Time spent heavily engrossed in the customization isn't properly rewarded.
Story - 5/10: Obvsiouly meant for those far more versed in the past story line. As a newcomer to the series with this game, I had no idea what was going on.. and the game made no attempts to play catch-up with me. I did however feel compelled to play my role in whatever was going on, knowing money-grubbing Corperations were waging a greed-driven war.. and I was going to be the one to stop it.
Gameplay - 9/10: Honestly, aside from the heavy imbalance of online play due to certain schematics being far superior to others.. AC4 is one of the cleanest controlling games I've ever played. Control Scheme B, which you'll find is the most advantageous of the button layouts.. requires a learning curve which, with a bit of practice, becomes natural.
Replay value - 9/10: Oh.. the countless hours I could spend tweaking every aspect of my Mech. It's very addictive.. everything from the parts to the paint - It's Need for Speed Underground 2 and then some.. but with giant robots instead of cars. Unfortunately, all the time spent building a mech isn't rewarded. Missions require certain builds, and again.. online play favors certain builds over others. Simulations against the AI mechs provide a place to take your mech out for a short cruise.. but it gets old fast. My suggestion? Gets some friends to spend $10 and buy it too.. that way, you can all meet up and show off builds.
Online - 6/10: Pilots that still play are VERY good.. with powerful builds that make less-experienced players feel overwhelmed. Few maps are available, and their bland.. but really, cluttered environments would make fights frustrating. With some practice.. and swallowed pride to build a mech that may not fit your playing style.. online can be an enjoyable experience every now and then.
Overall - 7.5/10: This game runs for $10 now.. absolutely worth the money. While online play has been reduced to the hardcore veterans, designing mechs and blowing things up with them is a ton of fun. I have 30 hours invested in this game, and I don't regret it one bit.