<!--
	Title: (The Lab Report) Battletech
	Source: Zzap!64, #51
	Date: July 1989
	Transcription by Steve Derby
-->

<p class="larger">Infocom, C64 £19.99/Amiga £24.99</p>

In the 31st century five states are continually fighting for supremacy. As
18-year-old Jason Youngblood, you're still at
school but instead of learning quadratic equation you're being
trained how to be a Mech warrior, defending the Lyran Commonwealth.
Mechs are massive military robots, armed to the
teeth with lasers and machine guns, and piloted by humans.

<figure class="float-right-half">
<figcaption><strong>Two mechs fight to the death</strong></figcaption>
<img src="/public/img/articles/zzap64-battletech-review/battletech-screen-shot-2.jpg" alt="A Battletech screen shot">
<p></p>
<figcaption><strong>That little blob on the road is Jason!</strong></figcaption>
<img src="/public/img/articles/zzap64-battletech-review/battletech-screen-shot-1.jpg" alt="Another Battletech screen shot">
</figure>

Jason is currently based in The Citadel and as well as receiving
various types of training he can stroll around the town (shown
from overhead) and buy armour and weaponry from the shops.
Mech training missions are completely free of charge, but combat
and mechanical classes cost hard cash. His only income, however,
is a small allowance so it's necessary to invest this in one of
three companies (of varying risk) to make enough money for lessons
to improve his basic skills.

The first few training missions involve getting used to controlling
a Mech -- there are three types with different abilities but
all are controlled in the same way. Either cursor keys or mouse
can be used to control general movement, but once an enemy is
spotted control changes to a menu-driven combat mode.
Commands include WALK, RUN, JUMP and KICK (for
booting a nearby enemy). Each of your Mech's weapons may be
targetted on any enemy in range. When the command BEGIN
FIGHT is given, the Mech moves where you told it to go and fires
at the targetted enemies.

If Jason's training is successful, he can leave The Citadel and
wander around the countryside between cities, killing enemies
and recruiting friends to join him. In combat, these are controlled
in exactly the same way as Jason.

The simple overhead graphics are ill-defined and badly animated
on both 64 and Amiga. Jason is a tiny blob which jitters
around the jerkily scrolling play area. Sadly, gameplay is also
extremely dull. Jason must wait between missions, just ambling
aimlessly around the city. This is made worse on the 64 by frequent
disk-accessing (every time you enter or leave a building).
Interaction with other characters is virtually non-existent -- they
usually don't even want to talk to you. If he's got some cash at least
he can buy a few weapons, but whether his investments do well
is merely a matter of luck.

Hours of play need to be put in to get anywhere in *Battletech*, but
the experience is so uneventful, only a dedicated reviewer or
RPG fan (like me!) could be bothered to persevere. The only
pleasure lies in building up Jason's skills and later recruiting
friends. Instead of being explosive (as claimed in the packaging)
combat is dull, merely consisting of two or more Mechs firing laser
after laser at each other. The shots don't even appear on the
main screen. Instead, a small window displays messages and
sometimes shows an animated Mech firing a laser. This is both
confusing and distinctly unexciting.

*Battletech* is based on the RPG of the same name. If you're a
dedicated fan of this you'll probably get some enjoyment out of
the computer version, but I would prefer to play the real
RPG with a few friends instead of watching a few splodgy sprites
fire 'messages' at each other!

<table class="larger" style="font-weight: bold; border-top: 4px solid; border-bottom: 4px solid; font-family: var(--article-sidebar), Arial, sans-serif;">
<thead><tr><th colspan=2>64<p></p></th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>ATMOSPHERE</td><td>45%</td></tr>
<tr><td>INTERACTION</td><td>30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>LASTABILITY</td><td>50%</td></tr>
<tr><td>OVERALL</td><td>42%</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<p></p>
<table class="larger" style="font-weight: bold; border-top: 4px solid; border-bottom: 4px solid; font-family: var(--article-sidebar), Arial, sans-serif;">
<thead><tr><th colspan=2>amiga<p></p></th></tr></thead>
<tbody>
<tr><td>ATMOSPHERE</td><td>48%</td></tr>
<tr><td>PUZZLE FACTOR</td><td>30%</td></tr>
<tr><td>INTERACTION</td><td>70%</td></tr>
<tr><td>LASTABILITY</td><td>58%</td></tr>
<tr><td>OVERALL</td><td>45%</td></tr>
</tbody></table>