Armored Core V

Armored Core V is probably the best Mecha-style video game ever made. If you cannot play it online then you are missing out on the real fun of the game, for sure. Armored Core has always been a game franchise whose ethos is rooted in two things: 1.) ultra competitive online play and 2.) hundreds of hours worth of customizing your Armored Core, or AC (i.e. Battlemech/Mobile Suit/Arm Slave, etc...pending on your discourse for robo-facebeating). AC5 is an exception to this in one major way: it also offers a seriously awesome cooperative function! Looks like From Software realized after Dark Souls and Demon's Souls that online cooperative mixed with pvp is the way to go! The decal/emblem creation function is the best in AC5 out of all AC games; my ACs are all amazing looking, and they each handle totally differently. The ability to tailor an AC so that it can fit any number of play styles or missions is unbelievably effective. AC5 introduces a streamlined system of parts integration in which parts actually effect each other's performance like "amp" traits in RPG style games. Certain heads can amplify the power and speed of your boosters, for example. It's really cool. My favorite AC games were AC3 and AC3 Silent Line, which both featured very difficult controls; however, the controls in AC4 did a lot to simplify the gameplay, for new players--honestly I think they did too much. AC5 is the perfect blend of simplified and advanced controls; anyone can pick it up and play effectively immediately, but with time it is possible to get really good with the controls to the point where the player's piloting skill actually matters; you could put two people in the same build of an AC, but the veteran player will have a slight advantage--that's how it should be. AC5 draws a lot of flack for its short missions. Every AC ever made has had short missions, except AC4 which had slightly longer missions; if you are entering the franchise from AC4, then AC5 will feel very quick. Here's what you should notice about AC5: 1.) there are almost no load times ever 2.) the pvp is only quick when people play rush tactics; advanced players will not do this, and protracted pvp battles in AC are amazing--when you're almost out of ammo and it comes down to a blade fight it is like OMG sick 3.) the game is more about the fun of building uber competitive ACs for either coop or pvp than it is about playing single player missions; if you're thinking about it as a single player game, you're probably not thinking about it in terms of getting an "S" rank in every mission. Single play is not about winning, it's about winning in the most insanely difficult way possible, and if you can do that, the game rewards you with awesome parts, and a lot of team points [multiplayer wager currency] 4.) it's awesome when you network play with friends, and the 8-10 [total] player team pvp is extra cool when your buddies are sitting right next to you. If you haven't ever played an AC game, AC5 is a great place to start. I vote you should go buy a copy. NOW.

The Best Armored Core game so far. Those who love the mech action genre is gonna love this game. Front Mission Evolved should have been this game. If only Squeenix chose From Software instead of crappy Developers... Anyway, this game plays so much like the old school AC games, which is great. Gone are the flying dual rifles, missile spamming days of AC4/FA. Now, you need to think tactically to flank your adversaries. Great Team online play and customizations options. -- Veteran of AC games since AC: Project Phantasma.