Posted on: November 5, 2016
atarirob
Verified ownerGames: 114 Reviews: 10
Like Mechwarrior 2, but so much better.
THIS. THIS is the real-time, First-Person, action mech-game I always wanted, but never found, and could you expect less from Looking Glass? Based on the legendary System-Shock engine (first previewed in 1994 with System-Shock), Terra Nova has you take control of a new recruit for a secret rebel organisation as you slip nicely into your brand new super-high tech mech suit as you find yourself on a series of what are practically action-sandbox maps (think Gun-Metal but in first person and made in 1996), allowing you to basically pick how you go about each mission. At the beginning of the game, all you have is basic weaponry and armour, as well as a drone to either scout out areas by way of keyboard control or waypoint control. Terra Nova also allows you to drop an auto-turret at will which will help you with defence especially early on, however later you amass an arsenal of complex arm-mounted weaponry and new mech-suits allowing energy and HP upgrades as well as longer jump-jet flight time and advanced movement. The game is superlative for it's time and really paved the way for FPS games in general in the future. Looking Glass were so far ahead of the times in terms of gameplay elements and especially graphics. Unlike the engines predecessor, System-Shock, the game is fully 3D, at all time, and allows a freedom of movement that was only just becoming the 'norm' in FPP games (soon to be revolutionised with the iminent release of Quake). Mechwarrior 2 is an incredible game in my opinion, but it's 'hands-off' movement controls and lacklustre (even by 1995 standards) graphics and unsatisfying shooting mechanics really make THIS the penultimate mech game. It's an absolute pleasure to play, even today, just like every Looking Glass game from the era and is by far my favourite FPP/Simulator game ever made. A true forgotten classic, even more so than System Shock, but the absolute best of it's genre. Incredible game. 5/5 (A+)
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