Rating: 
Summary: Stupid pretty boy Ian
Review: Mechwarrior 4 is the next REAL chapter and the best mech game in quite a while. In fact, it's the best since 1996's Mech 2 Mercenaries. FASA cleans up their act with a 4 star game in my opinion. Lets get this over with... Graphics
The graphics on this game are sharp with very extreme details like snow, rain, lightening and other weather effects. The ground looks clean enough you could eat off of it. Different environments include moon craters, tundra, desert, swamps and cities. The mechs look great with no more of that weird swivle they used to do. More buildings include factories, mech repair bays, explosive fuel tanks, and more deadly turrents. The weapons are great looking from the time they leave the mech to arrival. Explosions are great but don't get to close. There are a large varity of vechicles but you can't kill walking people or animals. 100/100 Sound/Music
The sound effects are good, not great but ok. Things make little noise when they blow up. Weapons sound better, but still not as good as they could. Walking through snow or over water has the best SF. The music is spectaculer. It was made by a real orcetra you know band. I can't spell that word. The flutes, violins, and whatever else is in the band set a perfect mood. 86/100 Controls
The controls are very easy. Unlike in MW3 when you had to switch all the time, with the Sidewinder joystick just press it's own button. I like to do the training course just to warm up. The only problem is the dang torso. It moves by itself. That's ok once you get used to it. 91/100 Story
This is where things down. You would just love to get a fancy worded tech briefing wouldn't you? I would, but nooooo. You have to sit through this sad little tail bout your uncle and listen to about 20 guys talk about whatever. Plus Ian is stupid commander with no control who never really knows what he's doing. You must reclaim your birthright. LAME!! 40/100 Misc.
This game is kind of easy. With 25 missions I think. There isn't anything besides fighting. 90/100 This game gets 407/500 81.4% B-
Rating: 
Summary: this came ROCKS!
Review: walking around, knowing your in a monster robot that can crush a military tank like it's made of plastic, including awesome weapons and graphics, makes this game AWESOME! you can pilot small Mechs, such as the Shadow Cat, which aren't very powerful but are fast, or you can pilot huge, lumbering, powerful Mechs, such as the Atlas and Daishi, with awesome firepower. However, the characters in the main story ARE a little bit annoying. The main character talks like a senseless weirdo. "Please. Go ahead." "Yes, of course." Duuhhhhhhhh. Not as annoying is the computer voice that always says, "Target destroyed." You get used to him after awhile.
The weapons totally rock. There's long range missiles, long tom artillery, lasers, LBX's,(which are like a series of shells), gauss rifles, ppc's, (my favorite beam weapons), which are lightning bolts that make your screen all wobbly and shaky when you get hit by them, and lots of others. one of the best primary weapons is when you combine clan machine guns and pulse lasers into one weapon.
some weapons, like the NARC beacon, flare, autocannon, flamer, and short range missile, kind of stink
well, anyway, all this to say........Mech Warrior 4 ROCKS!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Where did all the features go?
Review: Truthfully, I'd rather play Mech 2 than this one. No external views, no screenshot or movie/mission replay feature, HUD display is different than previous Mech games, and music just seemed bereft of imagination. And I have to use the spacebar quite often just to skip the horribly 'campy' dialog and transitions. I mean, there must be too many bad writers for TV that are out of work because of all these even more stupid reality shows - they end up writing this campy dialog for software games just to eat. Graphics and gameplay alone are very good, but I was disappointed to find it is missing a lot of the features that Mech 2 has - and Mech 2 is more than 8 years old...
Rating:
Summary: Best in a long series of good games--
Review: I have played about all the Mechwarrior games, including MW2, MW2 Expansion, MW3, Mercenaries, and Heavy Gear (which was in the series, but renamed because of copyright problems). This is the best in my view. The graphics are just superior. No other way to put it. As you fire on an enemy mech, the fire, explosions, and chips being blown off the enemy seem very real. The size of mechs is communicated to the player in a variety of ways, including the moaning hum and slow response appropriate to 100 tons of armored vehicle. There's been a real effort to weld the game into the Battletech Universe, which includes a long series of books on the "imaginary history" of the Clans, the Inner Sphere, the wars between the empires, and so forth. Some of the earlier games sort of skimmed by this. In other words, the "future history" is well developed. I like the way the mechlab limits what changes can be made by separating weapons slots into energy, missile, or ballistic. In the past, a mech like a Catapault that is really a mobile missile platform could be rebuilt into anything-- some custom revisions making it entirely unlike the Catapault in the novels. In MW4, you can customize the Catapault but only within the concept of the vehicle. In other words, you can change the types of missiles, and regroup the missiles, but you will have difficulty adding much by way of ballistic weapons (cannons) since the slots just aren't there. This makes mechlab much more like the "real" aspects of battle mechs. I like the story line and so far-- being 2/3 through the mission progression, I have not met a mission that I could not achieve. A good thing, because the cheat codes simply don't work. They were derived from the free demo version. The final version of MW4 has apparently been altered to invalidate the cheats. This could be a real problem if certain missions were almost impossibly hard, because you can't go on until you accplish the current mission. However, like I say, the missions have not been all that unreasonable. I do very much like the placement of mech repair stations in a number of the missions so -- after you are shot up -- you can sneak off and get repaired and rearmed. Although sometimes the placement of these repair stations seems a little loony -- in one mission, you are cruising across barren desert for miles, and suddenly, low and behold, there's a repair station just sitting in the middle of nowhere. Not even a road nearby. But heck, I am not that good a gamer, and I appreciate the help. To bring this to a close-- great game. As I say, I have played all or just about all of the previous mechwarrior series games and I truly believe this is the best. No tech problems either. I am at the "minimum requirements," but it plays fine for me. No bugs, no glitches.
Rating:
Summary: Could you ever doubt Mechwarrior?
Review: The Mechwarrior series has been one of my all-time favourites, having said that, Mechwarrior 4 and MW4 Mercenaries has been a bit of a disappointment for me, the physics and graphics seemed quite unrealistic, very arcade-ish when compared to that of Mechwarrior 3, but thats just my opinion. Now don't get me wrong, this is truely a great game and theres lots to love about it, my favourite being the components slots in mechlab, the fact that you can only put certain weapons on certain hard-points of a mech adds so much realisim to the game. This is how it is in the Battletech world and this is the way it should be in the Mechwarrior world! Hats off to Microsoft for adding this feature. In terms of game play, Mechwarrior 4 shines brightest when you take it online... you will be hooked! Join a house, merc unit, clan or go solo and battle it out against others on the world wide web. Whats better then putting a couple rounds of AC20s through that sucker that just happen to end up between your crosshairs! It gets even better when you discover theres so much more you can do - examples: team battles and co-op battles... the list is large and there is just so much support for this game, its unbelievable. If it weren't for the physics and graphics, I would have given it a 5, none the less Mechwarrior4 is a great game and it holds it own with a very definite 4.
Rating:
Summary: An all-around quality gaming experience
Review: I get on kicks every now and again. Early last year it was D&D games, before that it was first person sneakers (Deus Ex, Thief, No One Lives Forever, etc.). Right now it's Giant Death Robots. MechWarrior 4 fits firmly into the tradition established by its predecessors: you're given a mission and a selection of 'Mechs (40-foot-tall, vaguely anthropomorphic walking tanks) and lancemates to execute it with. Completing missions successfully and nailing the secondary and tertiary objectives nets you more weapons, equipment, and 'Mechs to employ in future missions. Gameplay feels like a slowed-down, cerebral first-person shooter - it's not so simulation-like that it takes half an hour to learn to walk your 'Mech out of the hangar, but even the nimblest, most trigger-happy player will be quickly stymied unless he learns how to think tactically. Also, as is to be expected, the game inherits many of its various quirks from its granddaddy, the dice-and-miniatures BATTLETECH game. There's the overriding concern with managing your robot's heat disposal - do you spend those extra five tons on more lasers and missiles, or do you add more heat sinks to keep the machine running longer without stalling out? There's the endless indecipherable acronyms for everything - a term like "Clan Ultra LBX AC 20" may accurately represent the real-life military's preoccupation with senseless acronyms, but the term does little to inform players that it refers to what amounts to a really big gun. And then there's the dauntingly large and impossibly convoluted BATTLETECH backstory, which while entertaining to those with the will to suss it all out, leaves everyone else benumbed and without a frame of reference to appreciate most of the goings-on (aside from Stuff Blows Up Real Good, anyway). So yeah, MW4 carries a lot of baggage. But that's okay, because, all other considerations aside, it's a great big hoot of a game. Graphics this time out are lovely, even given that the game was released in late 2000. Weapon effects are tops - lasers generate groovy light-sourcing, impacting missiles leave obscuring gouts of thick smoke around their targets (which can be useful to effect a quick getaway), and PPC blasts cause your opponent to spark and trail electric arcs. There's a big selection of gorgeously-rendered environments to stomp around in, from lunar wasteland to snowy peaks to swamps to coastal harbor towns. (A welcome addition: the coastal levels let you wade your 'Mech a couple miles out into the water to do battle with enormous oceangoing battleships and cruisers.) Particularly well-done this time are the urban levels, which are finally done correctly to scale and give a nice tingly feeling of paranoia and claustrophobia (you never know when a 100-ton Atlas might come stomping out from behind a building). Enemy AI this time is generally very good, with enemies using the right weapons at the right ranges, taking cover behind buildings and hills, grabbing the high ground to pound you with long-range missiles and Gauss rounds, etc. Your lancemates are actually people of value this time around, and they really do behave according to their skill profile (the guy who's a crack shot actually opts to snipe, and the girl with a huge score in piloting actually runs rings around her targets, etc.) What came as a surprise to me was the quality of MW4's story. Previous MechWarrior games too often felt like abstract military exercises, with mission briefings coming to you in blocks of jargon-filled text that too often failed not only to convey a story, but even to be understandable to people not steeped in BATTLETECH lore. While it's true that MW4 employs dodgy full-motion video backed by even dodgier 'actors', the narrative is clean, focused, and perfectly sensible - your lancemates become actual characters rather than collections of statistics, and your enemies are hissable villains rather than abstract bullseyes under your target reticle. It's admirably supported by a lovely musical score that veers between violent, pounding guitar riffs (like most of the music in MW2 and Mercenaries) and swelling orchestral themes. It's a great game and I give it an unqualified recommendation to anyone with a muscular enough PC.
Rating:
Summary: This Game kills!
Review: I first got hooked on Mechwarrior when i was 6. i played mech 2 and mech3. Now, here is mech 4, the greatest of them all. the game has come a long way. in mechwarrior 2, you could destroy the toughest mech in the game in only 6 shots from the weakest weapon(and this is with no cheats). in mech 4, you need to shoot a mech a lot of times to destroy it. this makes the game more realistic. the weapons are also top of the art. the graphics are great for weapon fire!
In mech 2, the PPC, a 'strong' weapon was a simple ball of blue that took a million years to reach it's target(and it's a beam weapon. Right!). Pathetic! in mech 4, the PPc is a blue lightning bolt like object that takes like a millisecond to reach it's target! Much more real!
the graphics are also majorly advanced. It looks much more like the real planet. it has landscaping and the cities look like real cities.
My final comment is the jump jets. in mech 2, you can jump a 100 ton mech 200+ meters into the air. Now is that really posible? No. in mech 4, the jump jets can boost a 100 ton mech about 20+ meters into the air(not counting it's height).
MECHWWARRIOR HAS COME A LONG WAY. IF YOU WANT A GOOD GAME OF THE MECHWARRIOR FAMILY, I RECOMMEND MECHWARRIOR 4.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost Great
Review: I have been a long time fan of Mechwarrior and Battletech. While MW3 was leap in graphics, I really looked forward to seeing it improved to the next level, like a sequel should. I was wrong. It bares note that MW4 is not at all a bad game. But it is the latest in a line of top-notch Mech sims, and does not feel like it. On a basic level it delivers, it meets and surpassed the minimum expectations. But as far as pushing ahead what MW3 started, it didn't. Some will argue, and justly, that MW3 had flaws and that MW4 went different directions is a good sign. Simply put, if it an't broke don't fix it. The environment feels less real, the Mechs oversized Tonka toys, the game play balanced the wrong way, and the story so lame I would sooner not be bothered. First on my list of gripes is the new way to customize Mechs. Before you could stick anything anywhere you wanted weight and space permitting. Now each Mech has fixed hard points ware only certain weapons can go. Each weapon has also been adjusted for balance. That they felt the need to adjust the weapons when you are already limited in what you can carry kind of make me wonder. Were machine guns really that big of a deal? So what if the Shadow Cat can carry a gauss rifle? Not like it has enough armor to be a real threat to something twice it's size. I agree you could make some far out custom Mechs, but that was part of the fun! So what if was not realistic? Look out the window, that is reality! If that is what you want than why play video games? The Mechs feel less believable. The ambient sounds of the Mech in the background is gone. Sure weapons still have sound and you still hear the foot falls of fifty tons, but it is less imersive than before. The cockpit even looks different, before you were surrounded by glowing lights and panels with worn metal edges. Here the inside is basically medium gray with not details or real texture. A throw back to the first Mechwarrior2. Mechs also move at a quicker pace than before. Even the heavy Mechs seem speedier. Of course, it is 70 tons and the size of a city building so I see how that makes perfect sense. Also when you blow off a limb, gone are the dangling wires. It is just blown clean off. Why not have them? It looked cool and was realistic, that's why they changed the Mech customization after all. The Mechs are there sure, but the sim part got lost. Another thing. Combat is slower. You can't "leg" a Mech. So you pump enough fire power in to the enemy Mech's knee to rip it off. No matter how many alpha strikes you aim at it, no matter how many missile salvos, nor how much AC ammo you pound it with, that leg is still there defying the laws of basic physics. Also there are different armor types that are more effective versus different weapons. Guess what? That LBX 20 Autocannon you were so happy to salvage and managed to strap to your Mech is worthless on a Mech with anti-ballistic armor. Wonderful. What am I supposed to use? Harsh language? Salvage is still a joke. It is still scripted. Nuff said. One of the features that was such a selling point was the story. Okay, does anyone really play Mech sims for their gripping dramatic plot? The story might be entertaining in paragraph form. I thought that it would told with big full screen movies, the live actors would have real characters with involving and witty dialog and a detailed plot. Ah yes, silly me. The story is told to you, there is not real involvement other than hearing your own voice. Nor are the movies big, they are tiny up in the corner. The characters have little or no real depth. They come on screen and say things. Nothing could make me care if they lived or died. Other than I would have lost a good Mech. The plot is predictable to the extreme. The villains are fresh from saturday morning cartoons. They even ware dark cloths! A villain in black, who would have known? Add to that they speak in angry tones most of the time. The single one of them that tries to be threatening by speaking in a cool voice comes off as creepy and weird. In the end they are all evil and thus must be destroyed in the name of avenging someone's father. Who we never met (five seconds does not count) and was never told why is important so add to the list of characters that don't matter. "Sir we must continue on, it is what your uncle wanted! Everything depends on it!" Whatever. Let's skip to the part ware I blow things up. As a Mech game is stands, as a Mech simulation it falls. Take your pick.
Rating:
Summary: Quite a good game
Review: I was excited when I heard that MW4 was going to be released. It met most of my expectations. The graphics are absolutely BEAUTIFUL, with the lighting effects, smoke trails, and definately the Mechs exploding. I found the storyline ok, I found MW3's quite better, but the MW4 didn't suffer from it. I was mad when Microsoft TOTALLY changed the controls on me (why put the Mech controls in the keypad?) but that was easily fixed when I bought a joystick. And the multiplayer has been totally revamped from earlier versions, I don't know why but I find playing MW4 online a lot more fun than MW2 or 3. The only place this game lacks in is the actors, definately. I found the acting very cheesy, while in MW3 the MFB commander had a voice that would FORCE you to pay attention. But, this game gets 4 stars for the graphics and multiplayer.
Rating:
Summary: Totally Awesome!!!!
Review: If you like the Mech games, and want to get one that has the best graphics, best play and awesome mechs..this is the game for you. I run it on Windows XP and it works just fine. So, just because the requirements stop at Win ME, dont pass this up, but do make sure that you have a good graphics card to enjoy them better. Also make sure that your video and sound card drivers are the MOST up to date.
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