BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk’s Inception

BattleTech: The Crescent Hawk’s Inception is a 1988 RPG from Westwood Associates, published by Infocom for DOS, the Amiga, Atari ST, C64 and Apple II. It was one of the first games based on FASA’s BattleTech universe.

Gameplay

You play Jason Youngblood, a cadet training as a MechWarrior on the planet Pacifica, when the Draconis Combine attacks. Jason joins the Crescent Hawks and searches for his missing father and a lost Star League cache.

• BattleMech training: Learn to pilot a Chameleon training mech.
• Exploration: Travel across the map, meeting characters and facing random encounters.
• Party: Recruit other MechWarriors to your team.
• Combat: Turn-based battles, with an optional automatic mode.
• Final cave: A puzzle-heavy final section.

The EGA graphics were good for the time, and the BattleTech setting is well captured. It’s aimed at beginners rather than hardcore RPG players.

Verdict

The Crescent Hawk’s Inception is a solid, accessible BattleTech RPG. It’s simple, but its setting and story make it a nostalgic favourite. It was followed by The Crescent Hawks’ Revenge.