MechWarrior 4: Vengeance

Summary

MechWarrior 4: Vengeance is a computer game created by FASA Interactive and published by Microsoft. It launched on November 22, 2000, and serves as the fourth title in the MechWarrior series. Set within the BattleTech universe, the game features massive, heavily armed war machines known as BattleMechs. As the player, you command one of these 'Mechs, utilizing a wide array of weapons such as autocannons, lasers, missiles, and more to engage enemy 'Mechs, tanks, and other vehicles. An expansion titled MechWarrior 4: Black Knight followed in 2001, and a standalone expansion, MechWarrior 4: Mercenaries, was released on November 7, 2002.

Storyline

The FedCom Civil War erupts on Kentares IV when William Dresari, the nephew of the legendary Clan War hero Duke Eric Dresari, betrays his family and launches a surprise assault by Steiner forces on the Dresari royal palace. William seizes control under the banner of Katherine "Katrina" Steiner-Davion's Lyran Alliance and is responsible for the massacre of Victor Steiner-Davion's loyalists. The treachery results in the deaths of Eric Dresari and most of the royal family. When news of the coup reaches him, Eric’s son, Ian Dresari, returns home and reunites with his uncle, Sir Peter Dresari, on the moon orbiting Kentares to begin a guerrilla campaign to reclaim Kentares IV from Steiner loyalists. Ian fights alongside fellow Resistance MechWarriors Casey Nolan, Jen McQuarrie, and Jules Gonzales, as well as their commander Elise Rathburn, through a series of missions. The Resistance abandons its lunar base and establishes its first camp in the arctic regions of Kentares. During the campaign, Ian’s uncle Peter is killed by Duncan Burke, a high-ranking officer in Katrina’s forces. Ian and the Resistance are devastated by the loss and wrestle with whether to continue their fight for Kentares’ freedom. Ultimately, they press on and manage to capture a satellite network from House Steiner before moving into the mountains. After destroying a disabled but heavily guarded Steiner DropShip, Ian and the Resistance advance to the Hadra Peninsula, a remote desert area. Rumors of an abandoned prison camp reach the Resistance, prompting efforts to locate and free the prisoners to bolster their ranks. Along the way, Ian is stunned to discover that one member of his family survived the Steiner siege of the Dresari palace: his sister, Joanna. After a brief reunion, Ian and Joanna are separated again as the Resistance prepares to launch a major offensive. In Hadra, Ian kills James Kulin, the man responsible for crushing the civilian population of Kentares and who personally ordered the execution of Ian and Joanna’s family. The Resistance makes a detour to save the coastal town of Vale after Steiner threatens to bomb it over alleged ties to the Resistance. Not only do they save the town, but Ian also defeats Duncan Burke in a fierce duel. As the Resistance moves into urban areas, the conflict intensifies and casualties rise. Joanna reveals to Ian the location of an old armory cache hidden in the city, containing enough equipment to outfit four heavy lances of 'Mechs—crucial for assaulting the Dresari palace, now the seat of Steiner’s occupation. Before the search can begin, however, Joanna and her lance are ambushed by Steiner forces, leaving her critically injured. Ian must choose between rescuing his sister or securing the weapons cache for the final assault on the palace. Regardless of the player’s decision, Ian and the Resistance engage in one last battle against House Steiner, ultimately ending the war. The conflict is not over for Ian, however, as William arrives in a modified Daishi to challenge him to a duel. Ian defeats William and liberates the planet from Steiner rule. Depending on the player’s choice in the second-to-last mission, either Joanna or Ian will ascend to the throne as Duchess or Duke, respectively.

Screenshots

Characters

Release dates by platform

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