Get comfy: You’ll be the only human BattleMech pilot in ‘MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries’

The kids of today may get their mech kicks from games like Titanfall 2, but anyone who was a PC gamer in the ’90s will have stumbled across a MechWarrior game at some point. And now the franchise is set to make its triumphant return, and introduce a whole new generation to its classic campaign action. That’s not to say the MechWarrior games haven’t remained popular. With multiplayer gaming taking more of the center stage in the past decade or so, that’s where fans of the series have had to go to get their fix of mechanical warfare, but in 2018 we’re heading back to the satisfyingly lonesome world of single-player BattleMech action, in the form of MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries. Unfortunately, with a 2018 release date, gameplay details are rather thin right now, but we do have a little bit of pre-alpha footage to whet your appetite. We also know that the game is set during the Third Succession War, and that players will take on the role of a rookie BattleMech pilot tasked with piloting some of the greatest war machines ever made. They’ll take on contracts from different factions, engage in tactical, first-person combat, and affect the game world and its emergent story through their choices. The game looks to feature some on-foot sequences as well as action within the mech itself, though that may just be a short setup sequence shown near the beginning of the game. Although we’ll need to wait a little longer to see how good the new MechWarrior game will be, the pedigree of Pirahna games is pretty strong. MechWarrior Online had a slightly rocky start, but it’s been well received and continues to receive updates. That will continue in the future, with independent teams at Pirahna producing the single-player and online experiences. You’ve taken the plunge and picked up a fresh Nintendo Switch 2 console, ready to explore the latest and greatest games the system has to offer, but where do you start? There are more than the initial launch games to pick from now, but the library is still growing and most of the high-profile games like Pokémon Legends: Z-A and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond aren’t out just yet. Whether it is just to help justify the purchase of a new console to yourself, or if you want to show off your fancy new hardware to friends and family, these are the most impressive games you can get right now on the Switch 2. The September Nintendo Direct was, generally speaking, considered one of the best presentations Nintendo has had in years. The show opened with Shigeru Miyamoto detailing all the plans for how the company would be celebrating Mario’s 450th birthday. This included a look at the upcoming Super Mario Galaxy movie, Switch 2 Edition of Mario Wonder, and the return of the two Galaxy games. That last reveal was especially exciting for a few reasons. First is that the only way to play the first Galaxy game is to either own a copy for the Wii or to have purchased the 3D All-Stars bundle during its unnecessarily limited availability window. Galaxy 2, on the other hand, wasn’t part of that bundle and has never been available on modern consoles until now. For a truly immersive gaming experience, you should check out gaming headset deals. Digital Trends helps readers keep tabs on the fast-paced world of tech with all the latest news, fun product reviews, insightful editorials, and one-of-a-kind sneak peeks.