FM:E turns a turn-based strategy RPG franchise into a 3rd person action/shooter. The result is good, but not great.
Instead, Front Mission Evolved changes the genre of the game entirely to a third person action/shooter. Now, initially I was disappointed, but I dealt with it, figuring there could still be fun in driving around a big city and blowing stuff up within a good story. Actually, it IS fun doing just that, it's just not all I'd hoped.
The good:
* Fun, powerful weapons and mech abilities.
* Good voice over work and a decent set of characters and story to tie the action sequences together, with good cut scenes.
* Lots of stuff to blow up and crush in the game world -- it feels relatively realistic, though I would've liked the ability to beat up a little on the facades of buildings. (can you imagine redoing the arcade classic Rampage with this game engine?)
The not so good:
* No real RPG elements to speak of other than equipment and basic abilities.
* Squad-level tactics don't really exist -- this isn't a strategy game, it's an action shooter
* Non-mech 3d objects are not the most beautiful -- humans look particularly iffy
* Combat lacks variety and can get monotonous
Overall it's a well done and generally fun game, but unless you're really expecting or ok with it being a very traditional 3rd person action shooter, then you will be disappointed.