Similar to Project Phantasm and Master of Arena, AC2:AA is less of a sequel to AC2, but more of an expansion pack. Outside of new missions and some new parts, it's basically the same as its predecessor. But sheesh, it really is an EXPANSION pack. While the Arena didn't make the cut, there's a whopping 100 new missions to take on, which is more than the entire 1st gen combined.
Now you might ask, "but PK, if it's just 100 more missions of the same thing as before, won't it get boooriiing?" Listen, I've just played five of these games in a row in the span of a month, and I'm down to play five more. The mission variety in this game is great. From jumping from ship to ship, to dismantling planes thousands of feet in the sky. We got one-on-one (or, two, or three) enemy AC fights, and we even have fights against enormous MTs. Hell, there are even some returning friends from earlier AC games coming back to tear me a new one, for old time's sake. And at the end of the day, though the series has only been incrementally improving with each entry, the core formula is brilliant. I love building, customizing, optimizing, personalizing, and piloting ACs. I love decimating the enemy, whether that entails methodically combing through a large level, or frantically dueling with an enemy AC. I love getting my ass beaten by the same mission ten times in a row, and going back to the drawing board each time to change up my build. I've enjoyed every entry so far, and AC2:AA is no exception. It ended the 2nd gen with a bang, and it's my favorite game in the series so far.
Now you might ask, "but PK, if it's just 100 more missions of the same thing as before, won't it get boooriiing?" Listen, I've just played five of these games in a row in the span of a month, and I'm down to play five more. The mission variety in this game is great. From jumping from ship to ship, to dismantling planes thousands of feet in the sky. We got one-on-one (or, two, or three) enemy AC fights, and we even have fights against enormous MTs. Hell, there are even some returning friends from earlier AC games coming back to tear me a new one, for old time's sake. And at the end of the day, though the series has only been incrementally improving with each entry, the core formula is brilliant. I love building, customizing, optimizing, personalizing, and piloting ACs. I love decimating the enemy, whether that entails methodically combing through a large level, or frantically dueling with an enemy AC. I love getting my ass beaten by the same mission ten times in a row, and going back to the drawing board each time to change up my build. I've enjoyed every entry so far, and AC2:AA is no exception. It ended the 2nd gen with a bang, and it's my favorite game in the series so far.