Like the first game before it, Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf takes place in the distant future, where the galaxy plays host to different colonies and armies who are always looking to conquer one another with new soldiers and weaponry. Caught in the mix is the hard-driven Lieutenant Foster and the commanding but effective Major Natalia Kerensky. They've just finished off the Wolf's Dragoon threat, but soon find themselves facing a whole new mission, kicked off by the arrival of a strange new presence on their planet.

Strangely enough, the story is actually the weakest element of Mechassault 2. It's not like the characters are a waste or anything like that. It just seems to come across as a bit flat when it's supposed to be leagues better than the original's. The twists aren't that memorable and sometimes annoying side missions come into play for no reason other than to launch you in a new stage. It's not the worst story ever told, but it's one that probably could have been skipped.

Past that, however, the game excels on every front, its gameplay being the most important. Like the first game, you get to control a wide variety of different mechs, large robotic devices that pack all sorts of unique weapons and other abilities to speed you along on your mission. This time around, however, you can actually exit a mech if you find a better vehicle to take control of, courtesy of a press of the Y button. Sometimes getting out of your mech is required to "hack" into a nearby console, leaving your character highly vulnerable to oncoming enemy attacks. However, you can lay down bombs to take down structures, if you're quick enough.

Let's talk more about "hacking". This is a neat little system introduced by Day One Studios that allows you to complete a "hack" with timed button presses on a lighted-up panel. Press the buttons in the right order, and you complete the job. Fail, and you're left vulnerable for a few seconds. But it's not just limited to particular panels. If you're in the initial Battle Armor suit, you can latch onto bigger mechs and complete a system breach, allowing you to transfer over once it's complete. I definitely like this addition, as it tests your quickness and kind of gives you a "jacking" ability similar to that of the Grand Theft Auto series.

Your Battle Armor claw also comes in handy in more spots. Say you're making your way up a wall and your jump jets (activated with a press of the L trigger) can't push you all the way upward. Before you descend, you can activate your claw (the A button) to latch onto the side of the structure until your jump jets recharge. Then you can continue your aerial uplift to the next location. In particular spots, you can also latch onto passive aircraft, allowing you to prep yourself for aerial assaults with your free hand. It's pretty cool, as it allows you to avoid ground attacks.

The other mechs and vehicles you can take control of (including turrets and tanks) all have their own performance quirks as well. Some mechs, for instance, have speed on their side, but pack lesser attacks as a result. And vice versa for the bigger mechs, who can pound an army with a few well-timed shots but eventually succumb to the fact they're not very fast. This could be crucial in some boss stages, like having the perfect mech to take on a rampaging spider robot that comes charging at you. As for turrets and tanks, they too have their own weaponry, complete with zoom options for accuracy and invisibility for stealth. Day One has really done a bang-up job here giving you a wider approach to vehicular control.

In terms of sound, Mechassault 2 once again comes up a winner. The sound effects are blazing, with just the right amount of booming laser blasts and whooshing missile launches to put you right onto the battlefield. The dialogue, while a bit questionable at times, is presented with the right selection of actors. Then you have the music, which is always lively and in tone with the game, whether it be the top-notch musical score or the licensed tunes provided by Korn and Papa Roach. "Getting Away With Murder", Papa Roach's selection, is a song that plays during the aforementioned spider boss fight, and it works perfectly.

As far as graphics go, Day One has made a great effort to try and top the first game. The environments are fantastic and huge and include dank forests with dying trees to huge, metallic-laden cities with neon lighting and street lamps. And the best part is it can all be destroyed with a few balanced shots from your arsenal (watching buildings crumble from a few mortal shots, particularly huge skyscrapers, is a satisfying sight). The mechs and characters animate smoothly enough, and some lighting effects look to be well-placed. However, the game runs into some slight problems, including troublesome slowdown and glitches. With a little more time, I feel this could have been smoothed over.

Mechassault 2 features a stack of single player missions to complete in Campaign mode, along with multiplayer battling with another player in split-screen. However, the real shift lies in Xbox Live, as there are tons of options to explore. Not only can you challenge up to 11 other friends in such games as Capture the Flag and Last Man Standing, but you can also tackle the compelling Conquest mode, which gives you the option of fighting for planet by planet throughout the universe. This is a staggering online game in itself, giving you a ton of power to use in your fight for domination. Furthermore, the Limited Edition of Mechassault 2 features extra multiplayer maps to toy around with, as well as some music videos and behind-the-scenes footage if you're curious to see how the game was built.

I'll admit that Mechassault 2: Lone Wolf definitely has its imperfections, but it more than makes up for it with its huge Xbox Live support, its tight game play, and its endless passion for full-on destructive robotic mayhem. If you're a fan of the first game, this sequel will definitely impress you.