Apocynadeae
Odd game; having done all of the arcade modes and playing catch-up before release on the plot, this really feels like a proper conclusion to a majority of the cast. Ending in either death or a return to normalcy, Sys:Celes feels purposeful in wanting to be the end of the Hollow Night: but it also feels like the prelude to a larger conflict in this world. I feel that in both, I can respect that Under Night's focus is not in story, but can also make its characters reach a proper, satisfying end point.
Gameplay's perfect however: everything feels fine-tuned to perfection, making every character feel stronger both with Sys:Celes's new universal mechanics and unique new moves. I found a new main in Kaguya, someone feeling perfect for my playstyle, but I also feel every character continues to be fun. It's a game I feel I can pick randomly and still have a great time with friends, but also feel that I can happily commit time and effort to improving as a player. And the inclusion of rollback is a welcome addition; the online's playable! It runs very well! Sys:Celes feels like a perfect end point to Under Night as a series, but I'm also ready to see in what ways it continues to grow with its DLC.
Gameplay's perfect however: everything feels fine-tuned to perfection, making every character feel stronger both with Sys:Celes's new universal mechanics and unique new moves. I found a new main in Kaguya, someone feeling perfect for my playstyle, but I also feel every character continues to be fun. It's a game I feel I can pick randomly and still have a great time with friends, but also feel that I can happily commit time and effort to improving as a player. And the inclusion of rollback is a welcome addition; the online's playable! It runs very well! Sys:Celes feels like a perfect end point to Under Night as a series, but I'm also ready to see in what ways it continues to grow with its DLC.
2016
the indifferent cruelty of the universe when the indomitable human spirit walks into the room
2022
This review contains spoilers
just let me stay by your side
2023
One of the problems with discussing Honkai: Star Rail as a game and especially its issues is that any discussion will eventually end up seeming manufactured by what is discussed of the game. It's easy to criticize MHY's use of gacha, its general gameplay, the Trailblazer Level's existence, so on and so forth. These are valid complaints, but still lead to the same general conversation. Here's the thing, though: this becoming the same conversation ends up bringing light to what Star Rail's biggest issue is.
It's literally Genshin Impact again.
Like, okay sure same developers leads to some homogenization. Believing in auteur theory as I do means that there's fun to find the parallels and fingerprints that creatives have when discussing their works, and Mihoyo games are very similar with their constant recycling of characters in an attempt to make some sort of hints to a multiversal storyline. Even then, many of Star Rail's issues are Genshin's issues. There's some very surface level writing and clear appeal to make one attached to characters quickly and hope to roll them in the gacha, which also connects to Genshin and Star Rail's issues in that every banner is a limited banner. Genshin's character progress is ripped out and placed into Star Rail, while also having the same character structure of two main attacks and an ultimate. Someone more immersed into both Genshin and Star Rail could probably extract more; regardless, this also makes Star Rail a very derivative work, not just in how its constant recycled aspects in both story and gameplay create something very similar to what Mihoyo has made before, but in that their inspirations are so quite transparent that it becomes the work.
When I started the game and saw the title screen, my first instict was to think of Leiji Matsumoto's Galaxy Express 999; an odyssey between its two leads as they explore various locales in the world. It's quite episodic, but still quite clearly is part of Leiji's universe with the appearance of Captain Harlock and the rest of his pirate group at times. Perhaps a somewhat unintentional parallel; trains aren't exclusive to Leiji's works, but part of it also reflects Star Rail's clear inspiration being the Trails series; there is a clear, core cast in a more episodic work that ends up still moving a main story onwards. It felt somewhat of a combination of Trails in the Sky's road trip aspects and Zero's very controlled main party, and it's clearly notable once one has played through those games and dives into Star Rail. Not even in simple presentation and story does this referential nature stop existing; I vividly remember in Jerilo-VI's story (was that the name? I'm not double checking) where Hook, a very clear way of baiting into players rolling for her if one is somehow enjoying her as a character, points out that Sampo (another gacha bait character) was last seen in a fight club. My first instinct was "lol like the movie", before seeing the dialogue choice distinctly references the first rule of fight club. Maybe call me joyless but that somewhat took me out as this was my first taste of this location's clear discriminatory issues between its class struggles, and instead of continuing to represent this in a way that expands the setting and we understand more what is happening behind the scenes, we're being dragged for constant quick shows of characters in the hopes one is baited to like them while constantly being self referential to contemporary world aspects. Like, why is the metaverse mentioned and why can we directly chastise Herta for it? I assume the idea is that the player is some sort of fifth-dimensional being who takes shelter in the Trailblazer's body, but Herta also recognizes it when we call her out...?
Regardless of this small nitpicking, Star Rail fails to make a strong case to enjoy it outside of the most surface level generation of dopamine with its gameplay. Which I can and will admit that its presentation is top notch: the combat, even if basic and hampered by being part of Mihoyo's gacha, still feels very nice to do succesfully. The visuals are nice, even if the character designs aren't very good (though better than Genshin's, I'll give it that) the world constantly pops in continuously varied ways. I, honestly, wouldn't mind continuing if the Trailblazer Level wasn't a thing that gatekeeps players from doing progress. I could get past its pure, clear unoriginality if it wasn't forcing players to grind. Soshage's just like that, though, and sometimes you really don't have to try at all to hide the clear bait if it works.
It's literally Genshin Impact again.
Like, okay sure same developers leads to some homogenization. Believing in auteur theory as I do means that there's fun to find the parallels and fingerprints that creatives have when discussing their works, and Mihoyo games are very similar with their constant recycling of characters in an attempt to make some sort of hints to a multiversal storyline. Even then, many of Star Rail's issues are Genshin's issues. There's some very surface level writing and clear appeal to make one attached to characters quickly and hope to roll them in the gacha, which also connects to Genshin and Star Rail's issues in that every banner is a limited banner. Genshin's character progress is ripped out and placed into Star Rail, while also having the same character structure of two main attacks and an ultimate. Someone more immersed into both Genshin and Star Rail could probably extract more; regardless, this also makes Star Rail a very derivative work, not just in how its constant recycled aspects in both story and gameplay create something very similar to what Mihoyo has made before, but in that their inspirations are so quite transparent that it becomes the work.
When I started the game and saw the title screen, my first instict was to think of Leiji Matsumoto's Galaxy Express 999; an odyssey between its two leads as they explore various locales in the world. It's quite episodic, but still quite clearly is part of Leiji's universe with the appearance of Captain Harlock and the rest of his pirate group at times. Perhaps a somewhat unintentional parallel; trains aren't exclusive to Leiji's works, but part of it also reflects Star Rail's clear inspiration being the Trails series; there is a clear, core cast in a more episodic work that ends up still moving a main story onwards. It felt somewhat of a combination of Trails in the Sky's road trip aspects and Zero's very controlled main party, and it's clearly notable once one has played through those games and dives into Star Rail. Not even in simple presentation and story does this referential nature stop existing; I vividly remember in Jerilo-VI's story (was that the name? I'm not double checking) where Hook, a very clear way of baiting into players rolling for her if one is somehow enjoying her as a character, points out that Sampo (another gacha bait character) was last seen in a fight club. My first instinct was "lol like the movie", before seeing the dialogue choice distinctly references the first rule of fight club. Maybe call me joyless but that somewhat took me out as this was my first taste of this location's clear discriminatory issues between its class struggles, and instead of continuing to represent this in a way that expands the setting and we understand more what is happening behind the scenes, we're being dragged for constant quick shows of characters in the hopes one is baited to like them while constantly being self referential to contemporary world aspects. Like, why is the metaverse mentioned and why can we directly chastise Herta for it? I assume the idea is that the player is some sort of fifth-dimensional being who takes shelter in the Trailblazer's body, but Herta also recognizes it when we call her out...?
Regardless of this small nitpicking, Star Rail fails to make a strong case to enjoy it outside of the most surface level generation of dopamine with its gameplay. Which I can and will admit that its presentation is top notch: the combat, even if basic and hampered by being part of Mihoyo's gacha, still feels very nice to do succesfully. The visuals are nice, even if the character designs aren't very good (though better than Genshin's, I'll give it that) the world constantly pops in continuously varied ways. I, honestly, wouldn't mind continuing if the Trailblazer Level wasn't a thing that gatekeeps players from doing progress. I could get past its pure, clear unoriginality if it wasn't forcing players to grind. Soshage's just like that, though, and sometimes you really don't have to try at all to hide the clear bait if it works.
Peace is the noblest pursuit...
2023
Finished the second chapter, there's a third out already (I'm not sure how many there are right now. Twelve?) and I'll get through it sooner than later but for the time being this is more of a mechanical and presentational overview. I'll update this (or make a different review) after the plot has gotten a lot farther in since it's still pretty clearly setup, but quick review: this game is still very depressingly optimistic in the same vein as Lobotomy Corporation and Library of Ruina, but considerably more lighthearted from the moment to moment. Makes sense as to why, as this is the first real dive into the City first-hand, rather than Library of Ruina having some vignettes demonstrating moments of the City. Regardless, it's fucked up but fun, and is filled with a lot of moments that switch quickly from one to the other. I also prefer the way the writing of the cast is handled; if Lobotomy and Ruina had any major issues with its writing, it's that character relationships are really nonexistant as characters barely talk to each other. Roland and Angela are easily extremely strong in Ruina thanks to this, but even Tiphereth in Lobotomy only really works by herself, and less so as a dynamic with Tiphereth.
Speaking in terms of presentation, wow, this game is beautiful. Ruina was already a good-looking game thanks to its style, but Limbus immensely improves it all. The character models during gameplay and animations are smooth and well-drawn, and the music is, as always, great. The different art styles between sprites and CGs make each moment distinct; there's a more comic book-ish style to the way it's done, but it also makes it a lot more graphic. It's somewhat like if the beginning minutes of Ruina had you see Roland's limbs being cut off visually, rather than just the intense SFX and writing. This definetly feels like what Ruina wishes it could have been.
Though in terms of comparing it to Ruina, the mechanics are somewhat of a down grade. The "Sin Resonance" gameplay is way too random. While parts of Ruina are very similar, with the resistance, stagger and health, the speed die and so on, the ways Limbus differs are generally weaker. During normal battles, you aren't able to target the units you wish to attack, but rather, have to deal with the RNG and choosing between two (well, three, counting defense (and four, counting EGO)) attacks in order to deal with them. In normal fights, this isn't too bad, but in fights like 2-18, this is a huge problem as there really isn't any counterplay to the boss of 2-18 staggering a unit immediately because you simply cannot clash with them other than obtaining different units. And since Limbus is a gacha, you aren't really able to get these units without some luck or some money.
I say generally, though, because while the normal fights have these issues, the Abnormality fights are great. You are able to select whichever Abnormality to target in the moment to moment, being able to redirect, and yeah? Thank god. These fights are extremely fun, with selecting various parts of the Abnormality and breaking them, having similar mechanics to Lobotomy Corporation's Abnormality Suppression and confinement mechanics. This is also combined with some great mixture of storytelling, such as Chapter 1 having Yuri's death linked to the mechanics of the fight, and Chapter 2's big Abnormality fight being less of an actual fight, and more you just running away from (what I assume is) The Snow Queen's castle.
Linked to the Abnormality fights are also the dungeon crawling. I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed that when Limbus was first "announced", it sold itself as a dungeon crawler as my assumptions were that it would be closer to a Wizardry deal, but the actual dungeon crawling is still very fun. It mixes the plot very well, while the actual exploration is more similar to multiple risk/reward events that benefit the player for the final fight, utilizing various EGO gifts to strengthen yourself. Utilizing all 12 Sinners is also a lot of fun, as switching between them during different fights really sells the idea of Limbus Company itself, as these Sinners have various potentials and strengths that we are able to harness and use from the moment to moment.
Limbus is also obviously riddled with bugs, with a launch that immediately went into maintenance because of 100k users, but frankly, yeah that's just Project Moon. And while the bugs and technical issues are obviously problems, it's at least extremely surprising how high-budget and high-effort Limbus is, where its style and writing hasn't been compromised for the sake of reaching a wider audience. Rather, the esoteric comedy and drama PM prides itself in is simply put in a medium that reaches a wider audience. I hope there are some changes to the battle system as being unable to select specific units to clash against makes the potential this game has much weaker, but as it stands right now? Yeah, it's fun.
Speaking in terms of presentation, wow, this game is beautiful. Ruina was already a good-looking game thanks to its style, but Limbus immensely improves it all. The character models during gameplay and animations are smooth and well-drawn, and the music is, as always, great. The different art styles between sprites and CGs make each moment distinct; there's a more comic book-ish style to the way it's done, but it also makes it a lot more graphic. It's somewhat like if the beginning minutes of Ruina had you see Roland's limbs being cut off visually, rather than just the intense SFX and writing. This definetly feels like what Ruina wishes it could have been.
Though in terms of comparing it to Ruina, the mechanics are somewhat of a down grade. The "Sin Resonance" gameplay is way too random. While parts of Ruina are very similar, with the resistance, stagger and health, the speed die and so on, the ways Limbus differs are generally weaker. During normal battles, you aren't able to target the units you wish to attack, but rather, have to deal with the RNG and choosing between two (well, three, counting defense (and four, counting EGO)) attacks in order to deal with them. In normal fights, this isn't too bad, but in fights like 2-18, this is a huge problem as there really isn't any counterplay to the boss of 2-18 staggering a unit immediately because you simply cannot clash with them other than obtaining different units. And since Limbus is a gacha, you aren't really able to get these units without some luck or some money.
I say generally, though, because while the normal fights have these issues, the Abnormality fights are great. You are able to select whichever Abnormality to target in the moment to moment, being able to redirect, and yeah? Thank god. These fights are extremely fun, with selecting various parts of the Abnormality and breaking them, having similar mechanics to Lobotomy Corporation's Abnormality Suppression and confinement mechanics. This is also combined with some great mixture of storytelling, such as Chapter 1 having Yuri's death linked to the mechanics of the fight, and Chapter 2's big Abnormality fight being less of an actual fight, and more you just running away from (what I assume is) The Snow Queen's castle.
Linked to the Abnormality fights are also the dungeon crawling. I'll admit, I'm a little disappointed that when Limbus was first "announced", it sold itself as a dungeon crawler as my assumptions were that it would be closer to a Wizardry deal, but the actual dungeon crawling is still very fun. It mixes the plot very well, while the actual exploration is more similar to multiple risk/reward events that benefit the player for the final fight, utilizing various EGO gifts to strengthen yourself. Utilizing all 12 Sinners is also a lot of fun, as switching between them during different fights really sells the idea of Limbus Company itself, as these Sinners have various potentials and strengths that we are able to harness and use from the moment to moment.
Limbus is also obviously riddled with bugs, with a launch that immediately went into maintenance because of 100k users, but frankly, yeah that's just Project Moon. And while the bugs and technical issues are obviously problems, it's at least extremely surprising how high-budget and high-effort Limbus is, where its style and writing hasn't been compromised for the sake of reaching a wider audience. Rather, the esoteric comedy and drama PM prides itself in is simply put in a medium that reaches a wider audience. I hope there are some changes to the battle system as being unable to select specific units to clash against makes the potential this game has much weaker, but as it stands right now? Yeah, it's fun.
one of the greatest games of our generation. the boys are back in town.
when the childhood has ended
1993
this is kind of like the g gundam of mega man also what the fuck there was a mazinger here
junko is literally me. we share the same journey. there are no differences between us. she is completely and utterly me.
This review contains spoilers
ALL HAIL THE HOUNDS OF WALTER KILL BILLIONS BURN THE PLANET KILL THEM ALL
2020
act 2 kino ong
2005
KAMIGE
This review contains spoilers
SO, RAVEN... WHO NEEDS YOU?
ARMORED CORE'S CYBERPUNK DYSTOPIA IS A STRONG PART OF HOW THE SERIES HAS ALWAYS FORMULATED ITS WORLD AND HOW THE PETTY WARS BETWEEN CORPORATION AND CORPORATION THAT GRINDED THE WORLD TO DUST EVOLVE TO MUTUAL DESTRUCTION. HAVING ONLY PLAYED FOR ANSWER TO COMPLETION BUT TRIED OTHERS IN THE SERIES TO UNDERSTAND, FIRES OF RUBICON STANDS OUT AS INSTEAD OF BEING PURELY ABOUT THE CYBERPUNK STAPLE OF MEGACORPS FIGHTING FOR SUPERIORITY IT INSTEAD PIVOTS TO CRITICIZING COLONIALISM IN A MANNER WHICH BOTH FITS IN A CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORICAL SENSE BUT ALSO DEVELOPS AND REPRESENTS HOW IT WOULD LOOK IN A SCI FI SETTING.
RUBICON, ITS PEOPLE AND ITS RESOURCES, ARE NOTHING MORE THAN FUEL TO CONTINUE RAMPING UP THE INNATE DESIRE OF A MEGACORP TO GROW UNRELENTINGLY. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM THE PEOPLE THAT IT GRINDS TO DUST. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM THE REALITY OF CORAL NOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF PLAYING WITH FIRE. CORPORATIONS HAVE NO SOUL AND THEY ARE SIMPLY PRIMED TO GROW AND CONTROL. IT DOES NOT ALSO PURELY GRIND THIS PLANET TO DUST BUT IT ALSO GRINDS EVERYONE WORKING UNDER THEM. NONE OF THESE PEOPLE YOU TALK WITH AND MEET REALLY HAVE ANY FREE WILL. NOT EVEN YOU AS THE PLAYER HAVE IT; YOU LIVE UNDER THEIR BOOT WORKING FOR THE HIGHEST BIDDER REGARDLESS ON IF YOU PARADE THE FLAG OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT MERCENARY. IT SPEAKS VOLUMES EVEN THAT IT REINFORCES YOUR ROLE AS A WEAPON OF WAR OR A HOUND, DESPERATELY CRAWLING FOR CREDITS TO BUY BACK YOUR INDEPENDENCE.
HOWEVER ONE MUST ALSO THINK THAT WHY EXACTLY DOES 621 NEED TO BUY THEIR INDEPENDENCE? THAT FREE WILL HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THEM, SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY TRULY UNLEASHED ONCE THE PLAYER DEFEATS THE PREVIOUS RAVEN AND LEARNS OF ITS TRUE MEANING; A HERALD OF CHANGE WILLING TO MAKE ITS OWN CHOICES. THE REALITY IS THAT BOTH IN OUR MODERN ERA AND IN THE DAYS OF THE CORAL WAR THAT WE WILLINGLY SUCCUMB TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE WORLD DESPITE ITS LACK OF NATURAL SOURCE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF JORDAN PETERSON TALKS ABOUT LOBSTERS; CRIMES ARE NOT NATURAL CRIMES NOR ARE PUNISHMENTS NATURAL CONSEQUENCES; THEY ARE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS TO CREATE A SEMBLANCE OF ORDER ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
IN THAT SENSE THE TWO ENDINGS YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE REPRESENT THAT VERY TRUTH. YOU DEFEATED THE PREVIOUS RAVEN AND HAVE COME TO THE INNER REALIZATION THAT YOU YOURSELF HAVE ARRIVED AS AN ADVENT OF CHANGE. YOU FOUGHT RUSTY AND HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED OVER YOUR LACK OF IDEALS. AND BY CHAPTER 5 YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A CHOICE; ABIDE WITH WALTER ON THE SIDE OF THE OVERSEERS OR DEFECT WITH AYRE TO THE RUBICON LIBERATION FRONT?
IN REALITY THESE TWO OPTIONS REPRESENT WHAT I HAD SAID BEFORE ON THE REALITY OF SOCIETY'S LAWS AND FREE WILL. ABIDING WITH WALTER MEANS YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY ACCEPT SUBMISSION TO THE SYSTEM REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES. TO YOU IT NO LONGER MATTERS WHAT RUBICON WAS AND IS BUT RATHER AIM TO DESTROY IT AND EVERYTHING THAT LIVES INSIDE IT. IT IS NO WONDER RUSTY FIGHTS AGAINST YOU AS DESPITE SEEING YOUR POTENTIAL TO RISE AGAINST THE WORLD YOU STILL DECIDE TO ABIDE WITH THOSE VERY LAWS THAT ALLOWED SOCIETY TO HAVE THESE MEGACORPS TAKE OVER AND PRIORITIZE HEARTLESS GROWTH.
ALTERNATIVELY, DEFECTING WITH AYRE IS A DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY CHOICE AS YOU STEP ON WALTER'S LAST WISH AND DECIDE TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD'S LEGACY AND INDEPENDENCE AGAINST THESE MEGACORPS. RUSTY DECIDES TO STICK WITH YOU AS HE RECOGNIZES YOU AS BIRDS OF A FEATHER AND RESPECTS YOU. THE QUESTION OF "WHO NEEDS YOU" IS TRULY ANSWERED HERE: RUBICON NEEDS 621. NOT IN A WHITE SAVIOR WAY WHICH IS A VERY SIMPLE TRAP TO FALL IN THESE KINDS OF STORIES AS FOREIGNERS SAVING AN INDIGENOUS GROUP BECOMES AN INHERENTLY RACIST IDEA BY REPRESENTING THE WHITE MAN AS A MESSIANIC FIGURE BUT RATHER THE RAVEN STANDS AS THE TRIGGER TO FOSTER HOPE IN THE HEARTS OF THE RUBICONIANS. BOTH PARTIES HAVE BECOME TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF MEGACORPS AND BOTH GROUPS REALIZE THE FOLLY OF THAT AND REBEL AGAINST IT. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY IS THAT WALTER HIMSELF RECOGNIZES THIS AS A POSITIVE: HE IS HAPPY THAT RAVEN WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE A FRIEND LIKE AYRE AND SOMETHING TO STAND FOR. WALTER MAY HAVE OWNED 621 BUT HE CARES FOR HIS PILOT REGARDLESS AND THIS TRUST AND CAMARADERIE IS FOSTERED AS WALTER REALIZES OUR POTENTIAL AND WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF.
IN THAT SENSE ARMORED CORE 6 DOES NOT CRITICIZE THE INDIVIDUAL FOR LIVING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF A MEGACORP BUT IT DOES CRITICIZE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT BENEFIT FROM THIS. THE ARQUEBUS GROUP ARE THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE AS RUSTY IS CONSIDERED THE ONLY GOOD PILOT FROM ARQUEBUS BECAUSE HE DEFECTS FROM THEM AND USED THEM FOR HIS OWN END. THE REST ARE COMICALLY EVIL INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY STAND PURELY AGAINST RUBICON, SUCH AS V.II SNAIL IN AYRE'S ROUTE AS HE RAGES AND SEETHES OVER YOU NOT ABIDING TO THE WORLD'S STRUCTURE. ALTERNATIVELY BALAM IS ALSO REPRESENTED AS A NEGATIVE BUT THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAMARADERIE IS RESPECTABLE AND THE LEGACY THEY LEAVE BEHIND AS WELL.
IT IS ALSO APPARENT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT CRITICIZED COMPARED TO THE COLLECTIVE MEGACORP IN THE ENDING OF CHAPTER 3 WHERE EACH MAJOR FACTION IS UNITED TO DEFEAT THE ICE WORM. THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THIS ARE NOT MORALLY WELL BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO ITERATE ON THE EXPLOITATION OF RUBICON HOWEVER IT ALSO SOMEWHAT STANDS AS AN IDEA OF THE POTENTIAL HUMANITY COULD HAVE IF UNITED RATHER THAN DIVIDED DUE TO THE CONFLICTING AIMS OF THESE MEGACORPS NEEDING AS MUCH OF THE SHARE AS THEY CAN GET OF THE PRODUCT OBTAINED IN RUBICON, AND YET ALSO HOW THESE GROUPS WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND FORMULATE A PLAN TO TAKE DOWN THE WORM. OF COURSE IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT ARQUEBUS IS THE FIRST TO LEAVE; THEY ARE THE MOST PROFIT INCENTIVIZED AND THE ONE MOST REPRESENTED AS VILLAINOUS. COMPARED TO THAT, CHATTY AND THE BALAM MERC CAN LEAVE IF DAMAGED ENOUGH. THE ONLY ONE THAT STICKS BY YOU IS ONCE AGAIN RUSTY AS HE IS THE ONE THAT STANDS MOST BY YOU IDEOLOGICALLY AS BOTH ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SIMILAR POTENTIAL.
PIVOTING A BIT FROM THE PURE STORY AND ENTERING TOWARDS THE GAMEPLAY OBVIOUSLY A LARGE PART OF ARMORED CORE IS THE AC’S CUSTOMIZATION; THE GAME HAS MULTIPLE STATS TO TAKE COUNT OF AND TO BUILD YOUR PREFERRED PLAYSTYLE BOTH FOR THE MOMENT TO MOMENT BUT ALSO FOR SPECIFIC STAGES AND BOSSES. BEING READY TO SELL YOUR PARTS AND BUY NEW ONES FOR YOUR FIRST PLAYTHROUGH IS SOMETHING TO EMBRACE FOR YOUR FIRST PLAYTHROUGH AS YOU LEARN HOW THESE BOSSES TICK AND HOW THEY ARE FULLY CANCELED OUT WITH SPECIFIC LOADOUTS, MAKING YOU EXPERIENCE A DIVERSE LOADOUT AND ALLOWS YOU TO LEARN WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU ENJOY ARMORED CORE’S FAST PACED HIGH RISK HIGH REWARD GAMEPLAY. FOR MY FIRST PLAYTHROUGH I UTILIZED A QUAD LEGS BUILD WITH DUAL GATLING GUNS AND SONGBIRD, EXCHANGING MY WEAPONS OCCASIONALLY. FOR MY SECOND ONE I UTILIZED A MIDWEIGHT BIPED ENERGY WEAPON LOADOUT WITH AN ENERGY LANCE AS MY MELEE OF CHOICE. FOR MY THIRD OPTION I WENT WITH A REVERSE LIGHTWEIGHT DUAL ZIMMERMAN BUILD WITH THE MOONLIGHT BLADE AND A SONGBIRDS CHOICE. IT IS TRULY A GOAL FOR FROM SOFTWARE THAT I FOUND EACH OF THESE WEAPON LOADOUT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE MOST CONFRONTATIONS; IF NOT ALL WITH THESE LOADOUTS EXCLUSIVELY. IT IS NOT SIMPLY A PROBLEM WITH A BUILD BUT ALSO YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOSS THAT DEFINES YOUR DIFFICULTY. I CONSIDER THIS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: IT BOTH SUPPORTS THE WORLDBUILDING AND THE USE OF ACS BUT ALSO ALLOWS PLAYERS TO FLEX THEIR OWN CREATIVE FREEDOM IN FINDING WAYS TO DEFEAT BOSSES.
LOOKING AT THE AC CUSTOMIZATION FROM A PURELY UTILITARIAN VIEW HOWEVER YOU START TO DRAW PARALLELS TO THE THIRD ROUTE’S ENDING AND THE MISSIONS LEADING TOWARDS IT; ALLMIND IS AN AI. IN THAT SENSE HOWEVER ALLMIND DOES NOT FUNCTION AS AN AI WITH A SOUL OR CONSCIOUSNESS RATHER IT WORKS AS THE AI THAT EXISTS NOWADAYS; IT ONLY ACCUMULATES DATA AND REPEATS IT. THUS IS THAT THE ARENA EXISTS HERE NOT AS A WAY OF RANKING MERCS BUT RATHER FOR ALLMIND TO EXTRACT MORE INFO ON PILOTS TO BUILD STRONGER REPLICAS FOR THEIR AIMS; TO MAKE CORAL RELEASE. HOWEVER WHILE CORAL RELEASE IS CONSIDERED A POSITIVE AS IT IS AYRE’S WISH FOR HUMANS TO COEXIST WITH CORAL’S CONSCIOUSNESS ALLMIND’S GOALS ARE NOT THAT AND ARE MORE SO TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL HUMANITY; TO TURN CHAOS INTO ORDER AS THEY SAY IN THE FINAL MISSION OF THEIR ENDING. THIS BECOMES LESS DISMANTLING THE SOCIAL ORDER THAT MAKES THE WORLD RELY ON MEGACORPS REACHING TO IMPLOSION AND MORE OF A HEARTLESS UTILITARIAN SOCIETY. THAT IS WHY WE GO AGAINST ALLMIND; IT IS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO AND IN A SENSE THE ENDPOINT OF A MEGACORP OBTAINING A MONOPOLY ON THE WORLD. BY THE END AYRE REAFFIRMS THIS; WE PULL THE TRIGGER FOR CORAL RELEASE. WE BRING ABOUT A NEW ERA TO THE WORLD TO IMPROVE UPON THE HOUNDING OF CAPITALISM THAT TURNS EVERYONE INTO TOOLS, COEXISTING AS HUMANS, CORAL, AND AC.
BY THE END I CAN ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT I ADORED ARMORED CORE 6 AS A GAME AND AS FROM SOFTWARE’S PEAK OF STORYTELLING. THEIR WAY OF HANDLING LORE EXISTS IN THIS GAME AS A METHOD OF CREATING INTRIGUE HOWEVER PIVOTING TOWARDS A MORE DIRECT STORY CREATES A GREAT SET OF CHARACTERS WITH CHARISMA AND INTRIGUE. THERE WERE MANY TIMES I WAS TASKED TO KILL A UNIT I HAD FOUGHT ALONGSIDE AND I ATTEMPTED TO LOOK AWAY WITH THE CAMERA BUT IT STAYED FOCUSED ON THEM: I HAD TO LIVE WITH THE ACTIONS I TOOK AS A HOUND OF WALTER. PACKED ALONGSIDE A SOUNDTRACK WHICH BY ITSELF APPEARS MEDIOCRE BUT WHEN COMPOUNDED WITH THE WORLD ENHANCES THE PRODUCT AND A VISUAL DESIGN THAT IS UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL IN THE WAY IT IS TERRIBLE, ARMORED CORE 6 PRESENTS US WITH A WORLD THAT FUCKING SUCKS. AND THAT IS WHY WE LIVE IN IT, EMBRACE IT, AND FIGHT TO REMAKE IT INTO SOMETHING BETTER.
ARMORED CORE'S CYBERPUNK DYSTOPIA IS A STRONG PART OF HOW THE SERIES HAS ALWAYS FORMULATED ITS WORLD AND HOW THE PETTY WARS BETWEEN CORPORATION AND CORPORATION THAT GRINDED THE WORLD TO DUST EVOLVE TO MUTUAL DESTRUCTION. HAVING ONLY PLAYED FOR ANSWER TO COMPLETION BUT TRIED OTHERS IN THE SERIES TO UNDERSTAND, FIRES OF RUBICON STANDS OUT AS INSTEAD OF BEING PURELY ABOUT THE CYBERPUNK STAPLE OF MEGACORPS FIGHTING FOR SUPERIORITY IT INSTEAD PIVOTS TO CRITICIZING COLONIALISM IN A MANNER WHICH BOTH FITS IN A CONTEMPORARY AND HISTORICAL SENSE BUT ALSO DEVELOPS AND REPRESENTS HOW IT WOULD LOOK IN A SCI FI SETTING.
RUBICON, ITS PEOPLE AND ITS RESOURCES, ARE NOTHING MORE THAN FUEL TO CONTINUE RAMPING UP THE INNATE DESIRE OF A MEGACORP TO GROW UNRELENTINGLY. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM THE PEOPLE THAT IT GRINDS TO DUST. IT DOESN'T MATTER TO THEM THE REALITY OF CORAL NOR THE CONSEQUENCES OF PLAYING WITH FIRE. CORPORATIONS HAVE NO SOUL AND THEY ARE SIMPLY PRIMED TO GROW AND CONTROL. IT DOES NOT ALSO PURELY GRIND THIS PLANET TO DUST BUT IT ALSO GRINDS EVERYONE WORKING UNDER THEM. NONE OF THESE PEOPLE YOU TALK WITH AND MEET REALLY HAVE ANY FREE WILL. NOT EVEN YOU AS THE PLAYER HAVE IT; YOU LIVE UNDER THEIR BOOT WORKING FOR THE HIGHEST BIDDER REGARDLESS ON IF YOU PARADE THE FLAG OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT MERCENARY. IT SPEAKS VOLUMES EVEN THAT IT REINFORCES YOUR ROLE AS A WEAPON OF WAR OR A HOUND, DESPERATELY CRAWLING FOR CREDITS TO BUY BACK YOUR INDEPENDENCE.
HOWEVER ONE MUST ALSO THINK THAT WHY EXACTLY DOES 621 NEED TO BUY THEIR INDEPENDENCE? THAT FREE WILL HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN THEM, SOMETHING THAT'S ONLY TRULY UNLEASHED ONCE THE PLAYER DEFEATS THE PREVIOUS RAVEN AND LEARNS OF ITS TRUE MEANING; A HERALD OF CHANGE WILLING TO MAKE ITS OWN CHOICES. THE REALITY IS THAT BOTH IN OUR MODERN ERA AND IN THE DAYS OF THE CORAL WAR THAT WE WILLINGLY SUCCUMB TO THE STRUCTURE OF THE WORLD DESPITE ITS LACK OF NATURAL SOURCE. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF JORDAN PETERSON TALKS ABOUT LOBSTERS; CRIMES ARE NOT NATURAL CRIMES NOR ARE PUNISHMENTS NATURAL CONSEQUENCES; THEY ARE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTS TO CREATE A SEMBLANCE OF ORDER ON A NATIONAL LEVEL.
IN THAT SENSE THE TWO ENDINGS YOU CAN CHOOSE TO TAKE REPRESENT THAT VERY TRUTH. YOU DEFEATED THE PREVIOUS RAVEN AND HAVE COME TO THE INNER REALIZATION THAT YOU YOURSELF HAVE ARRIVED AS AN ADVENT OF CHANGE. YOU FOUGHT RUSTY AND HAVE BEEN CONFRONTED OVER YOUR LACK OF IDEALS. AND BY CHAPTER 5 YOU ARE PRESENTED WITH A CHOICE; ABIDE WITH WALTER ON THE SIDE OF THE OVERSEERS OR DEFECT WITH AYRE TO THE RUBICON LIBERATION FRONT?
IN REALITY THESE TWO OPTIONS REPRESENT WHAT I HAD SAID BEFORE ON THE REALITY OF SOCIETY'S LAWS AND FREE WILL. ABIDING WITH WALTER MEANS YOU WHOLEHEARTEDLY ACCEPT SUBMISSION TO THE SYSTEM REGARDLESS OF THE CONSEQUENCES. TO YOU IT NO LONGER MATTERS WHAT RUBICON WAS AND IS BUT RATHER AIM TO DESTROY IT AND EVERYTHING THAT LIVES INSIDE IT. IT IS NO WONDER RUSTY FIGHTS AGAINST YOU AS DESPITE SEEING YOUR POTENTIAL TO RISE AGAINST THE WORLD YOU STILL DECIDE TO ABIDE WITH THOSE VERY LAWS THAT ALLOWED SOCIETY TO HAVE THESE MEGACORPS TAKE OVER AND PRIORITIZE HEARTLESS GROWTH.
ALTERNATIVELY, DEFECTING WITH AYRE IS A DIFFICULT BUT NECESSARY CHOICE AS YOU STEP ON WALTER'S LAST WISH AND DECIDE TO FIGHT FOR A WORLD'S LEGACY AND INDEPENDENCE AGAINST THESE MEGACORPS. RUSTY DECIDES TO STICK WITH YOU AS HE RECOGNIZES YOU AS BIRDS OF A FEATHER AND RESPECTS YOU. THE QUESTION OF "WHO NEEDS YOU" IS TRULY ANSWERED HERE: RUBICON NEEDS 621. NOT IN A WHITE SAVIOR WAY WHICH IS A VERY SIMPLE TRAP TO FALL IN THESE KINDS OF STORIES AS FOREIGNERS SAVING AN INDIGENOUS GROUP BECOMES AN INHERENTLY RACIST IDEA BY REPRESENTING THE WHITE MAN AS A MESSIANIC FIGURE BUT RATHER THE RAVEN STANDS AS THE TRIGGER TO FOSTER HOPE IN THE HEARTS OF THE RUBICONIANS. BOTH PARTIES HAVE BECOME TOOLS IN THE HANDS OF MEGACORPS AND BOTH GROUPS REALIZE THE FOLLY OF THAT AND REBEL AGAINST IT. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY IS THAT WALTER HIMSELF RECOGNIZES THIS AS A POSITIVE: HE IS HAPPY THAT RAVEN WAS ABLE TO ACQUIRE A FRIEND LIKE AYRE AND SOMETHING TO STAND FOR. WALTER MAY HAVE OWNED 621 BUT HE CARES FOR HIS PILOT REGARDLESS AND THIS TRUST AND CAMARADERIE IS FOSTERED AS WALTER REALIZES OUR POTENTIAL AND WHAT WE ARE CAPABLE OF.
IN THAT SENSE ARMORED CORE 6 DOES NOT CRITICIZE THE INDIVIDUAL FOR LIVING UNDER THE WEIGHT OF A MEGACORP BUT IT DOES CRITICIZE THE INDIVIDUALS THAT BENEFIT FROM THIS. THE ARQUEBUS GROUP ARE THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE AS RUSTY IS CONSIDERED THE ONLY GOOD PILOT FROM ARQUEBUS BECAUSE HE DEFECTS FROM THEM AND USED THEM FOR HIS OWN END. THE REST ARE COMICALLY EVIL INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THEY STAND PURELY AGAINST RUBICON, SUCH AS V.II SNAIL IN AYRE'S ROUTE AS HE RAGES AND SEETHES OVER YOU NOT ABIDING TO THE WORLD'S STRUCTURE. ALTERNATIVELY BALAM IS ALSO REPRESENTED AS A NEGATIVE BUT THEIR INDIVIDUAL CAMARADERIE IS RESPECTABLE AND THE LEGACY THEY LEAVE BEHIND AS WELL.
IT IS ALSO APPARENT THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT CRITICIZED COMPARED TO THE COLLECTIVE MEGACORP IN THE ENDING OF CHAPTER 3 WHERE EACH MAJOR FACTION IS UNITED TO DEFEAT THE ICE WORM. THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THIS ARE NOT MORALLY WELL BECAUSE IT CONTINUES TO ITERATE ON THE EXPLOITATION OF RUBICON HOWEVER IT ALSO SOMEWHAT STANDS AS AN IDEA OF THE POTENTIAL HUMANITY COULD HAVE IF UNITED RATHER THAN DIVIDED DUE TO THE CONFLICTING AIMS OF THESE MEGACORPS NEEDING AS MUCH OF THE SHARE AS THEY CAN GET OF THE PRODUCT OBTAINED IN RUBICON, AND YET ALSO HOW THESE GROUPS WERE ABLE TO COME TOGETHER AND FORMULATE A PLAN TO TAKE DOWN THE WORM. OF COURSE IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT THAT ARQUEBUS IS THE FIRST TO LEAVE; THEY ARE THE MOST PROFIT INCENTIVIZED AND THE ONE MOST REPRESENTED AS VILLAINOUS. COMPARED TO THAT, CHATTY AND THE BALAM MERC CAN LEAVE IF DAMAGED ENOUGH. THE ONLY ONE THAT STICKS BY YOU IS ONCE AGAIN RUSTY AS HE IS THE ONE THAT STANDS MOST BY YOU IDEOLOGICALLY AS BOTH ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE SIMILAR POTENTIAL.
PIVOTING A BIT FROM THE PURE STORY AND ENTERING TOWARDS THE GAMEPLAY OBVIOUSLY A LARGE PART OF ARMORED CORE IS THE AC’S CUSTOMIZATION; THE GAME HAS MULTIPLE STATS TO TAKE COUNT OF AND TO BUILD YOUR PREFERRED PLAYSTYLE BOTH FOR THE MOMENT TO MOMENT BUT ALSO FOR SPECIFIC STAGES AND BOSSES. BEING READY TO SELL YOUR PARTS AND BUY NEW ONES FOR YOUR FIRST PLAYTHROUGH IS SOMETHING TO EMBRACE FOR YOUR FIRST PLAYTHROUGH AS YOU LEARN HOW THESE BOSSES TICK AND HOW THEY ARE FULLY CANCELED OUT WITH SPECIFIC LOADOUTS, MAKING YOU EXPERIENCE A DIVERSE LOADOUT AND ALLOWS YOU TO LEARN WHAT REALLY MAKES YOU ENJOY ARMORED CORE’S FAST PACED HIGH RISK HIGH REWARD GAMEPLAY. FOR MY FIRST PLAYTHROUGH I UTILIZED A QUAD LEGS BUILD WITH DUAL GATLING GUNS AND SONGBIRD, EXCHANGING MY WEAPONS OCCASIONALLY. FOR MY SECOND ONE I UTILIZED A MIDWEIGHT BIPED ENERGY WEAPON LOADOUT WITH AN ENERGY LANCE AS MY MELEE OF CHOICE. FOR MY THIRD OPTION I WENT WITH A REVERSE LIGHTWEIGHT DUAL ZIMMERMAN BUILD WITH THE MOONLIGHT BLADE AND A SONGBIRDS CHOICE. IT IS TRULY A GOAL FOR FROM SOFTWARE THAT I FOUND EACH OF THESE WEAPON LOADOUT TO BE ABLE TO HANDLE MOST CONFRONTATIONS; IF NOT ALL WITH THESE LOADOUTS EXCLUSIVELY. IT IS NOT SIMPLY A PROBLEM WITH A BUILD BUT ALSO YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE OF THE BOSS THAT DEFINES YOUR DIFFICULTY. I CONSIDER THIS THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: IT BOTH SUPPORTS THE WORLDBUILDING AND THE USE OF ACS BUT ALSO ALLOWS PLAYERS TO FLEX THEIR OWN CREATIVE FREEDOM IN FINDING WAYS TO DEFEAT BOSSES.
LOOKING AT THE AC CUSTOMIZATION FROM A PURELY UTILITARIAN VIEW HOWEVER YOU START TO DRAW PARALLELS TO THE THIRD ROUTE’S ENDING AND THE MISSIONS LEADING TOWARDS IT; ALLMIND IS AN AI. IN THAT SENSE HOWEVER ALLMIND DOES NOT FUNCTION AS AN AI WITH A SOUL OR CONSCIOUSNESS RATHER IT WORKS AS THE AI THAT EXISTS NOWADAYS; IT ONLY ACCUMULATES DATA AND REPEATS IT. THUS IS THAT THE ARENA EXISTS HERE NOT AS A WAY OF RANKING MERCS BUT RATHER FOR ALLMIND TO EXTRACT MORE INFO ON PILOTS TO BUILD STRONGER REPLICAS FOR THEIR AIMS; TO MAKE CORAL RELEASE. HOWEVER WHILE CORAL RELEASE IS CONSIDERED A POSITIVE AS IT IS AYRE’S WISH FOR HUMANS TO COEXIST WITH CORAL’S CONSCIOUSNESS ALLMIND’S GOALS ARE NOT THAT AND ARE MORE SO TO BE ABLE TO CONTROL HUMANITY; TO TURN CHAOS INTO ORDER AS THEY SAY IN THE FINAL MISSION OF THEIR ENDING. THIS BECOMES LESS DISMANTLING THE SOCIAL ORDER THAT MAKES THE WORLD RELY ON MEGACORPS REACHING TO IMPLOSION AND MORE OF A HEARTLESS UTILITARIAN SOCIETY. THAT IS WHY WE GO AGAINST ALLMIND; IT IS THE WORST POSSIBLE SCENARIO AND IN A SENSE THE ENDPOINT OF A MEGACORP OBTAINING A MONOPOLY ON THE WORLD. BY THE END AYRE REAFFIRMS THIS; WE PULL THE TRIGGER FOR CORAL RELEASE. WE BRING ABOUT A NEW ERA TO THE WORLD TO IMPROVE UPON THE HOUNDING OF CAPITALISM THAT TURNS EVERYONE INTO TOOLS, COEXISTING AS HUMANS, CORAL, AND AC.
BY THE END I CAN ABSOLUTELY SAY THAT I ADORED ARMORED CORE 6 AS A GAME AND AS FROM SOFTWARE’S PEAK OF STORYTELLING. THEIR WAY OF HANDLING LORE EXISTS IN THIS GAME AS A METHOD OF CREATING INTRIGUE HOWEVER PIVOTING TOWARDS A MORE DIRECT STORY CREATES A GREAT SET OF CHARACTERS WITH CHARISMA AND INTRIGUE. THERE WERE MANY TIMES I WAS TASKED TO KILL A UNIT I HAD FOUGHT ALONGSIDE AND I ATTEMPTED TO LOOK AWAY WITH THE CAMERA BUT IT STAYED FOCUSED ON THEM: I HAD TO LIVE WITH THE ACTIONS I TOOK AS A HOUND OF WALTER. PACKED ALONGSIDE A SOUNDTRACK WHICH BY ITSELF APPEARS MEDIOCRE BUT WHEN COMPOUNDED WITH THE WORLD ENHANCES THE PRODUCT AND A VISUAL DESIGN THAT IS UNIQUE AND BEAUTIFUL IN THE WAY IT IS TERRIBLE, ARMORED CORE 6 PRESENTS US WITH A WORLD THAT FUCKING SUCKS. AND THAT IS WHY WE LIVE IN IT, EMBRACE IT, AND FIGHT TO REMAKE IT INTO SOMETHING BETTER.
i dont think this game is ever coming out