BATTLETECH Reviews

Game is still great, IMO, especially with the right mod pack. But even the vanilla experience is still a lot of fun.

One of my favorite developer studios, and they really nailed this one. A great blend of the original table top game with quality of life improvements, and a much faster pace. I highly recommend.

Awesome game, tons of fun, once you play it through check out the mod scene!

This game is deserving of every accolade and award it has attained. Strong game! Comfortable UI. Pristine graphics and audio. Support for my ultra wide Sceptre monitor. Great story. Awesome maps. Great customization... Can't say enough about it. This needs to be a mandatory game.

Have dumped a tonne of hours into this game over its lifetime, and I can still vividly remember my anticipation for the release. It still feels resonant of its indie-Kickstarter origins, you will notice the odd patterns of where voicework has been done versus where it hasn't, that your party Mechs clip through one another, and sometimes indecipherable pathing. None of this makes the game 'bad', but it's an attempt to directly adapt and give action feel to the tabletop game, so its reflective of the niche origins.

Classic and Fun as heck. A few bones to pick, but still very much a must have if you like old school battle tech. Even check out the mega overhaul mods on nexus. That'll add hundreds of more hours to an already excellent game.

My all-time favorite video game. Half small-unit tactics involving giant stompy robots blowing stuff up, half management sim where you try to forge your middling interstellar mercenary company into something approaching profitable while keeping your crew happy and healthy. Grand lore thanks to the Battletech universe backdrop, and a grand campaign story presented with the quality commitment of peak prestige television, on top of the war stories you'll generate through your own gameplay. And this is just the vanilla experience. With mods such as RogueTech, a great game becomes even greater. Remember: No guts, no galaxy.

I like every aspect of this game except that (at least in the campaign) nearly every mission is the same script: 1) Drop in. 2) Make enemy contact. 3) "Commander, we've spotted enemy reinforcements!" 4) Fight outnumbered 2 or 3 to 1. 5) Repeat forever. Buy it as long as you don't mind constantly being outgunned and outnumbered no matter how well you manage your mercenary lance.

BATTLETECH is a richly detailed turn-based tactical strategy game set in the long-established BattleTech/MechWarrior universe, known for its gritty, mech-centric military sci-fi. Drawing inspiration from the original tabletop game created in the 1980s, BATTLETECH delivers a nuanced blend of tactical combat, roleplaying, and resource management that’s as punishing as it is rewarding. At its heart, the game is about commanding a mercenary company of BattleMechs—giant walking war machines piloted by MechWarriors—navigating not only the chaos of battlefield tactics but also the perilous politics and logistics of interstellar conflict. From the outset, the game places players in the shoes of a mercenary commander embroiled in a civil war in the Aurigan Reach, a peripheral region of space wedged between the great Successor States of the Inner Sphere. The campaign unfolds with the fall of a noble house and the rise of a rebellion, lending a compelling narrative backbone to the otherwise open-ended mercenary experience. The story is steeped in the lore of the BattleTech universe, and while it’s approachable for newcomers, veterans will find plenty of satisfying references and tonal fidelity to the franchise's deeply political and often morally gray storytelling. Gameplay is split into two main components: tactical combat missions and strategic management of your mercenary outfit. On the battlefield, combat is slow, deliberate, and unforgiving, echoing the weighty feel of mechs clashing in dense forests, craggy canyons, and urban ruins. Movement, positioning, and heat management are critical—every action must be carefully considered. Firing all your weapons might obliterate an enemy mech but overheat your own, risking shutdowns or internal damage. The terrain offers both tactical advantage and concealment but can also trap or expose your forces depending on your choices. What stands out is how each mech, from the nimble Locust to the towering Atlas, has distinct strengths and weaknesses, emphasizing tactical diversity and planning. Outside of combat, BATTLETECH shifts into a management sim where you maintain your drop ship, repair mechs, manage your finances, and make decisions about contracts and crew. This metagame layer is more than just filler—it’s essential. Money is tight, repairs take real time, and every mission carries risks that can cripple your company if things go awry. There’s a constant push-pull between aggression and caution, between risking your best mechs for a high-paying contract and holding back to nurse your wounded pilots. Personnel management is another layer, as your MechWarriors gain experience, develop specializations, and suffer injuries—or even die permanently. This system of permadeath and persistent damage creates a palpable sense of consequence, forcing players to form attachments to their crew and to fear the high cost of failure. Visually, the game is functional rather than flashy. The mechs are detailed and lovingly animated, and environments are serviceable if a bit drab. Where BATTLETECH excels is in atmosphere and sound design: the thudding steps of heavy mechs, the rumble of missile salvos, and the radio chatter between pilots all contribute to an immersive battlefield experience. The user interface can be daunting at first, particularly for new players, but becomes second nature over time, especially with the excellent tutorials and tooltips. Technically, the game launched with performance issues, including long load times and occasional bugs, though many of these have been addressed in patches and subsequent expansions. Speaking of which, the post-launch support for BATTLETECH has been exceptional. The Flashpoint, Urban Warfare, and Heavy Metal DLCs added new mission types, environments, mechs, and narrative elements, greatly expanding the game’s longevity and tactical variety. Additionally, mod support is robust, with a dedicated community that has created expansive overhauls like RogueTech, which turn BATTLETECH into an even more complex and brutal sandbox. While BATTLETECH is not for everyone—its slow pace, high difficulty, and steep learning curve can be off-putting—it’s a gem for strategy enthusiasts and fans of gritty military sci-fi. The game demands patience, strategic foresight, and a tolerance for failure. Yet, the reward is a deeply satisfying experience that blends tactical depth with narrative weight. Few games so effectively convey the fantasy of commanding a lance of BattleMechs across a war-torn galaxy, where every shot fired might mean salvaging a new machine—or losing a beloved pilot forever. In conclusion, BATTLETECH is a masterclass in genre fusion. It respects its tabletop roots while delivering a digital experience that stands on its own merits. It’s a thinking person’s mech game, drenched in lore and driven by tension. Whether you’re a veteran of the Inner Sphere or a newcomer to the franchise, BATTLETECH offers a tactical odyssey that’s worth the investment—for those prepared to endure its trials. Rating: 9/10

One of the best games I have ever played. This is a turn based strategy game with an open world planetary system that you can take on missions for a price, get yourself more popular with certain houses and really work through to build your mercenary unit, and develop your pilots to get better, buy better equipment to ramp up your performance. It’s got really well balanced mechanics - with certain mechs being better than others, yet bad mechs are still salvageable… I love the fact you have to make do with what you have and build up. Storyline in career mode is acceptable, with certain biomes playing a big part on your Lance. , it feels well-thought out and is an enjoyable comfort game. Despite the game being now relatively old, it’s such a well balanced game, with a great storyline. I wish there was a new update to it.