Info about MechWarrior 5: Clans:

Official game description:
In MECHWARRIOR 5: CLANS, players take on the role of a newly graduated pilot from the Smoke Jaguar cadet program, thrust into the heart of the Clan Invasion of the Inner Sphere during Operation Revival. This pivotal moment in the MechWarrior universe sees players leading a five-mech "Star" squad across numerous planets with diverse biomes, engaging in an expansive campaign filled with immersive gameplay and intricate combat encounters. Armed with customizable BattleMechs featuring cutting-edge technologies, players explore a wealth of tactical options and strategic possibilities. The game leverages the power of the Unreal Engine to deliver stunning environmental details and visceral destruction, making every battle against the tyrants of the Inner Sphere an epic experience. As the first Clan-based MechWarrior game in nearly three decades, it combines a captivating narrative with well-crafted characters and moral dilemmas, culminating in a dynamic and adaptive combat experience enhanced by a revamped MechLab, Hardpoint, and OmniPod system.  
*   Experience the Clan Invasion from the perspective of Clan Smoke Jaguar as you lead your Star through engaging missions and combat, with cinematics unlike anything seen before in MechWarrior  
*   Strategic adaptability is key to victory and more accessible than ever with the new Battle Grid, Command Wheel, and Streamlined Controls  
*   Customize your 'Mechs with advanced Clan weapon systems, equipment, and upgrades for mission-specific battles, and advance your pilots with the new pilot progression system  
*   Experience MechWarrior like never before with a fully standalone campaign featuring detailed environments and dynamic destruction using the latest Unreal Engine and new Tech Updates  
*   Play with up to 4 other players as you protect and lead your Star through complex missions and thrilling combat

Release date: Oct 16, 2024

Categories: First-Person Shooter, Squad Management, Vehicle Customization, Cooperative Multiplayer, Linear Progression, Tactical Combat, Character Progression, Destructible Environments

Feature scans:
- MTX: score 15; verdict: Fair - One-time purchase with optional DLC; summary: The reviews indicate that the most significant monetization concern is the DLC model, where substantial content (mechs, campaigns) is sold separately. A single review mentions an in-game premium currency (Merits) that could be bought with real money, but the comment is speculative and unsupported by other reviews. No evidence of pay-to-win, gacha, loot boxes, or aggressive convenience-item sales was found. The game appears to be a standard one-time purchase with optional DLC expansions, which is typical and not predatory.
- Wiki: score 50; verdict: THE STUDENT; summary: The primary complaint across multiple languages is the game's failure to explain its unique jargon, lore, and mechanics, forcing players to consult external wikis to understand systems and terminology. A minor secondary issue is unclear interface navigation for upgrades.
- Proton/Linux: score 55; verdict: Tinkering Required; summary: The dataset is very sparse but has a clear split: one user says the game runs well on Linux/Proton with minor issues, while two users report extremely poor performance on Steam Deck (20-40 FPS). The Steam Deck evidence is directly tied to Linux/Proton and indicates significant performance friction. There is no evidence of crashes, anti-cheat blocks, mandatory tweaks, or native Linux port issues. The performance on Steam Deck suggests notable friction, possibly requiring lowering settings or using frame gen. The overall consensus is mixed but leans toward needing workarounds for playable performance.
- Steam Deck: score 50; verdict: Tinkering Required - Playable with Significant Compromises; summary: MechWarrior 5: Clans is playable on Steam Deck but requires significant compromises in performance (20-40 FPS) and UI readability. The interface is reported as painful on small screens, and while the game works via Proton out of the box, low frame rates prevent a seamless experience. No anti‑cheat errors or crashes are reported, but the combination of poor optimization and interface issues places the game firmly in the tinkering tier.

- Hardware Profile:
  - Summary: Performance is inconsistent across hardware tiers: lower VRAM, mid-range, and high-end systems all show substantial problems, while the 8-11 GB VRAM group reports mixed but more functional outcomes.
  - Sample size: 52 (4% coverage)
  - Audience skew: Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
  - Windows 12-15GB VRAM (negative, 15 reports): Multiple reports of crashes, sluggishness, and low FPS even on medium settings, with only one smooth experience.
  - Windows 8-11GB VRAM (mixed, 14 reports): Most users report fine performance and no crashes, but there are isolated complaints of low FPS and poor optimization.
  - Windows 16GB+ VRAM (negative, 9 reports): High-end hardware consistently suffers from poor optimization, stutter, and engine crashes, with no positive reports.
  - Windows <8GB VRAM (mixed, 9 reports): One user reports flawless performance on 8GB VRAM, while another on 6GB VRAM experiences severe FPS fluctuations.
  - Caveats: 52 of 1201 reviews expose hardware metadata.; Review sample is heavily weighted toward Windows PCs with 10GB+ VRAM.
Feature extractions:
- Community Price:
  - Community fair range: $10.00 - $18.00
  - Reasoning: Concrete sale prices ($18 and $14.99) mark the upper boundary of what players consider acceptable, with one reviewer explicitly capping value at $18 and another deeming $14.99 excessive. The majority consensus favors waiting for a discount, indicating that the full base price is too high. While a minority find full price acceptable, the dominant sentiment points to a fair range between $10 and $20, with $18 as a hard upper limit based on direct price feedback.
- Playtime Metrics:
  - Game completion: 30.0h
  - Story completion: 27.0h
  - Session length: N/A
  - Endgame: N/A
  - Reasoning: Three distinct player reports provide explicit completion times for MechWarrior 5: Clans: 38 hours (expert difficulty, likely including some extra content), under 30 hours (no difficulty specified), and 25 hours (elite difficulty, first playthrough). These represent typical playthroughs without extensive DLC. The 38-hour figure may include New Game+ or 100% objectives, while the 25-hour and under-30-hour figures are closer to main story completion. No reliable evidence for session length or endgame hours was found.
- Time-to-fun:
  - Summary: The game starts with a slow, boring tutorial-like section, but becomes engaging and fantastic after the initial campaign part, despite a long and linear progression system.
  - Stance: Clicks after
  - Anchor: After the first campaign part
  - Time to anchor: N/A
  - Friction: boring early missions with repetitive waypoint-to-waypoint gameplay; poor AI making combat tedious; slow linear progression requiring many missions to unlock heavier mechs and full tonnage; limited mech and loadout variety early on
  - Unlock drivers: completing the initial campaign part; gradually unlocking heavier mechs and more tonnage through missions
  - Conditions: playing with friends (co-op) can alleviate early boredom; patience to endure the slow start; focus on story progression and mech upgrades
- Player Archetypes:
  - Story-Driven Lore Seeker (buy)
    - Motivation: Experiencing the BattleTech story and lore in an engaging, linear campaign with strong character moments.
    - Playstyle: Follows the main story, appreciates cinematics and dialogue, accepts limited customization for a curated narrative journey.
    - Experience: newcomer
    - Purchase stance: buy
    - Labels: BattleTech newcomer; story gamer; mecha fan; sci‑fi enthusiast
    - Reference games: MechWarrior 2; MechAssault; Halo (for FPS comparison)
  - Sandbox Veteran (deep sale)
    - Motivation: Deep mech customization, open-ended mercenary gameplay, and simulation-level control over loadouts and tactics.
    - Playstyle: Tinkers extensively in the mechlab, seeks replayability through different builds, prefers non-linear sandbox over a fixed story.
    - Experience: veteran
    - Purchase stance: deep sale
    - Labels: old-school MechWarrior fan; simulator purist; Mercenaries veteran; tabletop player
    - Reference games: MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries; MechWarrior Online; MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries; BattleTech tabletop
  - Co-op Comrade (sale)
    - Motivation: Playing through the campaign together with friends, sharing the experience and coordinating tactics despite bugs.
    - Playstyle: Joins co-op sessions, manages work schedules for sync play, uses in-game commands to direct teammates, tolerates technical issues for social fun.
    - Experience: mixed
    - Purchase stance: sale
    - Labels: co-op enthusiast; group player; friendship group gamer
    - Reference games: Helldivers; other co-op shooters with shared campaigns


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Improved over MW5 Mercenaries (weight 0.29): Players consistently find this game to be an upgrade from MW5: Mercenaries in graphics, sound, AI, and core features. The command map and customization are highlighted as key improvements.
- Enjoyable overall experience (weight 0.28): The game is widely considered fun, playable, and enjoyable overall, with good moment-to-moment gameplay and stability. It scratches the itch for mech fans.
- Engaging story mode (weight 0.22): The story mode is praised as interesting, great, and a treat, with a linear but well-done storyline that offers a good dramatic experience. Players appreciate the story-driven focus over sandbox gameplay.
- Reminiscent of classic MechWarrior games (weight 0.2): Many reviews compare the game favorably to iconic entries like MechWarrior 2, 3, and 4, praising its authentic feel and worthy successor status. This nostalgia-driven praise appeals to longtime fans.
- Excellent graphics and visuals (weight 0.19): The game's graphics are widely praised as beautiful, high-quality, and a significant step up from predecessors. Visual polish is a consistent strength noted across many reviews.
- High-quality cutscenes and voice acting (weight 0.17): Cutscenes are described as cinematic, stunning, and well-written with strong character expression and voice acting. This contributes to the game's narrative appeal.
- Excellent DLC content (weight 0.16): DLCs, particularly Ghost Bear, are described as fantastic, amazing, and well-made with powerful campaigns and great characters. Players hope for and expect more future DLC.
- Deep mech customization (weight 0.16): Omnimech customization and the omni-pod system receive high praise for allowing crazy combinations, deep refinement, and flexibility. Customization is seen as a key feature.
- Fun and satisfying combat (weight 0.14): Combat is consistently described as fun, solid, intuitive, and satisfying, with expert-level play rewarding and mech combat feeling smooth and responsive. The lighter mechs are noted for their nimble feel.
- Great entry point for Battletech (weight 0.07): The game is recommended as a good way to enter the Battletech universe, with good story presentation and accessibility for new fans. It also appeals to veterans.
- Jump jets add mobility (weight 0.06): Jump jets are praised for improving mobility and control, with maps designed to encourage their use. AI teammates also utilize them effectively.

Common complaints:
- AI allies are useless (weight 0.35): Allied AI is consistently described as brain dead, ignoring commands, standing still, getting stuck, and failing to fire weapons. This makes combat frustrating and forces players to babysit their teammates.
- Weak story and characters (weight 0.17): The story is repeatedly called lackluster, predictable, and uninspired, with bland dialogue and uninteresting characters. Both endings are considered bad, contributing to a feeling of shallow narrative.
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.17): The game crashes frequently, including at startup, mid-mission, and at the end of missions without saving, forcing players to replay long sections. Fatal errors occur multiple times per mission, severely impacting playability.
- Excessive enemy numbers (weight 0.14): Missions feature unrealistically large waves of enemies, sometimes over 100 per mission, making gameplay feel like a tedious slog. This repetition is a major source of boredom.
- DLC locking mechs (weight 0.13): Most mechs are locked behind DLC purchases, with very few available in the base game. This is seen as a cash grab and severely limits early mech choice.
- Poor HOTAS support (weight 0.08): HOTAS support is nearly nonexistent, requiring manual coding or copying configs from MW5:Mercenaries. Major controllers are not properly configured, making setup a pain.
- Uncanny valley characters (weight 0.06): Human character models and facial animations are stuck in the uncanny valley, with greasy, unnatural expressions that break immersion.
- Poor weapon balance (weight 0.06): Weapon balance is poor, with some weapons being overpowered (e.g., lasers) while others are too weak. This makes certain loadouts mandatory and others useless.
- Light mechs become obsolete (weight 0.06): Light and medium mechs are too squishy and become useless once heavier mechs are unlocked. There is no reason to use them later in the game, reducing variety.
- Expensive DLC pricing (weight 0.06): The combination of base game and DLC is considered pricey, with each DLC costing as much as a full game. This is seen as overpriced.
- Poor UI and mechlab (weight 0.06): The UI and mechlab are poorly optimized, with a terrible layout that makes it hard to see weapons and heat sinks. It is unfriendly and less intuitive than previous games.

Gameplay feedback:
- Linear story-driven campaign (weight 0.29): The campaign is linear and heavily story-focused with limited branching, emphasizing narrative over open-world exploration.
- Omnimech customization system (weight 0.16): Mechs feature omnipod customization from MWO, allowing loadout changes with canonical OmniMech parts and a variety of weapons.
- Less open than Mercenaries (weight 0.15): The game is more linear, story-driven, and less sandbox than MW5: Mercenaries, with fewer customization options and mods.
- Set during Clan Invasion (weight 0.14): The story takes place during the Clan Invasion era, following Clan Wolf's perspective and adhering to Battletech lore.
- AI squadmates with tactical map (weight 0.14): Players command AI teammates and a Star of 5 mechs, using a battlemap for tactical positioning and orders.
- Mech and weapon upgrades (weight 0.13): The progression system unlocks heavier mechs, parts, and weapons, with a variety of loadouts including energy, ballistic, and missile weapons.
- Mission-based linear structure (weight 0.11): The campaign is mission-based with no open world, featuring around 35 linear missions and cutscenes.
- Co-op and single-player available (weight 0.11): The game supports both cooperative and single-player modes for its campaign and DLCs, allowing flexible play styles.
- Mech combat and tactics (weight 0.11): Combat is mech-based with tactical elements, including turn-based or first-person perspectives, mission objectives, and mech optimization.
- Squad and customization management (weight 0.09): Players manage a squad of mechs and pilots, customizing loadouts and equipment for tactical advantage.
- DLCs add content (weight 0.05): DLCs introduce new mechs and stories, though some may be required for harder missions.

Performance notes:
- Poor optimization for diverse hardware (weight 0.18): Many users note that the game is poorly optimized, running abysmally on lower-end hardware and struggling even on high-end rigs. FPS drops, stuttering, and inconsistent performance are common, with systems like the 3070 Ti only achieving 15 FPS.
- Frequent crashes and instability (weight 0.14): Multiple users report that the game crashes frequently, including fatal errors and crashes to desktop, even on high-end systems like the RTX 5090. This suggests widespread stability issues that affect gameplay across different hardware configurations.
- UE5 engine performance issues (weight 0.09): Several reviews specifically mention that the game's performance problems are typical of Unreal Engine 5 titles, citing sloggy feel, jank, and sub-optimal performance. This suggests the game inherits common UE5 optimization challenges.

Recommendations:
- Recommended for various playstyles (weight 0.25): The game is recommended for FPS fans, mech lovers, and those who enjoy sci-fi stories, appealing to a broad audience within its niche.
- Great for BattleTech/MechWarrior fans (weight 0.24): The game is highly recommended for fans of the BattleTech and MechWarrior franchises, especially those who enjoy tactical mech combat and the Clan atmosphere.
- Good for Clan atmosphere (weight 0.23): The game is praised for its Clan atmosphere and storytelling, appealing to fans of the BattleTech universe.
- Wait for a sale (weight 0.19): Many suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing, as the game is often considered overpriced at full price but worth it when discounted.
- Consider MW5: Mercenaries instead (weight 0.14): Some reviewers suggest that MW5: Mercenaries offers more replayability and open-world exploration, recommending it over MW5: Clans for those seeking a better experience.
- Mixed value for money (weight 0.14): Opinions on the game's value are mixed, with some finding it worth the price and others feeling it's overpriced, especially before discounts.
- Low replayability noted (weight 0.12): Several reviewers mention that the game lacks high replay value, with some suggesting it's more of a one-time playthrough experience.
- Good for newcomers to series (weight 0.08): The game is recommended as a starting point for new players to the MechWarrior or BattleTech universe, offering a solid entry point.
- Recommended for lore fans (weight 0.08): The game is praised for its Clan storyline and lore, making it a great choice for fans of BattleTech's narrative elements.
- Not for non-fans (weight 0.07): Reviewers caution that the game is primarily for hardcore BattleTech/MechWarrior fans and may not appeal to casual players or those unfamiliar with the lore.
- DLC enhances experience (weight 0.06): Some players find the DLCs essential for the full experience, recommending them as worthwhile additions that improve the game.
- Must-play for mech combat fans (weight 0.06): Despite some shortcomings, the game is considered a must-play for anyone who enjoys heavy mech combat and stompy robots.
- Enjoyable but not replayable (weight 0.04): Some reviewers enjoyed the game but found it lacks replayability, making it suitable only for a single playthrough.

Other player notes:
- Price value dissatisfaction (weight 0.02): A player mentioned purchasing the game for $18 on sale and felt it was not worth more, indicating concerns about the game's price-to-value ratio.

Emotions:
- Frustration (weight 0.24): Player frustration stems from a combination of severe technical issues—such as frequent fatal errors, crashes, and poor performance—and flawed game design. Specific causes include overpowered weapons (e.g., lasers), unbalanced difficulty spikes, useless AI allies that require constant babysitting, limited customization, and a lack of mid-mission saves. The game's poor optimization and unresolved bugs, even after years, further compound the experience.
- Disappointment (weight 0.16): Disappointment primarily arises because the game fails to live up to its predecessor, MW5 Mercenaries, and the long-awaited Clan Invasion setting. Players cite a linear campaign with limited freedom, weaker customization, poor story and characters, performance issues, and a lack of tactical depth. Many feel the game is a downgrade in almost every aspect, with wasted potential and a sense of being a step backward.
- Satisfaction (weight 0.11): Satisfaction is driven by the game's successful delivery of a compelling Clan-focused narrative with high-quality cutscenes and voice acting, improved graphics, and engaging combat mechanics. Players appreciate the tactical depth, satisfying mech customization (especially omnimechs), and the fair difficulty curve that requires strategic planning. Overall, the game is seen as a worthy successor in the franchise that provides a fulfilling mech gameplay experience.
- Enjoyment (weight 0.08): Enjoyment comes from the game's strong story delivery, immersive Clan atmosphere, and fun, visceral mech combat. The linear campaign, cinematic cutscenes, and satisfying customization options (including the power of Clan mechs) provide a focused and entertaining experience. Many players find the game enjoyable for its moment-to-moment gameplay, modding potential, and ability to fulfill the mech power fantasy.
- Excitement (weight 0.04): Excitement is generated by the return to the Clan Invasion setting after a long hiatus, with faithful lore representation and nostalgic callbacks to classic MechWarrior titles. The cinematic cutscenes, adrenaline-pumping combat, and deep Clan culture presentation create a thrilling experience. This emotion is also fueled by the quality of the story and the potential for future DLC.
- Anger (weight 0.03): Anger is prompted by severe technical failures—like crashes and poor performance—combined with perceived developer greed through high DLC pricing and paywalled content. Other causes include unaddressed bugs (e.g., spawn issues, missing saves) and poor game design choices such as useless AI and unfair enemy waves. The lack of fixes for known issues over time intensifies this anger.
- Appreciation (weight 0.03): Appreciation stems from the game's high attention to Battletech lore and clan culture, as well as its visually impressive graphics and polished presentation. The story and writing are praised for being true to the source material, while the customization system (especially omnipods) and engaging boss fights add depth. Players recognize the care and effort put into the game's design.
- Annoyance (weight 0.03): Annoyance is caused by minor but persistent issues such as bad AI teammates causing friendly fire, repetitive dialogue, and UI/UX problems like confusing menus. Other irritants include weapon balance forcing samey loadouts (ER S Laser dominance), poor optimization, and minor graphical oddities. The game's narrative and character writing (e.g., immature dialogue) also contribute to this feeling.
- Nostalgia (weight 0.02): Nostalgia is evoked by iconic elements like the Timber Wolf/Mad Cat, which harken back to MechWarrior 2 and 3, as well as the classic mission structure and clan invasion lore. The game's ability to scratch the long-standing MechWarrior itch—especially for those who started in the 90s—combined with references to past titles and a cozy sci-fi feel, drives this emotion.
- Boredom (weight 0.02): Boredom emerges from repetitive mission design—mostly kill-everything with endless waves—and monotonous combat that becomes tedious quickly. The lack of mission variety, samey loadouts, and drawn-out gameplay segments fail to captivate, leading to a feeling of tediousness and lack of engagement.
- Hope (weight 0.01): Hope is centered on the belief that future DLC, patches, or mods will fix existing issues (e.g., poor gameplay or bugs) and enhance the game. Players express optimism that the developer will improve the product over time, adding more freedom, better co-op, and additional content, despite current frustrations.
- Love (weight 0.01): Love is rooted in the core gameplay, customization options, and the feeling of piloting powerful mechs. The game's narrative and co-op experience resonate deeply with fans, and the Timber Wolf's inclusion and overall mech feel create a strong emotional attachment. Many players love the game despite its flaws due to the satisfying core Battletech action.
- Approval (weight 0.01): Approval is given for the game's faithful adaptation of the Battletech universe, including good narrative, voice acting, and cutscenes. Players approve of the improvements over Mercenaries, such as better AI and customization, as well as the game's suitability for franchise fans. DLCs are seen as valuable additions that enhance the experience.
- Relief (weight 0.01): Relief comes from the game performing better than expected based on negative reviews, particularly in terms of stability and lack of crashes. Some players are relieved that the game avoids required grinding and runs smoothly after adjusting settings, making it more enjoyable than anticipated.
- Amusement (weight 0.01): Amusement is triggered by humorous in-game moments, such as the accurate portrayal of clanners, accidental friendly fire (vaporizing Elementals), and physics glitches like floating corpses. The game's unintentionally funny dialogue and B-movie sci-fi vibe also provide a source of amusement.
- Regret (weight 0.01): Regret stems from purchasing the game due to severe performance issues, poor gameplay, or a sense of wasted money. Some players feel they would have been better off playing Mercenaries or reading the book, with sunk cost pushing them to finish a disappointing experience.
- Anticipation (weight 0.01): Anticipation is focused on upcoming DLCs and expansions, particularly the Clan Wolf campaign, which players hope will add more content and improvements. This emotion reflects joy for the potential future of the series and the promise of additional narrative and gameplay depth.
- Irritation (weight 0.01): Irritation is caused by specific design annoyances such as the teenage story and writing, unrealistic mechanics (e.g., ammo replenishment), poor performance from explosions, and a restrictive mechlab/omnipod system. These issues grate on players, leading to mild frustration.
- Resignation (weight 0.01): Resignation arises from a love-hate relationship with the game, where players accept its flaws in hopes of a better experience later. Examples include switching to Easy mode despite it being too easy, waiting for a sale, or feeling forced to finish due to sunk cost, but ultimately accepting the game's state.
- Disgust (weight 0.01): Disgust is triggered by poor-quality facial animations and cringe-worthy pilot dialogue, as well as AI voicework perceived as lazy or greedy. The messy mechbay and overall lack of polish in character presentation offend players, making the game feel cheap or amateurish.}