The big change this time around is the improved lancemate system. You
start out with the ability to take on one lancemate; you can gain up
to two more slots by completing quests in your hometown. If you
attempt to add a new lancemate while your party is full (say, by
hiring a mercenary) then you’ll have the option to drop a character
currently in the party. The core story partner can be removed like any
normal lancemate, but for the time being I’d advise against doing so.

Here's a complete list of changes:

- Encounters visible even if on a hill (glmap.pp)
- Can clear email by passing message index 0 (arenascript.pp)
- Added IfMeritBadge, Announce, EndPlotsByConID ASL commands
(arenascript.pp)
- Added merit badges (ghchars.pp)
- NPC XRan context will include GOOD, EVIL tags (playwright.pp)
- StartPlot, StartStory commands updated (arenascript.pp)
- Factions can be initialized with standard scripts (gearparser.pp)
- Mecha arenas won't let you compete without a suitable mecha
- More enemies will appear if you have many lancemates
(arenascript.pp)
- Script XP awards reduced if more than one lancemate (arenascript.pp)
- If adding lancemate when party full, may automatically drop some
(arenascript.pp)
- If remove lancemate in bad place, LM will go to safe area
(arenascript.pp)
- Plot lancemates can join, quit lance like regular lancemates
(arenascript.pp)
- Increased number of basic lancemate slots from 1 to 3
(arenascript.pp)

GH2 is available in both console and graphical versions. In addition
to the precompiled binaries for Windows, you can compile the game on
Linux, FreeBSD, and MacOS X. As usual all files may be downloaded from
SourceForge:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/gearhead2

GearHead Blog:
http://www.gearheadrpg.com/

Try it out, and let me know what you think.