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On the surface Armored Core appears to be little more than a 3rd person action/adventure with robots. Look a little closer and you’ll discover a level of depth beyond your wildest imagination. What starts off with the simple premise of being a mercenary-for-hire will eventually escalate into an involving story where treachery and and politics run rampant. You’ll begin the game as a lowly ranked Raven and be given your own mech (called Armored Cores) equipped with the most basic of parts. Money is earned by accepting missions from various companies. Completing the mission nets you the specified reward minus a few expenditures such as ammo cost, and armor repair. This money can then be used to upgrade your AC. Everything in this game can be upgraded, and if you want to advance beyond the first few missions you’ll be spending lots of time in the shops and garage finding the perfect match. You have different bodies, arms, legs, and heads to choose from, each with their own different perks. After that you’ll begin looking for a generator to run your AC, a targeting system (FCS), and boosters so that your mech can maintain more time in the air. Next comes the weapons, you have the option to equip your arms with swords and guns, and missile launchers and bigger guns on your back, as well as radars. And just to keep it fair, all of this has to meet certain weight limits. Control in this game is simple and will come quickly to those familiar with the playstation’s controller. You have the conventional strafe buttons; a primary attack button, secondary melee attack, and the weapon select, as well as a button to control your targeting and the boosters. The controls are perfectly suited to the button layout and will soon have novices flying through missions like pros. The missions in the game vary from arena duels to labyrinthine dungeons requiring you to destroy various locations in the deeper parts of the area. Payment comes in either money or new AC parts. Generally, the harder the mission, the greater the payment. Several missions will offer special bonus and sometimes deductions, this is detailed in the mission briefing. Siding with different companies leads to different missions, with around fifty missions, some only accessible if certain other missions were completed, the game comes packed with replay. The challenge gradually increases from the early missions to the finale, but hopefully, so will your skill. It’s not impossible to beat the game by any means. Finishing missions successfully also places you on a ranking ladder. As you complete more and more, you’ll slowly make your way to the top of the list of Ravens. When it comes time to customize your AC, the sheer amount of options can boggle the unsuspecting player’s mind. Choosing a head piece for example requires the player to decide what’s most important. Some parts offer greater armor defense while others come equipped with built-in radar functions. There are two different types of arms, normal arms and weapon arms. Normal arms allow you to equip a weapon in the right hand and a beam sword in the left. While weapon arms are weapons themselves and can not be equipped with more weapons. Boosters also play an important role as some missions will require a certain level of competence with flight. Stronger boosters means extended flight time and also increases the likelihood of evading enemy attacks. There are four types of leg parts to choose from, standard humanoid,Read full review
-Visuals 7/10- Mech games have always had a certain amount of detail, or some sort of flashy overtone to it, but they always fall short. Armored Core 2 is no exception to that long standing rule in which once you get used to what you see, there really isn't much else there. Well designed landscapes greet you from the start, but the truly blocky, although well detailed Mechs fill the screens with blasts and explosions that you've seen everywhere else. -Audio 7/10- Hard to gauge, but it falls into the same routine of what you've heard everywhere else. Each stage has a set of music that tries hard to get you into the game, but it takes a little time to get used to the strange music. The sound effects come in as a blend, adding a bit of flare to the music that you're listening to. However, after about an hour, you'll be turning the music and effects down, and popping something else in to listen to. -Control 7/10- While a little daunting at first, AC 2 offers you several different button combinations to use while controlling your Mech. You have a standard variety of attack buttons that control a particular function of your Mech, and then you have buttons that control various functions of your Mech. Gamers just getting into a game like this, will find the controls a little confusing, and even gamers who are used to games of this type, will find that it takes alot of practice to master their machine witht he slightly un-responsive directional pad. -Game Play 7/10- The true game play of Armored Core, is to learn to use your Mech in several different matches against computer controlled opponents. What sets this apart, is the fact that the computer controlled opponents have a high difficulty level, and you'll find that the game can be quite unfair if you're backed into a corner. One of the better features of the game, is the ability to create a machine through various gameplay to make up a truly bad-ass machine. When playing, you'll find that most of the parts look neat, but you'll be searching to find a truly awesome set to make your Mech one to be feared. Keep this in mind while playing, that every combination is different, and it'll take hours to master a custom mech in battle. -Overall 7/10- While a decent game, Armored Core 2 makes you sweat a bit in just the first twenty minutes of play. Most of the game is about action, while the other part is about strategy in the form of just trying to stay alive. The sounds are decent, and the visuals are so-so, but the confusing control and the un-original game play bring the score of this game down. Gamers just beginning in the Mech Arena should probably look for a more ''user-friendly'' game than this, and even experienced gamers should take a minute to think before they leap into a purchase. If you're gung-ho about Mech games, then you'll find this one worth your time, and worth your money.Read full review
This was the second installment of the armored core series it featured new and deadlier weaponry, seventeen missions which were a blending of action and covert ops, and at the same time you could combat fifty of your fellow ravens whenever you saw fit. Besides being awarded income climbing up the ranks would pay off with specail weapons and other parts. You should know that this game is almost a decade old so if you'ra looking for sheerly breath taking animation than this is probably not your title. However if you have played the first armored core and liked it then you should be pleased with this one as well.
This is my favorite out of all armored cores I have played. Project Phantasma has a wide array of weapons and ac parts that are all balanced nearly perfect to really add fun to the creativity and skill of this game. I dont recall how many missions there were in this game but they are all enjoyable however the arena is the best part of this game. There are 50 opponents to beat and every 5-10 matchs one you unlock a new piece of equipment for your ac. The first 20 matchs are fairly easy and great for new players however from match 30 or so on the difficulty of the computer is much harder. Instead of just walking at you shooting they begin to boost behind you and attempt to stay out of your site and in the air alot and you have to get a faster ac to keep up. After beating through some of the arena the missions become easier with the new parts gained and also more enjoyable. I do not recall how many boss battles they have but I do know there is a final boss that is really challenging.Read full review
Easily the best Armored Core and Mech game of all time. It combines the best of both worlds. It has a great story that a lot of games now can't rate up to. The controls are just simply bliss. There are a little differences in control than what most people are used to but because its a PSX game I think that is acceptable. If you like action, mechs, and a good story this is a must buy.
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