This review contains spoilers
Master of Arena, unlike its predecessor, justifies its existence as a "new" Armored Core game. While I'm still rather fatigued by PS1 AC as a whole, this game features the best elements of the original (including a solid story) while changing up the look of the menus and introducing enough new elements in regards to customisation and a superb soundtrack to boot.
As I mentioned in my review for Project Phantasma, I was disappointed in the shift to a more typical plot which saw you taking down an unambiguous baddie that threatened the world. In Master of Arena, you are once again a mercenary, taking on odd jobs from your handler. There's some tension here though, as you also receive requests from your sponsor, which your handler doesn't appreciate. To actually spoil things for once, I loved the fact that your handler essentially goes off the rails when they realise they can't keep you on a tight leash any longer. It's a fun look into the Ravens' Nest, an organisation with its own twisted sense of morality.
Unlike Project Phantasma, climbing the ranks of the arena is necessary here. I didn't touch disc 2, but the arena offerings of disc 1 were just... okay. These confrontations just don't hit the right spots for me, turning is incredibly sluggish so it can be impossible to pin down the faster ACs. Some weapons are utterly useless here too, so my arsenal was restricted in a way I wasn't overly fond of. While I did appreciate having to change up my strategy in order to overcome some of the tougher opponents, I still don't see the value in these encounters, at least in the PS1 engine.
Overall though, another solid entry in the series. It didn't overstay its welcome and although I'm very much ready to move onto the next generations, this was a strong send off to what came first.
As I mentioned in my review for Project Phantasma, I was disappointed in the shift to a more typical plot which saw you taking down an unambiguous baddie that threatened the world. In Master of Arena, you are once again a mercenary, taking on odd jobs from your handler. There's some tension here though, as you also receive requests from your sponsor, which your handler doesn't appreciate. To actually spoil things for once, I loved the fact that your handler essentially goes off the rails when they realise they can't keep you on a tight leash any longer. It's a fun look into the Ravens' Nest, an organisation with its own twisted sense of morality.
Unlike Project Phantasma, climbing the ranks of the arena is necessary here. I didn't touch disc 2, but the arena offerings of disc 1 were just... okay. These confrontations just don't hit the right spots for me, turning is incredibly sluggish so it can be impossible to pin down the faster ACs. Some weapons are utterly useless here too, so my arsenal was restricted in a way I wasn't overly fond of. While I did appreciate having to change up my strategy in order to overcome some of the tougher opponents, I still don't see the value in these encounters, at least in the PS1 engine.
Overall though, another solid entry in the series. It didn't overstay its welcome and although I'm very much ready to move onto the next generations, this was a strong send off to what came first.