The gameplay is similar in style to the MechWarrior video game series, featuring mechanized combat in bipedal machines called "Planet Runners".

Some of the Runners are based around animals, such as the Raptor, with a very overbearing appearance and "Chicken walker" style legs, with claw-like feet.

Combat is fairly straightforward, with the ability to tilt and pivot the Runners "head" (and sometimes the entire torso) to target enemies not directly ahead of the player.

The basic bipedal walker enemy without its head has no weapons, but it will continue to walk around - blind - bumping into the player or buildings.

Accompanied by a white flash, it will not only obliterate almost anything within its wide explosion radius, it also creates a large crater and sends out a shock wave along the ground, using the terrain as a moving "wall".

Not only does this serve to trap anyone surviving the blast inside a deep, burning crater, but it can be used as a mountain-destroying device, or to rip a chunk out of just about anything that stands in the player's way.

The AINIC(Artificial Intelligence Network Interface Coupler) Mark 3, as it calls itself, provides all mission summaries, briefings and mid-mission updates with a full voiced backing, and is presented as a self-aware computer entity.

This preview came with a cloudy-red "Interactive Preview" CD-Rom (DOS version) in a standard jewel case, a red manual with, on its front, a small Interplay advertisement "6$ OFF mail-in rebate..." and a promotional "coming this fall" Shattered Steel advertising the full version at $15.95, and a "Get Shattered" back cover with the game plot and screenshots.

[9] Reviewing the MS-DOS version, Tim Soete of GameSpot said that while the plot is interesting, Shattered Steel is more of a mindless action game than MechWarrior 2: 31st Century Combat and does not have the same sense of immersion, though it is still enjoyable.

It settles for pure action from the minute players climb into their giant robots ..." He too found it enjoyable in spite of its lack of depth or innovation, noting the numerous missions, selection of weapons, and options for networked multiplayer.

[7] Macworld's Michael Gowan wrote that Shattered Steel's "visuals are solid (although a few years old at this point), and the play is engaging."