Armored Core V Review

             When two meticulously tweaked mechs meet in combat, the results can be explosively fun. The battle for position might see one bouncing between buildings five stories in the air, while the other jets along the ground to acquire line of sight. They deploy reconnaissance aids and radar jammers to win the information war and then use long-barreled cannons and energy blasts to win the physical fight. Leaving your enemy a smoking ruin can be very satisfying, but in Armored Core V, this kind of satisfaction is all too rare.

 

            
             When two meticulously tweaked mechs meet in combat, the results can be explosively fun. The battle for position might see one bouncing between buildings five stories in the air, while the other jets along the ground to acquire line of sight. They deploy reconnaissance aids and radar jammers to win the information war and then use long-barreled cannons and energy blasts to win the physical fight. Leaving your enemy a smoking ruin can be very satisfying, but in Armored Core V, this kind of satisfaction is all too rare.  Even ducking behind a building doesn't always keep you safe from missiles.


             To learn the tactics needed to succeed on the battlefield, you need to spend a lot of time running missions through the drab, somber environments. AC aficionados may have the tactics down, but to unlock the parts needed to build a worthy mech, you need to slog through a lot of mind-numbingly easy missions. When the challenge comes later on, or when you jump into competitive multiplayer, you can find the kind of combat that delivers on the promise of purpose-built battle bots dueling to the death. But even if you are well prepared for a fight, Armored Core V still spends too much time making you work toward the good stuff.
At least many of the missions are short. The prevalent Order missions often don't last longer than a minute. You load up the battlefield, wait for your systems to come online, and travel straight until you encounter the enemy. When the orange box appears indicating target lock, you pull your triggers and destroy your foes. Then you get paid (minus ammunition and repair costs) and are bumped back to the world map to select your next sortie.



             While Order missions are little more than brief excursions to pad your wallet or test your loadout, Story missions are longer endeavors. Part of this is due to the cinematic scenes that tell a nigh incomprehensible tale of a conflict involving a domineering corporation, a desperate rebellion, and a despotic figure named "Father." Parsing out the particulars is a challenge with no discernable rewards; fortunately, Story missions also present a challenge when it comes to combat.