BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Revenge
| Company type | Video game |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception |
| Founded | 1990 |
| Founder | Westwood Associates |
Key people | Scott Berfield (producer) |
| Products | BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge |
BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge is a real-time tactics title situated within the FASA BattleTech universe. Serving as a direct follow-up to BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk's Inception, this installment transitions from its predecessor’s adventure and RPG style to emphasize tactical gameplay. Created by Westwood Associates for Mediagenic, the project was overseen by producer Scott Berfield.
Gameplay
The Crescent Hawks' Revenge utilizes an early form of real-time strategy gameplay, featuring the ability to pause when issuing commands and modify the game’s speed, enabling players to control the tempo according to their preference. Its combat system remains closely aligned with the original BattleTech board game rules, more so than subsequent adaptations like MechCommander, making it notable for its faithful rule implementation.
The main structure consists of a straightforward campaign composed of tactical engagements ranging from approximately 5 to 50 minutes each. Initial missions introduce basic scenarios, such as a Jenner 'Mech facing off against a Locust 'Mech as part of a tutorial. Players manage a "command lance" of four 'Mechs either individually or in groups, alongside two additional lances that are directed at a higher level—offering layered strategic control over both individual units and formations within one interface.
Objectives across missions are diverse, including tasks like defending a downed dropship, delaying enemy advances, or guarding convoys during ammunition loading. Certain battles present branching outcomes that influence future missions, reinforcing the importance of strategic choices.
The campaign is recognized for its challenging difficulty curve; early decisions can substantially increase complexity in later stages without explicit indication. While multiple methods may exist to accomplish some goals, their levels of difficulty vary widely, often necessitating experimentation to discover effective tactics.
Plot
The narrative follows Jason Youngblood, the protagonist from the previous Crescent Hawk title, as he journeys toward the Kell Hounds mercenary base. During transit, the Hawks come under attack, resulting in a crash landing and spending much of the early portion defending their dropship and assisting the Kell Hounds against an assault by Kurita forces.
Following their successful defense, the Crescent Hawks engage in missions aimed at rescuing Jason’s father from Kurita captivity, ultimately achieving reunion. The storyline then advances into the clan invasion era, where the Crescent Hawks ally with the Kell Hounds to resist the invading clans alongside former Kurita adversaries. Their efforts culminate in defending the Kurita capital city, earning newfound respect from their allies.
A significant crossover moment occurs with the original MechWarrior title: in a short mission, the Crescent Hawks attempt to protect the Blazing Aces mercenary unit from a Clan offensive. Although they fail to save MechWarrior Gideon Vandenburg himself, he manages to secretly safeguard most of the Aces’ 'Mechs, allowing the mercenary group’s survival despite his demise.
Reception
In 1991, Computer Gaming World commended BattleTech as an outstanding adaptation of the board game, highlighting its impressive VGA visuals and sound card audio support. A review from 1992 awarded it 3 out of 5 stars, while a 1994 evaluation rated it just above 2 stars, noting its fusion of role-playing elements with tactical mech combat. Dragon magazine gave it 4 out of 5 stars in their 1991 assessment.
Jim Trunzo from White Wolf rated it 4 out of 5 stars, praising its accurate translation of board game mechanics into computer format. In 1999, Computer Games Strategy Plus recognized it as a runner-up on their list of "10 Essential Real-time Strategy Games."
External links
- BattleTech: The Crescent Hawks' Revenge on BattleTechWiki
- Crescent Hawks Miniature Collection [1] available at CamoSpecs.com
- Articles with short description
- 1990 video games
- BattleTech video games
- DOS games
- DOS-exclusive games
- Infocom games
- Real-time strategy video games
- Single-player video games
- Video games inspired by miniature games
- Video games developed in the United States
- Video games set on fictional worlds
- Westwood Studios games
- Video games set during the 31st century