MechWarrior 4: Vengeance

The Good
But I wouldn't really know since this is my first mech game! I was weaned on old-school adventures and first-person shooters. Anyway, the game is pretty good. Graphics are great, and damage is pretty realistic. The mechs are incredibly tough (as 100 ton metal monstrosities should be) and damage is shown well with smoke and sparks and stuff flying off the mech, and limbs getting shot off. One thing in the other reviews I noticed was griping about no limping. I'm not sure if it's the detail level or what, but the mechs limped for me! I think it has something to do with the tougher mechs in this game (but again, I wouldn't be the best to ask about that) since a leg must be destroyed before the mech limps. Terrain is very nice, houses, trees, just about anything can be blown to bits, but I can't shoot the people or the deer!

The Bad
It had a very high learning curve. The mechs (or is it mecha?) aren't very responsive, and getting the hang of the torso-twist took a while. If you haven't played earlier games in the series and don't want to have to learn new movement skills, and/or have a crappy joystick or one with out a twist axis, then you might want to pass on this game. Also, the acting was kinda cheesy, but I didn't really mind that too much. The biggest problem is that the sound effects are loud. My neighbors would complain if I turned up the game too much (thin walls), and if someone was talking (in the game or in real life) during a battle, I'd have a hard time hearing them.

The Bottom Line
A great game for those who are fans of the series, or who don't mind trying to get used to the controls.