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Metaltech Earthsiege Speech Pack

Last updated: January 9, 2026

Overview

The Metaltech Earthsiege Speech Pack was an add-on expansion released by Dynamix in 1994 that enhanced the original Metaltech: Earthsiege with digitized voice acting and spoken dialogue1. This expansion pack came on 3.5” floppy disks and added digitized speech including “the voices of your commander or your fellow pilots” to the base game2. The speech pack was part of Dynamix’s efforts to compete with Battletech/Mechwarrior games after they no longer had rights to the Battletech license3.

Set five hundred years in the future, the game takes place in a world where “sentient cybrid war machines have rebelled against their human masters and crushed the great military powers of the world”4. Players command giant HERCs (Humaniform-Emulation Roboticized Combat Unit with Leg-Articulated Navigation) in tactical combat against these automated Cybrids5. The speech pack enhanced the original game’s briefings and communications with professional voice acting, bringing the futuristic warfare to life through spoken dialogue6.

Story Summary

The Metaltech Earthsiege Speech Pack continues the narrative of humanity’s desperate struggle for survival in the 25th or 26th century9. The story follows the premise that “whoever controlled the Cybrids would control the world”10, setting up a conflict where players must pilot massive mech units called HERCULANs against relentless automated enemies. The expansion pack’s story takes place after “the attack on Earth by the Cybrids has been repelled and humanity is starting to rebuild,” but warns that “a second wave is already incoming, and the battle starts again”11. Through enhanced voice acting, the speech pack brought depth to mission briefings and character interactions, making the futuristic military conflict more immersive for players.

Gameplay

Interface and Controls

The speech pack maintained the same control scheme as the base Metaltech: Earthsiege game, supporting keyboard, mouse, and joystick input devices12. The game featured multiple gameplay modes including Instant Action, Single Mission, and Career Mode13. Players could engage in combat over network/modem connections or against computer-controlled opponents14.

Structure and Progression

The enhanced version included 45 total missions across 8 campaigns15. The game operated as a single-player experience with the speech pack adding narrative depth through voice-acted briefings and pilot communications16. Combat took place across various global locations including North America, South America, Antarctica, and Asia17.

Puzzles and Mechanics

The core gameplay involved piloting giant HERCs in tactical mech combat with location-based damage systems for enemies18. The speech pack enhanced the strategic elements by providing clearer audio communication during missions. The game was notable for its innovative AI, described as having “tactical thoughts going through your opponent’s minds” despite being developed in 199419.

Reception

Contemporary Reviews

PublicationScoreNotes
PC Games (German)87%Praised German localization with properly synchronized voice output20
Computer Gaming World2.5/5Called it “the best attempt yet at creating a futuristic simulation of giant armored combat”21
Next Generation4/5Described as “without a doubt, the finest mech simulator available”22
MobyGames Critics62%General critical reception23
MobyGames Users76%User rating24
ESRB RatingK-AKids to Adults rating25

Modern Assessment

Modern retrospectives have praised Earthsiege as “one of the most technically impressive games released in 1994 and is still very playable today”26. The two-player aspect was considered “ahead of its time”27, and contemporary players noted that “the graphics were amazing for its time, as was the sound on the CD-rom version”28. The game maintains a 7.3/10 rating on MobyGames29.

Development

Origins

The Metaltech Earthsiege Speech Pack was developed by Dynamix as an enhancement to their original 1994 mech simulation game30. The expansion was created to compete with existing Battletech/Mechwarrior titles after Dynamix lost access to the Battletech license31. Mark Crowe served as producer, with Paul Bowman as lead programmer and Robert Caracol as art director32.

Production

The voice cast for the speech pack included Bill Barrett, Gary Bullock as Base Commander, Celeste Yarnall as Base Commander, Ed Raggozino, and Sher Alltucker33. Audio was handled by director Jan Paul Moorhead, with music composed by Christopher Stevens, Timothy Steven Clarke, and the group LoudMouth34. The total production credits numbered 87 people35.

Technical Achievements

The speech pack utilized the Sound Operating System engine36 and required minimum specifications of a 80486/33DX MHz processor, 4MB RAM, VGA graphics card, and MS-DOS 5.037. The complete package with speech pack had a file size of 50.0 MB with an install size of 108 MB38. The game supported 320×200 resolution with 256 colors and came on CD-ROM media39.

Legacy

The Metaltech Earthsiege Speech Pack represented an important step in adding cinematic production values to mech simulation games. The series continued with additional expansion packs in 199540. The game was eventually released as freeware by Hi-Rez Studios in 201541, and modern versions have been made compatible with Windows 11 via DOSBox implementations42. The title remains sought after by retro gaming enthusiasts, with active GOG wishlist campaigns requesting its digital re-release43.

Downloads

Purchase / Digital Stores

  • Currently not available on major digital platforms
  • GOG Dreamlist - Community wishlist

Download / Preservation

Series Continuity

References

Footnotes

  1. MobyGames - Speech Pack entry describing it as an add-on with digitized speech ↩

  2. MobyGames description explaining the 3.5” floppy disk distribution and voice features ↩

  3. Collection Chamber blog noting creation as Battletech competitor ↩

  4. Remember PC DOS Games blog providing story background ↩

  5. MobyGames describing HERC combat mechanics ↩

  6. Development notes indicating enhanced briefings and communications ↩

  7. Basic info showing Dynamix as developer with listed designers ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  8. Platform information from consolidated research ↩

  9. Trivia noting 25th/26th century setting ↩

  10. Tribes Depot wiki quote about Cybrid control ↩

  11. MobyGames Expansion Pack description of continuing story ↩

  12. Technical specs listing input devices ↩

  13. Technical specs showing game modes ↩

  14. MobyGames quote about network/modem gameplay ↩

  15. Technical specs showing mission and campaign counts ↩

  16. Technical specs indicating single player mode ↩

  17. Trivia listing combat locations ↩

  18. Trivia noting location-based damage feature ↩

  19. Collection Chamber review praising AI innovation ↩

  20. PC Games German review score and localization praise ↩

  21. Computer Gaming World review by Jeff James ↩

  22. Next Generation review quote ↩

  23. MobyGames Critics score ↩

  24. MobyGames user rating ↩

  25. ESRB rating from Tribes Depot ↩

  26. Collection Chamber retrospective assessment ↩

  27. MobyGames comment on multiplayer innovation ↩

  28. MojoHelperMonkey review on MobyGames ↩

  29. MobyGames aggregate score ↩

  30. Development notes describing it as an add-on pack ↩

  31. Development notes about Battletech competition ↩

  32. Development credits from research data ↩

  33. Voice cast credits from Dynamix Fandom and MobyGames ↩

  34. Composer credits from consolidated data ↩

  35. Development notes showing total credit count ↩

  36. Engine information from basic info ↩

  37. Technical specs minimum requirements ↩

  38. Technical specs file and install sizes ↩

  39. Technical specs resolution and media details ↩

  40. Version history showing 1995 expansion ↩

  41. Version history noting Hi-Rez freeware release ↩

  42. Version history showing DOSBox compatibility ↩

  43. GOG wishlist page showing community demand ↩

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