In a conventional keyboard, the point at which the switch closes is also the point where the key bottoms out, plus or minus the amount of give that the rubber spring-membrane provides. The typing feel they provide is both impactful and gummy - you push a key until it stops abruptly, like mashing a finger down on your desk directly, and then you have to lift your finger off the key entirely to let it release. Trying to lighten the impacts can lead to missing keypresses, especially on an older keyboard.
On a mechanical keyboard (mine has Cherry MX Browns), the point at which the switches close is before the key bottoms out. Depending on the switch type, the closing point can be felt, too. They're also driven back by mechanical springs, rather than a rubber membrane. So, rather than mash the keys until they stop to guarantee a letter press, the typing feel is lighter and more controlled. It's also much bouncier, thanks to the springs - like bouncing on a trampoline, rather than trying to jump on a hard floor.
I went from old-school gummy keyboards (Yay ancient Dell hardware) to laptop-style scissors keyboards, and when my last one died, I splurged and got a mechanical keyboard instead. It's similar to a laptop-style keyboard feel, where there is a very definite point of engagement rather than tons of mush. However, the throw is still long, and the bounce-back is a new experience.
It's all about feel - definitely look around and see if you can borrow one (or multiple - there are a half-dozen different flavors of mechanical switch from Cherry alone) to try before spending the not-insignificant amount of money to buy one.
People who play games (I for one) like mechanical keyboards. I'd say the three main key switches provided by Cherry are the Cherry MX Blue, Brown, and Red, in that order from typing oriented to gaming oriented. The Blues are loud and have a clicky feel, while the Browns are quieter, but still have the clicky feel, and the Reds are simply linear switches without any sort of tactile click. I personally have browns and love them but reds are more gaming oriented, due to the lack of tactile feedback impeding the switch and the lightest force to actuate. There are several other types of Cherry switches, as well as high end options (Topre, etc. ). This was a long answer, but yes, mechanical keyboards are great for gaming as well as general use.
In the end it is just personal preference. Try it on your own and then decide. A friend of my spent a decade typing on an old mechanical IBM keyboard and then switched to a standard Apple keyboard. I am the other way around. I started with a 'soft' keyboard and now switched to a mechanical one. Both of us just prefer how the respective keyboard feels.
[0] http://www.amazon.com/Das-Keyboard-Professional-Mechanical-D...