Ever since the series went into hibernation in 2002, fans have eagerly awaited the bombastic return of MechWarrior, the robo-battle spin-off of BattleTech. Now, with the recent Xbox and Steam release of MechWarrior 5, fans have a yet another chance to customize their own mechs, unleashing them to destroy anything in their way.
However, players these days like to take their customization further, and a popular method for this is modding. Countless gamers, particularly PC users, have embraced this tool to tweak numerous titles, and this is no exception. Not only can gamers change the mechs, but also the way they play. Combined with the options already in the base game, these mods make for a truly personalized experience all around.
10 Better Night Vision
Newsflash: it's tough to see at night. Not just that, but inclement weather can also shroud one's vision. That's obviously a problem in a combat scenario, and the base game's night vision doesn't do much to fix it. Not only do enemies and other points of interest fail to stand out from the background, but the visuals as a whole are overly blurry.
The new night vision sharpens the image so that players can distinguish more detail. In addition, important objects or units stand out more noticeably. These seemingly small adjustments make night vision a more viable option for visual clarity.
9 No Friendly Fire
When dealing with giant robots, it's easy to accidentally shoot an ally unit. After all, they're pretty big targets. Shooters of any kind require fast reflexes to survive. Oftentimes, players need to fire first and ask questions later, and taking the time to distinguish between friend and foe could mean a laser through the eyes. Alternatively, the AI could just be plain bad.
Thankfully, this mod removes damage from friendly mech units. This extends to those mechs spawned as allies in the game's various mission modes. Unfortunately, players can still kill non-mech friendlies, so it'd be wise to exercise a little caution.
8 Renegotiate Contracts
Sometimes, a job turns out to be harder than expected. Sadly, the price was already set in stone when the contract was accepted. Players must take on a challenge, emerge by the skin of their teeth, and settle for a measly reward. Witchers know this all too well.
At least, that was the case before this mod. Now, they can open the contract and renegotiate the terms after already accepting. This way, they can up their price if the task becomes too difficult. Some might see this as backhanded and shallow. Others, however, will view it as a way to make every job worth every penny.
7 Heat Effects
No one likes it when their weapons (or their mechs) overheat. MechWarrior 5 seemingly mixes this up with heat dissipation for different environments. Characters note how various biomes uniquely affect how quickly mech heat dissipates. A tundra, or instance, should speed this up. However, this doesn't seem to be the case, at least not enough to affect the gameplay.
The environment should play some part in skirmishes; otherwise, it might as well be an empty backdrop. Hence, this mod changes the heat dissipation rate for all mechs depending on the environment. Not only does this further mix up the mission variety, but it adds a neat new variable to mech battles. Who knew authenticity was what this game was missing?
6 Old Music
Gamers sometimes want to bask in a little nostalgia. If a main product doesn't provide that, then modders pick up the slack. Several of these mods bring back music or sound effects from previous entries, but the most notable one incorporates remastered tracks from MechWarrior 2 and 4.
These come courtesy of Timothy Seals, who provides orchestral covers of the old music and allowed the modder to use those covers in this pack. With a franchise as enduring as MechWarrior, it's good to get the odd blast from the past.
5 Enhanced HUD Options
The HUD is obviously one of the most important parts of MechWarrior 5. It's what players see every time they pilot a mech, and they must navigate the information shown to survive and plan accordingly. Some daring gamers may even want the HUD off strengthen the immersion.
That's why several mods changing this display have emerged since the game's release. Some come with advanced zoom options; others shift to the older games' format. Everyone process information differently. Only by experimenting with these mods can players find the best way to gauge the state of their mechs.
4 Weather & Environments
One would think that fighting in a slew of exotic environments would yield a few hazards. That's certainly the case for several other titles. Alas, the base game's biomes are mostly set dressing with negligible effects. For those looking for a more harrowing experience, this mod fits the bill.
First and foremost, the rain, snow, and other effects are more intense. Coupled with the dark nights, this might actually give players a reason to use the aforementioned night vision. Each arena also comes with more times of day. These additions strengthen the sense of a living, breathing environment that's an entity in itself.
3 Jacked-Up Jump Jets
This one is self-explanatory. The mod increases the burn time of the mechs' jump jets. Instead of floating for three seconds, players can now soar for a solid ten seconds. At this point, the mechs are practically flying.
Aerial combat adds a whole new dimension to mech battles, and each match is granted more variety. In addition, it helps differentiate MechWarrior 5 from other first-person shooters. Traditional rules, such as elevated positions having an advantage, no longer apply. It's hard for plan for such a wild-card move, but that's a good thing. It means that players never grow complacent.
2 New Game Plus
This mode has become increasingly popular with gamers, be it with single-player titles or multiplayer shooters with a campaign mode. People want to experience their various games again, but don't necessarily want to lose all of the items or level-up bonuses they've accumulated thus far.
It's not surprising that someone created a mod that enables this extra playthrough. The pack in question simply resets the campaign progress of a given save file. Gamers then replay the story quests with their gear, mechs, and other tools in tow. Now, players can truly feel the power of their accomplishments without subsisting on endgame scraps.
1 Compatibility Pack
Those who fiddle with the game's assets through mods should be prepared for a few issues, among which could be incompatibility. The title's registered assets may not line up with the mod options offered online. Some mods may not even gel with each other. Overloading any game with mods can make the whole thing into a mess.
This package lessens some of those issues, widening the base game's asset registry. In fact, many other mods now require it in order for the game to function properly. This makes this little stabilizer an essential element for anyone looking to tweak MechWarrior 5. There's no point in having the best mech around if it kills the game.