I agree with you about the graphics issue, it's an old engine that was used a long time ago (Source)... But it earns the respect of all of us is the skills that the pilot and titan has to use. Also the comfortable gameplay, its mechanics, in short.... there have been games that do not catch you at the level of graphics, but in other details and few games in these times have done that.
By the way VIPER also cost me to overcome it...