BattleTech: Flashpoint

This expansion to the popular strategy game adds more content, more gameplay, and more action to keep mech pilots blasting robots for hours. BattleTech: Flashpoint does a lot more than just add a couple of extra units and missions and call it a day. While it does add three new ‘Mechs to the mix and a brand-new tropical world ripe for battle, the expansion tosses in a solid 30+ extra hours of gameplay while giving fans of the story something that was lacking before: choice. Flashpoints are like smaller story campaigns that chain missions together based on player decisions, usually awarding some specific benefit at the cost of another. These mini-campaigns adds lots of action to the basic experience while also boosting players' options in Career Mode. This alone is a healthy addition that's great for fans looking to enjoy more time as a MechWarrior in the space frontier.

As much as the Flashpoints in BattleTech: Flashpoint add to the base game, the content doesn't end there. The new units (the Crab, Cyclops, and Hatchetman ‘Mechs) each bring something new and unique to the battlefield. The Hatchetman, as the name might suggest, is well-suited for close combat situations with its massive axe-like arm. The Cyclops brings with it a boost for your entire squad (or "lance", in game terms), allowing your whole team to take actions faster in the turn cycle. And the Crab is a speedy ‘Mech able to position itself to chip away at a larger ‘Mech's weakpoints. There's also another new mission type, Target Acquisition, which shine the spotlight on the smaller ‘Mech units, challenging players to rush key positions and triangulate a firing position at an enemy installation. It's a nice, faster change of pace from the usual big, lumbering ‘Mech battles that made up the bulk of the main game. It's a lot of extra fun crammed into a surprisingly affordable package, adding a lot more horsepower and mileage to the BattleTech experience.