Best Armored Core?

[Austin]

Hey everybody,

I was in Gamestop the other day and saw a used copy of Armored Core 2. Now, I have many nostalgic memories of Armored Core from my PSX days. I thought of picking it up, but as I continued to browse, I saw Armored Core: Nine Breaker, and Armored Core: Nexus.

Looking at IGN, it came to my attention that there are at LEAST eight Armored Core games for the PS2.

Here's where you guys come in: Anyone play any of these? I'm really looking forward to some customizable robot action, but I'd like to make sure I'm picking up the better game. Any suggestions?

[Putney]

I pretty much have all of these, but I haven't really spent much time playing any of them (the life of a collector I guess ;) ), but my personal recommendation would be Armored Core: Nexus on the PS2 as a good starting point. Besides the fact you get a great deal for your dollar (two discs, one all new game, one "best of" missions collection), it's also the first in the series to support a traditional dual-analog controller setup, which makes things much better.

Ninebreaker is actually the most recent game, but from what I hear, it's only a collection of one-on-one arena battles, no actual "missions".

Armored Core 3 is another good one, but the control is a bit stiffer on that one.

[roushimsx]

My favorites would probably be the original releases on the Playstation. The games were more arcadey, but they were a lot faster paced and easier to get into than the PS2 installments. It's especially fun to take an AC all the way through all three...by the end of Master of Arena, you're pretty much a damned god. :)

Armored Core 2 was pretty nice, but it got a little too damn hard towards the end, and Armored Core 2 Another Age was just flat out brutal. The updated graphics were really nice, though. Armored Core 2 did start moving the game more towards mech-sim and away from balls out action, which I guess kind of annoyed me.

I'm going to go ahead and say that 3 was better than 2 and that Silent Line is the worst of the Armored Core games due to becoming overly complex.

I've yet to play Nexus or Nine Breaker, but Nexus does include a bonus disc with a ton of missions from previous Armored Core games redone in the new engine. Nine Breaker doesn't interest me much because I've never been a big fan of the arena combat in the Armored Core series.

Last Raven comes out in a few months and by all accounts its an Armored Core fan's wet dream. The single player campaign sounds extremely intriguing and I can't wait to play the damn thing :)

If you like mech on mech (ohh, so dirty) arena combat, I strongly suggest checking out Steel Lancer Arena International. It's extremely difficult in the beginning and very newbie unfriendly, but ArmoredCore.org's forums have subforums for the game along with some newbie guides for getting into the game.

[Jibbajaba]

How is the very first one? A store where I live has a complete copy for $7, but I don't really buy games that I don't intend to play. Should I grab it?

Chris

[Austin]

Hey guys, thanks for your comments. I'm really looking forward to busting into this series.

I saw SLAI used at EB the other day, but hadn't heard of it. I think I'll grab that this week, too.

[digitalpress]

I wondered that myself not too long ago. Check out this thread, which sheds some very informative light on the PS2 series.

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=67381

[roushimsx]

How is the very first one? A store where I live has a complete copy for $7, but I don't really buy games that I don't intend to play. Should I grab it?


Oh hell yes! The first one is fantastic. Be on the lookout for Project Phantasma and Master of Arena as well though. Both are damn good expansions and being able to take your AC through the series is a blast. A few months ago I plunked down and played through all three over the course of two weeks (Project Phantasma and Master of Arena are reasonably short) and had an absolute blast.

like Sharc said in the thread dp linked, the first games are really fast and arcadey. I think that's one of the things that really draws me to them (in addition to being able to abuse the not-very-well-balanced energy consumption :) ).

[XianXi]

Honestly they are all pretty much the same. As the series evolved the controls got better and of course the missions then each one had better and better weapons. I own about 6 AC games. So far the best was Nexus. As far as PSX ones it would definitly be Project Phantasma.