Armored Core for Answer
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Armored Core for Answer
The Armored Core series has been around for a while and the game has seen its second PS3 release. With over 400 parts to customize your Mech the way you want it, 30 missions and 80 multiplayer battlefields this new Armored Core is a big step up this time around. In AC for Answer you are a mercenary who is in command of a high tech military robot who does missions for various factions battling other robots and various military forces, earning money and new equipment while building and designing new robots.
Gameplay
Each of the games missions are basically all the same, you are ordered to go to Location A, blow up B and head home. Simple and very direct as missions go, but this is not as boring as it might seem since the missions are actually varied due to the maps and the enemy who inhabit them.
Unlike other games with giant robots, such as FROM’s classic Chromehounds, one of the most fun multiplayer titles on the Xbox 360, Armored Core moves at hundreds and even thousands of kilometers per hour at times. The ability to move gracefully is almost out of place for a giant robot but not in this game, when most of them are fast and agile. Destroying these fast and agile ones can be difficult and sometimes the best offense is to use single shot weapons at key moments instead of firing everything you have across the board.
Customization of your ride is great, since as you win money, parts, designs and more as you continue to fight as a mercenary, you will be constantly tweaking your ride, building new ones and experimenting with what you have. There will be times when you will not be powerful enough or can not tweak your walking tank enough to make a dent in the mission, but by building, tweaking or some other act in the game you can eventually put the mission on its knees.
Multiplayer wise the game has one of the rarer and welcome features. Split Screen, it seems in recent years the entire concept of adding split screen in a game was a foolish idea, and while much of our gaming time is spent either on single player missions or playing online multiplayer it is nice to see the option. Multiplayer can also be played via a Local Area Network, but as only having one PS3 near me I could not try it out, but I can imagine it being a fun game during a LAN.
Graphics
Like most of FROM’s games, the graphics have their high points and their low points. The low points are very obvious from the bland level design, muted textures and lack luster special effects, but the high points are very high, with the robots you will drive being of the very highest quality and the CGI is nearing movie quality.
If the levels and textures were higher in actual quality the game would have had a better chance of being more memorable, but with simple geometric shapes being used to build almost all of the level geometry and low quality textures with some bland lighting to finish off the level you are left wondering if this game would look the same on the PS2.
Audio
The audio is hit and miss in Armored Core for Answer, with the limited music, excellent voice over work (when there is actual voice work), and there are some very spotty sound effects. Beyond the voice work, the rest of the audio is just the basic, average music which can best be described as passable for a current generation video game.
Value
If the multiplayer side of things catches you this will be a game with potentially with a long lasting value. But if the single player side of things is what you play, you will be left wanting something more in the end.
Bottom Line
FROM knows how to build some great action based “Mech” games and again they did a great job here and while it is far from perfect it is an excellent choice for action gamers who are looking for a kick. Armored Core for Answer is more then a rental but maybe not a buy for some gamers.
Pros
+ Fast and actually pretty fun
+ Customization is great, with plenty of options
+ Missions and levels are fairly varied
+ CGI scenes are impressive
+ Mechs are very well made
+ Voice over work is well done
Cons
- Levels are pretty ugly and basic
- Controls just never feel right at times
- Multiplayer felt a bit hinky
Final Verdict
Here's a small guide to help you understand our evaluation of games.
PRESENTATION GRADE
Can be from the game's box to the contents of the booklet, and even the game introduction. (Intro, menus, options, etc)
GRAPHIC GRADE
Up to what point the graphics have been worked on my the developper. The design type, the effort used for textures and environments, as well as animations and framerate.
AUDIO GRADE
Is the soundtrack a good match to the game's style, he ambient sounds keeping with the gameplay and the sound effects clear and convincing?
GAMEPLAY GRADE
Placement of the controls and the inferface that the player with be using during the game.
REPLAY VALUE GRADE
The most important factor in the evaluation of a game. It identifies the lifespan of the game and the fun of coming back again and again.
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