Intellectual Gamer

There is a conflict when reviewing Armoured Core games that must be acknowledged at the immediacy. Armoured Core has been around since the days of ‘Playstation One’ as so if you are new to the series, as I imagine many players are, you must plan on not being as connected to the franchise as many of its fans, such as myself, are. If you are a new player the game will be the equivalent in emotional content to entering the LOTR series on the final book; sure it’s cool but without your impressions and memories from the past its hardly engaging. With this in mind to be fair this review needs to take two perspectives; the perspective of the Armoured Core initiate, and the perspective of the Armoured Core elder.

Armoured Core: For Answer is a third person action game in which you play as a NEXT (mecha) mercenary that adopts various contracts from different companies in order to earn credits ($). The setting is a post apocalyptic world in which giant corporations call the shots. You, being a mercenary, are just trying to earn a buck while becoming a more recognized and thereby desired mercenary. If you acknowledge the premise that making money is good and there is no fundamental moral black and white you’ll fit right into this universe.

Throughout the game you will have various mission choices that will effect the availability of certain other missions in the future and in finality the end outcome of the game. As you progress through missions you will have the ability to replay them at any moment for extra money and to attempt to boost your overall rank. Beside the main flow of story you will as well be able to participate in arena matches in which you earn money for one on one NEXT combat.

This game truly is about the NEXT’s however. With all the nonsensical storylines and plot twists aside if you are playing Armoured Core you are playing because you want to make badass Mechas. Armoured Core: For Answer does not dissapoint in this regard. Not only can you customize the appearance and ability of your NEXT but you are also able to tune it which adds alot of depth to the game. This was feautured in the last appearance of the game as well, however seems to be much more flushed out in this version. In the last reiterment you’d be tuning to add 10 extra kilometers now you’ll be tuning to add 100! On top of this the game added alot of new parts that make it more playable for different playing styles. For example, in the last game equiping your NEXT with blades and flying around trying to chop people was nigh improbable, however in For Answer the addition of side equpiment which ups your boosting ability makes the improbable more probable. This was an addition that was greatly appreciated by myself.

Strengths:

• Great Customisation: Not so much the quantity of parts that is important but more so the type of parts and the abilities they gave them equates to lots of freedom and loads of fun.
• Replayability: Hard Mode literally changes elements of the missions rather than just adjust difficulty, and the multiple story branches ensures alot of replayability in this game.
• New Additions to the Universe: Alot of very cool new ideas such as a VTOL booster (a giant rocket strapped to your NEXT that allows you to infilitrate battles at rapid speeds), a Super Saiyan ‘esk power up that causes a gigantic explosion around you, and Battle Fortresses (gigantic bosses that you need to fight strategically with akill and purpose).
• Holy Crazyness Batman: AC4 was fast, this is much faster. More weapons, More life, More Damage, and More Speed equate to much more crazyness.

Weaknesses:

• More of a Tweak: Similar to old AC progress of evolution this version feels like more of an expansion pack then a new game.
• Short Missions: The missions are ridiculously short (I’ve finished many in less than a minute)
• Conduluted Storyline: Whats going on??? What’d he say??? Who was that??? equates to ‘Who cares?!?’

Overall Armoured Core: For Answer is a good step in the right direction; it takes AC4 puts it on speed and lets it go crazy! However it still feels like an expansion pack rather than a new game. If you are an Armoured Core fanatic and for some reason didn’t purchase AC4 this game is worth purchasing, however if you did buy the previous installment it will seem like to much of the same game to warrant a full purchase. If you are new to the franchise and are curious about the game there is a good chance you will not find as much value in it, as so its a rental for you to test the water, if you like this one the next game will more then likely be worth purchasing. There are alot of new additions but the similarity is still shocking

My ratings: Armoured Core Elder: If you own AC4 rent AC: For Answer, however if you haven’t purchased an AC for a next gen yet make sure to buy Armoured Core: For Answer. Armoured Core Initiate: Rent this game; test the water.

Loved: Alot of new cool parts which allow for more flexibility in playing style and creativity.

Detest: The missions are way to short!

Bonus: My ultimate AC4 control scheme (not for the faint of heart): LS-Quickboost, LT-Boost, LB-Overboost, RS-Fire Right Weapon, RT-Fire Left Weapon, RB-Fire Shoulder Weapon, X-Change Left Weapon, A-Change Right Weapon, Y-Lock-On, B-Reset View.

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