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[glaurung]

Once upon time people knew From Software for more than just the epic Demon's Souls and its insanely popular semi-sequel, Dark Souls.

From Software made mecha games.

This Japan-based developer is renowned for its generations spanning Armored Core series, that started from the original PlayStation, evolved into a relatively popular series on the PS2 with 8 separate games being launched. On the current/ending generation of consoles, there have been just three releases (Verdict Day being the fourth).

From Software made mecha games once... and it appears that they still do.

Armored Core V's add-on/modification called Verdict Day will hit the store shelves and maybe even digital download stores for both PS3 and Xbox 360 on the 24th of September in the US and just three days later, on the 27th of September in the EU countries.

Is it sent to die? Surely the timing is not the best, but more worryingly, does this game still have a consumer base? Is anyone on GAF thrilled about its release? Another worry that I personally have is that for the most part, this game is still ACV, with some new features. And does that warrant a full retail price... Who knows. Surely in a different time and world a developer would have just released a free patch or a DLC pack priced below £10 that included all the new bits (discarding compatibility issues at this moment).

Whereas Armored Core IV's extended second coming titled For Answer introduced something genuinely new in the form of massive mobile fortresses that had to be tackled with skill and forethought, Verdict Day introduces something else, including new battlefields, but first and foremost the UNAC system. UNAC is the developer's response to the fact that ACV's player base dwindled pretty soon after its initial release. But since the focus of the game was on team play and you had to be a member of a well maintained organization of players to grind for the best parts available in the game, this meant a quick death for players who discovered that they were alone on the literal battlefield. UNAC is here to help! In UNAC, you create AI buddies and instruct them to fight for you. Yes, you can have your own personal army of proper AI soldiers in massive battlemechs that you can instruct and whose behavior you can edit. This is something that From has also done previously, namely with a PSP version of the Armored Core franchise. But will this be enough to reinvigorate the player base or will it kill it even further? The rest of the game appears to be largely identical to the vanilla version of ACV, there is little talk of new parts or technologies (that's not to say that ACV had any particular shortage of different parts).

This is not an OT.

TLDR: New Armored Core game coming, 20th in the series, are you excited yet?

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

I'm going to buy it. Sent to die? Sorry but did you expect other people to buy it, than the usual audience? From knows this as well. Really depends on the budget if this will "bomb" or not. People tend to forget this.

 

[Coxy]

put "online like chromehounds" in the title, that'll get people looking

I'm excited, mostly for that, but I havent really finished with ACV as it is

 

[Napalm_Frank]

I just know the demo of the first PS1 game was like the coolest thing ever.

 

[Ken]

I should buy this but V's single player just wasn't as interesting as previous titles so I'm not sure if I will.

 

[Keasar]

My only experience was with Armored Core 4 for the XBOX 360 and my thoughts were the mech design was cool but the controls were horrible.

Have they fixed that in any later games?

 

[Coxy]

My only experience was with Armored Core 4 for the XBOX 360 and my thoughts were the mech design was cool but the controls were horrible.

Have they fixed that in any later games?

it controls very differently, the mechs are much slower, and of course it depends heavily on the build of your mech too

 

[sublimit]

I have barely played ACV (got that on day 1) so i think i might wait a bit for this.

 

[Rei_Toei]

I just know the demo of the first PS1 game was like the coolest thing ever.

Hahaha, I played the shit out of one of the earliest AC games on a demo disc that came with the official magazine (I think). It also had a Bloody Roar demo I think.

 

[Keasar]

it controls very differently, the mechs are much slower, and of course it depends heavily on the build of your mech too

Might keep an eye on it then.

 

[glaurung]

ACV had mechs that were a lot weightier, making controlling them more comparable to some MechWarrior games. But you could still build a very twitchy configuration and zoom around at insane speeds.

The greatest issue going from ACIV to ACV for me were the changed core designs. The Nexts in ACIV were sleek and nimble, they looked downright awesome and I even built some of the models that Kotobukiya released. But the ACV core designs were clunky and littered with too many details and looked like something that someone had built from parts found on a scrap heap. I did not much care for them.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Did they do anything to improve the frame rate?

 

[Parmenide]

Armored Core still exists just beacuse fans who always have given support to this series, this is not going to change now.

 

[Geedorah]

Whelp, I had no idea that this was in the pipe-line - but now that I am aware, I am all kinds of hyped! LOVED the PS2 Armored Cores, put in to many hours battling with high-school friends.

 

[Eggbok]

These games are still around? wow, surprised.

 

[Skyfireblaze]

Hmm I might keep a eye on this with the AI system but truth to be told while I love mechs I'm quite conflicted on Armored Core games :/ Sadly my first entry was very late with For Answer which I absolutely loved from the setting to the mechs to the atmosphere and speed but no matter what I tried the controls were simply too hard for me (not in a bad way!) so I couldn't effectively play it. Then I got ACV and I could handle that one much much better but I disliked what they did to the setting, mechs and atmosphere Maybe I will give it another chance with Verdict Day.

 

[Muchi Muchi Pink]

Armored Core still exists just beacuse fans who always have given support to this series, this is not going to change now.

Exactly and this is totally fine. Not everything needs to be mainstreamed.

 

[Jrs3000]

I'm picking this up. I've played every single game in the series. I like some of the new things they've introduced but wish they took things back to how they use to handle of the old series. The ps2 AC were some of the best games, not just parts but also in story. Now it's a confusing mess.

 

[Retro_]

Are the 3 regions still going to be separated online?

I can understand why you wouldn't want to be matched with people speaking other languages in this game with the Operator system, but you should at least be able to go against people from other countries

That's what killed the game ultimately the first time around. No one was playing in the US.


Wish they'd try their luck on PC like with Dark Souls

 

[Jrs3000]

Are the 3 regions still going to be separated online?

I can understand why you wouldn't want to be matched with people speaking other languages in this game with the Operator system, but you should at least be able to go against people from other countries

That's what killed the game ultimately the first time around. No one was playing in the US.


Wish they'd try their luck on PC like with Dark Souls

Not sure yet but it was a stupid decision. All the previous titles with online didn't have separate regions except for Japanese version.

I wish they'd bring AC to the pc. It would be so much better up there.

 

[FlyingSaucer]

I will pick up the PS3 ver later as I have a transition from 360 to PS3 planned for the end of the year, but I'm really tempted to buy it day 1 on 360 anyway. I love AC as it succeed superbly into blending trigger-happy arcade action with mecha simulation, I wish the series was more well-known and From wasn't only known for Demon/Dark Souls.

Wish they'd try their luck on PC like with Dark Souls

I dream of seeing AC coming to PC

ACV had mechs that were a lot weightier, making controlling them more comparable to some MechWarrior games. But you could still build a very twitchy configuration and zoom around at insane speeds.

My lightweight/dual-shotgun-wielding model in V was that
Or my blades build on a Latona frame in 4A. Good times

 

[Naked Lunch]

I have been anticipating this one for awhile now. I love that ultra complex, hardcore niche titles like this still have a place in this gaming age of AAA or bust titles.

Armored Core is one of my favorite series - but it still has so much more potential. Armored Core V actually ended up being one of my favorite games of the entire franchise - looking forward to a proper expansion on that. Ill be getting the 360 version.

 

[TheSeks]

put "online like chromehounds" in the title, that'll get people looking

Except that kinda didn't from the original 5's release, surely?

Also I agree with Retro soley on the fact that outside of Dark Souls 2 coming to PS3 in a while, I'm not buying many PS3 titles anymore now that I have a PC. Might as well put a port up on Steam for me to buy than me buying a game for a console that won't be future forward/backwards compatible with it's younger brother in a month.

 

[fredrancour]

Kind of want to play one of these... I'll wait til this game has been out for a bit then find the ot and ask which of the ps360 games to play if i can only play one.

 

[EsotericManiac]

The switch from Armored Core For Answer (and 4) to the current 5 is a huge step backwards. I loved the controls in 4 and For Answer so much. I can't imagine why they chose to go this route.

I hated 5. I do like some of the things they implemented with teams, having a captain, etc. but the core game mechanics are a deal breaker for me.

 

[FlyingSaucer]

The switch from Armored Core For Answer (and 4) to the current 5 is a huge step backwards. I loved the controls in 4 and For Answer so much. I can't imagine why they chose to go this route.

4 (and 4A) were way too fast and the traditionnalists probably asked for a return to the roots of AC gameplay and a slower, more tactical style of battle. Take AC3 for example, the mechas are even more slower in it than V.

Don't get me wrong, I love the sensation of speed intoxication in 4A, but we were probably at the limit between a AC game and Ace Combat ;p

 

[luka]

Skipped V but I'm super excited for this. Had it on order for months. For Answer was really fun but I absolutely love the new 'clunky' tank-like design of the mechs.

 

[EsotericManiac]

4 (and 4A) were way too fast and the traditionnalists probably asked for a return to the roots of AC gameplay and a slower, more tactical style of battle. Take AC3 for example, the mechas are even more slower in it than V.

Don't get me wrong, I love the sensation of speed intoxication in 4A, but we were probably at the limit between a AC game and Ace Combat ;p

The control scheme seemed perfect. Reminded me so much of the perfection that was Virtual On controls.

I can see the arguments about the speed being against what the series is supposed to be like, but I can't imagine why they would change up the controls of the game. The fact that you could do almost everything from the 4 triggers (bumpers and triggers) while always keeping your thumbs on the sticks was huge for me.

 

[Spazznid]

Verdict day is to AC V what 4 Answer was to AC IV. They gave absolutely no warning beyond some nice trailers you had to physically look for, and people will likely buy both.

I imagine the newer core design will disuade a few from buying, but I plan on supporting the series untill the very end. Armored Core is my absolute, All Time favorite mech series, and unless someone comes along and makes 4 Answer, or AC 2 or AC Nexus with Next Gen graphics, that's not going to change.

Will pick up day one. I'm glad someone made a thread for this, hopefully someone makes a compelling OT, if not I suppose I can if I have a day off..

 

[Not Spaceghost]

Yes I am so hyped for this! I just booted up ACV again the other day, I was obviously never going to S rank everything but I at least managed to get the game to 99% completion in my eyes, only had the two boats left to kill but no team to go on the hunt with. I bought almost every part possible from the store and just screwed around replaying my favorite missions.

ACV was a fantastic title, really underrated, also a huge shame that the focus was online but there was no one to play with. Even the PSN side is like 90% dead, 100% impossible to find a free battle much less a team that plays frequently and isn't full.

I love that AC4 and FA did it's thing with speed and flight but ACV really nailed weapons for the first time in a long time I think. The control scheme just needed some personal tweaks which you can thankfully do yourself, the only change I made to the controls in ACV was I switched "quick boost" and the thing that turns on your thrusters, so QB is on L1 and square just toggles glide / walk.

Really fun game once you figure out how to build a proper AC. The dynamic between scanning to find weakness and carrying two kinds of weapons is really fun. I always rolled with KE and CE weps. Also I thought that it was really cool popping in and out of scan mode to preserve energy / keep energy regeneration up.

ALSO THAT TITLE SCREEN was awesome.

 

[NoirVisage]

I enjoyed 5 enough to beat it and then go through and beat all the AI boss side challenges..I even did some runs with some randoms against some of the double teaming Bosses..good times.. so copping this.

 

[sublimit]

New trailer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-OF03YALH4

 

[Tizoc]

So....2 days to release, If psn ver. isn't too big I might get it off US PSN, but from the trailer shown above...OK flying the mech looks cool, but how are battles/combat?

 

[Coxy]

So....2 days to release, If psn ver. isn't too big I might get it off US PSN, but from the trailer shown above...OK flying the mech looks cool, but how are battles/combat?

like the answer to most AC questions, depends entirely on the build of your mech, there's a vast variety of playstyles. My team-mate and I usually both run medium types with a mix of melee and ranged. you can make some fast lightweight mechs or snipers or heavily rmoured tank types or even support types that build turrets and stuff

 

[godhandiscen]

I'll always buy the AC games. I don't even play them enough to go over all the content they have to offer, but I still enjoy having a mech game in my catalog.


Any words on FPS? The FPS in V could barely keep up, 360, and I heard it was worse in PS#.

 

[Riposte]

I had a lot of fun with ACV with matchmaking, but I didn't really care too much for the single player campaign and I thought the deeper online mechanics didn't work out too well here in the west. Although I was able to hold my own without using them, they were pretty slow with bringing over patches vs. OP builds Japan got way before us. I don't want to say I felt burned, but I'm a little reluctant get excited by the online elements for western players. Part of me wants to skip this one on account of having so many brand new games to play with not as much time as last year.

 

[Mr. X]

I enjoyed 4 a lot.

When I heard 5 was doing this online battlefield with clans thing as the "main" game, I thought it was interesting but felt that it would be deserted pretty quickly.

 

[Tizoc]

like the answer to most AC questions, depends entirely on the build of your mech, there's a vast variety of playstyles. My team-mate and I usually both run medium types with a mix of melee and ranged. you can make some fast lightweight mechs or snipers or heavily rmoured tank types or even support types that build turrets and stuff

Hmm so can I turn my mech into a heavy tank that fires endless rockets and bullets and such?

 

[Coxy]

Hmm so can I turn my mech into a heavy tank that fires endless rockets and bullets and such?

yeah there's chainguns if you want to just spray bullets like crazy, multi-rocket launchers that spray dozens of rockets, multi-launchers that send a bunch of heat seekers, or large missiles that cause huge explosions, lots of builds to play with and every weapon is customisable too, like you can modify them to have more ammo or more power and so on to suit how you want to play

 

[Vazra]

put "online like chromehounds" in the title, that'll get people looking

I'm excited, mostly for that, but I havent really finished with ACV as it is

Like a lot of people bought that lol

 

[encephalon]

ACV is one of the games I had planned on buying a while back ... I guess I didn't because I felt like I should complete a mech game I already own - Gun Griffon.

 

[Tizoc]

yeah there's chainguns if you want to just spray bullets like crazy, multi-rocket launchers that spray dozens of rockets, multi-launchers that send a bunch of heat seekers, or large missiles that cause huge explosions, lots of builds to play with and every weapon is customisable too, like you can modify them to have more ammo or more power and so on to suit how you want to play

Interest risiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing~
What're the melee weapons like is there a chainsaw sword?

 

[AlphaProspector]

I dream of seeing AC coming to PC

Same here. It's almost as if this game is screaming to be on PC where player count and scale could be so immense...

Guess the only way to show them there is potential is by either going the Dark Souls route and ask or by backing this recently approved GL project that's essentially Armored Core for PC once it hits Kickstarter: http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=161792560

 

[KDR_11k]

I have to say I hated AC V but I still played all the SP content and ground a lot of MP areas (never met an enemy player though), temporarily even owned one territory so I got to fight some of the bosses (never won though). Some of the changes like the hover toggle (no idea why they don't make your mech perma-hover though or simply walk faster instead) and wall jumps were nice changes from ACfA but in most areas it was a step down. I will get AC VD though and hope that it's better.

yeah there's chainguns if you want to just spray bullets like crazy, multi-rocket launchers that spray dozens of rockets, multi-launchers that send a bunch of heat seekers, or large missiles that cause huge explosions, lots of builds to play with and every weapon is customisable too, like you can modify them to have more ammo or more power and so on to suit how you want to play

V was extremely limited in terms of missiles, you have one slot that can hold them which is also used for many utility items (such as ammo boxes) and the ammo on missiles is pretty limited and their damage is low. I never got any good use out of them.

Interest risiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing~
What're the melee weapons like is there a chainsaw sword?

V had a superweapon that's basically a chainsaw glove, six chainsaws mounted in a claw shape. However superweapons are very restrictive, you can only activate them once per mission, they stay active for a certain time and then disable. You need special torso parts to use them properly, they take up both of your spare weapon slots (usually you have one active and one holstered weapon per arm, you lose the holster with a superweapon), any heavy weapons you carry are jettisoned when the superweapon is activated and you cannot jettison the superweapon when it is spent. From what I heard the chainsaw glove also removes your mech's right arm along with its weapon and can execute a maximum of two attacks per activation. There's another melee superweapon that can do three attacks per activation, does not sacrifice your right arm and deals more damage to boot (of course damage values on superweapons are mostly theoretical, even the lowest value is still greater than the maximum HP of a mech, only bosses can survive such an attack). Overall superweapons aren't useful outside of PvP or equivalent duels, in SP missions you won't find a worthy target.

 

[InternHertz]

I suppose they didn't take this opportunity to include Japanese voices in the western release?

 

[Deitus]

Personally, I could not get into Armored Core V. I've heard good things about the multiplayer, but my interest in the series is purely in the single player component; always has been, always will be.

I'm having trouble recalling what my specific complaints with V were though, as its been a long time since I tried to play it. I may have to go back and try it again to see if there's more to like beyond the first few hours with the game. I was fine with the reduction in speed. Even though I really liked For Answer (AC4 I had mixed feelings about, but 4A was fantastic), the combat got pretty broken with that level of speed and mobility. I can't remember if I had complaints about the specific choices they made with regards to mobility in V, or if it was purely the mission structure that put me off, but I didn't get very far before I lost interest. Also, I hated how squat the ACs looked, but I could get over that if everything else was good.

But is there anything new with Verdict Day that would be worth playing for someone who couldn't get into V? I definitely don't want to write off the AC series. I need a mech game in my life, and AC used to be my go to for that. But I don't want to buy another game that I'm going to play for 3 hours and then give up on.

Hmm so can I turn my mech into a heavy tank that fires endless rockets and bullets and such?

Well, not endless. You can definitely create a mobile weapons platform that rains death, but you still have finite ammo.

 

[Parakeetman]

The problem with ACV was that it wasnt Armored Core. It was Front Mission... No idea why they went and changed up the formula so much.

guess the previous games were a bit too much for people to handle

 

[KDR_11k]

The problem with ACV was that it wasnt Armored Core. It was Front Mission... No idea why they went and changed up the formula so much.

guess the previous games were a bit too much for people to handle

There are changes but outside of the lack of full flight the mechanics didn't change that much. Also holding down that thruster button at all times to hover in ACfA was painful.

EDIT: Hm, no reviews yet but then again this is so niche that they probably didn't give out review copies...

 

[Jrs3000]

The problem with ACV was that it wasnt Armored Core. It was Front Mission... No idea why they went and changed up the formula so much.

guess the previous games were a bit too much for people to handle

They were trying to expand their base.

 

[Jrs3000]

There are changes but outside of the lack of full flight the mechanics didn't change that much. Also holding down that thruster button at all times to hover in ACfA was painful.

EDIT: Hm, no reviews yet but then again this is so niche that they probably didn't give out review copies...

Losing full controlled flight is a major change. I do enjoy the new mechanics such as wall jumping, melee(finally), armor types and such but taking out flight was stupid. It doesn't feel armored core anymore to me though I still enjoy playing. I hope the next gen titles bring it back.