Simple is better, but only if it’s detailed
I know, I know — the headline there is confusing, but it will make sense (hopefully) once this review is in the bag. For the past two weeks I’ve been playing Armored Cored: SL. The first week I was very frustrated with the game and wanted to throw it out the window. The second week something clicked and everything that FromSoftware had done to make this game came shining through.
One of the things that separated the ACs from the MWs (Mechwarrior) is the storyline. In previous versions of AC the storyline was overblown, nearly anime-ish. If you know anything about anime it’s that the stories tend to be outrageously over-detailed and confusing for the viewers (unless you love that stuff). In the last Playstation 3 version that I played in 2008, the story seem to over-complicate itself by forcing the user to choose which corporation they worked for and provided a backstory for that corporation. Each corporation’s story gave new missions and reasons why other corporations were bad. On top of the backstory for the corporation, each character had their own story that was nearly separate from the main story. Basically, not to get too detailed here, there were many plot points and storylines flowing together in a sea of confusion.
In MW, you have one company you work for and one storyline. That’s it and that’s all you need to motivate yourself in the game. If you’re on the ‘bad’ team then you’re on the ‘bad’ team. The game doesn’t make you feel bad it simply pushes that one storyline forward. You don’t have to take a history lesson to memorize your purpose for being there.
That’s what separated these two very different mech games. Simplicity versus complication. That was a huge turnoff for me when it came to Armored Core. I didn’t want to feel confused; I needed a purpose for my characters. I think this is the biggest plus when it came to Armored Core SL. The story starts out with, “The corporations from the original game have been destroyed and we need to rebuild the surface.” It’s like a wonderful reboot and something I can feel good about and less confused. I don’t want an anime plot point; I just want a straightforward story and purpose.
Say what you will, but if I’m going to get ‘into’ a game I need a story to jump into and Armored Core: SL provides that need. Previous ACs simply never brought this element well, but thankfully SL does.
With a little bit of the good out of the way, let’s talk about my frustrations with this title.
As I previously mentioned, the first week reviewing AC:SL was a tad frustrating. The controls were the hardest part of the game to get use to. Literally every button on the PSP has a purpose when it comes to controlling your AC unit. The basic controls of moving your AC slowly is done by the analog pad. If you want to turn on the thrusters and fly or glide through the game you’ll have to press ‘X’ and keep a watch on your heat meter (located on the left side of the screen). To look up and done you’ll use the triangle (looking up) and the circle (looking down). To shift quickly from left/right you’ll need to use the top left and right buttons. The directional pad switches between weapons and it turns on/off quick thrusts (which can get you out of a tough situation). Now, with all of these things intact, you’ll start out disastrously in your first mission. There were so many times in that first week where I would mistakenly hit the thrusters button (X) when I was trying to shoot (square). Or I would somehow accidentally look up (triangle) when I was trying to hit the thrusters. In the midst of a fight when your enemy is accurately kicking your ass, it’s tough to maneuver when there are so many buttons to remember.
Also, when you’re battling you have to be quick about your strategy when you’re trying to dodge/shoot. I found myself, again in the first week, trying to out duel my enemies with firepower rather than create maneuvers to avoid getting hit, while doing the most damage. AC:SL requires your attention to strategy and requires you to stick and move (Punch-Out! term). That was a big issue when I was getting us to this game and the source of the majority of my frustration. I wanted to win, but at the same time my ‘all or nothing’ campaign was really hurting my chances of success when it came to missions. FromSoftware actually punishes you for this gung-ho attitude. If you take damage in a mission it not only causes damage on your AC, but it also damages the amount of money you make from the mission. So, in a sense, you’re forced to do better if you hope to continue the game with your sanity intact. For me, that was the turning point.
Without money, I can’t improve my armored core unit. Without an AC prepared for the mission, I can’t move on through the game. So, after a week of adjustment, my eyes opened to the splendor that was Armored Core: Silent Line. You have to play the game with some intelligence to enjoy the fruit that it bares.
Speaking of missions, you get a variety of different missions with submissions in between. You’re basically a hired hand and you have to either protect, escort or drive out enemies. Each mission has its own set of rules. For example, there is a misssion where you have to protect a communication field from being attacked. The attacks come via air and from the ground. Sounds easy, right? Well, you have to protect the surroundings (meaning a minimal amount of damage) and you have to take out the enemies. That’s like a bull walking through a china shop; it’s more than difficult. The missions vary in difficulty and the AC has to be adjusted to meet certain mission requirements. The missions offer enough variety to keep the game interesting.
On top of all this, you can customize your AC in a variety of ways. While I think the AC parts are enormously overpriced in the game, and are sometimes unachievable at certain points when you need them to be accessible, FromSoftware has made sure that you’re not bored when it comes to the adding/subtracting of parts. From head to torso, to back, to legs, to arms, to forearms, you can add or subtract weapons and armor as you see fit. That’s depth when you see how much is available to you. That was part of the second week of reviewing and helped bring an enormous amount of credibility to this portable game. I’m quite aware that you can do these things in the Playstation 3 title, but having these options in the portable version of the game is invaluable. Why is it invaluable? It gives you a reason to try different things and helps you add another level of depth to your strategy when you’re going into a mission. You can customize your AC in a particular way that fits you and fits your needs.
As I mentioned before, the price to do such things is high. You’ll find that if you don’t complete missions enough that you simply won’t be able to upgrade or improve. To offset, and basically give you a break, missions Armored Core: Silent Line has an arena feature. It’s you versus some other AC and the winner brings home a boat load of cash. The accumulation of this money is quick and you can improve your AC in a matter of 10-15 minutes (that’s two fights at least). It’s a great way of making money quickly and it helps when you need a break from frustratingly long missions. Much like the missions it does have a ceiling it hits where you’ll be asked to change your AC to get the job done. Right around the fifth or sixth fight you’ll need to improve your AC to continue. Again, this is the game forcing you to think things through and to get better; I don’t mind this a bit.
What I do mind is the level of difficulty that this game presents. You get two levels to work with: Normal and Difficult (sorry folks, no easy). Normal is tough as nails even for season mech vets. I never tried difficult because what’s the use? I can only imagine how terribly tough it is and I suggest it if you are just breezing through the ‘normal’ mode (good luck with that). Each mission varies on difficulty and the amount of time it takes to complete. Most missions, at least at the beginning, will take you about 10 minutes to complete. As you get further in the game, you’ll find that missions have multiple parts inside of them. For example, in one mission you’re asked to take out a security system that has gone bad. While taking out the machines that have gone rogue, you’ll also need to suppress fires that have been ignited. At the end of the mission, you’ll go head to head with one tough AC. If you fail the mission you’ll have to start all the way over. Speaking of failing missions, should you fail too many then the company that has hired you will fire you. Once you’re fired the game is officially over.
My advice to keep you sane? Save and save often.