Unless you’re looking at the two games side-by-side, it’s hard to tell the difference between Lone Wolf and its predecessor. Much of the game looks unchanged visually with most of the upgrades coming in as special effects and details. Mechs look just a little cleaner and still move with a fluid, lumbering grace. Explosions look just as nice and still offer the satisfying pyrotechnics of simply blowing up everything in your path, from buildings to trees to other mechs. Part of what makes Lone Wolf’s visual presentation so strong is how it handles scale. Moving from a four-story mech into a tank or VTOL brings a change in perspective. What looks like a football field in the cockpit of a mech can feel like a few city blocks while on foot.
I’ve never been too hot on songs with lyrics in action games or even in action movies. To some extent, Lone Wolf has managed to quell the dislike just a little. During two key battles in the game, which are probably two of the most intense battles I’ve ever played through, licensed tracks boom out of nowhere, pushing the action even further. Korn and Papa Roach supply two tracks for the game and, without giving too much away, make for a great experience. The rest of the sound is high quality, although the voice talent feels a little stiff at times. I’m still not sure if it’s the actors or the dialog, but things never gelled for me.