In another universe, From Software fired Miyazaki after realizing how ass this game is, making Dark Souls and its consequences on the game industry but a fever dream.
Armored Core 4 is very different from its predecessor; Ravens are now called LYNX, ACs are now called NEXTs, at least that's how it's supposed to be but half the time in game dialogue uses the old terms (i have no idea if it's on purpose or not). The game is now much more focused on speed and aerial combat, it's very easy to make an AC with near infinite flight capacities, and you now have 3 buttons assigned to boost all around the place, the movement in this game feels really neat!
Unfortunately, movement is the really good thing the game has going for it, mechanically speaking. The customization UI is terrible, probably the worst from the series so far, getting to understand where to go to build your AC and how to even display how much money you have took me a few minutes. I do like the idea of getting blueprints of ACs you defeat tho, that concept is neat.
Heating has been removed, and weight now functions differently, you just have an overall weight value instead of having arm and legs weight. (at least i think so; again, that customization UI is dogshit) So are optional parts and tuning, now you just get FRS points that let you finetune your AC, letting you get more turning speed, boost power, energy output, damage, w/e you want. The game doesn't explain that at all tho and the same applies to the stabilizer mechanic, i have no idea what those do or which ones are good.
The part selection is... Eh. I didn't really vibe with any of the weapons. In fact, one of my biggest issue with this game is how the combat feels like it's lacking some feedbacks. When i get hit, i barely register what's happening, i just see my HP go down but whatever's hitting me doesn't really have enough visual impact for it to feel like i get hit, and the same kinda applies to when i hit something, it's the same kind of issue i have with the Halo games I played.
The missions are a biiiig whatever dude. They exist. Some of them even last longer than 30 seconds, but most don't. There's a few that feels really cool, you're just blasting around at extremely high speed, blasting small robots that pose you no threat at all, it's neat and really highlight how sick the movement is and how much you feel like an unstoppable mecha... Except they never last really long enough to ever feel good. There's also no really challenging missions, which isn't really an issue by itself but after how GOOD Last Raven was because it was beating your ass half the time, it's a bit disappointing. The game is also ridiculously short, it took me 6h30 to beat it and that includes the fact i was idling in menus for long period of times and also had to redo some missions because i forgot to save and the emulator sometimes crashes on cutscenes.
The story is also like so weird. Corporations are fighting each others and you gradually destroy them all i think but the game gives so little like actual story it's hard to feel involved in it. i could barely give you the name of any corporation and who i was fighting for the most because it really feel like it doesn't matter, you just destroy shit in missions and sometimes it apparently "changes the world" but there's no real impact. Again, i wouldn't mind it that much normally if the previous game wasn't that good in that regard.
At least the music's really good, but apart from that and the movement being badass there's not much of value to be found in Armored Core 4, and comparing it to Last Raven makes it even worse
Armored Core 4 is very different from its predecessor; Ravens are now called LYNX, ACs are now called NEXTs, at least that's how it's supposed to be but half the time in game dialogue uses the old terms (i have no idea if it's on purpose or not). The game is now much more focused on speed and aerial combat, it's very easy to make an AC with near infinite flight capacities, and you now have 3 buttons assigned to boost all around the place, the movement in this game feels really neat!
Unfortunately, movement is the really good thing the game has going for it, mechanically speaking. The customization UI is terrible, probably the worst from the series so far, getting to understand where to go to build your AC and how to even display how much money you have took me a few minutes. I do like the idea of getting blueprints of ACs you defeat tho, that concept is neat.
Heating has been removed, and weight now functions differently, you just have an overall weight value instead of having arm and legs weight. (at least i think so; again, that customization UI is dogshit) So are optional parts and tuning, now you just get FRS points that let you finetune your AC, letting you get more turning speed, boost power, energy output, damage, w/e you want. The game doesn't explain that at all tho and the same applies to the stabilizer mechanic, i have no idea what those do or which ones are good.
The part selection is... Eh. I didn't really vibe with any of the weapons. In fact, one of my biggest issue with this game is how the combat feels like it's lacking some feedbacks. When i get hit, i barely register what's happening, i just see my HP go down but whatever's hitting me doesn't really have enough visual impact for it to feel like i get hit, and the same kinda applies to when i hit something, it's the same kind of issue i have with the Halo games I played.
The missions are a biiiig whatever dude. They exist. Some of them even last longer than 30 seconds, but most don't. There's a few that feels really cool, you're just blasting around at extremely high speed, blasting small robots that pose you no threat at all, it's neat and really highlight how sick the movement is and how much you feel like an unstoppable mecha... Except they never last really long enough to ever feel good. There's also no really challenging missions, which isn't really an issue by itself but after how GOOD Last Raven was because it was beating your ass half the time, it's a bit disappointing. The game is also ridiculously short, it took me 6h30 to beat it and that includes the fact i was idling in menus for long period of times and also had to redo some missions because i forgot to save and the emulator sometimes crashes on cutscenes.
The story is also like so weird. Corporations are fighting each others and you gradually destroy them all i think but the game gives so little like actual story it's hard to feel involved in it. i could barely give you the name of any corporation and who i was fighting for the most because it really feel like it doesn't matter, you just destroy shit in missions and sometimes it apparently "changes the world" but there's no real impact. Again, i wouldn't mind it that much normally if the previous game wasn't that good in that regard.
At least the music's really good, but apart from that and the movement being badass there's not much of value to be found in Armored Core 4, and comparing it to Last Raven makes it even worse