Armored Core (PS1, 1997)
Graphics-7.5 Sound-7.5 Control-7 Challenge-7.5/8* Story-5.5
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5/9* Fun-7/6.5* Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7
*Final mission
+
Strafing and dashing (the latter uses up energy which recharges slowly)
Customize your mech (buy/sell parts in-between missions, 9 different parts+near weightless optional parts attached to the core (8-16?), edit texture for the whole mech and color for individual parts, can draw a new emblem and change a mech's name)
Lock-on for most weapons however the target has to be on screen or it doesn't work (you won't shoot even if holding the button; no camera lock-on like in OoT for example, doesn't work for large rocket at its max range?) - the part for it (FCS) can be upgraded to 6 targets at once and different ones also have different width and length range
Can quickly quit a mission (select after pausing)
Hidden parts in some levels
3D area maps (show topography and your location but not enemies, can rotate/zoom/pan, first ones don't show the whole level (only about as far as you can see in either direction) but later ones use an auto-mapper so you can see where you've been, doesn't show a difference between where you have and haven't been) and mini-map with enemy radar (pretty zoomed in, requires equipping a radar part to function), Compass
Some destructible objects
Control config, separate sfx and music volume
Temporary flight if you hold the button after jumping (energy-based booster part lets you dash and fly, long cooldown time if you drain it completely)
Pretty detailed mission briefings
Some scripted events during missions (surprise support fire from your employer, rival mechs, )
In-game messages don't pause the gameplay and use voices+optional text
Large and varied arsenal of weapons
Some strategy in what you equip for the next mission (can only carry 4 weapons, 4-legs type of legs can't dash (only fly) but can fire weapons like the chaingun while moving, arms that are weapons (rather than holding weapons) have 0 defense against solid or energy rounds - risk/reward?)
VS mode
Good art direction (especially for the mechs)
Some nice visual effects
Good framerate and pretty good draw distance overall
Some interesting upgrades (missile display on radar, missile jammer, auto-missile launch on lock-on, increased burst fire rate of energy weapons, reduced hit stun/recoil)
Decent mission variety (search and destroy, protect targets while destroying enemies, fight alongside CPU allies, rescue/find, mech vs mech, plant explosives and leave during gas exposure (stop gas leak mission), destroy mission turned escape segment, )
46 missions (mostly very short though)
A few breakable walls
Can replay all missions+play the ones you've missed after beating the game once (load your last save)
+/-
Save in-between missions
Need to keep total weight of a number of parts in mind (core, head, generator, FCS, back weapons, arms, booster) - if it exceeds the leg part's max weight then you can't move
Partially non-linear structure (choose between 2-4 missions at a time (sometimes only 1), depending on what you pick and when some missions become unavailable until later on, can steal the radar part instead of doing the mission the Guard wharf warehouse mission, one optional mech fight - Valkyrie who appears when there's 1m left in the Attack urban center mission)
Mech repair and spent ammunition costs are detracted from mission reward money
Can't revisit mission areas/replay beaten missions nor hang around after the objective is finished to pick up hidden parts (some mission areas actually connect to previous areas but I don't think you can use this to collect hidden parts)
Unavoidable damage
No defined player character - the game addresses you directly like in C&C: Red Alert for example (you're a mercenary and can eventually choose between a few employers to work for)
Buy and sell prices are the same - in terms of getting good equipment it makes the early game harder but after a while you have access to almost everything if you do well there (the game also becomes harder if you do poorly early on since there's no easy mission you can just play repeatedly for money)
Mostly short missions
Melee weapons are kind of OP (Moonlight sword in particular) though there are missions where you can't really use them
Have to let go of the dash/jump button to jump out of dashing and since it's mapped to the same button if you press a direction before jumping then you'll dash instead - takes some getting used to
Can't shoot individual parts of enemy mechs/robots (see MechWarrior for example)
Can't go on a mission even if only slightly overburdened (could've been a more gradual penalty)
The rescue survey team mission ends once you find the survey team so the rescue part is actually skipped
Hit stun from quickly repeated enemy shots cancel your inputs so you might get stuck trying to ready the chain gun for example if you're surrounded - can be reduced with an optional part though
Some movement delay after landing from a jump unless you start dashing right beforehand and if you fell far+didn't have much forward momentum then it doesn't always work
No "pick best build with the funds available" option
Some cheesy music (90s techno)
Can't stick with a single faction to work for
Can't buy/get rewarded with complete alternate mechs
-
Some trial & error (finding the hidden parts - some are very good and you can sell them, so-so info on what you'll face for the next mission so it's generally good to do a recon and then reload the save (for example during the Reclaim oil facility mission you'll face a bunch of flying enemies so if you relied on the sword until then you're at a disadvantage), "out of area, combat halted" - there's a warning and if you move further away the mission is aborted (meaning you lose money based on expenses while gaining nothing), your allies in the "stop terrorist threat" mission die very quickly and they don't communicate when they're getting attacked or where they are, floor trap in the Kill "struggle" leader mission)
Some control/interface issues (no dual analog support (can only look up/down with the R1/R2 buttons - can map these to a stick and use the triggers for jumping and shooting in emulation though), turning around is slow and there's no quick turn move - sidedashing helps a bit though, can't choose to replay a mission right after finishing it (if you didn't get a good result) - have to reload, can't equip what you just bought in the shop interface - have to go into the garage, can't choose not to dash forward when using a melee weapon? - uses the same energy source as the booster so if it's currently depleted then you can't use it, can't see a comparison between what you have equipped and what you're looking at while shopping, some menus don't wrap around, can't hover at a set altitude - means you have to tap the button to stay around the same height which makes aiming and shooting a bit cumbersome without camera lock-on, too easy to get stuck on low obstacles when using the sword and on certain walls, lose some momentum after you stop dashing, the camera gets kinda weird when backing up against a wall, dashing+strafing makes your lock-on crosshair move towards the edge of the screen in the opposite direction - would make more sense for circle strafing only, no map screen compass, minor delay when browsing parts in the mech assembly menu, also annoying how the camera focuses on the bottom of your mech when jumping instead of what you're looking at)
Sometimes stupid enemies (can shoot some enemies from outside of their range without them moving, enemies sometimes kill themselves on cover they're standing next to (eliminate strikers mission) or shoot each other (destroy unknown MTs etc.) or shoot into walls/doors when you're behind them, in the terrorist pursuit mission it's possible to trap the fleeing enemy so that it can be killed on the first floor - good though since it's an annoying mission otherwise with the enemy being much more maneuverable than you are and all the pillars getting in the way)
Constant beeping in the destroy fuel depot mission and while checking the map
Some crappy/redundant weapons in SP (rifle - default though, first two machine guns besides the Destroy Fuel Depot mission?, WG-HG235 hand gun, WG-RF/P sniper rifle?, WG-FG99 flamethrower?, WG-XC4 laser rifle is redundant when you can use the Karasawa one?, AW-RF105 and AW-RF120 cannons?, dual missile weapons against enemies with a missile jammer (and the AW-S60/2 one is redundant?), WM-S40/6 small missile, WG-FG99 flamethrower despite being fun to use?, WM-L201 large missile due to low ammo load, WM-X5-AA bomb dispenser is redundant?, small and medium rockets?, WC-CN5 chain gun w/o the Plus enhancement, WC-ST120 slug gun, WX-S800/2 dual missile, XCS-9900 multi missile)
Sometimes uneven difficulty (spikes: eliminate squatters, stop gas exposure, final mission (destroy floating mines); dips: worker robot removal, Destroy Plus Escapee, Destroy space catapult (cut short as you approach it and then it's easy to escape))
Can't equip the best laser rifle combined with the 4-legs type legs - no reason given
Kinda tedious backtracking out of the huge pit in the Kill the "Struggle" leader mission and some dead space in other missions (for example when backtracking with the captured object in the Capture Space Station mission there are no hazards or new enemies appearing)
The humanoid legs with good carry capacity are usually not worth using since you move so slow without dashing?
Not enough to spend money on in the late game (a better booster or generator for the 4-legs type would've been good)
Very frustrating vertical platforming segment in the final mission followed by two really annoying fights (small moving platforms in a long shaft+turrets and enemies while climbing, very mobile mechs using laser cannons in the most annoying rooms possible (camera-wise) as the last fights - can lure them down into the corridors but can't really dodge the cannons with 4-legs type and the platforming is also way slower with those)
The exterminate organisms mission is kind of tedious (have to kill all the big ones and not just the queen?)
Kinda lacking storytelling (you get e-mails now and then but that's it, the voiced mission assistant is never introduced, e-mails just stop when close to the final mission; you do get cutscenes when completely wiping out a faction though)
Some story oddities (doesn't make sense that Chrome would decline from wiping out their main rival)
Some of the in-game dialogue is pretty bad and poorly acted
Notes:
-X-S800-GF "Dual Missile" actually fires 6 missiles with only one lock on needed
Level Design-7 Frustration-7.5/9* Fun-7/6.5* Originality-6.5
Overall Score-7
*Final mission
+
Strafing and dashing (the latter uses up energy which recharges slowly)
Customize your mech (buy/sell parts in-between missions, 9 different parts+near weightless optional parts attached to the core (8-16?), edit texture for the whole mech and color for individual parts, can draw a new emblem and change a mech's name)
Lock-on for most weapons however the target has to be on screen or it doesn't work (you won't shoot even if holding the button; no camera lock-on like in OoT for example, doesn't work for large rocket at its max range?) - the part for it (FCS) can be upgraded to 6 targets at once and different ones also have different width and length range
Can quickly quit a mission (select after pausing)
Hidden parts in some levels
3D area maps (show topography and your location but not enemies, can rotate/zoom/pan, first ones don't show the whole level (only about as far as you can see in either direction) but later ones use an auto-mapper so you can see where you've been, doesn't show a difference between where you have and haven't been) and mini-map with enemy radar (pretty zoomed in, requires equipping a radar part to function), Compass
Some destructible objects
Control config, separate sfx and music volume
Temporary flight if you hold the button after jumping (energy-based booster part lets you dash and fly, long cooldown time if you drain it completely)
Pretty detailed mission briefings
Some scripted events during missions (surprise support fire from your employer, rival mechs, )
In-game messages don't pause the gameplay and use voices+optional text
Large and varied arsenal of weapons
Some strategy in what you equip for the next mission (can only carry 4 weapons, 4-legs type of legs can't dash (only fly) but can fire weapons like the chaingun while moving, arms that are weapons (rather than holding weapons) have 0 defense against solid or energy rounds - risk/reward?)
VS mode
Good art direction (especially for the mechs)
Some nice visual effects
Good framerate and pretty good draw distance overall
Some interesting upgrades (missile display on radar, missile jammer, auto-missile launch on lock-on, increased burst fire rate of energy weapons, reduced hit stun/recoil)
Decent mission variety (search and destroy, protect targets while destroying enemies, fight alongside CPU allies, rescue/find, mech vs mech, plant explosives and leave during gas exposure (stop gas leak mission), destroy mission turned escape segment, )
46 missions (mostly very short though)
A few breakable walls
Can replay all missions+play the ones you've missed after beating the game once (load your last save)
+/-
Save in-between missions
Need to keep total weight of a number of parts in mind (core, head, generator, FCS, back weapons, arms, booster) - if it exceeds the leg part's max weight then you can't move
Partially non-linear structure (choose between 2-4 missions at a time (sometimes only 1), depending on what you pick and when some missions become unavailable until later on, can steal the radar part instead of doing the mission the Guard wharf warehouse mission, one optional mech fight - Valkyrie who appears when there's 1m left in the Attack urban center mission)
Mech repair and spent ammunition costs are detracted from mission reward money
Can't revisit mission areas/replay beaten missions nor hang around after the objective is finished to pick up hidden parts (some mission areas actually connect to previous areas but I don't think you can use this to collect hidden parts)
Unavoidable damage
No defined player character - the game addresses you directly like in C&C: Red Alert for example (you're a mercenary and can eventually choose between a few employers to work for)
Buy and sell prices are the same - in terms of getting good equipment it makes the early game harder but after a while you have access to almost everything if you do well there (the game also becomes harder if you do poorly early on since there's no easy mission you can just play repeatedly for money)
Mostly short missions
Melee weapons are kind of OP (Moonlight sword in particular) though there are missions where you can't really use them
Have to let go of the dash/jump button to jump out of dashing and since it's mapped to the same button if you press a direction before jumping then you'll dash instead - takes some getting used to
Can't shoot individual parts of enemy mechs/robots (see MechWarrior for example)
Can't go on a mission even if only slightly overburdened (could've been a more gradual penalty)
The rescue survey team mission ends once you find the survey team so the rescue part is actually skipped
Hit stun from quickly repeated enemy shots cancel your inputs so you might get stuck trying to ready the chain gun for example if you're surrounded - can be reduced with an optional part though
Some movement delay after landing from a jump unless you start dashing right beforehand and if you fell far+didn't have much forward momentum then it doesn't always work
No "pick best build with the funds available" option
Some cheesy music (90s techno)
Can't stick with a single faction to work for
Can't buy/get rewarded with complete alternate mechs
-
Some trial & error (finding the hidden parts - some are very good and you can sell them, so-so info on what you'll face for the next mission so it's generally good to do a recon and then reload the save (for example during the Reclaim oil facility mission you'll face a bunch of flying enemies so if you relied on the sword until then you're at a disadvantage), "out of area, combat halted" - there's a warning and if you move further away the mission is aborted (meaning you lose money based on expenses while gaining nothing), your allies in the "stop terrorist threat" mission die very quickly and they don't communicate when they're getting attacked or where they are, floor trap in the Kill "struggle" leader mission)
Some control/interface issues (no dual analog support (can only look up/down with the R1/R2 buttons - can map these to a stick and use the triggers for jumping and shooting in emulation though), turning around is slow and there's no quick turn move - sidedashing helps a bit though, can't choose to replay a mission right after finishing it (if you didn't get a good result) - have to reload, can't equip what you just bought in the shop interface - have to go into the garage, can't choose not to dash forward when using a melee weapon? - uses the same energy source as the booster so if it's currently depleted then you can't use it, can't see a comparison between what you have equipped and what you're looking at while shopping, some menus don't wrap around, can't hover at a set altitude - means you have to tap the button to stay around the same height which makes aiming and shooting a bit cumbersome without camera lock-on, too easy to get stuck on low obstacles when using the sword and on certain walls, lose some momentum after you stop dashing, the camera gets kinda weird when backing up against a wall, dashing+strafing makes your lock-on crosshair move towards the edge of the screen in the opposite direction - would make more sense for circle strafing only, no map screen compass, minor delay when browsing parts in the mech assembly menu, also annoying how the camera focuses on the bottom of your mech when jumping instead of what you're looking at)
Sometimes stupid enemies (can shoot some enemies from outside of their range without them moving, enemies sometimes kill themselves on cover they're standing next to (eliminate strikers mission) or shoot each other (destroy unknown MTs etc.) or shoot into walls/doors when you're behind them, in the terrorist pursuit mission it's possible to trap the fleeing enemy so that it can be killed on the first floor - good though since it's an annoying mission otherwise with the enemy being much more maneuverable than you are and all the pillars getting in the way)
Constant beeping in the destroy fuel depot mission and while checking the map
Some crappy/redundant weapons in SP (rifle - default though, first two machine guns besides the Destroy Fuel Depot mission?, WG-HG235 hand gun, WG-RF/P sniper rifle?, WG-FG99 flamethrower?, WG-XC4 laser rifle is redundant when you can use the Karasawa one?, AW-RF105 and AW-RF120 cannons?, dual missile weapons against enemies with a missile jammer (and the AW-S60/2 one is redundant?), WM-S40/6 small missile, WG-FG99 flamethrower despite being fun to use?, WM-L201 large missile due to low ammo load, WM-X5-AA bomb dispenser is redundant?, small and medium rockets?, WC-CN5 chain gun w/o the Plus enhancement, WC-ST120 slug gun, WX-S800/2 dual missile, XCS-9900 multi missile)
Sometimes uneven difficulty (spikes: eliminate squatters, stop gas exposure, final mission (destroy floating mines); dips: worker robot removal, Destroy Plus Escapee, Destroy space catapult (cut short as you approach it and then it's easy to escape))
Can't equip the best laser rifle combined with the 4-legs type legs - no reason given
Kinda tedious backtracking out of the huge pit in the Kill the "Struggle" leader mission and some dead space in other missions (for example when backtracking with the captured object in the Capture Space Station mission there are no hazards or new enemies appearing)
The humanoid legs with good carry capacity are usually not worth using since you move so slow without dashing?
Not enough to spend money on in the late game (a better booster or generator for the 4-legs type would've been good)
Very frustrating vertical platforming segment in the final mission followed by two really annoying fights (small moving platforms in a long shaft+turrets and enemies while climbing, very mobile mechs using laser cannons in the most annoying rooms possible (camera-wise) as the last fights - can lure them down into the corridors but can't really dodge the cannons with 4-legs type and the platforming is also way slower with those)
The exterminate organisms mission is kind of tedious (have to kill all the big ones and not just the queen?)
Kinda lacking storytelling (you get e-mails now and then but that's it, the voiced mission assistant is never introduced, e-mails just stop when close to the final mission; you do get cutscenes when completely wiping out a faction though)
Some story oddities (doesn't make sense that Chrome would decline from wiping out their main rival)
Some of the in-game dialogue is pretty bad and poorly acted
Notes:
-X-S800-GF "Dual Missile" actually fires 6 missiles with only one lock on needed