MechWarrior 5: Clans

While there’s certainly several coats of polish still to add, the core of MechWarrior 5: Clans gives us an excellent storyline culled straight from the novels, combined with cutting edge graphics and gameplay only Piranha Games could deliver. THIS is the MechWarrior game we’ve all been waiting for, and damn, is it fun. Reactor online, sensors online, weapons online. All systems nominal.

The venerable mech sim innovates with Mechwarrior 5: Clans.

“MechWarrior 5: Clans delivers 100 tons of BattleMech joy with outstanding missions and superb storytelling.”

MechWarrior 5: Clans is a great game for Mech fans, and portrays them as the steel behemoths they are, but it won't be that enjoyable on the Steam Deck.

MechWarrior 5: Clans takes the classic Mech-Sim formula the series is known for and adds in new controls, mechanics and a great narrative-driven story to appeal to a wider audience. This entry is more console-friendly and pushes the series in a direction likely to garner a new audience and please long-time fans simultaneously.

Still, at the end of the day this is an approachable and enjoyable entry into a genre that doesn’t really get a lot of love these days. If they manage to optimize things enough to fix the performance issues you could probably consider it a 9 from me, but as it is I can only mostly recommend it.

Whether you’ll enjoy MechWarrior 5: Clans depends very much on your own personal tastes. If you’re an existing BattleTech or MechWarrior fan, I think you’ll adore this latest entry in the franchise. If your preference is centred around the more simulator-like aspects of the series, that adoration will be mostly reserved for MechWarrior 5: Clans excellent narrative.

While MechWarrior 5: Clans could use some more polish, it is a solid sequel that captures the excitement of giant mechs tearing each other in realistic skirmishes.

Mechwarrior 5: Clans is an thoroughly enjoyable entry in the series, even if it can be a little rough around the edges.

For a DLC that costs as much as it does and adds so little, MechWarrior 5: Clans - Trials of War is something you can very easily avoid.