MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries - Ashes and Ascension Review Summary

New mechs and continued developer support make the DLC worthwhile, though the punishing start, dominant fast enemies, and broken AI pathfinding hold it back.

New mechs are a highlight: Players consistently enjoy the new mechs added by recent updates, including Clan mechs with better speed and larger weapon capacity. Specific builds like the Kraken Bane with clan UACs are called very effective.

Developers continue strong support: Piranha Games has continued to release DLC and updates, with the game now having 9 DLCs and ongoing support. Reviewers appreciate the continued commitment and want more updates.

DLC content praised and valued: Many reviewers consider the DLCs the strongest part of the game, with Ashes and Ascension singled out for excellent content at a fair price. The continued stream of expansions is widely seen as worthwhile.

Clan culture and history explored: Experiencing clan culture and history built up by BattleTech was very fun for players. The addition of Operation Bulldog is a welcome expansion of the lore.

Complete package is amazing: With all DLCs and updates, MW5 Mercs is now a full experience that meets the expectations for a BattleTech game. Reviewers say the game is amazing when you have everything.

DLC start is punishing and unbalanced: The DLC provides starting mechs that are insufficient against punishing Clan mechs, with no time to repair or refit. This leads to continual bankruptcy and requires save-scumming to preserve mech parts.

Faster lighter enemies dominate battles: Combat frequently involves swarms of faster, lighter enemies, with Fire Moths being particularly ubiquitous. This exacerbates AI oddities and makes mistakes more punishing due to high Clan firepower.

AI pathfinding and unit cohesion broken: Allied AI clumps together and gets stuck, nearly destroying allied mechs. Pathfinding is questionable, with AI dancing in front of destructible walls and hugging the player's position while ignoring enemies.

Weapon acquisition and testing are harsh: Acquiring new weapons is a grind, especially for Inner Sphere weapons which require passing a lottery of weapon type, tier, and quantity to get high-tier items in needed amounts. Testing new weapons only adds to the grind.

Secondary voice work is poor quality: Secondary voice work is painful to listen to and sounds like terrible capture work or generative AI, detracting from the overall experience.

Lottery-based weapon acquisition: Acquiring weapons involves a lottery system based on weapon type, Tier, and number. This random element can be both exciting and frustrating for players.

Clan and IS mechs differ: The game features Clan Mechs and IS mechs with different attributes. Understanding these differences is key to effective gameplay.

DLCs accessible without base campaign: Players can jump directly into DLCs without completing the base campaign, offering flexibility in how they experience the content. This lowers the barrier for new or returning players.

DLC includes campaigns: The DLC includes additional campaigns, expanding the game's content. This provides more narrative and gameplay for players.

Clan mechs have speed and cargo: Clan Mechs have better speed and bigger cargo space for weapons and equipment. This makes them more versatile in combat.

Optimization slightly improved: The reviewer notes a modest improvement in optimization. Performance may still be a concern, but progress is acknowledged.

Clans demands high specs: The reviewer's machine does not meet the requirements to run Clans. This limits accessibility for players with modest hardware.

DLC Pricing Complaints: Players express dissatisfaction with the pricing of DLC, but acknowledge the game is better with all content. This indicates concerns about cost despite overall enjoyment.

Demand for ilClan Era Content: Players are requesting continued releases of content up to the ilClan storyline. This shows a strong interest in advancing the game's timeline.

Preference for Clan Mechs: Some players prefer to play only with Clan Mechs. This highlights a specific gameplay preference within the community.

Ongoing updates and support: The game continues to receive updates and new DLC, indicating active developer support. This keeps the game alive and evolving.

Foundation needs improvement: AI, pathfinding, and equipment collection need work before adding more content. Players want core mechanics refined.

Mod support available: The game supports mods, allowing players to customize their experience. This extends the game's longevity and replayability.

Mercs gets more content: Mercs is receiving more content going forward, unlike Clans which did not sell as well. This indicates a focus on the more successful title.

YAML mod essential: The YAML mod is considered a must-have to fully enjoy the game. This suggests that the base game may lack certain features that the mod provides.