Armored Core: Formula Front

"Good...but the console bretheren win again."

When I saw this game, I had pretty high hopes. I mean, "Armored Core on the PSP? How can they pull this off?" Surprisingly, they didn't disappoint.

This game starts off rather quickly. You can jump right into the battles, choosing from one of five different pre-made ACs. They all have different weapons and body structures, allowing for variety right off the bat. You can only have 5 ACs, but that's more than the console games let you have!

Of course, what would an Armored Core game be without customization? This game has that, but...it could have been better. There are a LOT of parts to choose from, surprising due to the memory constraints, and they all have their stats that affect performance. The big problem with it is that you don't buy the parts...they're all given to you right away. You don't unlock them.

Gameplay wise, it was cut down, but it is still amazing. The battles are intense, and when you win, it's very rewarding. The controls are very responsive, and the nub does rather well for controlling. It might seem a little dull, since you're just doing arena battles, but, if you're looking for mission play, go to the console versions.

The graphics can be summed up with one word: stunning! They pulled out all the stops on this. The ACs look gorgeous, and the environments are very detailed. You might lose a few battles just by looking around.

The main complaints I have are:

1. Boring menu screens. They are dull, and not very interactive...lots of text to drive through.

2. No unlockable parts. That was part of the fun in the game...it showed how good you really were. There aren't a "lot" of parts so having some to unlock would've given some more replayability.

3. NO ONLINE PLAY! This would have made the game so much better...sure, Ad Hoc is nice, but I want to play with people across the globe!

Final Words:
If you like Armored Core, and have a PSP, do yourself a favor and at least rent this game. It is well worth your time, regardless of what is wrong. They did a nice job of bringing things together with the hardware.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 01/02/07