I think this game is both an improvement and somewhat disappointing. This games levels are much better than the first game. They are all varied and have fun things going on in them. I love the soundtrack for this game, the new tracks are really awesome. I think the arena mode is really cool. I got to rank 5 before writing this review, and I really liked how it encouraged me to use different builds depending on the opponent. Getting Arena exclusive rewards was also really nice. This game with the arena mode in mind is overall more polished and fun than the original, its a fun package.
All of this being said, I think the original game and what it was doing with its narrative was a lot more interesting. You had a lot more missions, and your run through the game can be really different depending on what corperation you lean more toward. I think the game has an overall better execution of you being a hired gun to these souless corperations. The mission and mail system make a lot more sense in the original game, and its more fleshed out. The mail system especially is a downgrade, you dont get much of it here, whereas in the original it was always fleshing out the world in interesting ways. The story here is a lot more linear, you are hired to destroy Project Phantasma before another rival mech, Striker, gets to it. This one has more voice acting and cutscenes, and while there are some optional missions, the goal is linear. I would be fine with a linear narrative if it was as interesting as the original, but it really isnt. I like the rivalry you have with Striker, but it isnt really all that interesting either, and it makes the thing you are fighting against more black and white in terms of good and bad.
Id say this game is worth playing if you really liked the first one, but it did disappoint me compared to it. This games core is still really great, I love customizing my mech, I love the momentum based movement and how everything feels heavy. Armored Core is fun no matter how you slice it. Besides the Arena mode, it doesnt really build all that much on the first one, so just keep that in mind.
All of this being said, I think the original game and what it was doing with its narrative was a lot more interesting. You had a lot more missions, and your run through the game can be really different depending on what corperation you lean more toward. I think the game has an overall better execution of you being a hired gun to these souless corperations. The mission and mail system make a lot more sense in the original game, and its more fleshed out. The mail system especially is a downgrade, you dont get much of it here, whereas in the original it was always fleshing out the world in interesting ways. The story here is a lot more linear, you are hired to destroy Project Phantasma before another rival mech, Striker, gets to it. This one has more voice acting and cutscenes, and while there are some optional missions, the goal is linear. I would be fine with a linear narrative if it was as interesting as the original, but it really isnt. I like the rivalry you have with Striker, but it isnt really all that interesting either, and it makes the thing you are fighting against more black and white in terms of good and bad.
Id say this game is worth playing if you really liked the first one, but it did disappoint me compared to it. This games core is still really great, I love customizing my mech, I love the momentum based movement and how everything feels heavy. Armored Core is fun no matter how you slice it. Besides the Arena mode, it doesnt really build all that much on the first one, so just keep that in mind.