The magic of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is how it makes you one with the massive machines you're piloting. There's a human in there somewhere, but you won't be crawling prone through the grass or taking cover behind crates. You're seeing the battlefield from several stories up, framed by the metal chassis of your 'Mech as you become the force that dominates the space. Everything is yours to control once you step inside.
There's a real joy in just stomping through the procedurally generated battlefields of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. Piloting your massive machine is a distinctly physical experience, which Mercenaries makes the most of with its various environments and destructible terrain. Fighting through a city block means smashing through cars and buildings alike while a remote forest battlefield can leave trees ablaze everywhere you go. In every encounter, you're constantly reminded of the power in your pilot's hands. The thunder of your cannons firing surrounds you, enemy lasers fly past your view, and whole bases crumble beneath your feet. If you'd yet to see what that kind of chaos looks like, you can see it all in action in the new MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries trailer right here.
It all starts at the beginning of a mission, before you ever see the action. Once you've climbed into your cockpit in the hangar you have just a brief moment of calm. You and your 'Mech rotate together, a reminder that you're about to head into battle as something more than yourself. You're surrounded by the dropship bay's flashing red lights until you're lined up with the deployment doors. When your systems come online, your weapon info blinks to life on your HUD one at a time: radar, reticle, weapon groups, 'Mech status monitor. After the doors open, you take your first, massive step out into the surrounding area, and it's time to get your bearings and begin the fight.
More than just the atmosphere of embodying your 'Mech, being intimately familiar with your machine is rewarding in battle too. As a pilot, you know the positions of your weapons. You'll know their range, how much ammunition you have ready, and how much heat they generate. Every one of those details determines your 'Mech's strengths and how you'll smash a path through each map. You'll need to pick the right 'Mech from your lineup for the job at hand, and utilize its individuality. Dealing with aircraft calls for different tools than trashing tanks or brawling with an enemy 'Mech. When you're on the receiving end, you'll want to turn your torso to present your best armor to enemies. Rather than being unwieldy, knowing the particulars of your machine lets you strafe and turn efficiently, dancing yourself into the perfect position for every situation.
If you take care of your 'Mech it will take care of you, but when things go wrong you'll have tough choices to make for your machine. Weapons destroyed in battle will need repaired or replaced, which costs you time and cash both in the main campaign. You know your 'Mech best. As a mercenary pilot, you'll have to determine which repairs are critical and how to adjust your loadout to react to losses. You'll even have to choose when to sell off your machine entirely to fund better weapons for the 'Mechs you have left. The most dedicated mercenaries can even hunt down elusive rare tech in side missions outside the main campaign. When you've drastically altered your machine, it's not just your 'Mech that's changed, it's you too. New armaments mean new strategies, which means hopping back in that cockpit and getting reacquainted again.
That's the real allure of the newest MechWarrior game: knowing that if you're truly in tune with your 'Mech you can master every enemy and every battlefield you drop into.
MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries is adding to its own arsenal this month as well. After over a year on the Epic Games Store, MechWarrior 5 is about to launch on Steam, GOG, and Xbox on May 27th. Crossplay across all of MechWarrior 5's platforms means you'll have fleets of co-op partners to choose from thanks to the console launch and new storefronts. MechWarrior 5 is also launching its first DLC Heroes of the Inner Sphere on the same date, bringing career paths and seven new 'Mechs. Better yet, Heroes of the Inner Sphere owners can invite other players who don't own the DLC along on co-op missions with them.
New players will also benefit from past patches and a major free update to the base game. Piranha Games have spent the year responding to feedback from MechWarrior players to add new features and updates. MechWarrior 5 will now have infantry, AI that will use their jump jets during combat, and a new campaign story introduction. Since launch, MechWarrior 5 has also gotten DLSS support, additional mod editor updates, and an in game mod manager.
You can find the latest details on the DLC, modding resources, and get acquainted with the Inner Sphere over on the MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries website.
