Armored Core 4
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| Armored Core 4 | |
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| Developer(s) | From Software |
| Publisher(s) | Sega |
| Designer(s) | From Networks |
| Aspect ratio | 720p (HDTV) 480p (EDTV) 480i (SDTV) |
| Platform(s) | PlayStation 3 Xbox 360[1] |
| Release date | JP December 21, 2006 (PS3) JP March 22, 2007 (X360) |
| Genre(s) | Vehicle simulation game |
| Mode(s) | Single player Multiplayer |
| Rating(s) | CERO: A ESRB: T USK: USK-12 PEGI: 12+ |
| Media | Blu-ray Disc (PlayStation 3) DVD (Xbox 360) |
| Input methods | SIXAXIS Controller, Xbox 360 Controller |
Armored Core 4 is a video game for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the 12th installment of From Software's Armored Core series, despite being titled Armored Core 4. Armored Core 4 is set in the future, where a great war has left the nations of Earth devastated and their respective governments taken over by corporations. The game features a system for personalized customization of the player's mech and an online mode where players can battle each other over the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live. The game is similar to the MechWarrior series and is the spiritual sibling to From Software's other mecha-based game, Chromehounds.
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[edit] History
[edit] The Nation Dismantlement War
The world experienced a period of rapid population growth, which put a strain on global food and energy supplies. As populations increased, so did the gap between the wealthy and the poor, and so did the unrest within the population at large. Eventually, violence began to erupt and the governments quickly lost control of their populations as their cities were consumed by terrorism and anarchy. People began turning to corporations, complete with private armies, to keep them safe from the chaos.
In the midst of the meltdown, the world's six most powerful corporate conglomerates decided to do away with national governments and install their own brand of rule and law. They launched a full scale war on the nations of the world, which came to be known as the Nation Dismantlement War.
Using advanced Armored Core technology, the corporations decimated the forces of the nations and declared victory in less than a month. With the old nations of the world effectively toppled, the corporations set out to work on a new system of government.
[edit] Pax Economica
The corporations dubbed their new order as the "Pax Economica", a system where loyalty and service to the corporations guaranteed food and survival. Under the Pax, however, people were forced into corporate-run colonies and essentially became slaves serving wealthy corporate masters.
[edit] Characters
- Raven: The protagonist of Armored Core 4. As in previous Armored Core titles, the Raven is unnamed and does not speak. The story plays out entirely from his perspective.
- Professor Jarnefeldt: As the developer of Next control technology, he single-handedly supplied the core of Anatolia's livelihood with his many technical advancements . His death left Anatolia in a state of economic crisis.
- Emil Gustav: Though a member of Professor Jarnefeldt's Next tech development staff, his true talents lie in the world of politics. Following the Professor's death, Emil assumes responsibility for the Colony's welfare and proposes that they sell the Nexts. With this in mind, he asks the Raven to act as the Next's pilot. He was voiced by Dwight Schultz for the US version.
- Fiona Jarnefeldt: Not only is she Professor Jarnefeldt's daughter but she also worked as the Raven's support partner (operator) in the field. Though she understands the necessity of Emil's plan, she is unable to relieve her feelings of guilt at using the Raven, she also seems to have feelings for him. Both She and the Raven together leave Anatolia after the war. She was voiced by Kari Wahlgren for the US version.
- Joshua O'Brien: An old friend of Fiona's, this former AMS test subject now works as a mercenary for Aspina. He pilots the Next White Glint. It is tuned for extreme mobility with a high degree of AMS compatibility. He is ranked at #40. Despite his gentlemanly calm nature and somewhat apathetic aura, he continues to fight to protect his tiny homeland. He was voiced by Daryl Kurylo for the US version.
- Amazigh: He pilots the irregular Next Barbaroi for the Maglib Liberation Front. Born and raised in Africa, he stands as an iconic hero to Maglib and the other anti-establishment forces in Africa. He's pushed Barbaroi's performance to the limits despite extremely low natural AMS compatibility, enduring a tremendous amount of psychic shock. He works alone to avoid contaminating his comrades. He was voiced by Jeffrey D. Sams for the US version+
- Sus: He pilots the irregular Next Asyut Minya for the Maglib Liberation Front. He is generally seen as Maglib's second best pilot. He was voiced by Bumper Robinson for the US version.
- Mido Auriel: She pilots the Next Null. She is ranked at #30. Because she possesses special psychic traits, Mido became one of the elite Linx pilots. She trained with Omer after the National Dismantlement War. She was voiced by Masasa Moyo for the US version.
- Anjou: She pilots the Next Orleans and is the #03 Original. Her chief power lies in close combat, where she astounds her enemies with her extremely powerful experimental laser blade. Her Next is tuned for speed and has access to some very powerful prototype boosters. Her skill on the battlefield is almost unparalleled. She has killed the most pilots during the National Dismantlement War. She was voiced by Karen Strassman for the US version.
- Mary Shelley: She pilots the Next Prometheus. Her AC tuned for speed and accuracy to complement her sniping skills. She is the #05 Original. She has been rumored to have killed many pilots during the National Dismantlement War. She was voiced by Karen Strassman for the US version.
- Unseel: He pilots the Next Red Cap. Unseel uses a multi-leg chasis to reduce the extreme kickback of his heavy sniper weapons. He is an exceptional sniper. He is the #15 Original. He is part of Berlioz elite squad. He was voiced by Crispin Freeman for the US version.
- Zanni: He pilots the Next Roughcut. He is quite adept at using his reverse-joint legs to dominate on the field. Zanni is determined to obliterate the competition with his massive firepower, but not at the expense of speed. He is the #12 Original. He is part of Berlioz' elite squad. He was voiced by Dave Wittenberg for the US version.
- P. Dam: She pilots the Next Hilarios. She is considered to be one of the weaker Originals due to her emotional instabilities. P. Dam specializes in the use of Kojima weapons and has a high focus on PA. She is the #21 Original. She is part of Berlioz' elite squad. She was voiced by Kate Higgins for the US version.
- Berlioz: He pilots the Next Supplice. He is considered to be the most talented Original Next. Never underestimating his opponents, he is a respectable and commpassionate person. He is the #01 Original. He was voiced by Chris Edgerly for the US version.
[edit] The Corporations
The world of Armored Core 4 is ruled by six major companies, each of whom constantly vie for control with one another.
The six companies are Eqbal, Rosenthal, Rayleonard, Leonemeccanica, Bernard and Felix Foundation (BFF), and Global Armaments (GA).
[edit] Glossary of Terms
- Actuator Complexity System (ACS) - The Next's new and improved system of control which far surpasses that of Normals in terms of precision. Originally researched and developed by Aldra, poor data management has cost them a great deal of advantage in the field. It is now looked at among Companies as a comparatively easily surpassed engineering hurdle.
- Allegorical Manipulation System (AMS) - Piloting system allowing those with a certain in-born psychic trait to control Nexts. Though the strain it places on pilots is considerable, it allows for an extremely high degree of AC control.
- Armored Core (AC) - A new form of humanoid multi-purpose weapon, armed with unparalleled firepower and capable of deciding battles single-handedly. The ACs were originally developed to combat the terrorism and violence that rose with the world's sovereign nations' inability to preserve order. Recent developments in Armored Core technology have yielded a new breed of ACs, called "Nexts," in addition to the previous "Normals."
- Anatolia - One of the colonies established under the Pax. Anatolia serves as the home base for many of the game's main characters such as Emil, Fiona and the Raven. Anatolia was once the home of Professor Jarnefeldt, one of the developers of the "Next" Armored Core technology, but since his death it has suffered economically. In order to keep the colony from foundering, Jarnefeldt's successor, Emil Gustav, has turned the colony into a mercenary organization centered around Anatolia's sole Next pilot, the Raven.
- Colonies - Collective dwellings inhabited by all except for the privileged employees of the Companies, ranging from small city-states to tiny villages. Economic transactions take place exclusively between the Companies and a Colony representative, leaving the majority of the population to work in exchange for their food and security. The tight supply of food and energy, however, paired with the Companies' prohibition of direct inter-Colony trade, still leaves nearly all of the inhabitants in destitution.
- Companies - The six corporate groups and their holdings, which have assumed the responsibility of providing a new order in the place of the world's former nations.
- Firing Control System (FCS) - The weapons control system that operates alongside the IRS when sighting targets.
- Fractional Regulation System (FRS) - An AC control system that relays commands to each of the individual parts of the unit from the IRS. The FRS' ability to optimize and execute control over separate parts without losing overall control gives it a distinct advantage over IRS performance. Furthermore, FRS performance can be enhanced through the addition of specialized external memory chips.
- Integrated Regulation System (IRS) - The centralized AC control system stored within the craft's head. The IRS processes data output from the AMS fills in any gaps in the pilot's commands and relays them to the parts. The IRS system also handles data from the AC's camera eyes and sensors.
- Interior Group - Heavyweight crafts streamlined for minimum impact, designed to rule the battlefield with lethal high-powered energy-based weaponry.
- Kojima Technology - A recent breakthrough in engineering that unravels the secrets between Nexts and Normals. Originally developed by Akvavit and Rayleonard, Omer Science Technology replicated their results through independent research shortly thereafter. Thanks to tight data control within the labs of these three companies, the inner workings of Kojima technology remains a black box to outside developers, and corporate espionage amongst the Companies has escalated to a fevered pitch.
- Kojima Particles - A new substance discovered approximately seven years prior to the National Dismantlement War by a researcher of the same name. Ensuing research has shown that when Kojima technology is applied to a host of applications, the basis of the Nexts is formed. Kojima particles have also been found to be a powerful pollutant, causing dangerously widespread and persistent damage to all forms of life exposed to them. Created by Akvavit and Omer Science Technology, Kojima Particles hold great potential for military use.
- Linx - A title applied to Next pilots who are AMS-compatible. While a Next's AMS control system directly translates the pilot's skill into AC performance in the field, it requires the said pilots to possess a special psychic trait in order for the system to properly function. Only candidates born compatible are suited to act as pilots. Their psychic peculiarities could be called a form of genius, and many of them are used as the Companies' experimental test subjects.
- National Dismantlement War - The armed conflict that erupted after the Companies decided to form a new world order. After explosive population growth, the sovereign nations of the world lost their ability to maintain control in the face of food and energy shortages. Beginning with the Companies' sudden and unilateral blitzkrieg, the largest scale coup d'etat in world history was concluded within weeks, with the Companies standing victorious.
- Nexts - A new breed of weaponry developed in secret, initially used as the Companies' ace-in-the-hole during the National Dismantlement War. Though based on Normal AC technology, the combination of Akvavit's Kojima technology, Aspina's Allegorical Manipulation System, and other new breakthroughs yielded a product with far greater potential. The exclusive Nexts also represent the Companies' power, as most Colonies and independent armed groups do not have access to them.
- Normals - High-powered, multi-purpose humanoid weapons developed to counter terrorism and violence which rose to fill the vacuum left by the sovereign nations' waning power. The strongest weapons in play prior to the National Dismantlement War, Normals are now - with the exception of some of the latest or most highly specialized models - all but powerless in the face of the world's few Nexts. That said, Normals still compose the bulk of the Companies' forces, and represent the strongest units available to both Colonies and independent armed groups.
- Originals - A title given to Linx pilots that have manned Nexts from the time of the National Dismantlement War, which is to say from the very outset of Next technology. Over half of the Linx pilots in existence are Originals, with the number of post-war additions still extremely few. A strong sense of being one of a chosen few pervades the ranks of the Originals, who were numbered from one through 26 following the war, in the order of their battlefield accomplishments.
- Overboost (OB) - Propulsion device developed through the application of Kojima technology to boosters. The conversion of a craft's Kojima particles into the OB allows for instantaneous, explosive acceleration, though it gradually compromises the craft's Primal Armor.
- Pax Economica - The new social order, established after the Companies' victory in the National Dismantlement War. Under the Pax Economica, a majority of the world's population dwells in collectives known as Colonies. There, people are guaranteed food in return for labor, but they are completely cut off from the market economy.
- Primal Armor (PA) - A defensive shield created by molding Kojima particles into a sustained, stable flow around the AC's exterior which is capable of greatly mitigating or entirely nullifying a wide variety of attacks to the AC from all sides. After absorbing damage from an attack, the subsequent dispersal of Kojima particles can lead to the temporary weakening of the whole PA itself, but unlike conventional armor, PAs restore themselves with time. There are few drawbacks to using PA though: it can be weak comparatively against highly penetrative weapons, and the necessity of expelling a large quantity of Kojima particles into the atmosphere presents a severe risk of serious environmental contamination.
- Quick Boost (QB) - Though boost technology is hardly new in Normals and other weaponry, this breakthrough technology allows for immediate acceleration in any direction over a short distance. With the Nexts' revolutionary energy provision system and the AMS' high degree of control, the Quick Boost has become one of the new ACs' characteristic features.
- Raven - A common name for a mercenary AC pilot after the widespread use of Normals in battle began. Their high degree of specialization and the impressive power of their crafts represented the chaotic era in which they once fought. Now, after the close of the National Dismantlement War, however, most Ravens have been forced to become lackeys of the Companies and patrol the Colonies for meager pay, or fully devote themselves to independent armed groups. Their current struggle to survive is a far cry from the glory they once held as the unchallenged masters of the battlefield in the days before the advent of Next technology.
[edit] New Features
Armored Core 4 has more new features than previous AC games although some of those found in previous AC games were removed.
[edit] Reception
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Armored Core 4 generally received mixed reviews like other titles although still manages to get more positive reviews than its predecessors. The game received 7.7 (out of 10) from Gamespot, 5.9 (out of 10) from IGN, 8.4 (out of 10) from GameVideos, 7.3 (out of 10) from Game Trailers, 86.5 (out of 100) from GameStats, 5.9 (out of 10) from 1UP.com and 6 (out of 10) from GamesRadar. It has an averaged score of 63% from gamerankings.
The game was praised for having newer and better graphics, better environment physics, larger mission areas, faster and more intense battles, better garage system and even sometimes the new set of parts are praised by fans and gaming sites. However, some point out that the game still suffers from many of the problems of its predecessors and that some missions last for a very short period of time, some can even be finished in less than 60 seconds (depending on the player). This may be the explanation for the low scores on gaming sites. Still, it has managed to attract many new fans due perhaps to the call for improvements.
[edit] References
- ^ a b Willzay (2007-06-08). http://img.game.co.uk/ml/3/3/0/9/330905ps.gif. GamingExtreme - Home Of The Extreme!. meltingpx - Home. Retrieved on 2007-06-22. “http://img.game.co.uk/ml/3/3/0/9/330905ps.gif Armored Core 4 - Europe 22nd June … Platforms-Xbox 360” See a scan of the cover mentioned here.
[edit] External links
- (English) Sega Armored Core website
- (Japanese) Official From Software Armored Core website (some English content)
- (English) ACO Armored Core Online Community website
- (Japanese) Armored Core Parts Conference - A partial list of Armored Core 4 parts.
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