Armored Core 4

Armored Core 4 is more accessible than its predecessors; and at its core, beneath the complicated controls and imposing arsenal of body parts, it's a pretty simple, superfast, graceful and smart mech-combat game, and it deserves your attention. [JPN Import]

Armored Core 4 isn't a must-buy for everyone, but its combat and tenacious missions create a journey worth taking.

It looks nicer, it plays faster, and with its lower barrier to entry, Armored Core 4 should appeal to more than just the series' faithful gearheads.

Customisation options make this the best AC yet, but it's not very user-friendly. [July 2007, p.76]

This is a game for tinkerers, where what you purchase and equip is every bit as important as how well you play. [Mar 2007, p.62]

Armored Core 4 delivers more of what the series is known for: fast-paced, arcade-style mech action with highly customizable robots in which to fight. It does this with some very nice visuals to boot, although it fails to be really great with the extremely short campaign, forgettable missions/story, and a clunky user interface for the garage and shop.

With a revamped mission structure, online play, and brand new control scheme Armored Core 4 is a must own for fans of the series like myself. While there are a few glaring problems the core experience is still enjoyable.

The game remains true to the series in catering more toward the hardcore element despite good attempts at making the game accessible; Armored Core 4 easily offers up the hottest mech-on-mech action yet in this next generation.

The learning curve is steep, the controls take effort to master, and the single-player game is ultimately there to prepare you for head-to-head matches. It’s a very specific game experience that rewards trial and error and fails to appeal to a broad audience in the process.

The good news is that Armored Core 4 may be the best in the series. [ Apr 2007, p.86]

The gameplay itself is pretty useless left on its own, but coupled with the customization options, limitless potential awaits.

The short missions, limited battle area, and muted visuals may turn some people off, but most will be satisfied with the swift, intuitive gameplay, the online versus, and the simple fact that they are controlling a giant mechanized robot.

This is a perfect example of a game being lesser than the sum of its parts. Solid graphics and sound, arguably the best control in the series, and some decent missions don't excuse crap online and too many bland objectives.

Well balanced. [July 2007, p.78]

A very enjoyable action romp, which also contains plenty of accessible customisation and strategy, and has a feel about it that screams hardcore, without demanding players trade in their social life for Achievement points and a monitor-kissed, pale skin tone.

The limited playing areas and the auto targeting do detract from the gameplay, but hours could be spent simply customising your mech, let alone unlocking all of the machines that the game holds!

Overall the mission design is boring and repetitive, the graphics are so-so, the online is blah, the customization is awesome, and the overall experience isn’t worth the price of admission. Pass. [JPN Import]

There is nothing next-gen about the title in the least; only slightly improved graphics.

Even with graphics that fall below the expectations of the current generation of hardware, Armored Core 4 is a fun way to make machines to the dirty work.

Tiresome, flawed, but at times rewarding. [Issue#153, p.66]

Multiplayer is what’s really going to get the fans riled. After fine-tuning your ideal mech in single player, you can bring it online and face off against anywhere from one to seven opponents. Unfortunately, there’s not a whole lot of match variety outside of deathmatch and team deathmatch, and there’s no respawning so matches don’t last much longer than five minutes tops.

The mission structure is broken, and the missions can be very short. The online, while fun, is incomplete. And the visuals leave something to be desired.

Ultimately, this series is going to have to evolve into a more accessible, playable, solo-friendly experience if it ever wants to be known as anything other than a niche curiosity.

The single-player missions don't take long to beat and the game's multiplayer lacks depth. Armored Core 4 should keep robot lovers busy, but it failed to improve nearly as much as expected.

The entire production feels unforced, with a overly complex storyline and repetitive meaningless missions. I wanted to love my sweet Armored Core action, but I have been denied.

Had the missions were more expansive, and the multiplayer broader, this would have been a must-buy—especially on the PS3. As it is, Armored Core 4 is the best in the series, and a decent action game.

Fast, truly accessible missions and slower, more strategic battles for sim nuts, plus online arena play. [July 2007, p.113]

Overall Armored Core 4 is heading in the right direction, but there are many issues that need to be addressed.

Although Armored Core 4 delivers its usual, expansive customization options, it isn’t enough to overlook weak single-player missions and lackluster visuals.

It's time for Armored Core to find its place in gaming again because old fans will find it too different and potential fans will be simply turned off.

There's some great action in here, but everything surrounding it just fails to live up to the giants of this genre.

Could have been a much more adventurously designed PlayStation3 debut for the series. Sadly, Armored Core 4 represents a great opportunity, missed. [Mar 2007, p.106]

The mechs are highly customizable--a franchise hallmark--but the environments are sparse and the gameplay experience itself feels ultimately soulless.

The controls are great once you get them customized properly*fire buttons on L1 and R1), with nimble movement and crazy bursts of speed seldom seen outside of anime, but this dexterity is wasted on short missions, bare-bones multiplayer, and the same ol' gameplay AC has been recycling for years. [Apr 2007, p.85]