Armored Core 4 (Xbox360)
- Publisher:
- Sega
- Developer:
- From Software
- Release Date:
- 20.03.2007
- Number of players:
- n/a
- Type:
- Action
- Reality Factor:
- Science Fiction
- Perspective:
- Third-Person
- Extra:
- Militaristic
- Blood Level:
- Low Blood
- Age:
- Futuristic
2 movies
We play Armored Core 4...
Largely ignored by the general gaming populace, Mech games are as much of a part of the Eastern gaming diet as the taste for First Person Shooters is in the West; each release is generally met with solid sales from a hardcore fanbase, and complete bemusement by everybody else. That isn't to say that are no decent attempts however; Microsoft's MatchWarrior series, last year's ChromeHounds and even the cult appeal of the huge Steel Battalion controller has provided the genre at least enough of a profile for developers to continue to churn out titles, and none more so than From Software's Armoured Core series.
Armoured Core has always been known as a gearheads dream, and whilst version 4 tones down the complexity somewhat, newcomers are still likely to be as baffled as ever. The emphasis is firmly on building and customising your own match, right down to the individual decals and paint schemes on different parts of the frame. Think of it as a Forza Motorsport with giant robots and you won't be too far off the mark.
The range of different parts and individual tweaks on offer is truly vast, and even with some of the pre-built frames, it is still entirely possible to build a unique machine that acts as lumbering or as lithely as your taste dictates. Weapon choice and balance are key factors to take into consideration, and whilst loading your robot with the largest of ordinance will no doubt be the initial route that most newcomers will take; choosing a loadout that encompasses the need to boost around the battlefield quickly, whilst still packing enough of a punch, is key to success. AC4 almost acts as a strategy game in that respect, and altering the configuration of your machine to match the upcoming mission type becomes as much of a challenge as actually completing the action itself.
After building your match and applying your favourite paint scheme, the campaign challenges can be attempted in any order throughout each chapter. Basic control is good, and with enough practice it becomes second nature to boost around the battlefield, changing elevation and altering weapon choice on the fly. As long as you've chosen a configuration that suits your preferred gaming style, the core play mechanics are fairly satisfying, and somewhat make up for the lacklustre art direction. Most of the stages are graphically bland, with the occasional touch of design flair up close on some of the matches, and some decent lighting and post-processing effects used to accentuate water and fiery skies. These only divert attention for a moment or two however, and overall AC4 simply cannot compete on a graphical level with the heavy-hitters on the new-generation consoles.
Compounding the generally lacklustre artistic direction and the clumsily implemented interface, the missions themselves are a supreme disappointment. Most last for a few minutes at a maximum (and some considerably lass than that), and follow a hefty loading period each time. After customising your match for upwards of an hour, getting to effectively play-test for a few seconds before being booted back to the campaign screen is a huge disappointment, and undermines the fundamental aspects of the game design. After all, the customisation options are needed, and some missions simply cannot be beaten without choosing a suitable weapon set, but to offer up such a brief action payout for correct strategising is an appalling design choice, and one from which AC4 unfortunately never recovers.
With that said, there isn't a whole lot of choice for match fans on the latest generation of consoles at the moment; and with that in mind, AC4 will probably sell regardless of the flaws outlined above. From Software have effectively cornered the market on the 360 with this release and last year's fairly well-received ChromeHounds, but this is a genre crying out for a dose of originality and a solid implementation. Maybe once that happens, the Western market will wake up to the potential, and we'll have another blockbuster genre on our hands.
Top Game Moment: Earning enough to purchase that 'must-have' set of new match legs.
 |
 |
|
| AC4 can occasionally look pretty | One of the basic match designs |
Armoured Core has always been known as a gearheads dream, and whilst version 4 tones down the complexity somewhat, newcomers are still likely to be as baffled as ever. The emphasis is firmly on building and customising your own match, right down to the individual decals and paint schemes on different parts of the frame. Think of it as a Forza Motorsport with giant robots and you won't be too far off the mark.
The range of different parts and individual tweaks on offer is truly vast, and even with some of the pre-built frames, it is still entirely possible to build a unique machine that acts as lumbering or as lithely as your taste dictates. Weapon choice and balance are key factors to take into consideration, and whilst loading your robot with the largest of ordinance will no doubt be the initial route that most newcomers will take; choosing a loadout that encompasses the need to boost around the battlefield quickly, whilst still packing enough of a punch, is key to success. AC4 almost acts as a strategy game in that respect, and altering the configuration of your machine to match the upcoming mission type becomes as much of a challenge as actually completing the action itself.
 |
 |
|
| Night-time missions are fairly frequent | Level design is almost uniformly dull |
After building your match and applying your favourite paint scheme, the campaign challenges can be attempted in any order throughout each chapter. Basic control is good, and with enough practice it becomes second nature to boost around the battlefield, changing elevation and altering weapon choice on the fly. As long as you've chosen a configuration that suits your preferred gaming style, the core play mechanics are fairly satisfying, and somewhat make up for the lacklustre art direction. Most of the stages are graphically bland, with the occasional touch of design flair up close on some of the matches, and some decent lighting and post-processing effects used to accentuate water and fiery skies. These only divert attention for a moment or two however, and overall AC4 simply cannot compete on a graphical level with the heavy-hitters on the new-generation consoles.
Compounding the generally lacklustre artistic direction and the clumsily implemented interface, the missions themselves are a supreme disappointment. Most last for a few minutes at a maximum (and some considerably lass than that), and follow a hefty loading period each time. After customising your match for upwards of an hour, getting to effectively play-test for a few seconds before being booted back to the campaign screen is a huge disappointment, and undermines the fundamental aspects of the game design. After all, the customisation options are needed, and some missions simply cannot be beaten without choosing a suitable weapon set, but to offer up such a brief action payout for correct strategising is an appalling design choice, and one from which AC4 unfortunately never recovers.
 |
 |
|
| Heavily armoured | The main customisation interface, as comprehensive as anybody could hope |
With that said, there isn't a whole lot of choice for match fans on the latest generation of consoles at the moment; and with that in mind, AC4 will probably sell regardless of the flaws outlined above. From Software have effectively cornered the market on the 360 with this release and last year's fairly well-received ChromeHounds, but this is a genre crying out for a dose of originality and a solid implementation. Maybe once that happens, the Western market will wake up to the potential, and we'll have another blockbuster genre on our hands.
Top Game Moment: Earning enough to purchase that 'must-have' set of new match legs.
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Gameplay Trailer
Posted 06.11.06
Length 02:24 Views 668 -
Trailer #2
Posted 04.12.06
Length 01:31 Views 510
