You have a large campaign to play through, as well as instant action and excellent multiplayer components. The campaign is standard stuff, you watch a video clip cut-scene then proceed to complete the mission. The game may be played from the first or third-person perspective and the campaign is very linear. Mechs are highly customizable and have a wide variety of weaponry and armor available to equip. Some strategy is needed to load out your Mechs as there is quite a bit to consider.
All armor is particularly good against certain weapons, as well as vulnerable to others.
Once you get a feel for the missions, you'll have to make intelligent decisions when you load out a Battlemech. Detail like weight limitations are present and it is more important than ever to watch your loadout. Create a too-heavy Mech and it will be slow, but make sure you equip the proper amount of heatsinks or you'll find yourself overheated in a battle and a sitting duck for the enemy. All in all, balance is the key and you will find a wealth of options available to you. The problems with Mechwarrior 4 are very small and do not take much away from gameplay.