What is the best Mechwarrior video game?

[warriorsoul]

 I'm strictly talking the Mechwarrior series, not Battletech or the various online PVP versions that have existed since the 90s. This is a tough choice, for me it comes down to Mechwarrior 2: Mercenaries and Mechwarrior 4: Mercenaries. Mech 2 Mercs had my favorite soundtrack (Gotterdammerung is hands down the best track ever), a good economy system, and the best setting. Mech 4: Mercs is probably the best all-round game in terms of the mech simulator and user-friendliness, plus you get Duncan Fisher and the Solaris 7 Championship. I don't care too much for Mech 4's more arcade style, close range fighting, but the pace of combat and general gameplay is far less dated than Mech 2.

 Mechwarrior 5 obviously has the best 'mech simulator. It's a shame the rest of the game around it doesn't have the branching mission trees and campaign choices of previous games. Something with the economy and mission tree of Mech 2 Mercs, the Solaris Championship of Mech 4 Mercs, and the engine of Mech 5 would be the perfect game in my estimation.

[Mendrugo]

Looking at them from the viewpoint of alignment with canon:

MechWarrior 1 aligns fairly closely and references elements from TRO: 3025 and the then brand-new House sourcebooks.

The SNES MechWarrior 1 is a different animal.  The developers apparently were working off a copy of Warrior: En Garde for universe setting information, and that's it.  So the 'Mechs don't match anything in canon, the main character can get from Galatea to anywhere in the Inner Sphere and back in three days, and the majority of contracts are unlocked by finding holovids left behind in the bar's lost and found bin. 

MechWarrior 2 adds extra battles to the Refusal War, but adds some definitely non-canon elements to the fight on Morges, and its linking structure, implying that one Warrior fought in all the campaign's battles and steadily gets promoted from newbie warrior to Khan over the course of the fairly short conflict is lunacy.

MechWarrior 2: GBL has somewhat better alignment with canon, though why the Ghost Bears would have parked their genetic legacies out in the middle of a field somewhere boggles the mind.  Also, they accidentally picked a Sword of Light commander from the 3025 Kurita sourcebook, rather than using his successor from the 3050s.

MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries had some issues with canon (like how the unit took Combine missions during the era of Death to Mercenaries), but the recent Shrapnel article cleared that up.  Nonetheless, it does turn the brief fight on Wolcott into an extended campaign, and features actions on Luthien that don't quite square with the existing narrative.  Overall, though, the journal entries are some of the best writing in the entire series.

MechWarrior 3 seems pretty well tied into the canon events of the storyline, having had its storyline canonized in a BattleCorps serial. 

MechWarrior 3: Pirate's Moon seems at least partially aligned with canon, though it can't come too close due to the existence of both an ELH-focused campaign that focuses on fighting the pirates and other factions, and a pirate campaign that takes out the ELH characters pretty early on.  Plus, there's that loopy setup for the bonus "final bosses" battle at the end.

MechWarrior 4: Vengeance ties in pretty well with the FedCom Civil War, and there were efforts to reference the Dresaris in novels coming out around that time.  However, the FC Civil War sourcebook describes the attack on the Dresari palace as a three day siege, rather than the surprise attack shown in the opening cinematic.  Plus, the "good ending" with Ian's sister taking the throne is non-canonical.

MechWarrior 4: Black Knight introduces the fun Black Knight Legion, but doesn't mesh with the official timeline well at all, since Ian (last of House Dresari) retains his position through the duration of the Civil War and his heirs are referenced with pilot cards in the Dark Age.

MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries is great fun, but runs into the issue of the timeline being a choose-your-own-adventure in terms of which missions to take in what order, as well as branching paths.  This is further complicated by trying to cram the entire FC Civil War into the last two years (3065-3067), rather than starting in 3063 to align with the canon storyline. 

MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries seems to fit well into the storyline, and its prequel novella has been elevated from non-canon tie-in to fully canon source material.  The campaign's ending storyline implies that IntelSer did a lot more during its 2980-304X operations than just skulk around the Periphery picking up rumors.

[elf25s]

mechwarrior 3 hands down...
mechwarrior 4 turned into too arcade like...
5th installment had too many issues to name and AI with infinite mechs spoiled the game

[warriorsoul]

mechwarrior 3 hands down...
mechwarrior 4 turned into too arcade like...
5th installment had too many issues to name and AI with infinite mechs spoiled the game

I've been really meaning to try and replay Mechwarrior 3 soon. It's regarded as the closest adaptation of Battletech's core mechanics, I'm just not sure if it would visually hold up. The draw distance in Mech 2 really dates it and I'm afraid the same would be true of Mech 3.

[butchbird]

Never played much mechwarrior 2 (either vanilla or ghost bear) nor mechwarrior 1 on PC so I'm missing some elements, but...

While Mechwarrior SNES holds a dear place in my heart for being my entry into the mechwarrior line of games, it just can't compare due to the lack of feeling like a battlemech simulator and being too vaguely recognizable as in the BTU.

While mechwarrior 5 finally quenches a long burning thirst in a very acceptable and freedom-full way, quite the few things are missing or broken to make it fully feel battletech, considering the new possibilitys of modern computers. Campaign is also the weakest from all the past titles...'xcept for vanilla mw4 and BK, those were a heartache.

While Mechwarrior 4 mercs offered very interesting missions and solaris 7, which greatly bumped up its replayability, it felt like too much of a stepdown in terms of "simulation" from mechwarrior 3.

While mechwarrior 3's campaign briefings were...well, couldn't be more "atmospheric", I'd even say the best briefings ever made for a video game, the campaign itself, while quite interesting, was just not as good as mw2mercs, nor where the mechanics, except for independant arms from torso. Quite good, but a notch down.

Mechwarrior 2 mercs is THE ONE for me. Can't feel more like a simulator. Considering it was 1990's technology, it really conveyed the sense of piloting a battlemech (or what I suppose it'd be). The mechanics were all there, the jumpjets, while not perfect in their application, were much more fun and usefull, you could call up all kinds of "satellite map" modes (which I never really used, but it was damn cool and "simulator like" having those)...list could go on. 'Twas just a shame you had a lot of "sandbox freedom" taken away considering how much was offered by mechwarrior 1 for its days.

[Akamia]

Personally, for a variety of reasons, I cast my vote for MW5Mercs in its current state. Definitely not in its original release state, and not certainly for its main campaign, but certainly for everything else. If I want to consider the story above all else, I would give this award to MW4Veng + BK.

Though I must admit I'm missing a lot of experience out of what's in this list; out of all the listed games, I've only played approximately half of them. MW4Mercs was my favorite for years before MW5Mercs came along, and that hadn't dethroned it for me until after Legends of the Kestrel Lancers came out. Before 4Mercs, I had only played 4Veng+BK, and 2. MW1, MW2GBL, MW2Mercs, MW3, and MW3PM I completely missed out on.

[warriorsoul]

 It's interesting how this series handles padding out the content.

 Mech 2 Mercs had randomized procedural missions, same as Mech 5. But there were so many scripted side-missions with unique scenarios that you almost never had to actually do one of these "Instant Action" time-wasters.

 Mech 4 Mercs I think does it best with Solaris 7, which is as simple as it gets but between Duncan Fisher, the airhorns going off every time a 'mech is destroyed, and the memorable maps, you don't really get tired of the arenas. They're a nice break from the campaign although the game is clearly leaning into them pretty hard to bulk up a fairly anemic main mission tree.

 Mech 5 Mercs takes a major misstep by forcing the player to grind through endless "Instant Action" procedurals. It's a real shame because the main campaign is in my opinion fairly interesting, especially for us old veterans. This was a game that really just needed more scripted content, the DLCs show what could've been and hopefully the next entry in the series ditches the procedural content entirely.

[elf25s]

ok reason i picked m3 was it gave you more control.
you could tell mobile repair bases to move to location on map you could tell your lance mates to go to location by marking it on map
because of those features you could plan strategy such as pincer or encirceling movements you could tell pilots to go after specific target
any mechwarrior game after is just rush and pound same target

i admit graphics and AI is dated but it was so good for the time

[Luciora]

Mechwarrior 1.  No nonsense, no variants, no variable damage or armor weirdness.  Just hop in, head over and blow mechs up.  (Also what got me started collecting minis)

[BATTLEMASTER]

MechWarrior 5 with mods is the best of them, IMO.  I really enjoy the Clan Invasion mod, and before that the MercTech mod.  The game can be made really granular.

[warriorsoul]

 I haven't even voted in my own poll yet.

 After replaying Mech 4 Mercs (traditionally my favorite), I actually find myself leaning more towards Mech 2 Mercs as my personal favorite. Back in the day I liked Mech 4 better because it was a more streamlined, functional game with far better graphics in the mech simulator than previous versions. But currently, Mech 5 has the best simulator and it's not "arcadey" like Mech 4 so that argument mostly goes out the window.

 The biggest thing for me is that Mech 2 Mercs has the most interesting, lively setting, and there's real flavor to the universe when the Clans invade and suddenly you're fighting completely different 'mechs. In general I don't like how the later settings in Battletech and Mechwarrior lose a lot of the flavor when everyone and their cousin is running around in Clan 'mechs. Mech 2 Mercs really feels more grounded and distinct. It by far has the best soundtrack, there's enough voice acting to give it the feel of a lived in universe, and it's a big, huge campaign that takes a long time to complete.

 Anyway, I really gotta replay Mech 3 before I can decide.

[Sartris]

crescent hawks inception

[warriorsoul]

 I got Mechwarrior 3 up and running, which was the most difficult process out of all my replays. Honestly, it's a mixed bag. Mech 3 does have probably the most detailed and involved campaign with tons of voice acting. Graphically it's mildly evolved beyond Mech 2, but I find it to be the biggest adjustment so far. It seems a lot clunkier than previous entries, particularly versus Mech 2 or Mech 4. Sure you can twist your torso AND aim your arms, but Mech 5 lets you do physical attacks, so that's kind of a wash by modern standards.

 I dunno, at this point, I'm starting lean towards Mech 2 Mercs which is the current leader in the poll.

[IAMCLANWOLF]

Mech5 with all the DLC easily wins.
Far from perfect, but has the most longevity/replayability.

[warriorsoul]

 I think I'm gonna go with Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries. IMO, it's an extremely close contest between all three of the Mercs games. Mech 4 and Mech 5 do have a better simulator experience, but as a complete game, I think Mech 2 Mercs has the best campaign, economy, sound design, soundtrack and setting. If I was gonna recommend a game to someone that's never played any Mechwarrior title, it would be Mech 4 Mercs or Mech 5 Mercs though.

 There was a time when I also subscribed to the idea that Mech 3 was the "best". After getting it running and tuning the graphic settings and controls, I don't think it holds up. Sure it's technically the most accurate to the table top, but that doesn't make it a good first person PC game. By adding all of that depth (torso twist and arm movement are separate systems with different speeds) and sticking to the table-top damage profiles, the pacing of the gameplay feels much slower and clunkier overall. This is a game that requires you to shut-down at your MFB to "heal" during missions, which doesn't really make for a "fast-paced" experience. Jumping into it is a massively huge adjustment, even compared to older games like Mech 2. 

 Video games are just a different media than the tabletop and attempting a high fidelity direct copy approach doesn't necessarily make for the most fun experience, sometimes you gotta adapt things a bit. (Mech 4 and Mech 5 do the best job at this for general playability)

[Akamia]

[MechWarrior 3 is] technically the most accurate to the table top,

Y'know, I keep hearing this, but looking at it on YouTube, I'm skeptical of the idea that it's any closer than MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries nowadays. What exactly is it doing that puts it ahead of the latter game in that regard?

As for which is the "best", that really depends on what you're looking for out of a MechWarrior game. I do want an authentic experience that puts me in the pilot's seat of a machine from the tabletop, but apparently most people who play MechWarrior specifically don't want that... There are a few things I can live without from tabletop, particularly the dice rolls for weapons hitting locations on a given target, which to my knowledge has never been a thing in a MechWarrior game to begin with – aside from stuff like LRMs and sometimes Streak SRMs – but other than that...

[elf25s]

I think I'm gonna go with Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries. IMO, it's an extremely close contest between all three of the Mercs games. Mech 4 and Mech 5 do have a better simulator experience, but as a complete game, I think Mech 2 Mercs has the best campaign, economy, sound design, soundtrack and setting. If I was gonna recommend a game to someone that's never played any Mechwarrior title, it would be Mech 4 Mercs or Mech 5 Mercs though.

 There was a time when I also subscribed to the idea that Mech 3 was the "best". After getting it running and tuning the graphic settings and controls, I don't think it holds up. Sure it's technically the most accurate to the table top, but that doesn't make it a good first person PC game. By adding all of that depth (torso twist and arm movement are separate systems with different speeds) and sticking to the table-top damage profiles, the pacing of the gameplay feels much slower and clunkier overall. This is a game that requires you to shut-down at your MFB to "heal" during missions, which doesn't really make for a "fast-paced" experience. Jumping into it is a massively huge adjustment, even compared to older games like Mech 2. 

 Video games are just a different media than the tabletop and attempting a high fidelity direct copy approach doesn't necessarily make for the most fun experience, sometimes you gotta adapt things a bit. (Mech 4 and Mech 5 do the best job at this for general playability)

you have been spoiled by speed and arcade action
m3 had something that newer and older games did not for example
inertia
so if you break you will feel it in game play movement and aiming
also you had more control over your lance mates you could set up a pincer movement by having them go through the nav points you set up
mobile bases same thing you could send them  avoiding the mechs and guns to meet you at nav points...or have you follow at distance by sending orders

[warriorsoul]

Y'know, I keep hearing this, but looking at it on YouTube, I'm skeptical of the idea that it's any closer than MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries nowadays. What exactly is it doing that puts it ahead of the latter game in that regard?

As for which is the "best", that really depends on what you're looking for out of a MechWarrior game. I do want an authentic experience that puts me in the pilot's seat of a machine from the tabletop, but apparently most people who play MechWarrior specifically don't want that... There are a few things I can live without from tabletop, particularly the dice rolls for weapons hitting locations on a given target, which to my knowledge has never been a thing in a MechWarrior game to begin with – aside from stuff like LRMs and sometimes Streak SRMs – but other than that...

The weapon and armor profiles appear to be identical to the table-top. At least, this is how I always remembered it and looking at the HTAL it seems about right. Usually the Mechwarrior series has to nerf the guns quite a bit. (I think I checked it one time in Mechwarrior 2 Mercenaries and on Hard difficulty Clan ER large lasers were doing 3 damage) Increasing the damage profiles to Battletech standards creates a new problem, now you really need some kind of in-game repair system or you won't be able to take on more than 2-3 equivalent mechs.

Mechwarrior 4 and Mech 5 balance the difficulty and damage values by accuracy of enemies. Mech 4 on maximum difficulty would literally just turn enemies into aimbots that concentrate on your CT.

[Caedis Animus]

Mechwarrior Online didn't actually change the damage profiles of most weapons beyond 1-2 points for particularly overpowered things, because you should probably design your weapons around balance in a game literally built for MP.

Both MWO and Mechwarrior 5 doubled the value of armor points and internal structure points as a balancing factor due to the high lethality of usual battletech weapons in more fluid gameplay than 10 second spans.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

Need Mechwarrior 5: The Clans !

[PyreLight]

Need Mechwarrior 5: The Clans !

you'll be happy soon then :)

[JAMES_PRYDE]

you'll be happy soon then :)

??? Do share  8)

EDIT: Ahh I see for PC. I have only ever played xbox. So how does it work ? Can you end up working for the Clans ? As I doubt they did a rewrite where we can play as the Clans, heading for Terra

[Cyc]

??? Do share  8)

No, PGI are working on a new single player MechWarrior game. PGI also working on new DLC for MW5. People are connecting dots that either both or just the new game it will be a Clan flavoured/Clan Invasion era.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

No, PGI are working on a new single player MechWarrior game. PGI also working on new DLC for MW5. People are connecting dots that either both or just the new game it will be a Clan flavoured/Clan Invasion era.

ahh ok thanks for that, I thought you were talking about the mod for MW5 Mercs "Yet Another Clan Invasion"

An official project in the works, nice 8)

[Wrangler]

I think it's unfair go by graphics of the games, I think the game play and structure of the game should be taken to account.

I am firm believer in MW1's layout.  It may be primitive, but it had the best feel of the BattleTech universe itself.  It did have primitive graphics, no refits beyond repairs (gave variants more of a value than grab mech and convert it.) you can travel across the universe, of course not many mechs to choose from.

Game play itself, it's MW5.   Why? Modern graphics aside, it still allowed you modify your machines without going crazy.   The game was moddable as well, allowing for spectrum of options only the fans themselves have time and dedication to pour into it.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

I think it's unfair go by graphics of the games, I think the game play and structure of the game should be taken to account.

If going by that, then MW2 (non-titanium) Battlepack version is my vote, very realistic in the sub command of your Star, and the beautiful computer voice (and Jade Falcon / Khan Marthe Pryde") Carol herself, and of course the Clan only side of the equation 8)

Would be a dream come true if Carrol could come back as the computer voice in some way or another in the future

[Khalus Pryde]

MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat gets my vote, if only by virtue of being the one game that features Clan Jade Falcon and has the best soundtrack by far of any of the other MechWarrior games.

The gameplay isn't bad either. ;D

[JAMES_PRYDE]

MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat gets my vote, if only by virtue of being the one game that features Clan Jade Falcon and has the best soundtrack by far of any of the other MechWarrior games.

The gameplay isn't bad either. ;D

Indeed brother. (Trial Protocol was excellently done too) Jade Falcon Protocol Initiated. Yes music was the best too. Have you heard the "Mechwarrior 2: New Dawn" remixes too, quiaff

[Khalus Pryde]

Indeed brother. (Trial Protocol was excellently done too) Jade Falcon Protocol Initiated. Yes music was the best too. Have you heard the "Mechwarrior 2: New Dawn" remixes too, quiaff

The Bitchin' Betty stuff and the general sound files in the game were excellent too. I have them on hand and ready to play for use in various tabletop situations—it's amazing.

I have heard the "New Dawn" Remixes by Timothy Seals. Quite excellent stuff too on its own.

[warriorsoul]

 Interesting that so far it's Mech 2 Mercs and Mech 5 Mercs tied for 1st.

 Honestly I feel like those two games actually have more in common simulator wise than Mech 4, which really turned into a close-range arcade shooter in feel towards the end of the series.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

MW4 merc mek tek expansion 1 - 3 was pretty epic for the time, was sad they could not get number 4 pack out, it would have had the Turkina