PC Critic Reviews

MechWarrior 5: Clans delivers the classic mech-based action fans will expect, while adding a plethora of new dynamics and modernization to keep things fresh.

MechWarrior 5: Clans brings the series’ mech combat formula closer to perfection. Players have access to a wide range of Smoke Jaguar mechs to customize and take into battle as they take on Inner Sphere tanks, complete lances, SOKOLs, and even a dropship. The action looks and sounds good and even the story, built around Jayden and his four comrades, is solid. Gamers who can find four friends can tackle the entire campaign in coop. MechWarrior 5: Clans could use some extra encounter variety but it nails the tension and excitement of pitting a Timber Wolf against an Atlas.

While there’s certainly several coats of polish still to add, the core of MechWarrior 5: Clans gives us an excellent storyline culled straight from the novels, combined with cutting edge graphics and gameplay only Piranha Games could deliver. THIS is the MechWarrior game we’ve all been waiting for, and damn, is it fun. Reactor online, sensors online, weapons online. All systems nominal.

MechWarrior 5: Clans takes the core of its predecessor and expands upon it by giving you on interesting cast and story to explore alongside the combat. Though some of it might be overpowering at first, you’ll find a lot to enjoy, despite the challenge of some of its missions.

MechWarrior 5: Clans delivers a strong story of struggling young warriors alongside the best-ever version its iconic, lumbering mech combat.

Developers of MechWarrior 5: Clans know their limitations and skills, and don't cram unnecessary elements into the game. Instead they focus only on the things they know they can deliver. Clans has the best story in the history of the series, and gameplay-wise it's like an upgraded Mercenaries. Christmas came early for true MechWarrior fans.

MechWarrior 5: Clans surprised me with its excellent campaign, carried by a thoughtful, well-told story, great mission design, fantastic walking-tank combat, and all of the customization you could want. I genuinely loved playing Clans, especially in co-op, and several story moments and missions will stick with me for a long, long time because of the way they simultaneously made me consider the ethical questions of war while grouping my rockets and lasers to obliterate a target and turning my damaged armor out of harm’s way. I just wish my first playthrough hadn’t been so buggy, especially in co-op. If Piranha’s promised post-launch patches can fix its issues, Clans will have a lot fewer frustrating lows to drag down its many impressive highs – but one way or another, I’ll definitely be suiting up for the Smoke Jaguar Clan for another run in the future.

MechWarrior 5: Clans delivers 100 tons of BattleMech joy with outstanding missions and superb storytelling.

Mechwarrior 5: Clans is a fantastic addition to the Mechwarrior lineage, offering a good mix of an engaging storytelling, deep customization options and some seriously satisfying mech combat. While the PC version has some technical issues and the overall game has a bit of a learning curve, the overall experience is well worth it for fans and newcomers alike. And the fact that Clans is hitting gamepass is sure to garner some new Battletech fans to the fold, which is great so we can get some new games form this legendary mech series.

At the end of the day this is an approachable and enjoyable entry into a genre that doesn’t really get a lot of love these days. If they manage to optimize things enough to fix the performance issues you could probably consider it a 9 from me, but as it is I can only mostly recommend it.