Like a Harley or a Jeep, you either get it or you don't.
I have never played Battle Tech and generally am not a fan of board games so I carried no such baggage concerning the Mechwarrior series. My interest in giant fighting robots is well documented, and a chance to actually stomp around in them and destroy things with them on my PC was irresistable and remains so.
Mechwarrior 4 marks something of a departure for the series, as significant changes were made to the way you allocate resources and weapons systems when designing your mech. Purists were outraged and I will admit it took some getting used to but you do get used to it.
Gameplay is as thrilling and engaging - if not more so - than previous titles and the graphics, while no longer state of the art were stunning at the time and still hold up sufficiently to keep the game playable for the time being.
Like previous titles in the series, the single player campaign is somewhat mundane but is useful for familiarizing yourself with the different Mech types, how they are best used and controlled. You can try to play this game with a keyboard and mouse and some are quite good at it - but I'd suggest a good flight controller - you'll never go back.
Fans of this series, like myself continue to clamor for another sequel and while Microsoft throws a bone once in a while it isn't looking hopeful for the near future so if you haven't already take this one for a spin and see what you think.
If you hate it then you were never meant for giant robot fighting. Not all of us are. LOL But if you get it, and you understand, and you see how giant fighting robots can change your life then join us and beg Microsoft for a sequel.
Somewhere up there in his Ivory Tower, Bill Gates and the Master Control Program will undoubtedly hear us someday. LOL