Overall: squad based tactical mech game with loads of cusomizable features and an overall addicting game, but servers tend to seriously prohibit the potential of this game Gameplay: offline is basically a bootcamp for online play, just learn the basic functions, strengths, and weaknesses of each hound type. online you are a merc who will probably join a friend's squad and when the war for the country you are allied with. In the battles/missions you participate in you when by either destroying the other teams base, the team itself, or if time runs out whoever has the most combases. tends to get repetitive unless you experiment with new hounds Graphics: simply but, beautiful. fire and smoke has never looked more realistic. Sound: also very good soundeffects, music is not that great but it is by far not horrendous like that on Over G. Suggestions: fix the %@%$! servers, this the only place where the game falls apart, I can't count how many times I have personally, or heard of times where people have not been able to join other people in the waiting lobby, or people ending up in a "phantom" squad lobby. 15 minutes is also way to long of a wait timer to signal that you are ready to start the mission 5 is plenty.
Overall: Chromehounds is a mechwarrior type game that takes place after a fictional World War 3. Nations hire mercinareis and are at constant battle with each other. The major focus in this title is for Xbox Live. the singleplayer is basically a way to become familiar with the different hound classes and the abliity to earn achievements and parts for future hounds. Gameplay: Live is where it's at for this title. You can form a squad of up to 20 gamers and delpoy in missions that hold up to six players. So if you do the math, if you have a very active squad, you can have four teams of six gamers dominating the map.
The online gameplay is to wipe out enemy occupation across the map. You do this by battling head on against other live gamers, or by taking on AI. Which is a nice touch since you don't have to wait around for other players if you and your squad find yourself still playing in the wee hours of the morning.
The style of this game is very realistic, as real as a mech-type game can be I guess. There is no GREEN highlight for friendlies and no RED highlight for enemies. It feels as though you are on an actual battlefield where you have to be familiar with your fellow teammates hounds in order to prevent friendly fire.
The gameplay's speed has been an issue for some, but they must have bypassed the Live experience. Depending on the type of hound you create, you can get one that moves quick and is just as deadly. The type of hound and weapons that are selected make various types of gameplay. If you're looking for something fast paced, create a scout/soldier and head out for battle. If you want something a bit more tactical, build a heavy gunner/defender or commander. Graphics: The visuals in this game do not appear to really take advantage of next gen hardware. Although, the graphics fit the style of the game. The environments and hounds look gritty with more realism compared to Mechassault.
What really shines visually are what you can create for others to see. The customization for this game is insane. There is no reason for you to have the same hound as anyone else, and the multiple ways you can build a hound gives gamers the opportunity to be really creative.
Also, there is a decal editor where gamers can create logos for clans and to truly make the hound they create, their own. Sound: There are subtle audio perks that add to the realism of this game. Such as the rotating of the cockpit on the chassis; the hydraulics on the hound's legs or the squeaks of treads turning that are reminiscent of tanks from old war movies. Emergency beeps after being pounded by a sniper that you can't see create a sense of panic that really brings you into the game. Suggestions: Although some may suggest making single player more immersive, I would suggest more work on multiplayer. This is a title that wants you to jump online and play. I would like to see more than just six on six battles. Find a way to have ten on ten! Or maybe...and I know it's a stretch...but 20 on 20? How cool would that be? Also, add the ability for other squads affiliated with the same nation to deploy together. 20 slots for a squad is not enough with the variety of friends over Xbox Live.
Overall: Chrome Hounds is a game that shines brighter & brighter the deeper and longer you play it. I too am a big MechWarrior fan and have given up on waiting for MW5 to come out. MW games gave everyone the chance to customize their Mech to fit their style along with the upcomming battle. This was very much missed in both the MA games.
Everyone seems to complain about the speed of the hounds and how long it takes to transverse a map with them. This is a mech/hound! Not some lightweight sports car. I guess alot of people got used to the arcade type of gameplay and movement that was handed to us in the MA games. It just didn't feel like MW to me. When you are packing this much firepower, you can't expect it to go 100mph! The slow speed of the mechs means that a person has to use his brains to get closer to the enemy and take them out and not just rely on the ability to dodge everything that comes your way. I perfer this type of battle instead of just run and gun type.
Gameplay: The single player is a great learning tool for the online play. It gives someone a chance to try out a new hound in many different battles without going online and finding out too late that your hound is severely underpowered or not the packing the right type of guns. The online play works very much like a real battle with victory going to the side that works together best in battle. Graphics: The graphics are very good for this type of game. The hounds move very well with great small touches that help to convey the illusion of fighting in a real mech. Building and enemies look very real with small details very well done. The only thing lacking in this department is that you don't have any skeltons left after you have destroyed something. Sound: Great sound effects with the abilty to embrace someone in the heat of battle. Talk, mechs walking, explosions and gunfire all done with great realism. Suggestions: Try this game before you pass judgement on Sega and From Software. The developers have even given thanks to their loyal fans by offering free downloadable items on the Xbox Marketplace. Thanks guys or a making a realistic mech game. You need to look past the first few missions to really get a taste of just what ChromeHounds really has to offer the 360 gamer!
Overall: Mechwarrior, the best mech game to grace any platform, but sadly Mechwarrior 5 was canceled. Fatherly, because of unknown problems, I haven't been able to play MW4 since we switched to DSL years ago. What I loved about Mechwarrior (Don't get it confused with Mechassault) was the depth of it all. How you could fully customize your mech to your liking, and later tear up the battlefield with it online. To me Mechassault on the Xbox was a good game, but to fast paced, and to simple, it almost seemed like 3rd person shooter in taking the form of a mech. Plus, the maps seemed to small and linear, in a true mech game the maps are big and open enough so that you can play them how you want to play them. Then, I heard of Chromhounds coming to the Xbox 360, it promised fully customizable mechs, huge open maps, and awesome online. This is the mech game I have been waiting years for. Gameplay: Ok, I'd like to start off by saying that if you don't have Xbox Live, don't bother with this game unless you have bunch of freinds to play on lan with you. This is simply because the single player really isn't that great. Its more like something to train you before you go online. This game is all about online play, it delivers everything I hoped this game would deliver. Each mech you "build" is yours, you made it, the chance there's another one exactly like it out there is very, very slim. You have a huge array of parts to choose from, each with their own specs to help you decide whats better for your setup. Online is a pure blast, this game is an instant classic, maybe the first great online game to land on the Xbox 360 IMO. When you first signin online you have to join a squad and a country to defend. Like Mechassault 2, there is an online persistent world, but instead of taking over planets, the goal is to dominate a single continent. But everything is much deeper and refined in Chromhounds, and good teamwork and comunication is a must if you want to win battles. I could go on and on about this game....overall, its a blast to play. Graphics: The graphics aren't the best, but they get the job done. The mechs are exceptionally detailed and have a very mechanical look to them. The smoke and particle effects are also done very, very well. Theres no better feeling than shooting your heavy cannon and watching the massive shell hitting its target engulfing it in smoke and fire--all being at a range of 1 1/2 miles or more. So obviously the draw distance can be impressive on some maps! Really, when the battles heat up, this game looks quite graphically impressive. Sound: Many devs mess up in the area of sounds. Most of the time they just don't give sounds effects enough punch. This is not the case in Chromhounds, although not perfect, they have punch. This is a game you wasn't to hear on a 6.1 surround sound system with the base and volume set way up to rock the house with every step of your mech. Suggestions: A better single player, although its an AWESOME game, sadly many people will be turned off before they even give it a chance because of the reviews. Take my word for it, GET THIS GAME! Or at least give it a rent and see if you like it!
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