It's not for everyone, but if you can handle it, it's a fantastic game.
Back in the day, its graphics were great. It was the Crysis of 1998. Many people had to get good rigs to play it, which might be why it was overlooked. It's no surprise that an 11 year old gamew is going to look outdated today, but when you see some of the reflections and physics in this game, you start to understand why it was so great back then.
But there was more to this game. The story is told similarly to half-life, where there are no cut scenes. It takes place in a sci-fi world, and you see the world through the eyes of an unnamed prisoner, who wakes up in a crashed prison vessel. You escape the vessel to find out you are on an unnamed planet. You discover an alien race called the Nali, who have been imprisoned by a race called the skaarj, and throughout the game you learn more about both races and ultimately defeat the skaarj.
The gameplay is a lot like most old shooters. You move very fast and there's no sights, recoil, or anything like that. You're going to collect many weapons (all of which you can hold at once) and defeat enemies, but all the weapons and enemies are very creative and unique. You'll find weapons like tha Flak cannon, which shoots a bunch of dispersed shots, the stinger minigun, which shoots unprocessed crystals, and so many more that I shouldn't spoil, because finding and learning about them is half the fun. There are many types of enemies, like skaarj warriors, titans, insects, snake-like creatures, etc. and they all have superb A.I. and will often dodge your bullets and run away when they're on low health.
The sound and level design is also fantastic and makes for a memorable experience. There is a wonderful soundtrack that goes on for the entire level, and for good reason. I actually recommend finding a soundtrack for this game. When you first exit the scpaceship, or uncover the mines for the first time, the music is always there to add atmosphere. The level design is also fantastic. Some levels are fantasy, some levels are technological, all levels are memorable.
However, its not for everyone. The game is very long, and there are a lot of difficult puzzles. Trust me when i say you will be downright clueless in some places, and the game is pretty hard. Fighting some of the enemies is going to test your reflexes and the fact they can dodge many projectiles means ther is some timing involved. Still, this game is a classic and pioneered many things into the gaming world, even though we don't know it. So in the end, if you're up to it, you should definitely pick this up or get the unreal anthology (great deal!). Its one of my all-time favorite shooters. Remember, it isn't real. Its unreal.