By From Software for Playstation 2

As the true sequel to the original Armored Core series, this PS2 launch title had a lot to live up to in the eyes of this fan. In some areas it meets my expectations, but in others it fails miserably.

Armored Core 2 is the same game you’ve played in the original; AC and its two "add-on" discs, Project: Phantasma and Master of Arena. And for reasons you’ll learn shortly, I still count Master of Arena as the ultimate Armored Core title to date.

The game plays out just like the previous chapters in the series. You’ll face an easy initiation mission to join the Ravens, a group of hardcore mercenaries who pilot giant armed and armored robots called Cores. The Ravens carry out missions for large corporations, and it return they gain money, new parts and prestige in the Core pilot community. Ravens also take part in the Arena, a forum for one-on-one battles, which also earn you money and new parts for your core. The game has the familiar Scenario Mode, as well as Arena and Versus Modes.

Graphically, Armored Core 2 is very pretty. The Cores and their various parts all have added levels of shine and detail thanks to the PS2 hardware. The different environments are also well done, although there is nothing here that fans of the series haven’t seen before. Especially well done are the weapon effects and explosions, although I was sorely disappointed that the Cores still don’t explode into many pieces upon destruction, but still remain upright and intact after being defeated. This seems kind of silly to me.

Gameplay is exactly the same as in the previous games. The controls are the same, and for the most part the Cores handle exactly the same, if a bit slower, as well. There are a few new types of Core parts that have slight changes on the game. Cores now have radiators, which keep their internal units cool and help reduce damage. Inside units are extra weapons like bomb and plasma dispensers, and Extensions include things like anti-missiles and booster upgrades that work automatically. Other than those new additions, though, hardened AC fans will find that most of the parts are slight variants on those found in the previous titles. In fact, a few of the more popular weapons are carried over into AC 2.

Right, now here comes the bad stuff. Scenario Mode is pretty standard, no major improvements from the other games in the series, which really isn’t a bad thing for those of us craving more AC action. What is bad is that the specter of slowdown raises its ugly head on more than a few occasions during the course of the game. For a system as over hyped as the PS2, this is unforgivable. That’s right, I don’t care that this is most likely the fault of inexperienced programmers who are still unfamiliar with the hardware, or that the game was rushed to market. Based on what we were lead to believe by Sony and a majority of gaming magazines and web sites, the PS2 should not be capable of such horrid slowdown as that which occurs when several enemies are onscreen at the same time in this game. And let’s not even talk about split-screen Versus Mode… well, let me just say this: Armored Core 2 grinds to a nearly unplayable slow speed when playing split-screen. It’s so bad that I would much rather play Master of Arena over this Versus Mode. Now, link two PS2s together and the speed ramps up considerably, making it the best Versus Mode in any AC game… but that means you’ll need 2 PS2s, 2 copies of the game and an expensive link cable. All because the Versus Mode included with the game is all but unplayable.

For AC fanatics like myself, it’s easy to look past the disappointments and still find plenty to enjoy about this game. After all, more parts and stats to fiddle with are an AC fans dream come true, and you’ll likely spend many a happy hour searching through the missions and Arena battles for all of the hidden parts in the game. Still, the game also serves as a slap in the face to those who bought into Sony’s hype machine and believed that the PS2 could do no wrong. It turns out that the system is merely mortal after all.

Graphics: 8 (They’re good but not the jaw-droppingly beautiful screens we were fed by the magazines)

Sound: 8 (It’s AC. Techno music and loads of solid weapon and heavy metal clanking effects)

Gameplay: 7 (No analog control? Slowdown interrupts single player missions all too frequently and makes split-screen feel like walking through a lake molasses on a cold day… with your feet tied together)

Replay: 8 (Finding all of the hidden parts will take some time, but after you play through the game once there’s not a whole lot more to do… unless you link two PS2s together for Versus Mode)

Overall: 8 (A game for the fans, and proof positive that PS2 isn’t really all that)