Armored Core 3 comes across as a remarkably safe game. It's absolutely an improvement over the underwhelming AC2, but doesn't really push the series forward in any real ways. It's hard not to feel as if From Software are simply spinning their wheels at this point.
Movement and control here is probably the best that it's been and mission design is solid. The stages do end up feeling rather short, with only a few levels of comparable length to some of the large levels we saw way back on the PS1. Still there are a lot more cool mission ideas here and far less reuse of assets than we've typically seen in these games so far. The art direction is also far easier on the eyes than AC2.
Improvements to the Armored Core formula are generally small here. We have some interesting additions like the option to hire added help for certain missions, or to take on optional emergency tasks that extend the length of mission by adding new objectives. These are all fun things but don't revolutionize the story in any way. Adding some more options for left arm parts as well as the new exceed orbit cores also give the player more offensive options in combat and increase build variety.
Aside from this we get a story that yet again hews incredibly closely to the formula set all the way back in AC1. It's even closer to that game in blueprint than AC2 was, bordering on being a retelling that's more effective in some places, but has less punch in others.
The Arena continues to dampen the effectiveness of the tight economy the game would seem to make you think it wants to have, as the payouts are ludicrously large with no risk. And this is probably the easiest game in the series so far, though I don't think it's to the point that it seriously diminishes the experience.
My review probably comes across harsher than I intended, but in truth AC3 is a good game. I'd probably recommend it to those starting the series who thought the PS1 games were just a bit too cumbersome. Still, all the things it does great were the things AC1 did great many years earlier and it feels as if it has little identity of its own as a result. It doesn't push the envelope or advance the series in any meaningful way, only polishes and tinkers with what came before. For some who are simply hungry for more AC gameplay this might be enough, but I'd love to see future games take more risks.
Movement and control here is probably the best that it's been and mission design is solid. The stages do end up feeling rather short, with only a few levels of comparable length to some of the large levels we saw way back on the PS1. Still there are a lot more cool mission ideas here and far less reuse of assets than we've typically seen in these games so far. The art direction is also far easier on the eyes than AC2.
Improvements to the Armored Core formula are generally small here. We have some interesting additions like the option to hire added help for certain missions, or to take on optional emergency tasks that extend the length of mission by adding new objectives. These are all fun things but don't revolutionize the story in any way. Adding some more options for left arm parts as well as the new exceed orbit cores also give the player more offensive options in combat and increase build variety.
Aside from this we get a story that yet again hews incredibly closely to the formula set all the way back in AC1. It's even closer to that game in blueprint than AC2 was, bordering on being a retelling that's more effective in some places, but has less punch in others.
The Arena continues to dampen the effectiveness of the tight economy the game would seem to make you think it wants to have, as the payouts are ludicrously large with no risk. And this is probably the easiest game in the series so far, though I don't think it's to the point that it seriously diminishes the experience.
My review probably comes across harsher than I intended, but in truth AC3 is a good game. I'd probably recommend it to those starting the series who thought the PS1 games were just a bit too cumbersome. Still, all the things it does great were the things AC1 did great many years earlier and it feels as if it has little identity of its own as a result. It doesn't push the envelope or advance the series in any meaningful way, only polishes and tinkers with what came before. For some who are simply hungry for more AC gameplay this might be enough, but I'd love to see future games take more risks.