Armored Core 2

"A "core" game to any PS2 library."

Ok I promise you no more bad puns for the rest of the review. But to stay true to the synopsis this is definitely a game that everyone should own. It has fun game play. Giant robots. Non-linearity. GIANT robots and 2 player action. Did I also mention it has giant robots? Personally I'm a big fan of giant robots or in this case armored cores.

Armored Core 2 puts you into the pilot seat of your very own core (game term for a mech). Your mission as a Raven is...well you have 45 of them to choose from. Some of them are simplistic destroy everything operations, but most of them have added objectives, like rescuing hostages or protecting cargo. However the reader should be warned that the controls are nowhere in the same universe as easy. Controlling your core is very complex. However, after a few days of getting used to it you will find that they are perfect for efficiently controlling your core. Its not like other games where the controls are poor just because the developers are lazy. There is a reason behind the complexity.

Working for your many clients will not be an easy task. Fortunately, your clients provide you with many parts and accessories in order to bring your core up to date with current technology. The aspect of this game that sets it apart from other mech fighters is it's deep and complex customization options. According to www.gamerevolution.com there are an estimated 10 billion combinations. Including parts you can also give your core a new paint job or create an emblem for it. Like the controls, however, it can be too complex. For example, when I first went shopping for new parts I saw an item that had blue positive arrows in every category. So I was like ''cool I'll buy this''. They however forget to inform you that the part may make your core overweight. Phooey. And then when I was able to equip the part It wasn't even better then the original part. Sometimes the statistics lie to you.

Two player, while fun for a half hour or so is nothing to write home about. Its just a versus death match on a vertical screen. The vertical screen by the way makes it nearly impossible to play to your full potential. There is also an arena mode where you fight to the death (ok not to the death) with the other ravens for the ultimate title of Nine breaker.

Considering the fact this is an early PS2 title the sound and graphics are phenomenal. The background music is pretty generic, but the sound effects make you feel like your part of the game. The game also runs on a solid frame rate with a high polygon count. I have never experienced any slow down even with tons of objects on the screen

I really wanted to give this game a 9/10. Trust me I did. However there were too many flaws that could not be overlooked. Multiplayer was disappointing. Parts statistics were misleading. And just go ahead and try to make sense of the instruction manual. I understand that complex controls and customization are important to game play, but you could at least make the manual organized and readable.

Overall I think you will be able to see past its flaws and enjoy this game.

Score:8/10(B+)
+Lots of missions
+Combat that never gets old
+/-Complex controls and customization
-Misleading parts information
-Couldn't make sense of the instruction manual.

Would Grand Admiral rent or buy? Buy.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 08/27/02, Updated 08/27/02