BattleTech: Urban Warfare PC Review

Returning to my rowdy crew of MechWarriors on the Argo always feels like getting reacquainted with old friends.  Some of the people on board still remember when Dekker bit more than he could chew off an AC/10 round, while others earned their stripes in the Flashpoints added late last year. In many ways the Argo feels like home. Yet it’s a home that requires a sizeable amount of space cash to keep afloat, which is why BattleTech: Urban Warfare painted an alluring picture of making money while visiting the big city (and possibly leaving some holes in it).   

Just like with Flashpoint before it, the changes brought by BattleTech: Urban Warfare work with both campaign and Career mode. The DLC’s core addition is in the title, as contracts and Flashpoint missions now also involve doing battle in urban settings. Not only does exchanging missile salvoes amid skyscrapers definitely feel like a breath of fresh air, the newly added environments are also quite gorgeous. Seeking out enemies between rows of tall, futuristic towers comes with a feeling of claustrophobia that only gives way once your metal death machines discover a lone verdant park or an opening with more breathing space. Alternatively, paths can be created by stepping on smaller buildings or bringing larger ones to the ground with the ‘Mechs awe-inspiring firepower.

The urban maps shake engagements up in a number of ways. Firstly, they bring about wildly unstable performance. My i7-8700k and GeForce GTX 1070 had trouble wrestling with these new areas, the framerate rarely reaching the desired, buttery smooth 60 FPS. More often than not, I would be stuck at around 40 FPS, values also plummeting below 20 on quite a few occasions. Needless to say, this turned cool-looking actions into confusing slideshows. Waiting to watch a hail of fire bring a building, and the ‘Mech on top of it, down, only to catch a few janky glimpses of the action is quite disappointing, as it turns out.

When they don’t tank performance, the new environments in BattleTech: Urban Warfare are quite a different beast than what’s already in the game. Taller buildings block line of sight and provide more ample opportunities for hiding. Navigating busy streets, tight corridors and multi-level areas is done best with lighter ‘Mechs, preferably ones with jump jets installed. ‘Mechs with the ability to jump can also turn buildings into great vantage points that allow setting up the perfect shot on an opponent believing themselves to be safe. You just have to be careful they don’t bring the building down when the inevitable retaliatory strike comes in.

Destroying buildings not only clears up your line of sight, but also gives you a fresh patch of cover. Urban maps also have two types of destructible buildings that leave behind hazard areas, although I never got the chance to put them to much use during my time with the DLC. Another interesting twist, which admittedly comes with the free 1.6 update rather than the paid BattleTech: Urban Warfare DLC, is how missed shots can now deal collateral damage, albeit not to friendly units. A missed AC/20 round can hit the ‘Mech behind your target, just like a flurry of rockets that go off target ca bring down a building with one of your ‘Mechs on top of it. Positioning is now more important than ever.

In terms of new ‘Mechs, the Javelin is completely overshadowed by BattleTech: Urban Warfare’s other addition, the Raven X1, which introduces interesting variables on the field.  An experimental prototype, it comes equipped with two bits of technology that set it apart. The Electronic Countermeasure creates a stealth field in an area around it, making allies untargetable by indirect fire and very hard to hit by missiles. Unless opposing ‘Mechs get up close or make use of their sensor lock ability, the only way to expose those inside the Raven’s field is by having them attack, especially using missiles, which depletes their stealth charge. The other ability, the Active Probe, acts as a mass sensor lock of sorts pulsing outwards from the Raven and making enemies easier to hit, while also disabling their Electronic Countermeasures.

As good as the Raven sounds and as great an asset as it is during the Flashpoint in which it’s unlocked, I found its uses to be limited afterwards. The ‘Mech does seem more suited for hit-and-run missions, especially in urban settings, given how fragile it is. Exposing it via sensor lock makes taking it down much too easy and, needless to say, it’s not exactly capable in terms of firepower. You’ll also encounter some new opposing vehicles, two of which make use of the newly added technologies that the Raven also uses, which is a neat touch. There’s also the new Attack & Defend encounter type that sees you attempting to destroy the opposing base before a steady stream of enemies do the same to yours. However, in my time with it I didn’t quite brush up to the thing.

BattleTech: Urban Warfare also introduces a set of new Flashpoints that don’t require owning the previous DLC to play. Flashpoints are, essentially, short narrative-driven missions that link a number of battles together, sometimes without having the chance to repair or refit damage ‘Mechs, while also providing meaningful narrative choices and rare rewards. As someone who likes big ‘Mechs (and cannot lie), I was, nonetheless pleasantly surprised to see that a good number of the new Flashpoints come with tonnage limitations which encourage giving lighter ‘Mechs a spin.

The most refreshing thing about the free 1.6 update accompanying BattleTech: Urban Warfare is the inclusion of contracts that allow multiple factions with varying alliances on the field. Breaking away from being alone against seemingly unending waves of foes is something I’ve been yearning for since BattleTech first dropped, and jumping into battle alongside an allied lance, or facing two other lances without knowing who they’re going to go for, adds an element of uncertainty that I truly hope to see more of. The star map was also expanded with some new 50 systems towards the Inner Sphere, as well as the ability to mark visited systems alongside biome and difficulty filters.

Similar to Flashpoint, BattleTech: Urban Warfare feeds off the improvements the game saw in its 1.6 update. Taken on its own, it does feel a bit lighter than Flashpoint in terms of what it offers, and the poor optimization on the otherwise excellent new urban maps can mar the experience quite a bit in their worst moments. However, it also brings a new chunk of flavor to starting a new campaign or Carreer mode, and taken in tandem with the 1.6 update, it does see BattleTech grow into a better game.

Bogdan Robert, NoobFeed
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