[oni no won]

I'll try to answer some of the questions even though you guys directed it to the OP.

My impression of CT is that at its core, it is LoveCraft's horror but the timeline is set in a possible future. The concept of the Mythos is still present such as the creatures and entities of that world and the feeling of hopelessness (although not to the degree of CoC), the unavoidable insanity that ensues while delving into the unknown (again not to the degree of CoC). The anime aspect comes from such inspirations as Guyver and Evangelion twisted to fit LoveCraft's world.

Technology-wise, it has nothing to do with cyber-punk. The technology is more a hybrid of "magic" (I've come to think of it as more of a dimensional energy) and science called Arcanotech. In order for man to have a slither of a chance of stemming the tide of invasion from all fronts, they have come to rely on this "science" at the cost of losing some of the most brilliant minds to insanity.

I'm guessing that if you are familiar with Story Teller system, the Framerwerks system will be familiar to you as well (I don't own any White Wolf products). The ability of the game system to fade into the background is debatable I guess. I would venture to say yes since there is no charts to look up. It can also be argued that there is more rolling (dice) involved due to combat having an active defense.

Overall, the system is very streamlined and intuitive. Resolving tests is best described as utilizing a poker mechanic in that you choose the best set out of the outcome. Combat for mechs is similar to regular combat because mechs are treated more as an extension of your character.

There are 3 proposed method of gamin in CT:

1. On a human level (as a soldier, scientist, etc)
2. On a superhuman level (Tagers)
3. Mechs

The setting allows one to play it almost any way they want. If you want gritty, go for the soldier/mech pilot character who usually are locked in gruelling combat. If you want a bit more flare or over the top action, go for being a Tager or pilot one of the Engels. You can run a military type campaign, an investigative type, and/or both.