PSBlog Feed: Armored Core: A history of From Software’s mech saga

[Commander Fury]

For quite some time, From Software was primarily known for their mech-based action games. The crown jewel of these games is Armored Core, which debuted on the original PlayStation and established a series that garners a devoted fanbase over two decades later. 

With the announcement of Armored Core (1997), Armored Core: Project Phantasma, and Armored Core: Master of Arena coming to PlayStation Plus Classics, now’s the perfect time to take a trip into this series’ history.

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Armored Core | PlayStation | 1997

Armored Core found its origins through a collaboration between From Software and Shoji Kawamori, one of anime’s premier mechanical designers. In the earliest days of the original PlayStation’s life, From Software and Kawamori thought of an idea for a game about player-customizable mechs. Eventually, the concept evolved into being able to attach modular parts to a central unit, known as an Armored Core. From there came a story about Earth ruined by the Great Destruction, a corporate-ruled dystopia, and the Ravens, mercenary mech pilots with no allegiances beyond the power of money.

Armored Core released in Japan and North America in 1997, with a European release hitting in 1998. The game stood out not only for its in-depth customization, resource management, and mission-driven progression, but a complex yet interesting control scheme that made players feel like they were in the cockpit of a custom-built mecha. The story also went in different directions depending on the missions you chose, creating a game that rewarded multiple playthroughs. 

Armored Core will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.

Armored Core: Project Phantasma | PlayStation | 1998

In response to player enthusiasm and feedback, Armored Core received two immediate expansion follow-ups. Project Phantasma is a more story-driven prequel to the original AC that introduced the wildly popular Arena mode, where players duel with other mechs to climb ranks and earn fabulous prizes. 

Armored Core: Project Phantasma will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.

Armored Core: Master of Arena | PlayStation | 1999

Master of Arena, as the title suggests, builds upon the Arena mode by making it the core focus. Being a direct sequel to Project Phantasma, both of these games allowed you to import save data from previous titles, keeping all of the hard-earned weapons and customizations you’d earned. The original PlayStation Armored Cores set the stage for what came later, developing key features that define the series to this day. Kawamori’s involvement also continued throughout the series, giving the mechs of AC a distinct look and feel that set them apart. 

Armored Core: Master of Arena will be available with PlayStation Plus Premium starting March 18.

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Armored Core 2 | PlayStation 2 | 2000

From Software was one of the earliest developers to embrace the power of the PlayStation 2, and among their early crop of PS2 titles was a sequel to Armored Core. (In fact, it was a launch title alongside the PlayStation 2 in North America in 2000.) The story of AC2 occurs several decades after the original PlayStation AC titles, taking the Raven to a terraformed Mars where civil war rages. Besides a hefty graphical upgrade, Armored Core introduces the Overboost mechanic, allowing mechs to move quickly when engaged though it guzzles energy rapidly. New Radiator, Extension, and Inside parts also allow for greater mech customization.

A follow-up, Armored Core 2: Another Age, soon followed, taking the story back to Earth and its political struggles while featuring over 100 new missions for players to partake in. The Japanese release of AC2AA in 2001 is noteworthy since it was one of the first PS2 games to allow online play with the PS2’s Network Adaptor.

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Armored Core 3 | PlayStation 2 | 2002

Armored Core continued on the PS2 in 2002 with the release of the third-numbered title. While Armored Core 3 didn’t follow the story from the previous games, its setting remained very familiar: a ruined planet Earth where humans live in underground enclaves called Layered and are overseen by a mysterious, possibly malevolent AI named The Controller. New gameplay additions include Consorts–allied units that aid you during missions–and the ability to remove weapons mid-mission to reduce weight and improve performance. AC3 also saw the return of the fan-favorite Arena mode, which AC2AA lacked.

AC3 got a follow-up using the same engine in Armored Core 3: Silent Line. The titular Silent Line is the new threat on the Earth’s surface that emerged in the wake of AC3’s events. This storyline continued through 2004’s Armored Core: Nexus, though the changes to the gameplay–including adding, removing, and adjusting several types of weaponry–meant that players couldn’t import their data from the earlier AC3 titles. Two follow-ups to Nexus, Nine Breaker and Last Raven, completed the AC3 storyline. Several titles in this cycle would also see ports to the PSP.

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Armored Core 4 | PlayStation 3 | 2006

Armored Core 4’s debut brought high-definition mech combat to the PlayStation 3 with style. Once again, the story was rebooted with the familiar premise of corporations dominating the lives of Earth’s populace and hiring mercenaries to do their dirty work. The new-generation Armored Cores, called NEXTs, feature upgraded new technology like Primal Armor, varied Boost options, and a new pilot interface called the Allegorical Manipulation System–so advanced that only a select few psychic individuals, known as Lynx, can use it.

AC4 revamped the control scheme from previous games, aiming to make the experience more intuitive for both new players and grizzled series veterans. The heat management system was removed and a new Quick Boost movement option was implemented, greatly affecting mech control and mobility. Visually, the HD fidelity of the PS3’s graphics allowed for incredible detail in the environments, where your mech’s combat actions directly affect your surroundings. A direct follow-up, Armored Core for Answer was released in 2008 and picks up a decade after AC4’s story left off. Armored Core for Answer tells the story of conflict between humans and corporations that fled for safety in floating cities called Cradles and the rebel force, ORCA, fighting the corps’ overbearing influence from the surface.

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Armored Core V | PlayStation 3 | 2012

Armored Core V launched on PS3 in early 2012. The Earth is once again a complete mess, with the remaining population gathering in a single habitable city ruled over by the megalomaniacal Father. The player joins the Resistance forces as a mercenary to challenge Father’s dictatorship.

The shift to using Roman numerals in the title hinted at some changes under the hood, and AC5’s gameplay was a marked shift away from the speedier, action-driven combat of the more recent entries to a more careful, tactical style of play that harkened back to the early PlayStation installments. The Armored Core units were physically smaller, allowing them to take advantage of environmental features like taking cover and launching surprise attacks. Missions could now involve a whole squad of AC units, with an Operator who gives guidance throughout. New Overed Weapons provided incredible power with some massive drawbacks, while a new Scan mode let players shift into a non-combat mode to analyze enemies and conserve resources.

2013’s Armored Core: Verdict Day resumes the plot 100 years after AC5’s events, throwing players into a war between three powerful entities vying for control of newly uncovered Towers filled with mysterious technology. The team-focused gameplay of AC5 was enhanced further by introducing customizable AI-controlled Armored Cores called UNACs into the mix.

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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon | PlayStation 5 | 2023

We finally come to the Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Ten years after the release of Armored Core Verdict Day, fans finally had the all-new Armored Core title they had been clamoring for. Not only was AC6 a long-awaited return to form for the storied series, it succeeded in bringing many new fans into the series–many of whom were totally new to mech-based combat games. With the massive success and acclaim AC6 has seen, it feels like a new era for the series–we’ll just have to wait and see where From Software takes Armored Core from here.

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