action games have come and gone over the past several years. But only one has
stood the test of time and survived multiple console generations: Armored
Core. Starting on the PSone and continuing this year on Xbox 360 and
PlayStation 3, Armored Core is the premiere mech battle game. The series has
had its share of stumbles (most notably the tweak-heavy PSP offering, Armored
Core: Formula Front) but for the most part delivers just what the player
wants: an explosive good time.
The latest installment, Armored Core: For
Answer, is set in a world ruled (or should I say ruined?) by technology. You
control a mercenary who, not unlike the EA shooter called Mercenaries, will
choose to align himself with a specific organization and take on deadly jobs
for nothing more than cash rewards. That money can be used to purchase
upgrades to make your machine the best in the sky – or on the ground, when the
mission requires. The controls, graphics, story and overall feel of the game
are hardly monumental. Armored Core fans won’t be shocked by this sequel. But
it hangs in there – and in some ways tops the last game, Armored Core 4 – with
increased action, enormous levels (in visual capacity), and some of the
biggest, most intimidating enemies you’ve ever seen.
If you’re looking for mission objectives that
read, “Stroll through the park while admiring the pretty scenery,” you’ve come
to the wrong game. But if your mission cravings are closer to, “Annihilate
everything in sight – then leave,” Armored Core may be the answer to your
destructive desires.
The setup is not at all unexpected. Battles are
selected from a pre-combat menu that lets you choose from the main,
story-progressing missions, as well as several side battles that can be
conquered for extra funds. The latter type is a one-on-one skirmish that
appears to have been inspired by old-school two-player battles, except in this
case one of the combatants is controlled by the AI.
These side missions are good, but they are
merely icing on the cake. The real fun comes from the primary battles, which
will have you soaring faster and blasting more diligently. When a gigantic
battle station (one that sails in the middle of the ocean, no less) is causing
problems, you’re sent in to take it out. The mission begins with your mech –
one that’s aligned with GA, Interior Union, Omer Science Technology, or has no
client association at all – being flown a few miles across the ocean. If those
names sound like corporations that’s because they are; as predicted numerous
times before, corporations will one day rule the world. According to games,
films and novels, that is.
With limited boosters strapped to the mech,
you’ll only be able to approach your destination. Before arriving, dozens of
enemy ships can be seen throughout the water. But they are not your biggest
threat. The battle station is equipped with a special cannon that the enemy
will fire repeatedly, hoping to eliminate the danger before you arrive. During
this phase, players must strafe frequently to ensure they aren’t hit by the
cannon’s many blasts.
Missions aren’t limited to city landscapes and
watery environments, though you will fight through a freeway that’s falling
apart and a drowned-out Shanghai where only the tallest buildings are visible
above the deep water. You’ll also get to take on the enemy in a number of
unlikely locales, including an aerial battle on top of a massive spacecraft.
The wings are so huge and the wingspan is so big that it can house your mech
and several enemies without looking crowded. If you soar above the area and
look straight down, the enemy mechs look like tiny ants in comparison to the
craft.
More important than the level types is the way
the game is choreographed and how everything comes together. It’s not a
brand-new experience by any means, but For Answer plays better because of the
faster, more action-driven layout of each stage. You’re always on the move and
always on the look for something to attack. The controls are easy to learn
though not yet perfect – a more stable camera system is still needed. But the
occasional camera problems are worth enduring for the thrills and robotic
kills.
The parts and labor aspect hasn’t changed much,
as players can still assemble, tune, and paint their mechs the way they want
them. From Software says that there is “double the customization of Armored
Core 4,” but as a player who considers that feature to be secondary (and only
uses it when necessary), I can’t confirm or deny that statement. Nonetheless,
if you liked the customization format of AC4 you should appreciate what For
Answer has to offer.
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Gameplay: 8.0
A fast and explosive mission-based mech shooter.
Graphics: 7.0
Collectively, some of the graphical elements look good. But individually
none of them are outstanding; in fact, the bland explosions are almost laughable
(and surprising, considering that this is not the first Armored Core made for
PlayStation 3).
Sound: 7.0
Hints of decent music are heard underneath a steady stream of explosions and
gunfire.
Difficulty: Medium
Only the introductory stages are easy. After that, Armored Core For Answer
will test your ability to blast without getting blasted.
Concept: 7.0
A no-brainer kind of game. Armored Core For Answer is Armored Core 4 with
new (more exciting) levels and other tweaks.
Multiplayer: 7.3
The co-op addition (for two) and eight-player battles are good but aren’t
comparable to the number of real-life combatants allowed in other multiplayer
shooters.
Overall: 7.9
Not an unexpected sequel but still a very good game.
