Mechwarrior 4 and Mechwarrior Online Comparison

Younger gamers might be unfamiliar with the vibrance and history that adorns the Mechwarrior series of video games.  After all, its remained almost completely dormant since Mechwarrior 4, and its expansion Mercenaries, first graced our PC's in 2000 and 2002. Instead we've had a number of other series attempt to fill that mech-sized hole in our hearts, with some doing a very good job at it. Steel Battalion is a prime example of a mech-shooter that took most of its nods from the old Mechwarrior series.

The good news is that Mechwarrrior seems to be back in the form of Mechwarrior Online. And when I say 'back', I'm not talking about a reboot. Instead, Mechwarrior Online seems to be everything gamers loved about Mechwarrior 4 (considered by many to be the standard-bearer for Mech-shooters), offered with a fresh coat of paint and the marvels of modern networking code.

Don't believe me? Take a look at the videos below. The top is Mech-warrior 4 from 2o00 and the bottom is the new Mechwarrrior Online. The gameplay seems fairly untouched, with the pilot still having to manage multiple weapon systems, heat levels and component damage, all set in fairly open worlds prime for large scale battles.

Personally, I'm extremely pleased with the way that Mechwarrior Online has come to fruition.  And it seems to come at time when all the old PC games I was playing 10 years ago are suddenly making a resurgence. Tribes, Planetside, Mechwarrior. All of them rising from the grave to feast on our gamer-hearts once more. Now all we need is a new Anarchy Online to be co-opted and intertwined as an Eve Online expansion.

Mechwarrior 4:

Mechwarrior Online: