Game Rating: T
Game Publisher: Ubisoft
Platform: XBOX 360 (for this review) and Playstation 3
Release Date: September 16, 2008
Available at: Amazon for $59.99
I profiled “Armored Core for Answer” when I first heard about it at the E3 Conference. I was really excited for this title to be released. Luckily, I had the chance to get a copy of this video game from Ubisoft and I’m quite excited to be reviewing it for the XBOX 360. While it is true that it is also available for game play on the Playstation 3, I was more excited to know that I was getting this for the XBOX 360. That’s how I originally saw the game played at E3 and on G4, though I’m sure the game is fine for Playstation, as well.
What’s funny about this is the fact that the “Armored Core” series actually started out on the Playstation. In fact, its first title was on the PS 1. There have been 12 other Armored Core titles with “Armored Core for Answer” being #13 in the series. “Armored Core for Answer” is actually a sequel to “Armored Core 4″. It takes many of the features that made “Armored Core 4″ a fun game and builds upon those to make a bigger, better system. Many of the updates were just what fans of this series had hoped for, myself included.
While I never played the original Armored Core on the PS 1 (I missed the entire PS 1 craze, opting for the 2 instead when it came out), I have played the last few titles. I can’t help but say how impressed I am with how far this series has come. “Armored Core for Answer” provides many hours of gameplay and the online modes make this game limitless as far as game play boundaries go. I’ve never had quite as much fun in an online community as I’ve had playing “Armored Core for Answer”, and that’s no lie!
When its all said and done, I have found that this story is relatively unique to the AC franchise. There aren’t other games out there like “Armored Core for Answer” and any of those that bear a resemblance to this game are far inferior to this series. I was waiting for this game to come out ever since E3 and I’m glad its finally released. AC fans and other gamers who like battle-inspired gameplay can really get into this series and it all begins with “Armored Core for Answer”.
Story:
This game is played from your perspective. You won’t know who you are exactly nor is your gender specifically identifiable. Essentially, you’re an unknown protagonist and anything else known about you is unimportant to the plot. In this game, the world has become an essential wasteland, that is pretty much uninhabitable by the human race. Just imagine the world now in 100 years if Global Warming were to speed up excessively and you’ll have the Armored Core world! The cause for the state of this particular world is a combination of human pollution and harmful waste that is given off by something known as Kojima particles.
It’s been ten long years since the National Dismantlement War. If anyone wants to survive, then a solution has to be found. The few corporations left that are a part of the Pax Economica do what they can to help. It’s their job because the world is now run by the League of Corporations. Their answer is building habitats, called Cradles, that are large and also happen to be airborne. In fact, each Cradle is 7,000 meters above the surface of the Earth! Essentially, people live like the Jetsons! This keeps them safe from contact with the highly deadly surface of the Earth. While only a majority of the population are able to live in the air, some must remain on the Earth. As you might imagine, jealousy and hatred for the airborne population leads to resistance by those on the ground.
Some of the Earth surface dwellers form a major resistance group known as ORCA. They work outside of any other group including The League. Their primary purpose is to oppose the move from the surface to the air. They also fight for the resources that are still on the Earth, which feed the airborne residents of the Cradles. They feel that the air dwellers have abandoned the Earth, so why should they feast off its resources? They are also incredibly dangerous. Their huge arsenal of weapons doesn’t hurt, especially when their primary enemy is the corporations.
Essentially the protagonist (you) controls a highly advanced armored core called a NEXT. This is piloted by a mercenary for hire known as a Linx. The Linx work for a group that is separate from the League (though under its jurisdiction) and it’s called Collared. In the NEXT, you’re stuck between the ORCA members and the corporations, having to battle each side. With different factions having Arms Forts, which are super weapons, it is up to the protagonist to battle these super weapons and destroy them.
One of the other main groups you’ll encounter in this game is the Line Ark. The Line Ark is a sect that has formed a city/state on the sea. Like ORKA, the Line Ark are against the League and disagree with forming Cradles. While this group started out fairly and fought for peace and justice, unsavory individuals have infiltrated Line Ark and made it nearly as corrupt as The League. However they are hard to beat merely because the are protected by a powerful NEXT, White Glint.
Enjoyment/Fun Factor: 
Features:
To start things off, let’s talk about the new interface for “Armored Core for Answer.” It’s an updated version from what is available in “Armored Core 4″. The HUD is fully customizable color wise, with the option of choosing 1 out of 20 different colors. That’s not all that is customizable. Your NEXT (AC) is also highly customizable, even moreso than the HUD.
You have the opportunity to paint and add emblems to your very own NEXT. This means you can fight in any kind of NEXT you want with any design you can manage to come up with, which can make for some incredibly humorous looking battle scenes. The skies the limit when it comes to design. This isn’t the only part of the game that is customizable.
Before you beautify your NEXT, you can build it up. You can add limbs, heads, a plethora of weapons parts, a generator to keep things running, booster packs and a lot more. Make a huge tank of a NEXT that can run down and destroy just about everyone or everything in sight or a small, stealthily yet deadly NEXT that can sneak up on enemies faster than they can see it. Half the fun was building my NEXT and then came ultimate destruction. Really, how can you argue with a game where your primary objective is to blow things up?
One feature that is passed on from Armored Core 4 is the points you have for the Fire Control System. This allows you to distribute these points to various other systems that are a part of your NEXT. I’m sure you’re probably wondering how you can earn these points and that’s easy. You earn the points by completing missions. These points will do things like boost your generator and booster pack, increase your speed, turning ability and enhance your weapons in various ways. This has allowed for nearly limitless increasing capabilities.
So, I’m sure you’re asking why are there so many options in “Armored Core for Answer”. A major reason is to support the numerous different endings that have been created, depending on how you play the game. There are three alternative paths you can take and each will get you to a different ending point, so if you finish the game, you can play it all over again in a different way and be playing an entirely new version of the same exact game.
Here is a list of some of the new and updated features that make this game even more worthwhile than the previous games in the franchise:
-Multiple endings and story points
-highly detailed/intricately drawn maps you can use
-highly customizable ACs
-updated online mode with a co-operative mode as well as player vs. mode
-advanced FCS system with over 442 turning points
-various boosts including VOB (Vanguard Over Boost)
-customizable interface/HUD
-high level of briefing helps make missions clear
Written by Dominick - Visit Website
Dominick is a twentysomething guy, who has been gaming since the days of Atari. Enthralled by his first NES before he even turned 10, he’s long been a gamer and a Nintendo enthusiast. Dominick is in a wheelchair, so he writes from the unique perspective of gaming with limited mobility. He loves playing his PS3, his Xbox 360 and even his Nintendo Wii and DS. His favorite games are action/adventure FP & MP shooter, and racing games. Amongst his favorite game series are Brother in Arms, Fallout, Armored Core, anything Mario and Legend of Zelda. When not gaming, Dominick is a human rights activist, sports enthusiast, political guru, aspiring filmmaker and homeschooling father. You can find him on twitter nearly every day so feel free to add: dominickevans.
No comments yet.