MechWarrior 5: Mercenaries was announced just over three years ago now. Before that, the last entry in the series was released all the way back in 2000 with MechWarrior 4: Vengeance. Sure, MechWarrior Online came out in between, and BattleTech offered a turn-based strategy spin on the same universe, but it's been a long, long time since we've had a single-player MechWarrior game.

That all changes tomorrow, December 10, when MechWarrior 5 finally launches on the Epic Games Store. The latest game in the long-running series is based on the same simulation engine that powers MechWarrior Online, utilising many of the same mechanics and features. It can be played in co-op with up to four players, and AI teammates will fill those positions when you're playing solo. Much like BattleTech--and as the subtitle implies--you'll also manage a company of mercenaries, hiring skilled pilots and maintaining your ever-growing fleet of BattleMechs with upgrades and repairs.

Piranha Games has released a launch trailer ahead of MechWarrior 5's imminent release, showcasing plenty of mech on mech violence and all the collateral damage you can ever ask for.

Reviewer Leif Johnson gave MechWarrior Online 6/10 in GameSpot's review, saying, "MechWarrior Online is hardly more than a solid arena shooter populated with mechs. If the game had made better use of its assets and given us a reason to care about more than the fleeting pleasures of customization and combat, it might be worth enduring the currency grind. As it is, like its strongest mechs, it runs out of power far too fast." Hopefully, tedium won't factor into MechWarrior's 5 more focused, story-driven campaign.