MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat

MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat (1995)

by Activision
Genres:Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
Themes:Action, Science fiction
Game modes:Single player, Multiplayer
Story:You are the genetically engineered Clan Mechwarrior. The Clans are invading the Inner Sphere. Join either the Wolf Clan or the Jade Falcon Clan as they pursue their own agenda against the Inner Sphere and other Clans. Take your advanced Omnimechs into battle against all comers. Win high warrior ratings (by using less mechs or smaller mechs than needed, completing secondary objectives, etc.) and you'll get chance at a promotion trial where you face superior odds in an arena. If you win, you advance in rank. If you are very successfully, you can make it all the way up to Khan, leader of the Clan! Mechwarrior II was developed in-house by Activision as the successor to their original Mechwarrior. While this time there are no dynamic campaign and mercenary actions, the Clan culture is integrated into the two campaigns. Different clans have different mechs and different rules, even different weapons. You can customize your mechs in order to use less than the "par" force in order to get a higher rating. The full 3D environment wasn't pretty as this was before the 3D accelerators made their debut, but it's still better than anything that came before. Let addition of NetMech allowed users to fight each other online. When 3D cards came along, special versions were created to take advantage of 3D texturing. While not QUITE as replayable as Mechwarrior, it's nonetheless a classic. If you want them now, get the Titanium Edition, which is 3D accelerated.Show more
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Stories about this game (16)
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user avatar@T3CCuser avatar@T3CC
January 29, 2025
It was a sunny afternoon when I first saw MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat on my best friend and neighbor’s computer. The room was still bathed in the last rays of summer as I sat beside him, watching the PC hum to life and the screen come alive. The moment the game’s title screen appeared, I knew something special was unfolding. The massive mechs marching into battle, the detailed graphics, and the epic music – it all made my heart race. I watched in awe as my friend controlled his mech, navigating through grim landscapes and taking on other giant machines in combat. I could see the concentration on his face as he carefully handled the controls, trying to dodge enemy fire while dishing out his own. From that moment, I was completely hooked. I’d never seen anything so intense, so action-packed before. The sheer size of the mechs, the freedom to control them, the rush of battle—it was all so captivating. I bombarded my friend with questions—"How do you control the mech?" "What are those weapons?" "Can you fly?" But the biggest sting was knowing that I would never own the game myself. The game was too expensive for a kid like me. But the feeling of being in control of those giant machines stuck with me—it was like an incomplete dream. Weeks went by, but I couldn’t shake the image of those mechs and the excitement they brought. My friend would show me a few more levels, and we’d play together, but eventually, that time passed too. I grew older, other interests came and went, but MechWarrior 2 remained a piece of my childhood that I could never fully let go of—like an invisible thread always pulling me back to those memories. Now, years later, I’ve made it my mission to experience that magic again—but this time, on my own terms. I’m searching for a way to play the game, that brings back the feeling of the past. It’s not just about playing the game; it’s about reconnecting with that feeling of being the kid staring at the screen, dreaming of those massive mechs.
user avatar@Corgan0user avatar@Corgan0
January 30, 2025
The tense moments after shutting down from overheating and the computer's voice are unforgettable. Also the intro movie was so incredibly emotional for the time period.
user avatar@Tequilauser avatar@Tequila
February 03, 2025
This game is absolutely rubbish.... is something I would never say about this classic mech sim! Imagine being 13, you just got into anime about giant robots and your friend calls you over to see THIS game... My little mind was blown away, Huge robots blasting seven shades of paint off each other, the sounds of stomping... IF this comes to GOG it's a day one purchase!!
user avatar@Ebakenezeruser avatar@Ebakenezer
February 05, 2025
I found this in a box store bargain bin for about $5 when I was 10 years old. Haven't looked back since. I must have played hundreds of hours of Mechwarrior 2. To this day, I'm still obsessed.
user avatar@redskinStuuser avatar@redskinStu
February 08, 2025
Excellent mission design, great music, realistic voices, designers did a wonderful job of adapting the rich history of the tabletop game into an approachable videogame. I hope MW2 is finally offered on GOG, which is truly a good ole game. It appears though that GOG is shifting focus to old console games that are already easily available for download on numerous platforms such as PSN, Xbox Live etc. rather than sticking to its stated purpose of preserving vintage computer games like MW2 that are available nowhere else.
user avatar@fx4level2user avatar@fx4level2
January 29, 2025
Played it on the first family computer in 1996. Was blown away by it at the time by the visuals, and that great soundtrack. Still one of my favourites. Ati rage edition please!
So if none are you familiar with MechWarrior/BattleTech, look it up. The series is massive, predates 40K by a lot and this was the game that got me started. I had seen a couple episodes of the cartoon (long story) and one day as I am helping a friend out with a yard sale, I look down and there, in box, is this absolute masterpiece. I bought it, took it home. It booted from DOS which blew my mind and settled in to one of the best combat simulators of all time. All the MechWarrior games prior to 5 and Clans (which were a well meaning if poorly executed attempt to bring back the venerable series) are excellent and I want them all back. But this one... this one is special.
user avatar@D2332320user avatar@D2332320
February 05, 2025
I loved playing this with my dad. Every few months now he asks me if he could play it on his Mac. Now if only I could find our old sidewinder joysticks we might be in business.
user avatar@AzureZero8user avatar@AzureZero8
February 11, 2025
Played this a lot, along with the Expansion: Ghost Bears Legacy (which should be included if released on GOG) I also enjoyed playing the with the netmech add-on. Though I will say the DOS interface was better then the Windows one for Netmech.
user avatar@GHoZT81NLuser avatar@GHoZT81NL
February 18, 2025
I used to play this game… one of my first and most fun Mech warrior experiences. Later games in the series haven’t lived ip to this one. That intro still brings back warm feelings.
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