Perhaps this is also the reason that you cannot fully customize your mechs, beyond sticking in weapons and sensors. Although it dumps one tradition, the game also continues another Battletech computer game tradition, high system requirements. After I installed the full 450 Mb's I had no problems. And well animated it is - still screenshots do not do this game justice. Every tile in Mech Commander can be attacked, trees burst into flames, gas pumps explode in glorious fireballs and mechs fall to the ground in a shower of explosions, eventually rolling over and lumbering back to their feet.
Arms fly off, sparks spring from critical hits and smoke trails from severely damaged mechs.
Each mech even leaves their own unique foot print in soft ground, when they begin to limp this effects the prints as well, a nice touch. Perhaps the most spectacular site of all is the Clan Administration Building, which crumbles, flames erupt from windows and fountains overflow, all with a style rarely seen in any computer games. Of course to see all these things in there full glory you will have to zoom in, the only reason I assume this feature exists, because playing from it is impossible. The sounds within the game are well done, although I do have a problem with my pilots voices. The acting is OK if bland, but it is so repetitive.