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Armored Core 4

Overview

Armored Core 4 is a video game for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series...

and Xbox 360

Xbox 360

The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft, and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles....

. It is the 12th installment of From Software

From Software

From Software is a Japanese software company founded in November 1986 that develops games for Sony's PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo's DS, Wii, GameCube, Xbox, Xbox 360, Sega's Dreamcast, and mobile phones...

's Armored Core series, despite being titled Armored Core 4. Armored Core 4 is set in the future, where an impending great war will potentially leave 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

Mecha

Mecha, also known as meka or mechs, are walking vehicles controlled by a pilot, often appearing in anime, science fiction, or other genres involving a fantastic or futuristic element. Mecha are generally, though not necessarily, bipedal, with arms, hands, and fingers capable of grasping objects...

and an online mode where players can battle each other over the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live.

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Encyclopedia

Armored Core 4 is a video game for the PlayStation 3

PlayStation 3

The PlayStation 3 is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment, and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series...

and Xbox 360

Xbox 360

. It is the 12th installment of From Software

From Software

Mecha

and an online mode where players can battle each other over the PlayStation Network or Xbox Live. The game is the spiritual sibling to From Software's other mecha-based game, Chromehounds
Chromehounds
is a video game for the Xbox 360. The game is set in an alternate universe where mechanised HOUNDs battle for control of Neroimus, a fictional region somewhere near Black Sea...

. The first Armored Core game was developed over a decade before Chromehounds was developed so many believe Chromehounds was just a side project to experiment with what series fans of Armored Core would like. Also, enemies from Chromehounds had most, if not all, of the same emblems that the enemies from Armored Core 4 had, Chromehounds being released months before Armored Core 4.

Gameplay

Gameplay in Armored Core 4 is divided among several modes, where the player can build an AC unit for combat and test its abilities.

Assemble - In this section, the player builds his AC from the current pool of available parts. This works differently than in previous installments of Armored Core, in that the Shop area is integrated into the garage and can be accessed by pressing square on the PS3. All the parts that are currently available are listed in the garage, whether the players owns them or not. Parts that the player does not own are marked "DATA ONLY".

Paint - This section is for changing the color of the AC. The player can change the color of any and all elements, except for boosters (same color as core), generator, and FCS.

Simulation - Simulation is essentially Armored Core 4's version of the Arena found in many previous Armored Core games. A single data pack contains simulation data for one or more enemy Nexts. When a Next is defeated in a Data Pack, the player is given a monetary reward, with an additional monetary award for defeating all the Nexts in a given Data Pack. Other rewards are also available, and include items such as parts for the AC, Memory for tuning, and even new Data Packs. One thing to note about Simulation mode is that the player doesn't need to buy the parts in the schematic to use it. A schematic made entirely out of unpurchased, "DATA ONLY" parts can be used in Simulation without penalty. There is no penalty for losing in Simulation mode, and no cost for repairs or ammunition if the player wins.

Test - Launches an AC test simulation. As with the Simulation mode, the player doesn't need to purchase the parts in a schematic to use it in a test simulation. By default, there are no enemies in the simulation and the player can add enemies. Targets available include a squad of MTs, a small group of Normals, or a single Next. Only one type of target can be active at a time, and changing target types restarts the test.

Tutorial - Selecting this option launches the tutorial from the start of the game.

Schematics - This category is in essence the library of various AC designs. The player can have up to five different sections to keep certain designs separate if desired. There are also pages for enemy designs that are acquired by beating them in the simulator, Company Standard designs, and one reserved for other players designs that have been traded to the player via online. Main, slot A-D, and trade can total up to no more than 100 AC's per save file. To load a design, the player must have at least as much FRS as the desired design uses.

New features

Armored Core 4 has more new features than previous AC games although some of those found in previous AC games were removed. The lockbox from the first AC game up to Last Raven was enlarged to nearly the size of the entire screen and its borders were made invisible. As a weapon's lock approaches the edge of the lock box, its tracking ability decreases, this is most clearly seen when using sniper weapons. AC's will now automatically lock on to enemies when in FCS range instead of waiting for the weapon to be in range. Lock box tracking is now second to melee ability in importance. Melee ability determines how fast a weapon's lock on reticule can track an opposing AC. A heavy weapon with low melee is likely to lose a lock on if a fast AC QB's to the side, while a high melee weapon will maintain its lock on.

The controls for the game have been reworked from the ground up to provide easier and more efficient play. Also, the environment is now affected by AC battles. For example, an AC moving on sand or on the ground will leave footprints, boosting leaves a trail. Some buildings and landmarks can be destroyed. Weapons also possess terra-forming effects. For example, shooting a plasmatic energy bolt at a building causes a small chunk to be removed. Continuous machine gun or assault rifle fire causes bullet holes to appear. Battlefields are now considerably larger, but relatively barren of details unlike previous AC games. The player can now fight on water, unlike past AC games where the player would fall straight to the bottom if contact was made (that is, the player was not given a chance to try to recover).

Other changes made from past AC games include increased weapon damage, the replacement of the heat and overheating game mechanics with Kojima Particles and Primal Armor shielding, greatly increased AP, defense and load capacities, the removal of cannon restrictions on non tank legs, the separation of boosters into categories of main, side, back, and overboost, and ground boosting (and sometimes in the air) no longer consuming energy, but merely causing the energy bar to regenerate more slowly (Generator output no longer stops when boosting, so total drain is a function of output added to boost and weapon drain). A quick boost (QB) function was also added which causes an instantaneous burst of speed. QB is the main method of movement in AC4, and has many analogies to boost movements in older games, such as the QB hop vs boost hop. New techniques include "second staging" and "chaining". Second Stage (or SS) QB can only be used when QB is mapped to a pressure sensitive button, like the triggers on the 360 and PS3 controllers. Pulling the trigger at the correct and steady rate results in a more powerful QB that increases speed and acceleration for negligible drain penalties. Chaining is move that overcomes the latency time between QB's, if one QB is activated but then immediately followed by another in a different direction, the recharge time of the first QB is voided, allowing that booster to be used immediately after the second QB is fired. Overboost is relatively weak, and drains Kojima Particles (KP) when activated. This means that frequent use of OB may leave one's defenses greatly reduced. This led to OB being less popular than in previous games, such as Silent Line.

Plot

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 National 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.

The corporations dubbed their new order as the "Pax Economica" ("Economic [or Corporate] Peace", Latin), 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.

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. The Raven is ranked at #39, one rank ahead of his rival Joshua O'Brien. The Raven works for Anatolia and is maybe the love interest of Fiona Jarnefeldt. Also, Emil Gustav used both Fiona and the Raven to support Anatolia's economy. When progressing through the game, the Raven's reputation skyrockets, although Fiona does not like it. He destroys both BFF and Rayleonard by destroying their headquarters and their Nexts. He and Joshua are rivals that can pilot their Nexts to the same ability and Emil has stated that "together, they are unparalleled in battle." The Raven's skill is revered among some because he even managed to defeat rank #02 Sahdana without engaging his primal armor. The Raven battles Joshua O'Brien in "Seed a Barren Earth," where his Next is nearly destroyed by Joshua's new Next, Aretha. If played in Hard mode Celo appears to fight the Raven, making it look like that the Corporations feared the Raven. After the battle Fiona took the Raven away from Anatolia where they could live a peaceful life. Later on, he joins Line Ark as the new White Glint and as a Lynx and has become rank #09 since then. He is defeated in Armored Core: For Answer by Cube, the cyborg that pilots the Next Fragile.

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 and has Fiona Jarnefeldt become the Raven's operator. By the time the game ends, Anatolia had earned enough money to ride out the crisis the corporations started. He permits Fiona and the Raven to leave Anatolia. He ends his recordings after that, because he states that "He doesn't have the right to speak of what happened after that." He was voiced by Dwight Schultz
Dwight Schultz
William Dwight Schultz is an American stage, television and film actor. He is best known for his roles as Captain "Howling Mad" Murdock on the 1980s action show The A-Team, Reginald Barclay in Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, and the film Star Trek: First Contact and Mung Daal...

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. In Armored Core: For Answer she has a more minor role and joins Line Ark with the Raven who has now become a Lynx. She was voiced by Kari Wahlgren
Kari Wahlgren
Kari K. Wahlgren is an American voice actress who has provided English language voices for dozens of anime titles and video games. She also provided the voices of the characters Tink in the 2003 film Neverland, Mindy in the 2008 film Bolt, and the computer program Jean in the 2009 television pilot...

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. Joshua and the Raven are friendly rivals and Joshua tends to show up whenever he's in trouble. Together, they destroy GAE's Sol Dios which are part of its Hadje Arsenal. As the end comes, the Raven destroys the headquarters of Rayleonard, while Joshua destroys Akvavit. He dies in "Seed a Barren Earth," where he pilots a prototype Next named Aretha, which is ranked #0. He is defeated by the Raven and Aretha explodes presumably killing him. Also, it is noted that Joshua had intended to die after he destroyed Anatolia where he tells the Raven, "I'll be right behind you. You can chew me out on the otherside." If the mission is played in Hard mode, Celo of Omer shows up to battle the Raven and it may look like the Corporations feared the Raven. It is unknown why he would attack Anatolia and if he actually destroyed it, seeing how the colony was on fire. He was voiced by Daryl Kurylo for the US version.

Leonhardt: Little is known about this Linx, other than he pilots Noblesse Oblige
Noblesse oblige
In French, "noblesse oblige" means, literally, "nobility obligates".According to the , the Dictionnaire de l’Académie française defines it thus:1. Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly.2...

and works for Rosenthal. He is known for using accurate weaponry that fires slowly, and then switching to a laser blitzkrieg. He is ranked at #4 and is an admirable opponent in the arena. Leonhardt's fate is left unknown along with Mido Auriel's during "Marche Au Supplice" (Hard). Although Leonhardt may have died, Gerald Gendlin becomes the successor of Noblesse Oblige but his original rank was taken by Roadie of GA, and is now rank #5.

Amazigh: He pilots the irregular Next Barbaroi for the Maghreb
Maghreb
The Maghreb , also rendered Maghrib , meaning "place of sunset" or "western" in Arabic, is a region in North Africa. The term is generally applied to all of Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia, but in older Arabic usage pertained only to the area of the three countries between the high ranges of the...

Liberation Front. Born and raised in Africa, he stands as an iconic hero to Maghrib 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 is defeated in "Desert Wolf" and is awed by the Raven's skill. He works alone to avoid contaminating his comrades. He was voiced by Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams
Jeffrey D. Sams is an American actor known primarily for his television work.A native of Ohio, Sams has been a main cast member of several television series, few of which have made it past their first season...

for the US version.

Sus: He pilots the irregular Next Asyut Minya for the Maglib Liberation Front. He is generally seen as Maghrib's second best pilot. He was voiced by Bumper Robinson
Bumper Robinson
Larry Clarence "Bumper" Robinson II is an African American actor and voice artist. Robinson got his nickname because he repeatedly bumped into things while running through his home as a young child.- Biography :...

for the US version.

Mido Auriel: She pilots the Next Null
Null
Null means 'nothing' or without value or consequence.Null may refer to:* Null , a special value in computer programming* Null , a zero value in several branches of mathematics...

. 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 assists Leonhardt in "Marche Au Supplice". Her fate is left unknown along with Leonhardt's during "Marche Au Supplice" (Hard). She was voiced by Masasa Moyo
Masasa Moyo
Masasa Moyo is a Canadian actress and voice actress mostly known for her voice over roles.-Biography:Masasa was born in London, Ontario, Canada to a Zimbabwean Father and an American Irish/German Mother. Even though she aspired to become an actress since childhood, she only began acting in college...

for the US version.

Anjou: She pilots the Next Orleans
Orléans
Orléans is a commune in north-central France, about southwest of Paris. It is the capital of the Loiret department and of the Centre region.The commune is located on the Loire River where the river curves south towards the Massif Central....

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 not assisting Rayleonard's Closed Plan and after her death she leaves her Moonlight energy blade to Shinkai, a Next who later works for ORCA. She was voiced by Karen Strassman
Karen Strassman
Karen Strassman is an American voice actress who is most known for voicing many characters in many anime shows, including Fantine in IGPX. She also speaks fluent French and uses a French accent for French characters...

for the US version.

Mary Shelley: She pilots the Next Prometheus
Prometheus
In Greek mythology, Prometheus is a Titan, the son of Iapetus and Themis, and brother to Atlas, Epimetheus and Menoetius. He was a champion of human-kind known for his wily intelligence, who stole fire from Zeus and gave it to mortals...

. 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 has a superiority complex and states that she, and the Raven are different animals. Defeated at "Empress." She was voiced by Karen Strassman
Karen Strassman
Karen Strassman is an American voice actress who is most known for voicing many characters in many anime shows, including Fantine in IGPX. She also speaks fluent French and uses a French accent for French characters...

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 but is very cocky. He is the #15 Original. He is part of Berlioz elite squad. Defeated at "Marche Au Supplice." He was voiced by Crispin Freeman
Crispin Freeman
Crispin McDougal Freeman is an American voice actor. He is perhaps best known for his roles as Alucard from Hellsing, Kyon from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, Togusa from Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, as Holland Novak from Eureka Seven, Zelgadis Greywords from Slayers, Straight...

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. Defeated at "Marche Au Supplice." He was voiced by Dave Wittenberg
Dave Wittenberg
David Richard Paul Wittenberg is a prolific South African American video game and anime voice actor with nearly one hundred titles to his credit. While Wittenberg was born in a hospital in South Africa, he was primarily raised in Boston...

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. Defeated at "Marche Au Supplice." She was voiced by Kate Higgins
Kate Higgins
Catherine "Kate" Davis Higgins is a voice actress, singer, and jazz pianist. She was born in Charlottesville, Virginia. She is best known as the English voice of Sakura Haruno on the hit anime series Naruto, C.C. from Code Geass and Saber from the anime Fate/stay Night. She has also been...

for the US version.

Sherring: He pilots the next Critique
Critique
The term critique derives from the Greek term kritikē , meaning " discerning", that is, discerning the value of persons or things...

. A veritable fist of fury because of his accuracy with his laser cannon, and astounding speed on the water in which you face him. During the battle with Sherring he comments that the Raven isn't just some antique and by the time he is defeated, states that "the hype wasn't exaggerated..." He is ranked at #14 and is also an original. Defeated at "Sea of Blood." His emblem bears a similarity to Prometheus' except for the color scheme.

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 compassionate person. During Marche Au Supplice, Berlioz and his elite team of Nexts may have been trying to carry out Rayleonard's Closed Plan. He is ranked #01 and an Original. Defeated at "Marche Au Supplice." He was voiced by Chris Edgerly
Chris Edgerly
Chris Edgerly is an American voice actor.He currently provides the voice of Peter Potamus on the Adult Swim animated series, Harvey Birdman: Attorney at Law, in addition to several guest voices on the TV series Drawn Together...

for the US version.

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 the Bernard and Felix Foundation (BFF), Eqbal, Global Armaments (GA), Leonemeccanica, Rayleonard, and Rosenthal. Besides these, several smaller companies worldwide often cooperate with the larger conglomerates for mutual benefit.

Bernard and Felix Foundation: An integrated military company
Defense contractor
A defense contractor is a business organization or individual that provides products or services to a defense department of a government. Products typically include military aircraft, ships, vehicles, weaponry, and electronic systems...

that has an adversarial relationship with GA. Characterized by highly precise and sophisticated armaments, they traditionally enjoy close ties with Rosenthal.

Eqbal: An industrial integrated enterprise. Eqbal is known for their solid mass-production system and for unique and unconventional weapons. As it`s name suggests the corporation is based somewhere in the Middle East.

Global Armaments: The greatest integrated military company in the Pacific Rim
Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim refers to the countries and cities located around the edge of the Pacific Ocean. There are many economic centers around the Pacific Rim, such as Auckland, Busan, Brisbane, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Lima, Los Angeles, Manila, Melbourne, Panama City, Portland, San Diego, San...

economic region. GA has a solid reputation for practical and stable armaments and their arms are characterized by simple strength, and have a strong military favor. GA has an adversarial relationship with Bernard and Felix Foundation.

Leonemeccanica: Develops AC units entirely with energy in mind, both offensively and defensively. The AC's low-drain parts are able to get the most out of their high grade energy-based weapons.

Rayleonard: An emerging energy company based in Northern Canada that occupies an important place in the development of the Kojima Technology, which is an essential technology of AC units.

Rosenthal: A military company that was derived from a huge industrial conglomerate.

Subsidiaries & Minor Companies

Akvavit: A new company in strong partnership with both Rayleonard and GAE. They are in strong competition with Omer Science Technology for the development of Kojima technology and weaponry.

MSAC International: Considered by most to be a complete subsidiary of GA, MSAC International is currently the main manufacturer of Missile-type weapons for Nexts.

Technocrat: A small company with Eqbal, the main manufacturer of rocket-type weapons for nexts.

Omer Science and Technology: A newer company that is a partner with Rosenthal, They side with GA in order to eliminate their Kojima technology rival Akvavit.

Reception

Armored Core 4 generally received mixed reviews like other titles although still managed 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 generally 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; certain missions can even be finished in less than 60 seconds, depending on the player.

External links

The New Ravens' Ark - American Armored Core community with info on new AC games (designed by a series fan) Sega Armored Core website Official From Software Armored Core website (some English content) ACO Armored Core Online Community website Armored Core Parts Conference - A partial list of Armored Core 4 parts.