The MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries opening cinematic has been released ahead of the game’s launch in December, and fans have been immediately impressed by how much the game looks and feels like the traditional experience that last featured a single-player campaign in 2002. MechWarrior is one of the flag-bearers for the mech genre of video games and an innovator of many of the systems and design decisions that have later characterized other transcendent offerings like Titanfall 2.
The build-up to MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries has been a tumultuous one for developer Piranha Games, which has had to delay the game multiple times - first delaying MechWarrior 5 until 2019, then from September until December. When players have had a chance to experience the long-awaited next single-player instalment in the franchise, it has done nothing but impress fans with its nuanced gameplay and exciting, forward-facing view on the mech genre. It’s a genre that has waned in popularity since its peak, and fans who want to pilot a giant robot and crush the competition have been desperate for something to scratch the itch that the MechWarrior franchise has been so good at satisfying over its storied history.
To help prove that the delays have been well worth the wait, MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries released the game’s opening cinematic on YouTube earlier today. The cinematic shows what the state of humanity looks like in 3015, where the houses that rule civilization have been fighting for control in what’s known as the Succession Wars. The houses rely on mercenary units and the player will occupy the role of one of those mercenaries, managing resources and leading allies into battle. The trailer, more than anything, looks exactly like the sort of MechWarrior game that fans have desperately wanted for years now:
MechWarrior 5 has the benefit of being the franchise’s first single-player game since 2002, meaning that it’s already going to look and feel vastly superior to the games that came before it. With that said, however, expectations will nevertheless be high for one of the most iconic series in the mech genre, and the opening cinematic exhibits a polished experience that at least looks gorgeous. As long as the mech combat can hit a similar standard, MechWarrior 5 has a legitimate shot at bringing an old-school favorite back into the spotlight.
There isn’t much time to wait until fans know how good the game is, either. MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries will be an Epic Games Store exclusive, and one that could surprise as a draw to the platform should reviews suggest it’s another reason to give the mech genre a try.
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MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries releases on PC as an Epic Games Store exclusive on December 10, 2019.
Source: MechWarrior 5 Mercenaries/YouTube
