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| | Difficulty: 3 | | Learning Curve: 3 | Published by:  endless | | Date: 2007-04-12 |
| | Gameplay |    | 8
| | Graphics | | 8
| | Sound | | 9
| | Value | | 9
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I will start out with a description provided by Sega of America on Armor Core 4.
Armored Core®, the mech action game that defined the mech genre is back to take on next-generation platforms! Armored Core® 4 reinvigorates the brand by offering an all-new storyline, new environments, and online capability. The 10th anniversary of the acclaimed franchise will be punctuated with a leap to next-generation platforms that will ensure the highest quality in both gameplay and visual performance.
Features
- Multiplayer functionality allows up to eight players to battle online.
- Join one of six factions specializing in different aspects of battle.
- 30 missions played out in detailed futuristic 3D environments.
Fly through canyons and rip through cities battling multiple enemies.
- Deploy "Quick Boost" and "Over Boost" features for precise explosive movement and precision control of AC units.
- Engage "Primal Armor" the all-new defense shield that adjusts its strength according to specific battle conditions.
When I first fired up this game, I was delighted to see the intro to the game. It depicts a normal mech, and a next doing battle. I knew of course this was not actually in game footage, but nonetheless it was great to watch.
When I got to the main screen, I was presented with 3 options, new game, load game, and mulitplayer. Simple and effective. I started a new game, and was present the option to pick which type of mech I would like to use. I'm a mech player from way back, and always loved being in the slower, yet power packing mechs. So I picked the heavy mech and started from their.
 But before I started, I went threw all the options the game presented me with. At first its a bit overwhelming due to all the customization options available. But I spent about thirty minutes getting to know the interfaces. You can change out any part of your mech, change mech schematics (ie change your mech type), and even paint your mech to your liking. Painting is geared more for showing off your color scheme in an online battle. But its nice to play threw the game, in a mech you colored yourself.
After I messed around with settings and, colors I went on and played threw the game. There are a few ways you can play this game. there is a main objective, with supportive units. The supportive units, on most missions can be ignored. But I'm not that type of player, so I always engaged them. It made it difficult to keep your ammo up, to be able to tackle the main objective. You can do away with the support units all together, and go straight for the main objective.
Now this is where the problem lays with other reviewers. Instead of sitting down, and trying out both sides of the game. They just went directly to the objective and took it out. You can finish mission's in rapid succession this way. But you miss out on the feeling of being a huge, superior mech. The reason you can wipe these units out so fast is, the fact that you are the latest and greatest mech, called a next. If they were to give up a strong opposition, it would take away from the believability of the game.
The first mission, basically gets your feet wet. It starts you off in a city setting with a bridge as a choke point for the enemy. While others whined about it having smaller boundaries, it is due to you having to fight your way threw these choke points. I found no problems being able to duck and hide, and come out of hiding and blasting my way threw anything in my way. So I found the boundaries to be of great importance. If you were able to run around, and attack the targets from all angles the game would be extremely easy. But having to use the cover you have around you to take on targets presents a whole new spin to the game. The intro movie showed just how effective cover can be.
Now that I have touched upon my experience lets move on to the ratings.
I will be rating in this order:
1: Gameplay
2: Graphics
3: Sounds/Music
4: Online
5: Replayability
Gameplay
At first I found the control scheme not to my liking. You had to remove your thumb from a thumb sticks to fire your weapons. So I went into the options and found the second setting to my liking. It uses the bumper pads as your fire buttons. Which allowed me to never leave my thumb sticks. In doing so, I was able to track and engage my enemies, without ever moving my thumbs away from the thumb sticks. I highly recommend doing so. The learning curve isn't to step. I started out in the tutorial section, and pretty much mastered the controls before ever hitting the missions. The first set of missions is a bit easy, but it allows you to get used to your mech, and learn to use it in your fighting style.
After about 7 missions under my belt, I was using the control scheme just fine. I never switched out my mech urning the course of the game, I did upgrade it, but it fit my style of fighting so well I never changed it. The second time that I played threw it, I did in fact change my schematics quite often, to see what the other mechs had to offer. It was also trial and error to find that right schematic, and weapon layout for later use online.
At times if you have rockets mounted on your shoulders, you will have a slight problem aquiring targets, but once you get to know the controls you can get around this problem. But still it was a problem, so it will be taking away from the score.
Now the one thing that I did not like about gameplay, was the fact that you could not switch to a *****pit view. I highly enjoyed *****pit views in the past, and wish they would have brought this option to Armor Core 4.
Another problem, I found highly annoying, is there is no restart mission option, and if you do die, you are taking all the way back to the mission select screen. No option to just try again. Load times are acceptable, but if you are trying out a few techniques during a mission, you will have to endure this load time. I found that highly annoying. Also somewhat unacceptable.
At the mission end you are presented with the woman that gives you intel and wishes you luck, and gives guidance during the missions. Well the problem with this, is that with most mission ends, she says the same thing. A few boss levels she will say something different. But for the most part its the same thing. Kind of a downer. Sega could have expanded her mission end statements a bit more.
Graphics
I found the graphics to be on par with the type of genre you are playing. You play in desert's, ice lands, sea settings, city settings, and interior settings. All are fresh and give you that feel of decades of fighting. Drab buildings, sand build up along the sides of them, deserts that offer little dips and valleys that offer protection from enemy fire. But the interior settings, I found could be a little more detailed. It usually consist of a drop down chamber, with branching corridors to another chamber. That got a little old, because you don't see doors or windows for offices/control rooms, or any other signs of a facility. So that somewhat took away from the experience of fighting indoors.
Lighting is great, when you fire your jets on your mech, the reflect as you would expect and give that feeling of speed. The rockets, explosions, rifle shots are believable. Impacts on mechs, walls and other surfaces are also believable. Shoot around in a indoor setting and you will see explosion marks. But they are all the same, so that kind of detracts from believability also. Explosions on mechs, and the rocket trails are highly believable. Especially with the impacts, get hit with enough rockets and you will be blinded by the explosion. You have no option but to try and evade the missiles to be able to see your opponent.
Now where other reviews whined about the bleak gray atmosphere of the city landscapes, fail to realize that this world has been in constant conflict for decades. I don't know why a city would try and spruce up their buildings when they know they have a chance of getting destroyed. Resources are limited and, in my opinion they kept it as cost effective as possible. To enjoy the game you have to view it from this standpoint.
Sound/Music
The sound effects are incredible in this game, I love launching missiles on my 5.1 surrond sound and hearing the whoosh of them leaving my rocket pods. The explosions are highly believable, and enjoyable. I had a few complaints from neighbors with this game. Also when you straff side to side, the sound of the boosters going off is incredible also. The music for the levels fits in perfectly with what the type of mission your currently playing. I had no problems leaving the music on. With the next gen consoles we have come accustom to a level of sound. This game does well living up to that level.
Online:
I recommend playing unranked games at first. You have the option of 1vs1, 4vs4, and 8vs8. Id start out with 1vs1 to get the feel of it. Then move up accordingly. Once you have put together a mech that you feel confident with, (I have a few for different purposes) feel free to tackle the ranked matches.
There are a few sets of maps, people have whined that online is nothing more then showing off your mech. I think that is a moronic statement. You fight, to see who is superior in evasion and attack. I've used mechs that were heavy again puny low armor, but fast mechs, and have had my butt handed to me. Some of the players are highly skilled, and in the end its all about who uses their mechs to their full potential. Expect to change your mechs configuration around quite a few times, until you find that mech that fits your fighting style, a lot of trial and error, but once you get a mech you can fight with, and win its a great feeling.
Replayability
This is up for grabs, if your a achievements kind of person then defiantly. If your a mech lover, and want to take on the game with a different mech, then it has high replayability. At the moment it is the foremost mech game in my game list. I have logged countless hours on this game. And have enjoyed ever minute of it. It is a game, that will highly appeal to mech lovers, but will also be a great game to play threw, with no mech lovers, in the end it might put a good taste in your mouth, and you too will like mech games.
Now comes the much awaited scoring:
1: Gameplay 8.5
2: Graphics 8
3: Sounds/Music 9.5
4: Online 9
5: Replayability 8
Pros
- Great gameplay
- Intresting missions
- Sound is intergrated perfectly
- Online play is addictive
Cons:
- No Cockpit view
- No restart mission
- Complicated customization unless time is spent learning it
- Bland environmental damage
- Under detailed interior level design
- As of yet no addon multiplayer maps
In ending I recommend this game, if you are a previous mech player, or just want to be exposed to the world of mechs.
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