Armored Core: For Answer

If you think mech customization and boost-filled battles sound like your cup of tea, Armored Core does deliver on those parts.

Armored Core: For Answer has it hits and misses.

It's not perfect, but Armored Core: For Answer is a definite step up from the previous few iterations in the series.

The latest Armored Core makes up for the series' lack of progress by simply being fun to play.

Armored Core for Answer is another meaty entry for a niche franchise with a loyal group of followers.

The game is solid, looks good and plays well, but it just has a "feel" that's not for everyone.

FROM knows how to build some great action based “Mech” games and again they did a great job here and while it is far from perfect it is an excellent choice for action gamers who are looking for a kick. Armored Core for Answer is more then a rental but maybe not a buy for some gamers.

Solid Mech action combined with more technical blabbering than the average gamer is likely to appreciate. For all that, it's still a cool game. Certainly not made for the broad masses, but cool.

I appreciate the realization of scale in the game, and the overall fun you get out of just blowing things away with the different weapons you can toy around with. I'm not sure if there's been enough improvements here to appease fans, but as a player that hasn't been immersed in the Armored Core universe for a bit, I had a pretty good time.

Although the franchise needs clearer improvements, for Answer is a title that will captivate fans of the mechs. The incorporation of a cooperative mode brings a nice add-on, and the customization continues being one of great the attractiveness of the Armored Core series.

The twitchy mechs and boring battles combined with the blandness of the graphics makes For Answer a difficult game to recommend. So we won’t. That section in Metal Gear 4 was more fun than this.

Basically, play it for the multiplayer, or don’t play it at all. [Dec 2008, p.110]

[Christmas 2008, p.87]

The customizing of your own Mech, the good looks, the amount of weaponry, and decent story are all positive features of an average installment in the Armored Core-series. The missions and bland surroundings get repetitive after a while, and the fact that nobody plays the game online is a real letdown. All in all, Armored Core for Answer breathes mediocrity.

Armored Core: For Answers isn’t able to persuade in any aspect. The story isn’t irrelevant and the missions are boring and too difficult to be fun. Graphics also suck.

Armored Core: For Answer could have been a great game with a bit more terrain variations or something that added to the gameplay, but this is not the best mech game out there and your should probably rent instead of buying.

We should expect more. [Jan 2009, p.82]

It's not even technically impressive. [Jan 2009, p.103]

What's so strange about For Answer is its trading of extensive customization for actual gameplay. Sure, you can build the ultimate mech, customizing it to your heart's content, yet when you actually play the game, you realize its shortcomings.

The game does provide a few improvements, bringing revised flight controls and new cooperative mission modes, but For Answer lacks what a great series needs in order to stay relevant: progress.