may change but at the moment the game is most similar to counter strike with robots. As stated by many others the development team behind the game have made some very questionable design decisions that have angered a great many people so take this into account when looking at the user score.… Expand
  47. HippyBait
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    While this game does have some of its foundation in place it is missing almost all of what the game was described as over the course of its development. The only content they release is new mechs, very rarely new maps, and new camo/paint. Core features such as Community Warfare and the Clans have been stated as coming in the next few months with lots of info in the coming weeks; howeverWhile this game does have some of its foundation in place it is missing almost all of what the game was described as over the course of its development. The only content they release is new mechs, very rarely new maps, and new camo/paint. Core features such as Community Warfare and the Clans have been stated as coming in the next few months with lots of info in the coming weeks; however that is the same thing they have been saying since this time last year. Content is always around the corner but never arrives, nor does any information.

    The devs have a tendency to address problems with weapons/builds by implementing convoluted unintuitive mechanics that are both not fun, and poorly described.

    There are bugs and that is to be expected, but it takes a long time for them to be fixed and even when they are something new pops up.

    The user interface for the game is lacking in almost every aspect, but this should be addressed with the new user interface that has been coming soon since last year.

    The grind for c-bills is to the point of absurdity once you get past you first 25 games.

    The list could really go on and on, but really it is just too frustrating to put it into words on how disappointing the treatment of a beloved franchise by what can only be described as deceitful arrogant developers.

    This game has a lot of potential, however the devs do not.    … Expand
  48. Sybreed
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    Gameplay wise, sound wise, overall mechanics wise, this game is a 9. Replayability is not great, with the devs having missed most of their deadlines and failed to release the big thing, community warfare. Because of this, I can't give more than 7 to MWO. It's a fun game to play a few hours per week. I'd say I still do 5-8 matches per day. But, without the main features in, it's hard toGameplay wise, sound wise, overall mechanics wise, this game is a 9. Replayability is not great, with the devs having missed most of their deadlines and failed to release the big thing, community warfare. Because of this, I can't give more than 7 to MWO. It's a fun game to play a few hours per week. I'd say I still do 5-8 matches per day. But, without the main features in, it's hard to have reasons to play more.

    To the developer, PGI, I give them a 4/10, mostly because they disrespected their core community, the founders, the Battletech veterans and nostalgics, those who gave them money to create the best Mechwarrior title possible. Also, because I find them a bit lazy (never engaged crunch mode before launch) and also because they're extremely stubborn even though the community has often been proven right (weapon balance issues). There are still a few things to fix for the mechanics to be perfect (ECM is broken, NARC is broken, SRMs and LRMs are broken), but the game is still fun after all. If PGI can look at themselves in the mirror and correct their mistakes, MWO can become a great game. They need to stop trying to cater to the casual crowd and make a real Mechwarrior title (3rd person was unnecessary). Mechwarrior IS supposed to be fun, no need to try to create a chimera out of it. Build it, and they will come, as the saying goes.

    So:
    Graphics: 8 (good, could be better)
    Sounds: 9 (nothing to say here, music is missing)
    Replayability: 5 (needs Community Warfare)
    Presentation: 5 (UI 2.0 is badly needed)
    Fun factor: 9
    Gameplay mechanics: 6.5 (ECM, NARC, LRMs, etc being the reason it's not higher)    … Expand
  49. PlatypusKnight
    Sep 17, 2013
    1
    This is probably one of the worst experiences in gameplay and development I have ever participated in 25 years of computer and online gaming.

    Gameplay at this time is extremely limited with only 2 game modes, Conquest and Assault. Conquest is supposed to be a capture the flag type of mode, but ends up being nothing more than Assault (12 vs. 12, last team standing), with some extra areas    This is probably one of the worst experiences in gameplay and development I have ever participated in 25 years of computer and online gaming.

    Gameplay at this time is extremely limited with only 2 game modes, Conquest and Assault. Conquest is supposed to be a capture the flag type of mode, but ends up being nothing more than Assault (12 vs. 12, last team standing), with some extra areas to defend or capture that usually have no effect on the outcome of the match. If your idea of a good gameplay is endless rounds of shoot til you die, this game is for you.

    The game also is plagued by constant bugs, game freezes, dropped games with no ability to jump back in if you are booted out, frame rate issues, and generally unstable design with basic weapon functions, environment bugs and pixel ghosting.

    The developer has consistently failed to deliver on its design pillars and features as rolled out to the Beta test community, delivered no new content, no upgrade to the user interface after months of promising to do so, and has waged at passive aggressive war on its own forums with its vocal community fan base.

    If you are looking for a viable successor to the prior MechWarrior games, this ain't it.    … Expand
  50. Davionguard
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    Mechwarrior Online, after 2 years of development, and over a year of "beta" is finally launching. The tale of its development has been a rather sordid affair, with a massive plummet in player morale, from those that happily funded it, to those that now viciously attack it. For more information on the lead-up to this, and the poor handling of the community, numerous, very eloquentMechwarrior Online, after 2 years of development, and over a year of "beta" is finally launching. The tale of its development has been a rather sordid affair, with a massive plummet in player morale, from those that happily funded it, to those that now viciously attack it. For more information on the lead-up to this, and the poor handling of the community, numerous, very eloquent articles have been written.

    From all of this, we are left with the "Launched" Mechwarrior Online. It has decent graphics, and is an interesting take on the beloved Battletech franchise. Weapons sound and feel powerful, giving the "fidelity" that PGI devs have talked about since its inception. However, this cursory glance at the game's visuals are the most appealing.

    The game is launching without many of the core features promised, possibly most-importantly, any sort of actual "goal". Where most competitve F2P games have a way to compete and "win". (Ranking systems, persistent worlds, and such, all promised), MWO has none. Matches are an endless grind to receive more equipment and play more matches.

    This grind is greatly apparent, and more frustrating, at the beginning (and often end) of a player's life-cycle. Coming fresh to the game, the player can only play awful mechs more prone to shutting themselves down than aiding their team. In addition, tutorials on actually playing the game (An incredibly complex affair, fraught with many hidden variables) are mostly player-made, with the exception of a minor movement tutorial. This problem is completely ignored by devs who urge players to not watch teammates and learn, but to rush through as many matches as possible to get out of this "tier" of play.

    If a player is able to "grind through" this painful beginning of being curb-stomped by those that know more, they can finally begin to see the game proper. Two game-modes exist, both painfully drab that come down to sitting on a small square, just as often as actually fighting something. Maps are also fraught with numerous bugs and seem cramped for the giant mechs on the battlefield. These players then play in optimized mechs and destroy those that are newly learning, making a rather vicious circle.

    Lastly, progress of the game is at a complete crawl. Features promised since early stages of development are broken into phases and given time-tables of "soon". With no plan ahead to any kind of player-goals, an awful new-user experience, and numerous problems that are solved very slowly, MWO is a game to avoid by anyone but the most patient and easily-amused.    … Expand
  51. somedood
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    There is alot to like about the mech combat. But there have been things added (3rd person view) that was promised would never be added. And launch so far has been very anemic.
  52. Cylence
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    I came into this game in closed beta, and after initial impressions contributed to the founders program. The game was fun, and much was promised that gave me high hopes for the future. Today, I have absolutely the opposite opinion. While in short bursts, the game might still have some of the enjoyment it once promised, it is held back by awful balance issues and a horrendously slowI came into this game in closed beta, and after initial impressions contributed to the founders program. The game was fun, and much was promised that gave me high hopes for the future. Today, I have absolutely the opposite opinion. While in short bursts, the game might still have some of the enjoyment it once promised, it is held back by awful balance issues and a horrendously slow grind if you have any desire to purchase a new mech without spending real money on it. Development pace has been outstandingly slow, with balance issues and bugs taking months to be even partially addressed, if at all. And frankly, communication from the developers has moved from involved community interaction to alternatingly condescending, utterly out of touch, or non-existent.

    For a cryengine 3 game, the game's graphics are pathetic. DX11 support has been in development for a year and is not present, and the visual presentation is outdated at best. I actually believe graphics were better earlier in development, as the developers struggle to work with the engine has forced them to disable features once available.

    New players face a tough uphill climb. The game only recently introduced its first tutorial, which barely presents anything useful to the newcomer. Online and in game documentation is non-existent, and recent balance changes have introduced complicated heat mechanics that can only be found buried in the forums. Until today, new players have been forced to play their initial matches using stock mechs, which are woefully underpowered compared to the customized chassis used by long term players. While today they have slightly improved "champion" chassis to choose from, there is no evidence this will remain the norm. Starting players do receive a rapid infusion of in game currency over the first 25 games, which will allow them to choose a customizable chassis and equipment, but those who do not research their choices may find themselves locked into something they do not enjoy, and forced to a drawn out grind that has been recently made even slower in order to acquire a different mech.

    New players are also initially thrown into third person view, a much maligned feature that has caused a vast division between players and developers. Intended to make it easier to see the legs of the mech, with most chassis the view point is too high for this purpose. This viewpoint also locks the targeting crosshairs to the terrain, causing it to jitter and bounce frequently it is recommended that players go into the options and switch to first person view and just learn to play the game as it was initially intended to be played.

    The game is highly imbalanced, favoring long ranged weaponry and heavier chassis over shorter range weapons and the lighter mechs. The developers have long promised to balance out the mech roles, but so far this has been nothing more than slight adjustments to torso twist and arm movement range and speed, along with much derided weapon balancing done in rare, heavy handed changes rather than the frequent small tweaks one would expect to see.

    Long term, the game has little staying power. The game has had only two game modes for a year, with nothing on the horizon beyond the same statements made while in closed beta. The much anticipated metagame is almost a year late, and no where to be seen. The game has 5 base maps, with a few duplicated with environmental changes to increase variety. As mentioned before, purchasing a new mech chassis requires either real currency or a long slow grind. The advancement tree requires purchasing 3 similar variants (same mech, different equipment hard points) in order to move through it, and with some mechs, the difference is very little. The end of the advancement tree is to provide an additional equipment module slot for the mech; while for some mechs this is useful, players can expect to devote as much if not more time to grind out the in game currency to purchase a module as they did for the mech itself.

    Ultimately, give the game a try, but don't be surprised to be frustrated early on, to burn out, or to see the game flop under failed promises and greed.    … Expand
  53. Ayestes
    Sep 17, 2013
    10
    It's a F2P game you can play every night and enjoy with friends. It has classic Mech combat and at this moment I think the balance is the best it's ever been since Closed Beta. The game is addicting and it's incredibly fun to design different Mechs. Between this and League of Legends all my competitive Multiplayer needs have been ruthlessly satisfied for many, many months. All theIt's a F2P game you can play every night and enjoy with friends. It has classic Mech combat and at this moment I think the balance is the best it's ever been since Closed Beta. The game is addicting and it's incredibly fun to design different Mechs. Between this and League of Legends all my competitive Multiplayer needs have been ruthlessly satisfied for many, many months. All the stuff that isn't in the game yet isn't a buzzkill to me like it appears to be for many others, and only gives me something to look forward to. Judging the game as it is currently though I figure if I am looking forward to sitting down for a couple hours on it nearly every day then it deserves a rating of ten in my book.… Expand
  54. Bolillo
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    The game is far from complete and probably should still be under the "beta" title. Lots of features are missing, and the devs have dropped the ball several times with the community. Probably needs another year to be were it should be for an actual launch. However, it's still extremely fun to play, and you can't beat the price.
  55. Sammy-the-Hain
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    Where to begin? MWO is unfinished, the staggering lack of content is embarrassing for any of the founders program suckers, the game wasn't a beta many months ago regardless of what any of the misguided white knights of MWO tried to say in a epic failure of a futile defense, the treatment of people in the forums by the MWO moderators is a joke, they can't balance weapons, they can't manageWhere to begin? MWO is unfinished, the staggering lack of content is embarrassing for any of the founders program suckers, the game wasn't a beta many months ago regardless of what any of the misguided white knights of MWO tried to say in a epic failure of a futile defense, the treatment of people in the forums by the MWO moderators is a joke, they can't balance weapons, they can't manage to keep pace with development versus the timeline they announced in terms of clan mechs and clan tech, they gave up on the timeline, the same two tired and sad old game modes are an endless disappoinment, complete lack of any promised content, the list just keeps going.
    2 years in, and this supposed launch is nothing more than an already scheduled patch, community warfare is nowhere to be found and player confidence is at an all time low. The hardcore fans I.E., the white kinights and founders suckers are trying to act like they don't care about these issues, they are trying to act like it doesn't bother them, but in a couple weeks to a month they will begin to rail against the developers, and they will probably start to leave, like rats leaving a sinking ship by December 1st.
    I joined MWO and then joined a group as I was advised to do by the community in the MWO forums, I then sent friends requests to all of the friends of the people in the group I joined, omnly to have my friends list wiped clean, and the ability to have or make friends removed, then I sent in a support ticket to ask why my friends list was removed, and any ability to have a friends list taken away, I recieved no response. So that left me with no way to be part of the MWO community in the forums, and I never posted anything negative or profane in anyway.
    I cannot recommend MWO, it is completely devoid of content, it's community moderators and support are a group bumbling fools that are biased and negative beyond compare. The developers are slow, seemingly unskilled enough to fix things needing a fix, but turning around and nerfing every decent weapon into the ground because it destroys the PGI crew ingame, I lterally listened to a PGI team ingame on MWO cry about PPCs and Gauss weapons so bad that I exited the webcast, then 3 weeks later heat penalties and nerfs came flying in the next two patches. Just so pathetic and transparent.
    What about a lobby system, and knowing what map you are getting before you start a match..?? Knowing that you are going to drop on a super hot volcano planet, no person in their right mind is going bring their hottest loadout into that opertaion, sorry..
    The only people that can be blamed for the obvious shambles that MWO is in right now are the developers, but I can guarantee they are going to blame the community for most of it, and then come up with the lamest of excuses to cater to the suckers that hold on to hopes of a good battletech-mechwarrior game to be released.
    Conclusion I do not recommend MWO to anyone at the current time, unless a miracle of development happens.
    Prediction DEAD BY DECEMBER... Yup    … Expand
  56. AGNJoe
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    I wanted to write this review of MechWarrior: Online so that the viewing public could see this game for what it really is.

    I gave this game a 5/10, but I want to state that while this is a low score for the game and it's creators at Piranha Games Inc., I want to state factual evidence, both good and bad, to be fair and unbiased. On the plus side, this is the first MechWarrior title    I wanted to write this review of MechWarrior: Online so that the viewing public could see this game for what it really is.

    I gave this game a 5/10, but I want to state that while this is a low score for the game and it's creators at Piranha Games Inc., I want to state factual evidence, both good and bad, to be fair and unbiased.

    On the plus side, this is the first MechWarrior title online in over 10 years, and it's good to see this back in play. Graphicially, the game is a decent improvement to the last MechWarrior title, but that's not saying too much here because this is supposed to use the CryEngine 3.4, and technically the graphics could go up to DX11 standards. However the developers have failed to add in the DX11 graphics update yet, the first of many failed promises that they were supposed to have upon game launch date and failed to deliver today.

    PC Gamer had featured a review of this back in Fall of 2012, in which the developers had stated many additions to the game, like different game modes that were to be featured, Community Warfare, a new user interface called UI 2.0, information warfare, DirectX 11 graphics, and the game's commitment to making this a 1PV game only system.
    Since that time, they introduced Coolant shots, which many people didn't want. They introduced a 3PV system, which they at first had said would never be introduced, then they said they were considering adding 3PV but only for the Training Tutorial, then they changed it again and said that they would introduce 3PV into the game itself but that 1PV player games and 3PV player games would as separate playing queues and that people wanting to play 1PV would never have to play with people wanting to play 3PV players, and then they MIXED them together anyways, and then said that 1PV player only queues were to be scrapped. It was only because the game playing community on their forums had blown up in an overwhelming negative forum response did they concede and as of today you can now play a 1PV only environment, but ONLY if you are on a team of you and 11 other friends in a 12 man formed team.

    Also, because the game has launched today, there is NO:

    Community Warfare
    Information Warfare
    DX11 graphics
    UI 2.0
    collision mechanic system
    MASC (a sort of nitrous like system to increase movement speed for some mechs)
    The Clans (which should have been out already)
    salvage based system to salvage parts
    Repairing and Rearming your mechs

    Now to be fair, PGI has said that they will in the future, add these and many other features over the course of the coming months and commit to new material being added, such as new maps, and new game features (Solaris style arena based combat), and new mechs. As to when that will all happen? Who knows?

    The major overlying problem however is not the game. It's the people making the game, which is Piranha Games Inc. (PGI) and their game publisher, Infinite Games Publishing (IGP). PGI's staff is very small and takes an extremely long time to put out anything and their balancing procedures is to balance the game from a "bottom first on down" system which is opposite from what all other game MMO creators have done, which they normally balance a game from the "Top first on down" in which they balance the game from what the top players are using to properly balance the game, so as to make the game more fair and balanced so that certain weapons are balanced for what they are being used by the top players. Not PGI, however, and it's caused some terrible balancing issues. On top of that, PGI never asked for the Crytek people who created the CryEngine system for help, which has further caused problems, ones that could have solved coding issues for PGI months ago, but never did, which boggles this reviewer. Why? To save money? Isn't the quality of this game more important?
    On top of this is IGP. Rumors have been flying in from some of the developers (who have asked not to be named and kept anonymous) that the Sept. 17th date was rushed because IGP had kept pushing for a launch date so they could say PGI's product is considered as "stable and playable" yet PGI has still had bug issues with the game being stable, and many of the promised features that they said would be included at game launch were put off after launch date. Why? This reviewer suspects that IGP wanted this pushed early so that they could make MONEY, and say it was a viable released product.

    In the end, I have been a Closed Beta tester of this game since June of 2012. Has PGI done some good things with the game? The answer is mixed. I am happy of the rebirth of MechWarrior as a MMO game, and the game is playable, but the constant broken promises PGI has given the community over and over has left a terrible taste in the game community's mouth, and IGP has done nothing to help the situation.

    One can only hope that MW: O can last long enough to recover and turn things around for the better, if they are around long enough to do so.    … Expand
  57. Hotthedd
    Sep 17, 2013
    1
    What was promised to be awesome graphics are not. What was promised to be first person only is not. What was promised to be immersive is not. What was promised to have an expansive meta game in a persistent BT universe is not. What was promised to be a "thinking man's shooter" is not. Even for a F2P game, it gets boring very fast.

    Even worse are the developers and publishers of the    What was promised to be awesome graphics are not. What was promised to be first person only is not. What was promised to be immersive is not. What was promised to have an expansive meta game in a persistent BT universe is not. What was promised to be a "thinking man's shooter" is not. Even for a F2P game, it gets boring very fast.

    Even worse are the developers and publishers of the game. After monetizing "open beta", they refused to listen to their beta testers, even demeaning them on twitter and other sites. Deadlines pass, promises broken, and the game has devolved into which team has the larger alpha strike capability.

    If you want to know how this game is, read their forums.    … Expand
  58. DJC759
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    On the game;
    Buggy interface left unfixed for months, check.
    Buggy game left unfixed for months, check. Promised features not delivered, check. No information available on when they're coming, check. Badly implemented CryEngine graphics stuck on DirectX 9, check. Learning curve that's more like a cliff, check. Balance that lurches from one extreme to another when the developers    On the game;
    Buggy interface left unfixed for months, check.
    Buggy game left unfixed for months, check.
    Promised features not delivered, check.
    No information available on when they're coming, check.
    Badly implemented CryEngine graphics stuck on DirectX 9, check.
    Learning curve that's more like a cliff, check.
    Balance that lurches from one extreme to another when the developers bother to change things, check.
    Toxic forums and community, check.
    Rapid white knight types who attack anyone who points out anything wrong, check (and oh look, present here too!).
    Overpriced cash shop items, check.
    Excessive grind, check.
    Lack of any form of meta-game, check.
    Match-making solution that encourages steam-rolling, check.
    2 gametypes that are basically the same gametype, check.
    Limited maps, check.

    On the development team;
    Draconian lock-down trying to control any negative comments, check.
    "Creative" marketing, check.
    Allegations of bait and switch tactics to encourage investment, check.
    Deliberate trolling of their own community, check.
    Unwillingness to engage in even sensible discussions on state of the game, check.
    Proven to lie about upcoming features and roadmap, check.
    Make the same mistakes over and over again, check.
    Release patches to fix problems that make things even worse, check.

    Do you want to try out running around in a big stompy robot? Do you want to have a couple of hours fun blowing things up? Give MWO a try. After those couple of hours you'll be getting bored and uninstalling, but at least you wasted a couple of hours.    … Expand
  59. DocBach
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    The game itself as a base for everything to come isn't too bad at the time of the official launch. Balance and client stability is better than it has been since closed beta, though there are still some questionable systems such as ECM. The lack of game modes is a large detraction, as both Assault and Conquest are very similar in concept and a team can win by avoiding combat which seems toThe game itself as a base for everything to come isn't too bad at the time of the official launch. Balance and client stability is better than it has been since closed beta, though there are still some questionable systems such as ECM. The lack of game modes is a large detraction, as both Assault and Conquest are very similar in concept and a team can win by avoiding combat which seems to be at odds with the entire theme of a 'Mech combat game. Some of the largest problems with the game are not really with the game, but with the developers and their interaction with the community. On several occasions the developers have changed a position on issues that the community have been strongly vocally against. Timelines for the release of features are far behind their projected dates, such as the key Community Warfare mode which advertises players will take part in galactic scale combat is coming up on being a year AWOL from when PGI initially announced it would be released for the start of open Beta. All in all, the gameplay is generally fun, but the game lacks any sort of end game to give a player incentive or reward to continue playing, and crucial features that were advertised and attracted many players to the game to begin with. If they ever get implemented and refined past their initial growing pains and bugs the game will have a lot going for it as it stands, the game right now is shallow and repetitive with little player reward.… Expand
  60. vrok
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    This is a pure Pay-to-Win game that should still in beta. It has bare minimum features besides the ability to pay for anything and everything with real money. Just endless deathmatches, no real objectives or overarching goals. Farm and spend dollars, that's the entire game.
  61. CSPshala
    Sep 17, 2013
    4
    Chipped in for the "crowd funding of the game" and it WAS fun for the first few months. The next year after open beta though, it went downhill.

    Currently game has no lobbies, matchmaking is simplistic at best, and the graphics are actually worse than they were a year ago. Also expect to be confused for a WHILE after you start playing. Protip: Ask someone to explain ghost heat to you.    Chipped in for the "crowd funding of the game" and it WAS fun for the first few months. The next year after open beta though, it went downhill.

    Currently game has no lobbies, matchmaking is simplistic at best, and the graphics are actually worse than they were a year ago. Also expect to be confused for a WHILE after you start playing. Protip: Ask someone to explain ghost heat to you.

    The game as been more-or-less in its current state for ALMOST A YEAR. If that doesn't tell you much about the game, I don't know what will. It's gotten stale, and the design decisions the development team has taken with the things they have changed range from confusing at best to outright bad for the game.

    Play if you like mechs. You might have fun for awhile, but unless the game changes in any real meaningful way anytime soon, expect to be bored after that time.

    Also I'd advise against spending money unless you clearly agree with where the game is and where it's going. Don't let the developers place that "carrot on a stick" with some promises. They haven't delivered on any of them yet, don't expect that to change.    … Expand
  62. nosleepdemon
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Mechwarrior Online is a surprisingly in depth and tactical Mech based shooter, focussing as much on blowing giant robots to pieces as it does on pre-game tinkering and customization. However the game also suffers from an incomplete feature list, and in true "F2P" spirit: An abominable grind through Mech and pilot skill trees with largely pitiful rewards for completing matches.

    A typical    Mechwarrior Online is a surprisingly in depth and tactical Mech based shooter, focussing as much on blowing giant robots to pieces as it does on pre-game tinkering and customization. However the game also suffers from an incomplete feature list, and in true "F2P" spirit: An abominable grind through Mech and pilot skill trees with largely pitiful rewards for completing matches.

    A typical match in MWO involves customizing your Mech loadout (including weapons, armour, engines, heat sinks and misc. equipment), choosing a game type (assault or conquest) and then launching into a randomly determined map. New players may be surprised to find that there is no pre-game lobby, nor can you see what Mechs your other team-mates have selected. This is a debilitating omission from a game which can at times command some fairly tactical game-play decisions from its players, and can result in extremely one sided matches due to imbalances in Mech loadouts among the player's team.

    Gameplay generally involves destroying the opponent's team without allowing them to capture your base (assault mode) or gaining 750 points (conquest mode). Once a player is down, they cannot respawn and may either spectate their team-mates for the remaining duration of the match, or leave. If a player leaves while their Mech is in a match, that Mech will remain locked until the match is over.

    Match rewards are generally slim; as an example, in the last match I played I was able to miraculously kill 6/12 of the enemy team, and was rewarded with 147,000 cbills. The average cost of a fully kitted out Mech in this game is around 8,000,000 15,000,000 c-bills. Players may also elect to buy their Mech variants with real money, costing them approximately $15-30 per Mech. This is further compounded by the requirement of owning 3 variants of the same Mech before you can progress to the final tiers in their skill trees. Mechbays, of which you receive 4 for free, cost real money. Therefore, for a player to fully level up more than two Mech chassis' (or a single chassis if they wish to keep their old Mechs), real money will have to be spent on the game.

    MWO is "Free to Play" in the truest meaning of that marketing term.

    Redemption can, however, be found in the game's excellent and usually finely tuned game-play mechanics. Mechs move with weight and realism, and contact with high calibre weapons causes an appreciable amount of shake. Individual components can be (and frequently are) shot off, crippling the victim's Mech. Heat plays an important factor in preventing players from firing their weapons continuously or all at once. The maps in the game are varied and mostly interesting, including volcanoes, cities and strange otherworldly crystal deserts, bringing with them their own ambient temperatures and geometric challenges. Players can hide themselves or team-mates from radar using ECM, detect the movement of nearby Mechs using seismic sensors and launch UAVs to survey the battlefield. Air strikes may also be called in, but are largely useless in the damage they deal.

    As the game is free, there is no harm in checking it out, however playing the game competitively can quickly become time consuming, extremely expensive or both. Players who persevere will find an in-depth and exciting Mech simulator that will hopefully be feature complete within the next year or so.

    Gameplay tips for new players:

    > Disable the 3rd person camera by pressing f4 it grants extremely restricted vision of the battlefield and locks your Mech's arm motions, preventing you from aiming through your full firing arc.
    > Twist your torso away from incoming fire to shield your vulnerable side and centre torso locations with your arms.
    > The rear armour on Mech torso locations is usually less than 1/2 as thick as their fronts.
    > Do not purchase Light Mechs despite their cheap initial cost, they quickly become expensive to field in an efficient manner due to their demand for expensive engine and heat sink customization, yet still remain comparatively weak vs their heavier counterparts.
    > For maximum rewards, 'tag' enemy Mechs by hitting them with any of your weapons so that you are rewarded with a kill assist should someone else destroy the Mech.    … Expand
  63. buildertjb
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    An extremely fun game at it's core, with a promising future to be so much more. Graphics are beautiful, especially the mechs. Free to play, and avoids being pay to win. So much depth to mech customization, and gameplay tactics. This is a game i will be playing for years to come.
  64. CapDel
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    This game can be legitimately fun. There's some content that needs to be completed (which supposedly are a few months out) to help fill out the game and increase its longevity. The best way to look at it is a slower paced, more tactical game of Counterstrike. It can be unforgiving to new players, but also very rewarding. The game is pretty close to doing Free2Play properly, in that youThis game can be legitimately fun. There's some content that needs to be completed (which supposedly are a few months out) to help fill out the game and increase its longevity. The best way to look at it is a slower paced, more tactical game of Counterstrike. It can be unforgiving to new players, but also very rewarding. The game is pretty close to doing Free2Play properly, in that you really don't need to spend money to be powerful, you only need to spend money if you want to speed up progress or extend how many choices in mechs you have.… Expand
  65. angelrage
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Mech art, great, i mean like 9/10, enviroment art, not bad like 7/10, designi from 1 year beta... ok now its the turning point. its like 2/10. probleam whit the game is not whit the game but whit the developers.
    Try the game enjoy the game and after wait for some actual content and ballance, cos its now an empty free to play store.
  66. jax
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    I'd recommend this to anyone interested, but even though IGP/PGI has made a good game they have a bad tendency of disapointing their customers. Many features of the game still needs tweaking after one year in open beta (and even longer in closed beta) and new contents just takes way to long to roll out. The game is patched about twice a month, but the patches seem to struggle forth andI'd recommend this to anyone interested, but even though IGP/PGI has made a good game they have a bad tendency of disapointing their customers. Many features of the game still needs tweaking after one year in open beta (and even longer in closed beta) and new contents just takes way to long to roll out. The game is patched about twice a month, but the patches seem to struggle forth and back and seemingly unable to land on the right spot. The game UI is still not in (after release) and the graphics are locked to DX 9.0. The communnity is large and dedicated, but the producers tend to ignore constructive feedback. Mechwarrior Online has given me great many hours of fun, and will be really good when it's more finished. For now, it's not.… Expand
  67. TheMagician
    Sep 17, 2013
    8
    The game is a fun game to play, especially once you have advanced enough to have plenty of c-bills to build custom 'mechs, fully loaded with all the features. Once Community Warfare and the new User Interface are added, this game will become a 9, and potentially a 10. I haven't logged this many hours in a game in many years.
  68. Festus
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Long time fan of the MechWarrior Franchise and "Legendary Founder" on Mechwarrior Online. While I like a lot about the POTENTIAL of this game, I can't give it more than a 6 based on it's current state.

    The Developers have a chronic habit of promising new features on a regular basis and an equally chronic habit of pushing said promises back repeatedly (over a year in some cases) while    Long time fan of the MechWarrior Franchise and "Legendary Founder" on Mechwarrior Online. While I like a lot about the POTENTIAL of this game, I can't give it more than a 6 based on it's current state.

    The Developers have a chronic habit of promising new features on a regular basis and an equally chronic habit of pushing said promises back repeatedly (over a year in some cases) while still promoting cash sales based on the promises made. As a founder we were sold on a promise to make a Mech Sim style game with no 3rd person views, no coolant flushing, and other features. Development has steered away from those promises, changing the game significantly from the original vision we were sold on.

    That said, if you have no experience in the Mechwarrior Universe, you will likely find the current game playable and enjoyable enough, but it will get repetitive due to the limited maps, game modes, and lack of a credible game interface and un-intuitive game mechanics. The game is making progress in that they now have a reasonable Tutorial section which introduces the players to how mechs move on the battlefield.

    However, the use of the Mechlab, where players can adjust their Mechs loadout, and should be a big part of playing the game, especially for new players, is basically unavailable to them, is clunky and lacks a truly user friendly interface.

    Immersion in the game is hit an miss at times. While I applaud the Mech designs and the sounds in the game, the lack of "destructibility" of objects and some issues with collision, especially when your Mech travels up a slope, can take away from the experience.

    If you like free-to-play games and have no intention of spending cash on it, MWO can be entertaining but be prepared for long "grinds" to earn enough in game cash to progress. For the most part the Mechs look good, and you do get the feel of being in a big stompy robot that many of us love. I find myself torn between my love of the franchise and the direction (that for myself is not what I initially signed up for) the game is heading.

    Many of the very low score reviews on metacritic are from disgruntled players who feel that the Devs have misled the community on multiple occasions. While I count myself among them, I still give the game a "6", while hoping they smarten up and earn an "8" one day.    … Expand
  69. Riulassher
    Sep 17, 2013
    7
    If you are looking for atmospheric mech vs mech battles, MWO is what you are looking for. They have really nailed that feeling of operating the massive warmachine. There is a grind, annoying but not unlike other F2P games. And the first 25 matches give you extra reward to buy and upgrade your first mech.

    The game is sadly being released in very unfinished state. The UI hasn't changed    If you are looking for atmospheric mech vs mech battles, MWO is what you are looking for. They have really nailed that feeling of operating the massive warmachine. There is a grind, annoying but not unlike other F2P games. And the first 25 matches give you extra reward to buy and upgrade your first mech.

    The game is sadly being released in very unfinished state. The UI hasn't changed since closed beta and they were supposed to deliver the completely rewritten and much more polished UI for the launch, but they failed. It is supposed to come in a month...or two.

    The worst consequence of the delayed UI 2.0 is that most of their promised advanced features the whole community are waiting for it. Lobbies, weight limits for matching, Community Warfare (large scale strategic view of the universe where people fight over planets), better mech management and mechlab, improved new player experience, new game mode...

    All that was supposed to be in before the launch and they didn't make it. It will be introduced in next several months.

    Even though the game has formally launched, it is still deeply unfinished. Only the core gameplay, the battle engine, is more or less complete. Everything outside, the menu, the shop, mechlab, social functions, everything will be completely replaced in 1-2 months.    … Expand
  70. ninjitsu
    Sep 17, 2013
    0
    First off, the game isn't anywhere near being ready for release. Still a beta! The patches and "content" updates that other reviewers have referred often break the game. Basically, this a poorly optimized cash cow. Pay to win garbage game.

    If you were hoping for anything close to battle tech, this isn't for you. Filthy arcade shooter with no depth. Do not waste money on it, you'll be    First off, the game isn't anywhere near being ready for release. Still a beta! The patches and "content" updates that other reviewers have referred often break the game. Basically, this a poorly optimized cash cow. Pay to win garbage game.

    If you were hoping for anything close to battle tech, this isn't for you. Filthy arcade shooter with no depth. Do not waste money on it, you'll be sorry you did.

    I think what they were going for was call of duty with robots. Artillery strikes and UAV's galore!    … Expand
  71. Trebek
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    MechWarrior Online was pitched as being a thinking man's shooter with depth and complexity, an overarching 'Community Warfare' territory control meta game with specialization options depending on the mech you pilot (called role warfare).

    The current state of the game is as follows: -Hit detection is buggy, and not just for high ping players. You will see a gauss slug hit the chest of    MechWarrior Online was pitched as being a thinking man's shooter with depth and complexity, an overarching 'Community Warfare' territory control meta game with specialization options depending on the mech you pilot (called role warfare).

    The current state of the game is as follows:
    -Hit detection is buggy, and not just for high ping players. You will see a gauss slug hit the chest of a stationary assault mech but sometimes no damage registers.
    -Alternately hits will sometimes slam into invisible terrain hit boxes that extend beyond the visible edge of terrain, making shooting over anything a guessing game.
    -The best chassis are called 'hero mechs' and are only available for real money (Pay to Win)
    -There are only two game modes.. assault (capture the 1 base) and conquest (capture the 5 bases)
    -Role warfare does not exist. There are no scouting or fire support skill trees. Every single mech from a 25 ton commando to a 100 ton atlas gets *exactly the same skill unlocks*. It's just grind.
    -Community warfare was supposed to be in January 2013. It is now 9 months later and the centrepiece feature/the overarching metagame does not exist yet. They have promised to now to put in 'phase 1 of communit warfare' in the coming 30-90 days.... Anyone who takes them at their word now is going to be disappointed.
    -They took money from founders after advertising the game as first person view only, then last month they shoehorned in a half baked 3pv camera that is only good for peeking over terrain. Basically caveat emptor with these guys.

    -Good hero mechs cost $20+
    -Game has undocumented and arbitrary heat penalty systems that are incredibly unfriendly to new players.
    -Game has undocumented and arbitrary movement penalty systems for larger mechs that are hard to explain to new players.
    -No combat tutorial, only one half hearted movement tutorial that doesn't even mention the chassis movement penalties.

    By all means download and play for free but do not put money into this game on the basis of what the developers say they will add next!

    They have missed so many of their own deadlines it's not funny, and makes any roadmap hard to take seriously.    … Expand
  72. BeakieHelmet
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    I've been playing this game since Closed Beta, and I've never had a worse experience between the developers and the community and I've never had a worse experience dreading updates to the game. The game, after a year of "beta" has terrible balance/meta, runs horribly on my machine that well exceeds recommended specs, and is such an extreme disappointment compared to what was promised lastI've been playing this game since Closed Beta, and I've never had a worse experience between the developers and the community and I've never had a worse experience dreading updates to the game. The game, after a year of "beta" has terrible balance/meta, runs horribly on my machine that well exceeds recommended specs, and is such an extreme disappointment compared to what was promised last year. Not even going into what was promised but never delivered, the game has a terrible new user experience, only a handful of viable mech variants, and just... such poor optimization, poor balancing, poor gameplay, it takes far too long to earn a new mech or outfit it with what should have if you want to pilot it effectively and just... the game is bad. If you enjoyed Mechwarrior 3 or 4, just pass on this, especially if you enjoyed the MekTek release. The only way you'll like this game is if you are a hardcore battletech fan too invested in the franchise to pass this up, everyone else, stay away.… Expand
  73. ZenToad
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    Sadly this is not the game any Battletech/mechwarrior fan has watied for. It was cast as such, but lately the developers have pulled it towards a sad action shooter clone. I would stay clear if I was you.. there are other games out there that does arcade shooter better than this. Buggy and unbalanced.
  74. ConnorSinclair
    Sep 17, 2013
    5
    Review from Kong's Connor Sinclair,

    Mechwarrior online can only be described as snatching the failure out of the jaws of success. A mediocre game with lack luster content, random bugs and a balancing act that would terrify a gymnast. The game is patched together with DX9 fixes while awaiting a DX11 release, meaning MWO is a powder keg just waiting for a spark. The UI is a shoddy mess    Review from Kong's Connor Sinclair,

    Mechwarrior online can only be described as snatching the failure out of the jaws of success. A mediocre game with lack luster content, random bugs and a balancing act that would terrify a gymnast. The game is patched together with DX9 fixes while awaiting a DX11 release, meaning MWO is a powder keg just waiting for a spark.

    The UI is a shoddy mess from its Alpha, with little modification since then outside a single sound notification. Many of the maps have assets simply floating in the air or clipping through one another and some still suffer texture errors.

    The game defaults a control system more complex than previous game releases and often punishes new players. The games ranking system is invisible, preventing a player to see their standing, even worse it appears to not effect the games at all. New players are pitted against the best players, with the best equipment and their teams.

    The weapons range from either being useless or being glass cannons, completely destroying any competition. The developers themselves show a lack of empathy for their players and will often lay blame on them for their mistakes. The hit registration is the closest thing to fantasy magic that you will ever see in the real world, it either works or it doesn't. Often times firing a weapons at an enemy will result in no damage, throwing your ammo completely away.

    Enjoy a night of confusion frustration with mechwarrior online.    … Expand
  75. Ngamok
    Sep 17, 2013
    6
    Game plays like most modern FPS with the exception of having more hit box locations. The mech lab allows for fun customization. Certain features aren't in yet so giving the playability of the game a lower score to reflect that.
  76. Napleon
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    I'm no mechwarrior vet so don't expect any long winded and point based review. I've only invested modestly in the game, had a good two months of fun with it and then it started snowballing to disappointment. From poor design choices to blatant disregard of the community wishes and most importantly HONEST FEEDBACK.

    Even though it's a F2P don't support those shady developers, teach them    I'm no mechwarrior vet so don't expect any long winded and point based review. I've only invested modestly in the game, had a good two months of fun with it and then it started snowballing to disappointment. From poor design choices to blatant disregard of the community wishes and most importantly HONEST FEEDBACK.

    Even though it's a F2P don't support those shady developers, teach them it's not how it's supposed to be done.    … Expand
  77. Wales_Grey
    Sep 17, 2013
    3
    While surprisingly competent when working at the technical aspects of the game, the Developers have shown a consistent and blatant disregard for any sort of community feedback or input in the game's development and balancing process.

    Further exasperating things are the regular cash grabs, broken design pillars/promises, and endless delays on key features such as Community Warfare and an    While surprisingly competent when working at the technical aspects of the game, the Developers have shown a consistent and blatant disregard for any sort of community feedback or input in the game's development and balancing process.

    Further exasperating things are the regular cash grabs, broken design pillars/promises, and endless delays on key features such as Community Warfare and an improved out-of-match user interface.    … Expand
  78. billtheturnip
    Sep 17, 2013
    2
    This has literally been the worst experience I have ever had with a game in development or during launch. The game is not complete and the developers disrespect the community. The game was kind of fun and challenging for a while, but the state of the game has steadily gone down hill since march
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Awards & Rankings

13
#13 Most Discussed PC Game of 2013
96
#96 Most Shared PC Game of 2013

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 10
  3. Negative: 0 out of 10
  1. IGN Italia
    Sep 14, 2014
    85
    Nice gameplay and deep strategy for the latest incarnation of Mechwarrior. Too bad it lacks any kind of Single Player content.
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  2. PC Gamer
    Nov 4, 2013
    83
    Slightly overpriced, but a more than worthy successor to one of PC gaming’s greatest franchises that nails the important part: combat.
    Read full review
  3. Multiplayer.it
    Oct 22, 2013
    65
    MechWarrior Online does a pretty good job in balancing out the gameplay and gives you lots of BattleMechs, weapons and items to buy, but it's got only two game modes and it's definitely not that fun.
    Read full review
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