Underneath the major game mechanics, the player had the option of following a role playing style story arc that would unfold over five in-game years.

His family has been murdered and the chalice that proves he is heir to the throne of his planet, Ander's Moon, has been stolen.

Gideon must develop a force of mechwarriors and battlemechs, find those who committed the acts against his family, and take his revenge within five years or all is lost.

Depending on the player's actions, his mercenary unit will develop a reputation with each house which can bring about larger and more lucrative missions.

Depending on the contract for a mission, the player must meet certain criteria ranging from defense of a facility to outright destruction of the enemy.

The player begins with a damaged Jenner and has the opportunity to build over time a full lance of 4 battlemechs with the ability to choose from a total of 8 designs.

The Locust and Jenner were specially designed for quick strike style missions while the heaviest machines such as the Battlemaster and Marauder could walk through heavy fire and survive.

Early in the game, it is sometimes necessary to repair a mech only partially so that it can operate for a mission due to limited funds.

Mechwarrior is a product that you'll play over and over again because each battle is uniquely challenging and the sophistication of the combat invites you to improve your skills and strategy each time you climb into the cockpit.

"[6] The game was reviewed in 1990 in Dragon #161 by Hartley, Patricia, and Kirk Lesser in "The Role of Computers" column.