Mech game recommendations

mcelfour

mcelfour

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I tried searching, but didn't find too much about mech games in the forums. I'm looking for a mech game, preferably super cheap as I really shouldn't buy anything...but I am in the mood for a mech game! Maybe I'll rent...or go to goozex.

I'd prefer to not have to dig old systems out...but would if it was worth it. Help me out with some suggestions please! I used to have Armored core: PP, and have Mech Assault. I'm currently leaning toward AC3 due to cheapness, availability, and it's for a currently hooked up system. Also, I think I'd like some customization, so other mech assaults are out probably.

Thanks for the help!!

I have currently hooked up:

  • Wii
  • GC
  • PS2
  • DS & GBA
  • PC & Mac
I also have not currently hooked up:

  • Xbox
  • PS
  • SNES
 
Mechwarrior 4 Mercenaries for PC. Absolutely awesome! MW4:Vengence is also good, but stay away from MW4:Black Knight.

Edited to add the following:

MW4 has tons of very well thought-out customization.

It costs $10 on amazon here:

http://www.amazon.com/XPLOSIV-MECHWARRIOR-4-MERCENARIES/dp/B00064YTZ2/

or $20 here

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Mech-Warrior-4-Mercenaries/dp/B00006IJMS/

I also recommend the following controllers:

Microsoft Sidewinder Force Feedback 2 Joystick:
http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Sidewinder-Force-Feedback-Joystick/dp/B00005NIMB/

or

Thrustmaster HOTAS Cougar Flight Control System (Replica of US. Air Force F-16 controller)
http://www.amazon.com/Thrustmaster-Cougar-Flight-Control-System/dp/B000062SSB

I have both controllers and you can't go wrong with either (although, at $225 the COUGAR is a much better value).

Also, Black Knight ruins the story of Vengence comes with c-dilla spyware installed, which is very hard to remove. I have the means, so if you need help let me know.

Max resolution of these games is 1280x1024, but its graphics still look great. I love playing it on my 106" screen (Optoma HD80 projector).
 
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PS2
Armored Core Last Raven (hardest AC)
Front Mission 4 (more of a srpg but has lots of customization)
GunGriffion BLAZE ($3 used)
Mobile Suit Gundam: Gundam VS Zeta Gundam (no customization rly but good mech game)
Robot Alchemic Drive (more like mech VS monsters, some customization)
Virtual-On Marz (mech fighting)
Zone of the Enders (mech fighting)
Zone of the Enders: The 2nd Runner (better mech fighting)

PSX
Carnage Heart (u can build and program a AI to your mech!!! but hard to find)
 
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I don't remember if it was Mech Warrior 4 I played on PC but one of the Mech games had horrid keyboard controls.

I recommend the Armored Core games for PS2, Zone of the Enders I & II also PS2 and Mech Assault I & II for Xbox.
 
I downloaded MW4:Mercs demo, but haven't had time to try it. ZOE2 seems a bit hard to find, at least on the cheap. Is it? Does GunGriffon Blaze have any customization?

After watching a couple videos, I don't know if Armored Core is as appealing as it once was to me...I'll just have to hook up my logitech wingman extreme digital 3d (super altra long n4m3 v3rzi0|\|) and give MW4:M a shot.

Also, a $200+ joystick, or steel battalion (which is $50+ on ebay) is not "super cheap." :booty: Though I've always thought steel battalion seemed awesome.
 
[quote name='mcelfour']I downloaded MW4:Mercs demo, but haven't had time to try it. ZOE2 seems a bit hard to find, at least on the cheap. Is it? Does GunGriffon Blaze have any customization?

After watching a couple videos, I don't know if Armored Core is as appealing as it once was to me...I'll just have to hook up my logitech wingman extreme digital 3d (super altra long n4m3 v3rzi0|\|) and give MW4:M a shot.

Also, a $200+ joystick, or steel battalion (which is $50+ on ebay) is not "super cheap." :booty: Though I've always thought steel battalion seemed awesome.[/QUOTE]

i feel that like AC, MW has lost its way.

GGB does have customization and is super cheap

SB is kinda expensive ($80 at GS and $50 at GC) but its WELL worth it...the best mech experience ive had.
 
^The original Phantom Crash for Xbox is also a cheap and good buy. I have both, but I never got into SLAI as much as the original.^

and on a separate note, Phantom Dust for the Xbox is a fine, dirt-cheap game too for the fan of the anime-flavored.
 
[quote name='looploop']^The original Phantom Crash for Xbox is also a cheap and good buy. I have both, but I never got into SLAI as much as the original.^
[/quote]
Yeah, I also prefer the original. But I suggested the PS2 sequel since it seems that's a higher priority for the OP.
 
[quote name='refusedchaos']PC sucks balls[/quote] Go ahead and tell me why? Because I guess I am stupid and can't figure it out.

Anyway, MechWarrior. I played 3 and 4. I used a Microsoft ForceFeedback Pro with it and I loved the hell out of those games. Now, just having the keyboard does suck, but with a decent joystick the games are amazingly fun. Customization is pretty in depth in those games, even if they are old. The action can range from slow and methodious to fast exciting bouts. It is all up to you and the mech and mech layout you use. I do have to say that ForceFeedback add an amazing amount to the game play. Having the controller rumble with every step and to hear the stomp coming from a bass is awesome.

And yeah, $200 for a controller is exessive. The ForceFeedbacks by Mircosoft are pretty good but the newer ones are smaller though. What you could try to do is to buy the Steel Battalion controller and then get a Xbox to PC adapter. That should technically work if you set it up right. Having the SB controller would in my opinion be better than having most other PC joysticks, that is as long as there is rumble or something.

So Mechwarrior are my favorite mech games.

I have played the ZOE series and although they have mechs in them I would not call them mech games. They are more action than anything else, there is just not customization. You can change weapons and that is it. The series is still good but I would not call them mech games. And although I never played them, the Armored Core Series seemed very good, atleast some of them did.
 
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[quote name='dtarasev']Go ahead and tell me why? Because I guess I am stupid and can't figure it out.
[/QUOTE]

ouch, take it too seriously? guess ill change i to i think PC sucks balls.

its my opinion, then again i think the mech warrior games were average and boring (and yes, ive played all of them, even mech assualt). I prefer the gundam, armored core, front mission, virtual on, gungriffon, etc games. I just like a different style than you, thats all;)
 
[quote name='refusedchaos']ouch, take it too seriously? guess ill change i to i think PC sucks balls.

its my opinion, then again i think the mech warrior games were average and boring (and yes, ive played all of them, even mech assualt). I prefer the gundam, armored core, front mission, virtual on, gungriffon, etc games. I just like a different style than you, thats all;)[/quote]

Well you see, you did not insult the MechWarrior game, you insulted the PC as a platform. Oh and Mech assault, I consider it an action game not a mech game. If you would have said you hated Mechwarrior, that is fine. But that wasn't what you did. In anycase I can see why some one would dislike the Mechwarrior games, they are tough to get into. The graphics are old looking but passable in my opinion and the games do not really make a big impression on people.
 
[quote name='dtarasev']Well you see, you did not insult the MechWarrior game, you insulted the PC as a platform. Oh and Mech assault, I consider it an action game not a mech game. If you would have said you hated Mechwarrior, that is fine. But that wasn't what you did. In anycase I can see why some one would dislike the Mechwarrior games, they are tough to get into. The graphics are old looking but passable in my opinion and the games do not really make a big impression on people.[/QUOTE]

lol oops. when i said PC, i meant Phantom Crash.
 
[quote name='refusedchaos']lol oops. when i said PC, i meant Phantom Crash.[/quote]

Hahaha, that's great. Sorry for the miss-understanding there! My bad.
 
I played a bit of MW4, and I thought it was alright. I expect the demo doesn't give it justice.

Thoughts on Front Mission 4 versus Front Mission DS?
 
[quote name='mcelfour']I played a bit of MW4, and I thought it was alright. I expect the demo doesn't give it justice.

Thoughts on Front Mission 4 versus Front Mission DS?[/QUOTE]

FM4 - cheaper

FMDS - portable, its a port of the SNES one.

FM3 is also good.

but i liked FM4 more than the portable one. but i recommend to get both
 
When I hear "mech game" I think more realtime combat, but if you don't mind a slower game, Front Mission 4 is one of my favorite SRPGs. It's got fantastic battles that you really have to plan through if you want to come out in one piece. You can also spend hours completely customizing your squad. Each character starts out with a suggested loadout and role in the squad, but you can equip them to do whatever you feel like.

Haven't tried the DS one yet, and I am still so sad that we'll never see FM5.
 
[quote name='metaly']When I hear "mech game" I think more realtime combat, but if you don't mind a slower game, Front Mission 4 is one of my favorite SRPGs. It's got fantastic battles that you really have to plan through if you want to come out in one piece. You can also spend hours completely customizing your squad. Each character starts out with a suggested loadout and role in the squad, but you can equip them to do whatever you feel like.

Haven't tried the DS one yet, and I am still so sad that we'll never see FM5.[/quote]

I usually do too. But I think I might need something different, as action games and sim games aren't holding my attention too much anymore.

I guess I am wondering how different FM DS and FM4 are. The review I read sort of slammed FM4 for poor interface, and the need for a sort of "trial and error" approach. They said there was no indication of what might work any given mission, etc. Is the port on DS better in this regard? Like $20 more better? One of the local GS's has FM4 in stock apparently, and it's pretty cheap.

Also: Please remember I'm in the market for one, cheap game. Or perhaps none, if I don't find a good enough deal and a good fit. I already have Fire Emblem: SS, and that isn't that much different from a Front mission.

I do really appreciate all the input though. The mech market seems very...niche, and removed from review sites' tastes. I couldn't have gotten so many good ideas without you all.
 
[quote name='mcelfour']I guess I am wondering how different FM DS and FM4 are. The review I read sort of slammed FM4 for poor interface, and the need for a sort of "trial and error" approach. They said there was no indication of what might work any given mission, etc. Is the port on DS better in this regard? Like $20 more better? One of the local GS's has FM4 in stock apparently, and it's pretty cheap.[/quote]

They're sort of right about the trial and error thing. Before each mission you can select a damage type resistance (piercing, impact, and fire, if I remember correctly) for each of your units. The problem is, you don't know what type of weapons enemies in the next mission will be carrying. I just picked up the guide for cheap and used it just to see what kind of damage types to plan for. For the most part I stuck with the suggested squad roles and they did well in every battle.

I'm guessing that FM DS doesn't have the ally link system, which was one of the best parts of FM4 to me. It's a little complicated to explain, but basically if you link a unit B with unit A beforehand, B will attack whoever A's attacking, if they're in range. Then if you have C linked to B, C will join in on A's attack, and so on. You have to play with it for a bit to understand it's potential, but it really added a ton of depth to the battles, especially since it can be dangerous to attack an enemy if several others are linked to him. That really set FM4 apart from other SRPGs I've played.
 
Steel Battalion really is amazing. I picked it up for, like, $130 (game + controller) at Gamestop a year ago...

w007:

DSC02594_edited.jpg

There are several controller/game bundles on Ebay for $70...

Otherwise, ZOE The 2nd Runner is my personal favorite. If you ever run across it, Omega Boost on the PS1 is fun in a cheesy 90's mecha way. It was a nice little diversion courtesy of the House of Gran Turismo.
 
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