Armored Core: Nine-Breaker Preview

Playing with robots is something foisted on the young males of society from an early age. Since the time of Robbie the Robot’s debut in the 1956 motion picture, Forbidden Planet, robots have been friend or foe, but nonetheless fascinating.

Agetec and From Software are back at the robot videogame business with the pending July release of Armord Core: Nine-Breaker for the PlayStation 2 console system. 

After a quick look at the title at E3, GameZone was able to get a hands-on preview build of the title. Ok, so these are mechs more than pure robots, but the action is robotic/mech combat.

The game itself has several ways to play. In the initial area, you can create your own mech and completely design the look from a variety of parts. You can even go in and fine-tune the different item specs, creating a robust creation process that is rather fun.

Build it ...

After you get through all that, you can head for the training ground to get yourself prepared for the battles ahead. There are three areas to train in and each of the three – attack, defense and move – are broken down into sub-areas. If you launch the attack category, you have three challenges in accuracy, power and judgement. Of course, you don’t have to go to training, though it is never a bad idea to brush up on the essentials. Instead you can move right to the arena.

The arena is set up in a ladder-tier system. You pick a class, and level, then search for opponents. Once the search is complete, you are given a list of likely candidates to square off with. Then you are dropped into an arena for the combat.

Herein lies the key to this game. The control system is very good. The right thumbstick controls the targeting reticule. As long as you keep your enemy in that targeting box, you will hit. Fire the rockets for a quick movement boost, move around to evade incoming attacks, and battle until you wear down the power and armor of your foe. Do all that, and you win. Winning in the arena means points, status and the ability to upgrade. In no time you can develop your mech into the biggest and toughest battle-bot on the block.

... and then battle with it!

The sound of the game is only so-so. There is the sound of heavy metal footsteps clanking along, even on sand, and the sound of weapons fire is old-school, meaning metallic and arcade-like. The musical score can also be turned way down. 

Where the game also shines is in the graphics department. The three-dimensional look of this game is wonderful. The mechs look terrific and the environments range from the ordinary to wonderful.

The game’s hardcore training more has more than 150 mission, all of which – with successful completion – boost skills, and there are more than 20 arenas (and a whole lot of foes) to battle in. The game also supports up to four players in a multiplayer mode. 

Ok, AC: Nine-Breaker is not going to radically alter the way we think or play mech games. But from the preview build, what this game is going to do is provide a lot of entertainment, in a visually compelling vehicle that challenges gamers to build and become the best in a huge gaming arena.