Armored Core

"One of the greatest games ever!"

I don't like giving 10's or 1's except when a game has absolutely no bad points. If I could give fractions, this game would get about a 9.75. Well, on to the ratings!

GRAPHICS: 8/10

These graphics are great; what else can I say? Your mech fits together seamlessly. Your weapons fire nice looking bullets. The explosions are the best this side of Einhander. Some enemies are HUGE, yet they have great detail. You can even see the emblem on an opposing AC during combat! These graphics are great! There is a downside, though. If you fly high enough, the ground seems to look like a patchwork quilt. Also, some of the textures are a little bit grainy. Although there are only a few CG animations, they look good and are of good quality.

SOUND/MUSIC: 9/10

The music in this game RULES!!! It really fits the mood perfectly. The sound effects sound great if you pump up the sound on your TV. The explosions, the bullets flying, the boosters firing... the sound effects are very well done.

GAMEPLAY: 9/10

You build a mech out of parts you buy. Then, you pilot it on various missions to make money and, maybe, save the world. The possible AC combonations are endless! You can customise the colors, and even go so far as to use a paint program and design an emblem to go on your AC (Mech). While piloting, you have to use strategy to outwit your opponents, as well as having good piloting skills and good weapons. The variety of missions is good, although they are generally too short and there aren't enough of them. If they were longer, and there were more, this category would get a 10.

CONTROL: 9/10

Your AC responds well to your commands. The only problem I have is looking up and down. You use the L2 and R2 buttons, but I think that it would be better if you used one of the analog sticks to do that.

REPLAY VALUE: 9/10

With lots of secrets, and the fact that you can work for one of two companies, gives this game good replay value. Of course, you can whip through it as many times as you want with a new AC, and try to find all the hidden parts, or try to win it only using a blade. Stuff like that. I've beaten it a few times, and I still find myself plaing it.

OVERALL: 9/10

If they cleaned up the graphics a little, added more and longer missions, and put in a few more hidden secrets, this game would definitely get a 10. Armored Core is definately a piece of gaming history, and probably my favorite game out there. It has spawned 3 sequels, and a fourth is on the way. Nothing can stop Armored Core!

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 04/03/01, Updated 04/03/01