Armored Core 2: Another Age

"Both a fun and lacking ride."

The first thing you witness starting Armored Core 2: Another Age is the opening cinema. Since this is only my second AC game, I must say that I was impressed. To see two different machines, each based on a different concept~high damage/high weight, middle damage/middle weight, is a treat and testament that any AC can hold it's own.

Opening displays a map with the words Nerves Concord displayed, then you are given a set of options. Having already exported my AC2 data (which helped a great deal), I went to the garage to outfit my robot. To my surprise, the graphic hadn't changed. It was the same garage graphic that was in AC2. Only slightly disappointed, I went into my assembly screen to create. Another twist, yet expected; Several of my favorite parts had been modified. Many instances, a welcome change, and others, manageable differences. Checking out the shop, I found that all parts from AC2, including the secret parts, were available. However, I had all the parts, so there was nothing new for me to buy. After a few tweaks, it was time to begin a mission. Opening the mission screen once more displayed the map with a single green symbol, the name displayed in the blue box, located at the bottom right hand corner. No place to go save there, so off we go. After completing the first mission within a few moments, I was returned to the map screen and greeted with the message that new area's were available. Opening my missions again, I saw several, with the game graciously displaying the number of missions each contained for that point in time, and their difficulty. However, the number can be difficult to interpret, depending on your playing ability.

Going through the game was both an enjoyable and frustrating experience. Enjoyable, in the sense that the game had many different situations; Never had I anticipated mission that would force me to change my AC type, only to pit me against odds not in my favor. Many more missions offered different battle situations, including types against ACs many though, to be no longer a threat. Yea right. The downside is that the difficulty of certain missions are very deceptive. There were times when I was having enough trouble to pluck my beard out of existence. While managing to accomplish missions after several tries, even then, the result wasn't much money from having to repair my AC and refill my munitions there-after. It will take a new player much patience and determination, to achieve the success rating.

This AC game is primarily a mission game. There IS an arena, yet you don't have the choice of picking your arena or the next opponent. Instead, they are against a single raven, and you pick up the bill for your damage and your munitions. However, the missions pay well enough, to cover expenses when you do moderately well. Mission-wise, there are over ninety-two missions to play, of varying types; Like defending a ship, only to attack that same vessel, or going after a rogue raven as a request. Versus-play has the arenas which were in AC2, adding the new mission locations to diversify the playing field. However, there are two, possibly three points in this game that don't make it another AC2, aside from the fact of no arena and a mass of missions to take.

First off is the addition of twenty-four new parts. A blend of AC parts, internals, extensions and weapons round out the select, and many parts are worth the effort to add your collection, thus allowing more customization ability. In addition with the part tweaks to AC2's parts, it invites a player to explore and build an AC that they enjoy piloting. However, don't expect these parts (save one) to be purchasable. You need to earn them by filling mission requirements, finding them, or receiving them after you complete all the missions in a certain area. Second is the addition of the VS mission. You and a friend do a mission together, sometimes cooperatively, other times, at one anothers throats. There are eight of them, and each is diverse enough to keep your interest. However, some of them put one player or the other at a downright disadvantage, resulting in frustration for the receiver. Finally, there are secret missions, only unlockable when you beat the game. I'm not going to go into detail here about them, but I will say that they give you a real insight to 'mass power'.

All in all, as in any game suggestion I give, rent it first. For myself, I am pleased with the game, and cannot put it down for any lengthy amount of time. It was money well spent, allowing me both to challenge myself on a grand scale, and enjoy doing it. While I am proabably nit-picking about minor faults, don't let them deceive you into thinking that this game isn't worth the time or effort. Because it's very much WORTH every minute.

Graphics: 6/10-The game doesn't offer much in the way of a new look. They are the same as you find in AC, though with improvements. Th slowdown and graininess has been cleaned up a fair amount, and new areas have been designed. Yet many graphics (like that in the garage), are reused many times over.

Sound: 8/10-Explosions, bolts flying through the air, and the sound of your energy blade dragging across your enemy are crisp and easy to distinguish. My primary complain is the music, which at times, doesn't set the scene very well. However, it isn't anything that will grate your nerves.

Control: 10/10-Very responsive. At first it takes some getting used to the set-up, but you can remap your keys to how you would like. And it makes use of every button on the controller. Your AC, despite how you build it, handles how you want it. Lights move quickly in gate, and heavyweight humanoids plot along with a stomp in their step.

Story: 3/10-I detected no real story-line, and this disappointed me, after playing AC2s. Over time, you learned who the antagonist was. In AC2: AA, you have a doozy of a time learning who's behind it all. Even then, you really never find out, despite the game inciting such a thing may exist. Ah well.

Play Attractment: 9/10-24 new parts, new missions and the ability to experience said missions in ways not previously beheld on the PS2? Jolly good.

Now after all this, it should seem like a good fun ride. And despite the minor faults, it is.

Overall: 7/10-The difficulty will likely drive new players away, yet even then, all players will enjoy building their own ACs and pitting them against the computer-controlled opponents or human opposition. It's the same thing as AC2 (only heavily mission-based), yet hardly ''broke''. And since it isn't broke, why bother to try and fix it? Go play it!

8D

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/05/01, Updated 09/05/01