The best Armored Core revision to date. This is a must have for any mech or AC fan!
And it shows: LIke never before, the pace of the game is fast and furious, with enough hairy, kinetic combat to keep you on your toes for hours on end. This sequel introduces a new innovation--the Quick Boost or QB--which allows for a short burst of speed to dodge incoming attacks in any of the four cardinal directions on the horizontal plane. Unfortunately, the designers failed to increase the turning speed of the mechs, which any die-hard AC fan knows is a general pain in the backside when strafing and firing. But for now, the QB. along with the extension of booster flight duration by a factor of ten, and the removal of energy loss when firing energy weapons, more then makes up for this!
The missions are pretty basic and static; absent are random mission generation and full-on good story, as is the standard in the series. Divided into chapters with cutscenes in between narrated by a Picard wannbe, the majority of the missions task you with destroying various targets, and a handful have you defend targets. Targets include various low-end mechs, such as MT's (Muscle Tracers, the simplest of mechs--though they are not mentioned by name) and Normals, which happen to AC's of the previous generation (apparently without QB installed, making them easier to hit). The mission against Nexts are always fun, as they come with more flavor since the enemy taunts you and always has something to say when his "AC goes silent."
Mission difficulty has a wide range, though it generally gets very hard very quickly. However, your mech design has a direct impact on how well you do in a mission, so you may have to experiment with various AC's before you get the right one that does the trick. To add to the mix, you are without a waypoint for your objectives, and so you must rely on a smattering of information in the briefing or the typical "enemy in sight" cue from your female mission observer, who is hardly specific. That omission from previous games, coupled with the lack of any accessible map, may ramp up frustrations. Missions that have been completed may also be replayed in "Hard Mode" for extra cash, playability, and more. Besides missions, you can also participate in mock arena battles against one AC in a virtual reality simulator. The AC's are packaged in "data sets." Completion of these data sets leads to various rewards. Both missions and simulator matches may award you with parts and more.
AC design integrates the assembly and purchasing modes of prior versions into one system, which is convenient, if not a bit confusing for the less intuitive gamer. One review I read stated that you had no idea how much your new mech design would cost until you had finished building it, and that you would more often than not be stuck with no idea what part had to be purchased if you didn't have enough funds! Rest assured, however, that this is not the case, and you need simply press the right key to purchase the part and equip it. Each page in the game has its own key guide to keep you informed of what you can do there. A finished AC is saved as a schematic, of which you can store many.
Gone are the optional parts of the previous versions, though AC 4 keeps part tuning, which, as the game progresses gets more desirable. This is because the ability to tune parts is linked with the availability of points that are awarded for completing certain chapters or data sets. There are some 300 points that you can use to upgrade anything form turning speed to firing precision.
And then wehave the aspect of multiplayer gameplay: There is regular split-screen and LAN gaming or you can duke it out online. While AC fans have been clamoring for this feature, I feel that this is perhaps the biggest disappointment. After playing Chromehounds, I was left with a great anticipation of similar online play in which you could participate in a global conflict. But alas, we are left with the minimal of arena games. Instead of merely one-on-one matches, you can, however, face multiple opponents, which is a plus. Options include team-based play and the free for all action of the Battle Royal. Up to 8 players can participate in any match, and there are even mandatory ranked matches complete with a leader board. The big plus here is the ability to trade schematics online with other players--if they're willing to give up their trade secrets, that is.
The graphics heightened greatly in this one, too, taking advantage of the newest console's computing power. While not quite as super-detailed as Armored Core's sister game, Chromehounds, it has its own darker look and feel to it. And a few missions are even night missions, but unlike Chromehounds, you are left without a suitable night vision or flare system, forcing you to rely on your own targeting system. Overall, the game looks fantastic, with many new fantastic AC parts to choose from for the perfect look you desire. However, the catalogue of parts isn't as long as Armored Core 2 or 3.
The soundtrack is epic, being reminiscent of Carl Orff's "Carmina Burana." It comes complete with ethereal choir vocals. One gripe, however, is the repetitive nature of the soundtrack. It seems like every time I fight a Next, I hear that same Orffesque song, which is ok. But if they even bothered to make each Next with its own special voice-over, surely, they could have composed a theme song for each one!
At least on the Xbox 360, the controls aren't as quirky as the PS2's versions of the game. I could go on and on about how QB is just awesome, but the way the developers integrated it into the contorl system is just mind-boggling. This is because the default button for QB is the right trigger, where the primary weapons would normally be; on the Xbox 360 controller, weapons fire is controlled by the X, A, and B buttons. The QB dodge should have been accessible through a double tap on the left thumb stick, freeing up the right trigger. Consider the implications of this fact when you try to speed boost (controlled by the left trigger), quick boost, and fire all the same time: So that's two index fingers on the triggers, two thumbs on the thumb sticks, and... my tongue on the A button?
All in all, Armored Core 4 has a great deal of potential, and I wait with bated breath for the improvements to come in the next one. The developers could have made some beneficial tweaks here (the soundtrack) and there (the controls), but the design is eminently streamlined and easily accessible to the initiate player. While the learning curve does steepen beyond the first few missions, enough time and practice can make even the greenest of pilots into a decent one. Just remember that your play style and AC may not always match the mission at hand. Each AC is a work of art, and piloting one is like driving a Ferrari with guns--lots of guns. I've got my keys. Where's yours?