Armored Core: For Answer Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I've seen the Armored Core series before and heard bad things about Armored Core 4, but I wanted to give Armored Core 4A a try anyway since it sounded like they made your mechs more configurable and the gameplay more fun. I can't compare to the previous ones since I haven't seen them, but my hunch is they succeeded.
The game is fun and supports a variety of play styles (missiles or guns? Heavy or light?) with a wide variety of parts. There are even quite a bit of blades for melee combat and some ECM and counter-ECM gear. Configuration is fun and a huge part of the game.
The game features many large enemies such as naval vessels and quite a few huge arms forts. These forts are gargantuan in size and really fun to fight since they give you something to unleash loads of ordinance on that doesn't dodge out of the way rapidly and can blow you away with its immense firepower.
Although this is apparently a staple of the series, I didn't like the fact that I was limited to firing only three weapons at a time (left, right, and shoulder mounted weapons). You can swap between your arm weapons and back mounted weapons, but you can't fire your arm and back weapons simultaneously. This made me feel that perhaps the people who designed these awesome robots never thought of the idea that someone might want to actually fire everything.
I guess my last mech game was MechWarrior so I'm spoiled that way. Another staple of the MechWarrior series missing in Armored Core is the first person cockpit view. It seems like it'd be very easy to add (just move the camera forward a bit and hide your mech. Maybe add a crosshair), but you're limited to a third person view.
The parts have reams and reams of statistics associated with them, so designing a mech is not exactly simple, but this added to the richness of the game for me. I would have liked to have more money to spend early on so I'd have a little more variety in the parts I could stick on my mech when going up against a tricky mission.
Bottom line: Good game, lets you blow stuff up, supports a variety of styles of play, and seems to be an improvement from what I've seen of the series. I recommend this if you're into mechs or things that go boom.

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Massive development and aerial pollution have been harming the planet. People recognize how little time is left until the end of the world. Thanks to their massive amount of military strength, The League corporations are in control of the planet's infrastructure and their people are living in the air to avoid the contamination. The ORCA, forced to live on the surface of the polluted planet, organized the resistance and have amassed a formidable arsenal. As a mercenary armed with cutting edge military robot technology, choose your side and defeat the other factions by taking on GIANT Mechanical weapons.

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Armored Core 4 Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Armored Core 4 - Circa 2007
(Special note: If you never played an Armored Core game before and don't care much for huge battling mechs with endless menus of customization drop this score down to a one star. Also if you have Xbox Live and want to try this game you can download a demo for it over XBL Marketplace)
GOOD:
- Armored Core finally comes Xbox ... well Xbox 360.
- Online Play with up to 8 Players online (at once) and be able to trade schematics (your mechs blue prints) online with other gamers.
- The Graphics in this title are pretty good and a step above the previous generation of Armored Core titles on PS2 with most levels having sweeping vistas and energy blades looking like glowing pillars of light. Although on a bit of a sour note the landscapes are as barren as ever with most levels taking place in abandoned cities and deserts.
- More of the same great Armored Core action that fans of the series have come to expect (sorry fans this title seems to not have Nine-Ball thought). Over all, like in every Armored Core title the missions are a mixed-bag with some pretty lame missions mixed in with the over the top missions (so you can never expect what will come next).
BAD:
- The Story is very confusing even to long time Armored Core fans. In this title companies own countries and well after that most people will quickly get lost as well as stop caring.
- The store-garage section of the game has been redesigned as well from previous Armored Core games. Now you build your mech from a pool of available parts and after equipping you have the option to buy said parts before leaving the store-garage menu and going back to the main game. In this way the Shop and garage is now one place, and the effect is that it's all pretty confusing for both Armored Core fans and people new to the franchise.
- The contrast in this game was odd sometimes, now for most missions you can see clearly, but in some missions it is so dark you can't see more then a few spaces in front of you, but in other levels it was so bright that your screen will look almost completely white.
IF IT FITS YOUR TASTE:
- While in concept this game plays very much like Steel Battalion or Chromhounds the game play is much faster in pace.
- Tons of customization options for your mech, think of this game like the Grand Turismo of mech games. For those who have never have played this series before it can be pretty overwhelming.
- Paint your Mech (or any individual part/weapon) any color you want and have the option to have lots of different cameo styles too. On top of that you can even make your own patch/logo (using a bunch of clipart and such) and add this patch to any part of your mech as many times as you like (yes you can make your mech covered in logos and look like a Nascar if you wanted). Also, emblems or Patches that appeared in From Software's other mech game Chromehounds are also carried over into this game.
- Have up to five different mechs in your garage as well as schematics for lots of mech you have beaten in combat (during the single player game).
- With about 70 missions this Armored Core game is a bit shorted the previous ones, all missions have a normal and hard setting, unlock hard setting after you beaten the game.
- This game comes with two controller options and one custom option (setting up your own custom option is most likely your best bet).
- This Armored Core now has a totally redesigned HUD that has a minimalist look and takes up little space on your screen
- All mech come with an energy field called Primal Armor (or PA), which is a protective energy barrier that cuts down on damage taken, Over Boosting (think nitro's for mechs) or prolonged normal boosting can and will drain the effectiveness of this energy barrier (although it can and will recharge).
- The lockbox that is normally found in previous Armored Core games (which worked more like a gun sight) is now removed from the HUD all together; the game will now automatically try to lock on to enemies when in range. Holding down the lock button over an enemy (by default clicking in the Left analog) keeps the lock stuck on that target and makes a small window appear in the left corner of the screen with a zoomed up image of that target.
- You can now fight on water (hover just above the water line) unlike past AC games where you would fall straight to the bottom if contact were made with the water. If the player stops boosting, they will sink into the water but they are still able to get out to the surface if they boost. The only way to sink now is to let your mech go to far (underwater) and not boost out of the water. It should also be noted that in the games options you could set you mech to auto-boost over water so you don't have to hold the button and never have to worry about sinking.
- Boosting along the ground (slide boosting) no longer takes energy, now it will do the opposite and cause your energy bar to refill although more slowly the just standing still.
- Stabilizers have been added, these are parts that shift the balance of your mech (in a few areas), and they also serve to add an aesthetic looks to your mech.
GAME ITS MOST ASSOCATED TOO:
- Armored Core (PS1)
- Steel Battalion (Xbox)
- Chromhounds (360)
ADDITIONAL NOTES:
- This game is also on PS3
- Like I stated above if you have an Xbox-360 and Xbox Live (you don't even need a gold membership a sliver membership which is free will do) and want to try this game you can download the demo for it on Xbox Live Marketplace. It's a three missions long demo.
- The Moon Light Laser blade is in this title (but it's a hidden part)
- In this Xbox 360 version of the game you not only get achievements for beating chapters (6 in all) but also for beating certain mission on hard mode (usually the mission where you have to fight rival mechs) and for beating simulation packs which work as this games version of the Ranker Ladder that was found in previous Armored Core games.

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Armored Core 4 reinvigorates next-generation platforms with the classic action that defined mech games! This 10th anniversary edition of the hit games has an all-new storyline, new environments, and online capability.Engage Primal Armor the all-new defense shield that adjusts its strength according to specifi c battle conditions

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Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)You know, it's amazing that in this day and age, you can have a game with spectacular graphics and unbelievable surround sound and the game is just.... blah.
I mean, graphically Lost Planet is pretty nice. Beautiful, actually. There are some boss battles that are pretty astounding in how they are presented. There's one moment at the very beginning where a creature named Green Eye appears and the size of this thing is enough to make your jaw drop. There's also another moment when you're running across an open field getting chased by this monstrous worm thing that is an experience on its own. This is definitely a game that benefits from being played on an HDTV setup with surround sound.

But then the story kicks in and you can't deny that it makes very little sense, not to mention the fact that the hero of the story is really not an interesting character to begin with. The gameplay itself is a bit repetitive and really, the game just amounts to little more than eye and ear candy. Even when you're not on foot and riding around in the mechs, it just doesn't add up to any memorable experience.
The online portion of the game isn't enough to make you want to play it a lot, especially with games like Gears of War and Rainbow Six: Vegas out there. It's kind of stale and just not that interesting.
I'm really down the middle on this game. I'd say that it's worth a rental and then if you like it, get it. I wouldn't call this an outright purchase as it just didn't grab me the way I would've expected it to.

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In Lost Planet, human snow pirates navigate VS (Vital Suits) through hostile ice-covered environments, fighting against the indigenous Akrid creatures for the precious thermal energy they need to survive. For one such pilot named Wayne, death almost seemed imminent until he was fortunately rescued.However, he can only remember a few fragments of his past including the slaying of his father by the monstrous beings.Yet under the veil of ice, a devious plan has been set into motion for the termination of all Akrid and snow pirates alike. What really happened to Wayne?Who is plotting the destructive scheme?Encounter valuable allies and dangerous enemies on Wayne's search for the truth.

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