BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception
| Industry | Video game development |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1980s |
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception |
BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception is a turn-based adventure and role-playing video game released in 1988 by Westwood Associates, inspired by the BattleTech universe. As one of the earliest officially licensed games, it incorporates essential elements from the franchise, including BattleMechs, prominent planets, and influential political characters. Its sequel, BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Revenge, transitioned into a real-time tactical format.
Plot
The player takes on the role of Jason Youngblood, a MechWarrior trainee stationed on Pacifica (Chara III) within the Lyran Commonwealth. At the Citadel base, Jason hones his skills in piloting BattleMechs and handling firearms, aiming to honor the legacy of his heroic father, Jeremiah. When the Draconis Combine attacks the Citadel during training exercises, Jeremiah is among those who perish. With assistance from Rex Pearce—a member of the Crescent Hawks and Jeremiah’s comrade—Jason evades capture. Together, they endeavor to reconnect with the Crescent Hawks, an elite special forces group co-founded by Jeremiah and Archon Katrina, alongside mercenaries known as the Kell Hounds.
Gameplay
The gameplay is structured into three distinct phases, each with unique goals but maintaining a uniform interface throughout. Initially, players undergo training at the Citadel by completing progressively challenging BattleMech missions and firearm drills. This phase serves as an introduction to game mechanics while players accumulate C-bills—the franchise’s currency—and improve their character’s level. The narrative advances following an assault on the Citadel.
The second phase embraces traditional RPG features such as assembling a team, collecting weapons and gear, and progressing through the storyline. Exploration takes place across Pacifica’s settlements in search of a cache of Star League-era BattleMechs and equipment that Jeremiah concealed. Movement is linked to the system clock, which triggers random encounters with hostile 'Mechs and infantry units. Combat can be conducted manually through turn-based battles or set to automatic mode. Certain locations, including the fortified star port, necessitate storing 'Mechs in garages, restricting their defensive capabilities. Enemy difficulty adjusts based on the player’s number of 'Mechs; resource management involving C-bills and ammunition is vital due to limited repair options.
The final phase centers on solving puzzles that require both logical thinking and elements of chance to unlock hidden stashes.
Though the game data encompasses all pre-3050 tabletop weaponry, only a subset of 'Mechs are available during gameplay.
Reception
Computer Gaming World remarked that this title diverged from standard Infocom-style adventures, summarizing it as "a good game, but definitely for beginning to low intermediate players."
Tony Watson reviewed Battletech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception in Space Gamer/Fantasy Gamer No. 88, expressing enjoyment in gameplay while noting that enthusiasts familiar with the FASA Battletech setting would likely find it more appealing.
In a retrospective assessment for Black Gate, John ONeill commended the EGA graphics as "gorgeous eye-candy in 1988" and emphasized the compelling mechanics behind mech movement and missile firing.
Reviews
- Isaac Asimov's Science Fiction Magazine vol. 13, issue 6 (June 1989)
- Jeux & Stratégie issue 60
Notes
Initial editions featured a goldenrod-colored order form that invited players to submit the name of a concealed 'mech found within the game's final level. Those who provided the correct answer were rewarded with an exclusive Ral Partha Phoenix Hawk LAM (Land-Air-Mech) miniature. This particular figure has since become a prized item for collectors of Battletech miniatures.
- BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Inception on the BattleTechWiki
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