The start of the best mech franchise ever. It's only the first game but already they defined the course for the entire series.
Features god-tier customization even by today's standards. Less of a simulation than MechWarrior and more blasty-blasty action, but you still have to take your time going through the (fairly ugly) levels.
This game is BRUTAL. There is an invisible timer that ticks down for missions before they expire and each one you choose advances that, and in some cases picking certain missions cancels another. This happens regardless of whether you pass or fail the mission, and any money lost from ammo or mech repairs is permanent. It is extremely easy to fuck yourself over when starting out and constant saving/loading becomes the name of the game. Beating most missions made me sigh out loud in relief.
Despite the harsh design sometimes getting in the way and making things more cumbersome, and the lack of decent comparisons with current parts when buying new ones, this game absolutely rules and manages to somehow sneak in a compelling narrative that becomes more prevalent as it goes on.
A must-play if you have any interest in mechs, just be prepared for a learning curve. I haven't even mentioned the controls.