Are you the sort of gamer who finds complexity and a steep learning curve off-putting, or do you thrive on them?
It's not just that the game sports a greater selection of individual mech components before, or that each part is now individually upgradeable; it's also the changes to the gameplay itself that help make this the most tactical and complex entry in the series to date. No longer is it possible to blaze around the battlefield at hypersonic speeds, -- at least not indefinitely -- nor is it possible to gain altitude through continuous boosting. Lighter mech designs are still nimble, but no design can get by without judicious use of the boost capability, and the only way to ascend skyward is by something that bears an awfully close resemblance to wall-jumping (it doesn't look as silly as it sounds). Add to this the comparatively smaller scale of the mechs, -- which would still tower over your average town house but can no longer stomp across city-scrapes Godzilla-style -- and the balance becomes skewed far more in favor of pilots who make strategic use of the environment, instead of those relying solely on preternatural reflexes.
This shift in emphasis is further reinforced by the way the game handles both cooperative and competitive online sorties. Teams of up to five players can take on a variety of mission types, including both "story" and stand-alone missions against AI opponents, or they can take part in the extremely ambitious and innovative "conquest" mode, which sees teams of players fighting to capture and control territories in a persistent online space. Whatever type of mission players choose to embark on, they may also bring along an "operator" -- a human-controlled overseer with sensor-equipped drones at his or her disposal and the ability to relay vital information about enemy units and defences to the other players on the team. At minimum, a competent operator will be of immense benefit for simply marking hostile targets and identifying their strengths and weaknesses; but a good operator can steer their team to victory over tremendous odds by formulating devastating strategies on the fly, and guiding individual team-members towards functioning as a cohesive unit.
I could continue on and describe all the myriad improvements to the visuals, sound, and gameplay but I doubt any of that will help someone determine whether this game is worth purchasing for them. The fact is that despite how nicely the game looks and plays (although it is by no means cutting-edge in the looks department), your enjoyment will depend almost entirely on whether your a fan of the genre, and whether you like games that adopt a decidedly cerebral approach. For anyone who just wants to jump in a giant robot and shoot things, Armored Core: V is likely to be nothing but an exercise in frustration; and it doesn't help that neither the manual, nor the in-game hint system, provide much in the way of help. But unlike a lot of mainstream reviewers *cough*Gamespot*cough* , I think that FROM deserve praise for catering to a particular niche, rather than trying to appeal to the masses.