BattleTech: Urban Warfare

Last year, PC gamers were faithfully re-introduced to this classic franchise with a turn-based strategy game that opened a new chapter in the war for control of the Inner Sphere. With the BattleTech: Urban Warfare expansion, the war gets a gritty overhaul by ditching the open battlefields of the past for the close quarters, guerilla tactics of a metropolitan battlefield. Moving to the city is more than just an aesthetic change, as players have to make fundamental changes to how they've played the game until now. Battles take on a more claustrophobic feel, as ‘Mechs squeeze through alleyways to sneak up on enemies or to use an abandoned building as makeshift cover. It's also fun to take the high ground, perching on rooftops like an oversized armored gargoyle, raining destruction on foes from on high.

BattleTech: Urban Warfare brings more to the table than just some new maps. There are a couple of new ‘Mechs and enemy troops as well. While the Javelin ‘Mech doesn't feel too much different than some of the other smaller ‘Mechs in the game, the new Raven fills a unique support role with its heavy reliance on electronic warfare devices, but light weapon and armor load. The new Attack and Defense mode is an interesting new feature, challenging players to defend their base from a steady flow of enemies while trying to advance on the opposing base. It's fun initially, but feels sort of like it was tacked on just for the sake of adding a new mode, and lacks some of the depth of the other features. Still, the expansion as a whole adds more than enough twists and changes to the BattleTech formula to build onto the original and evolve the overall experience.