MechWarrior: Living Legends
If you are a fan of the BattleTech universe, then you are well aware that the last video game to be released in the series was MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, back in 2002. Mech Assault was released later, but it deviated greatly from the realistic, mech-simulator-feel that the previous MechWarrior games were known for. A new MechWarrior 5 release is in development for the PC and Xbox 360, but for now the best thing available for your MechWarrior fix is without a doubt the long-awaited mod for Crysis – MechWarrior: Living Legends.
Utilizing one of the best game engines to be developed to date, Living Legends is a total conversion for Crysis that turns it into a game that feels like a fully-fledged sequel to MechWarrior 4, with much the same features. You can tell that this was made by MechWarrior fans, for MechWarrior fans. It even goes beyond the previous MechWarrior games in many ways, for now the players has the ability to exit their mech, and even drive other vehicles (tanks, helicopters). It also features a buying system much like Counter Strike, that allows you to purchase new mechs as you progress. The mod has been in development for years, and it pulls no punches – it looks and feels more like a professional game release than a fan-made mod. Although the current release is still in beta, and while there are a few hitches here and there (and a lack of documentation regarding controls), you will be hard-pressed to find a mod that is of higher quality. The fact that it utilizes Crysis’ amazing engine definitely doesn’t hurt. The main downside of the mod is the fact that it is multiplayer-only – with no bot support - but this is easily overlooked considering the high production quality of the mod.
Whether you’re a die-hard fan of the series or just happen to own a copy of Crysis, you have got to check this mod out. This team clearly put an enormous amount of effort into its development. In fact, if you don’t own Crysis already – which you should – this mod is all the more reason to grab a copy!
And yes, the mod is free, just go here to download it.