Welcome to the Patch Review, a segment here at the LCC where we review the gameplay of the new build and then vomit all over the intenet. I could have really posted this on Wednesday, but I wanted to wait a few days and put some time in on the newly augmented Assault maps. Turns out, it went pretty much like I thought. Original Patch Notes here.
Ok, first things first. The Banshee - or rather, "La Malinche" - is available now. The design comes from way back during the Terran Hegemony, but House Davion is pretty much behind the widespread use of this chassis. At 95 tons, this is one of the heaviest battlemechs ever produced. Although lightly armed for a 'mech of this size, it makes up for lack of firepower with more armor and maneuverability.
As far as La Malinche itself, well - like Ilya Muromets before, La Malinche is sort of a national figure for our friends in Mexico. From the Wiki:
"La Malinche; c. 1496 or c. 1501 – c. 1529), known also as Malinalli [maliˈnalːi], Malintzin [maˈlintsin] or Doña Marina [ˈdoɲa maˈɾina], was a Nahua woman from the Mexican Gulf Coast, who played a role in the Spanish conquest of Mexico, acting as an interpreter, advisor, lover, and intermediary for Hernán Cortés. She was one of twenty women slaves given to the Spaniards by the natives of Tabasco in 1519. Later, she became a mistress to Cortés and gave birth to his first son, Martín, who is considered one of the first Mestizos (people of mixed European and indigenous American ancestry).
The historical figure of Marina has been intermixed with Aztec legends (such as La Llorona, a woman who weeps for lost children). Her reputation has been altered over the years according to changing social and political perspectives, especially after the Mexican Revolution, when she was portrayed in dramas, novels, and paintings as an evil or scheming temptress. In Mexico today, La Malinche remains iconically potent. She is understood in various and often conflicting aspects, as the embodiment of treachery, the quintessential victim, or simply as symbolic mother of the new Mexican people. The term malinchista refers to a disloyal countryperson, especially in Mexico."
I'm not sure what they are trying to say here, but I do know that one way to call House Davion lying douchebags is to name their battlemech after someone who's very name is synonymous with treason. It's like we named a battlemech "The Reubens" - if we were famous for indecent exposure. We're not yet, but hey - it's only a month or so since launch.
So on to other features. Cataphract now has a Champion 'mech in the form of the CTF-3D(C). Looks cool, but I did notice that this one comes without an XL engine as standard - and that's a step up from the CTF-3D standard model. Not much else to say there...except this is a good alternative for Cataphracti looking to round out their arsenal.
There's also been a lot of bug tweaks and graphics improvements, notably the release of DX11 support. Now all those high-end machines can run the game and make it look even more awesome! They are still working this out, but that's the price you pay for staying on the edge of graphic development.
The section of this update with the most impact on gameplay has been the addition of turrets to all Assault maps, following last month's introduction of such in a select few of those maps. This seems to have solved all the problems that PGI *MUST* have known were going wrong in Assault mode, i.e. base captures in under 3 minutes, demolition derbies and the idea that you're actually playing Skirmish. Now, the turrets are serious business, forcing a long range "siege" that demands a more careful and planned approach.
It takes a moment to wear down those defenses, so approaching a base and capturing it with no weapons fire is a thing of the past. Weep...but only a moment. The new game is far more engaging, and the tactical opportunities it provides truly sets it apart from Skirmish mode. All in all, a great update and I'm looking forward to what's in store later this month.
No comments:
Post a Comment