tho the issue with Quadies is that the legs are huge energy drains and while you can use backmounts of the mobe, unlike with tanks you cannot fire while you are airborne, which is problematic as the main way to move quickly is boost hopping.
@@Teixas666 umm...that's right? Just fire the back mounted weapons when your on the ground while boost hopping, Worked for me in AC3 until I got OP-I, also worked in Last Raven too.
@@Teixas666 airborne shooting+quad legs has truly never been a concern personally, a couple seconds of ground boosting or a split second is enough to make use of a back weapon, including a chaingun, slug gun, or especially grenade cannons & railguns. EN drain in quad legs has never bothered me, they're my go-to in most PS2 games AC3 & onward The benefit of tank legs of course being maximum load or defense with minimum horizontal speed etc. it's all about playstyle , that's why armored core's customization is still great in Nexus & onwards imo, years later I'm enjoying loadouts i never thought i would, meticulously combing thru stats, etc.
Quads can touch grass, hit the button to fire a railgun (LADON) and boost hop before the shot comes out to attack from a low altitude. More importantly, quads can ground-boost which is faster than flying and more energy efficient (still a battery drain tho)... you want to play defensively until your opponent's close to an arena edge and then push with a ground rush to close range and force hits. Also with most back lasers a couple good hits will more or less wipe your opponent's energy thanks to massive overheats.
In my headcanon I like to think that Nexus protagonist survives the ordeal and only his AC gets trashed. Because screw that operator hag that sits out the suicide bomb drones attack in relatively safe base. Later the protagonist proceeds to become the Last Raven. That's how I interpreted me converting save file from Nexus to LR at least. Also Nexus was my first and for a time only AC game I owned, so many legitimate issues were never registered with me. It was the first AC game that I stumbled upon in a gaming magazine review, and it highlighted the fact about Nexus having two discs. So I figured I might just grab this one, because it has its own campaign and the "Greatest Hits/Best of" bonus album so to speak. I feel it was the best way to start my AC adventure, because I was able to appreciate all the good stuff, and work my way up to previous games later to appreciate their best parts (pun intended). Thanks for sharing your perspective aag. I'll be waiting for your input about Last Raven and beyond. :]
This is absolute nostalgia, used to run home from school to play this game. Don’t care if it was bad or good, it was fantastic to me at the time. Thank you for this video.
Looks like Nexus started with just the Revolution disk mission remakes, only to go "oh shit, we still need to make an actual main game" which lead to the rest of Nexus.
If Nexus had Silent Line balancing, most of my gameplay gripes would vanish and it’d shoot up my list. The story really intrigued me, especially when paired with its direct follow up, Last Raven
I think Last Raven really indirectly gave a lot of people more appreciation towards Nexus, because it does work well as a transition from Silent Line into Last Raven. As a standalone game it's definitely lacking but seeing a lot of the returning ACs be fleshed out with their own goals and backgrounds really indirectly made Nexus more interesting to reflect on. I had fun playing Nexus first time around, but in a lot of ways disc 1 really just feels like the steppingstone to prepare both new and experienced ACs to deal with some of the absolute bullshit Last Raven had difficulty wise. Gamespot giving Silent Line was a damn sin though
I'd say Ninebreaker is worth a go, maybe do a video of it combined with Formula Front. As for Nexus, it's a good beginners AC game and damn near required to make Last Raven tolerable to finish without tearing your hair out if you're going in fresh with little classic AC experience.
I don't care how divided the community apparently is, but I fully believe the AC Nexus intro will never be topped. I genuinely have yet to see a better intro cinematic to any game ever. But I really do hope AC6 can prove me wrong on that.
That intro gets you hyped for some quick mech action. Bit of a bait and switch unfortunately. My friends I played these games with lost interest with Nexus.
On top of the frustrating inflicted heat -> emergency cooling drain, and ECM, Nexus introduced the acceleration stat on boosters which made machines with the "wrong" boosters incredibly unresponsive. High impact hits were too punishing and usually came with very high inflicted heat (and overheat, and energy drain). Nexus had a *banging* soundtrack though, and the game engine itself only needed some fine-tuning to give us one of the best AC experiences in Last Raven.
Something funny I found out yesterday is theres pnach cheats in last raven that remove the crap filters. That pretty much means they intentionally made nexus and last raven look worse. My next video has these "cheats" enabled.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I'm gonna fire up Last Raven on my vita and see if you mean what I think you mean about the filters. I remember Last Raven's visuals looking ok and the menus especially being the best in the series because your mech's on screen all the time.
@@imthethriller was it 4? Sorry, deleted my other comment because lack of sleep and brain didn't process what I was reading. Edit: but who else but a nerd for two different franchises with AC as their abbreviations would immediately make that connection, eh?
Haven't played this in 15 yrs but I remember loving the 2nd disc. Appreciate your detail about the rebalancing. Also appreciate the chapters and full game intro. YT algo did good with this reco. Here's a like and sub
Yea I was always on the fence about this game, but can definitely see the negatives a lot more readily. Glad you addressed the "limiting options" which I feel is the most pronounced problem. Alot of ppl who defend the game say "if you just build focused on cooling, you'll be fine" but that's the problem, you HAVE to build one central build around cooling/energy drain in order to progress at all. What if I fancy a overboost build? What if I fancy lightweight that has high energy draining leg parts? What if I fancy using a energy weapons but also want a build that can maneuver with boosts alot (Ac3/SL balanced energy weapons and boosting a bit better). Instead the game always funnels you into a specific build. Just have the left and right CR-WH79M2 and low energy drain parts and a high cooling radiator, and you can pretty much blow through 90% of the game, safe for long drawn out missions that require ammo...
@@kamikeserpentail3778 OK dude well that works for you, I found the dual gatling guns insanely overpowered until they were nerfed in ninebreaker/last raven And also I didn't say you HAD to use the gatling guns, I SAID you were funneled into using a build that focuses on low energy drain/high cooling What I then suggested was to just use the dual gatling guns for a easy time, I didn't say u HAD to use them...
If you didn't want a full cooling tune, you NEVER had to use one. You chose to, as did many. You choosing to miss out on building to your taste was a choice. If you were better in a high mobility AC, you would have used it.
I just played through this game myself and man this is easily my least favorite AC game, and at this point ive played every single one except AC2: Another Age. Such massive difficulty spikes out of nowhere, the heat and ECM constantly bugging the shit out of me, the absolute lack of a story even by armored core standards, wow this was not fun. I hear the Revolution disc is good tho and as I recently beat all the gen1 AC games and AC2 I'm eager to give it a try and revisit some of those missions with 3rd gen mechanics. I really hope Last Raven fixes some of these balance changes with overheating, I don't remember since its been such a long while.
I wouldn't mind the removal of intensify if they had given everything the ability to use back weapons while moving. Without that, 60% of back weapons are gimped unless you wanna play quad or tank legs, forcing missiles+radar, which is a shame. Gosh the booster heat was also such a mess. It's sad that a game with so many parts makes 90% of them unviable. It probably could have been better balanced but I feel like it must just never been playtested.
Also, at one point OP-INTENSIFY was going to be in the game, but was cut during development. Some of the part files can be found in the game, and Genobee and some other ACs can use some of its effects.
wanna know what makes Genobee even more of a joke in this game: you cannot make his AC design for youw own use: Dual Face is massively Overweight to the point where you can hardly move(over 1000 units OW). his ai is also very lackluster as his main and only tactic revolves around staying above you and spam the grenades, you cna counter him entirely by just being faster to the extreme you can win both of his story fights without taking damage. so the game not only is giving him human plus, its a lso cheating by ignoring weight restrictions this is not ot evne mention you have at least 3 other arena rankers that are stronger than him and tougher on the player(2nd round vs Evangel, bullet Life and Agraya tho the latter is not a ranker)
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 final zinaida is a whole different kind of BS. her AC at least is possible ot reproduce and use efficiently on player hands. the issue on her is that she has an infinite capacitor and her ai is basically wired ot always be above where the player is(this is especially bs in the Psp version her her ai has its agression set on 11). the only " handicap" she gets is that she starts the fight with a damaged core(which affects cooling/booster performance)
I totally forgot about the very last game of Armored Core's Nexus series... the PSP-only Formula Front. I just started playing it again and all I can really say is that the intro and menu designs are stylish as hell.
In defense of the helicopter mission, as a one-off it's kind of an interesting way of using the mission structure for storytelling. I still think it falls a bit flat since the rest of the missions aren't great, so throwing in a mission so absurdly short feels like a cop-out, but I like the idea that some corp wanted this VIP dead so bad that they sent an entire fucking mech after one helicopter. Like using that silly one-off mission to drive home the fact that you're really just a corporate assassin at the end of the day.
I can understand your criticism completely and let me just say thank you thank you for actually playing these games and making reviews I wanted to do stuff like that but I don't have the voice I'm very antisocial not very talkative not good at it either you laid everything out very well I can understand your criticism why you don't like it trust me it took me a long time to warm up to it but whenever you're a kid and you don't have many options it kind of forced to get with what you got I replayed this game a lot yeah I got to admit it grew on me and the soundtrack is honestly super awesome you got that one down to be honest with you there's lots of things they could do better but I think they did all right they clearly put most of their effort in the second disc as for the final mission in the game here is some interesting fact it's actually supposed to be the remnants of the original Hustler one AI said one of the developers of the game in an interview but you didn't hear that from me
I'm very antisocial too TBH. It's even harder talking into a mic to noone lol. Dont be discouraged by the antisocial part because it's something that improves every video
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I appreciate your words of encouragement since you're on armored core Nexus right now there is a mod on my RUclips channel you should try out it gives you access to the unbalanced parts from armored core silent line and the prototype AC parts if you want to check it out it requires you to download cheat engine and run a script in the garage that's it it's pretty cool
I am glad you made this review. I share a LOT of disappointments that you had. I don't mind that they removed the re-skinned clone weapons, what I am upset about was they removed more parts than just that. They completely removed useful ones like the howitzers. The weapons that got "tweated". . . which in actuality downgraded are the machineguns, most of them are near useless especially the chainguns. I used to use the chainguns all the time in previous games but in the LATE-3RD-GEN games I never used them, not only do chainguns have a spread but they also have a reload function. It was a good thing machine/chainguns became useful again in AC4. And like you said how they downgraded laser-blading was also a bummer. I also noticed the blur/haze effect when I played it. They also made aiming more narrow compared to the previous games, lock boxes are smaller and even in an IGN video talking about AC4 before its release one guy even complained about how the Heat in this game was very annoying especially when it comes to boosting. They really made the player focus a lot not just on the weigh but also the cooling and ECM. I also didn't like how they removed OP-I/Human+ even if you 100% the two disks. I really hate it when people strawman me with the response "DUR, GiT gUd DUR" when that is not the issue I have with this game. I am NOT complaining that the game is too hard, I am complaining that the game doesn't earn players with OP-I/Human+ even if they got S-Rank on everything. That is how it was with Silent Line if people started a new game file on it, which was something I was fine with. That was the biggest reason why the LATE-3RD-gen games are disappointing, nothing earned from full single-player play which downgrades the replayability, I had to use Codebreaker (cheat-engine, don't use gameshark NOR actionreplay as those ruin systems) to unlock human-plus for Last Raven and I have some fun Human-Plus videos on last raven while using the Daemon-build. The PS1 mission remakes and the soundtrack were the best things in this game even though I never played any of the PS1 games. Some of the music remakes are great but a few are not. (Another Age soundtrack remake is sound weird and unfitting). Also about the story, Genobee and Agraya use Crest-only parts on their AC. It is rumored that Agraya is Zinaida and apparently "Genobee" is a mistranslation and is supposed to be "Zinovie". Great Review.
Ya I've always fealt like late gen 3 was not rewarding. I only came to appreciate last raven recently for it's crazy mission tree and attention to details when it comes to lore. I was amazed by all the hate I got for using human + in the ps1 games. It's probably because I said the games werent hard but human + is nothing compared to how OP weapons like the karasawa where
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I also forgot to mention I love the fact that you had to point out how stupidly ridiculous how not only the cinematics are (I guess made so that the developers can flex their in-game cutscene animations) but also how ridiculously easy and/or repetitive some of the missions are. Shooting down one helicopter is all you need for one.
I actually agree with them nerfing the machine guns, they were way too broken to even try and justify using anything else in the previous games. Machine guns are still usable and one of the best weapon-types in the game from nexus on though
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Yeah I honestly really hope AC 6 has OP Intensify or Human Plus. The game is just flat out more fun with it. And the freedom of mobility allows me to really enjoy the combat system without feeling frustrated.
Yeah, Nexus has troubles. You could see it as a prologue to Last Raven, and you HAVE to play some of it if you wanna stand a chance against the Pulverizers. Still, you can activate some of OP-INTENSIFY/Human PLUS through cheats, PCSX2 has an option to do that.
Will we have a new armored core? it would be amazing a new one in the current generation, with a bigger world, current graphics, and with an almost infinite construction of robots and etc, which for me is the strong point of the series, I play the last Raven and spend hours building robots, it's good too much, the combat is also insane and different from other games, especially in multiplayer, with combats between clans as happened a lot, it was beautiful and insane, I think it would work super well nowadays
Hey man just wanted to say I love your AC videos, I look for them every time I revisit the series. I don't know if you're planning on doing Last Raven but it would be awesome to see. Thanks for putting the videos together, love the content man, keep going!
Yep, I am quickly reminded of why this was one of the most forgettable and at the same time unforgettable AC games. Forgettable because of boring story and missions, unforgettable because of that kick-ass soundtrack. I've had the tune from the opening cinematic pop into my head randomly throughout the years without even really remembering what it's from, it's got that ultimate earworm energy.
I now realize some of the ACs from Last Raven is an arena opponent in this game. Interesting.(I started out with Last Raven as my first game back into the series)
I understand the criticism of AC Nexus, but that intro was certainly a "love letter" to the franchise, capturing the fantasy they've instilled in fans... until the title gets announced...
I know I am a little late but to unlock human plus equivalent for silent line you must beat AC3 it’s an optional part that you must use during certain situations to unlock its full potential. The part is called OP-INTENSIFY.
Ah yes, the Dark Souls 2 of Armored Core games Personally liked this game but hates DS2. Nexus doesn't compare to the bests of AC (that being AA, 3, SL, LR and FA for me, never played Gen 5 but is highly interested into) but manages to at least equal 1 personally.
Before even watching the video, this is the game. I would like to say, this is it, this is the one the burnt me out on my Armored Core 100% marathon. Overheating the mech game... I mean Nexus. Trying to 100% is a chore, you need to do multiple routing through multiple playthroughs and it just got too harrowing for me... and then theres disk 2 I still need to go through... PS: Theres some weird graphic tweaks you can do in PCSX2 that removes the weird fog effects but it breaks shadows (or Anisatrophic filtering) if done incorrectly.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 haven't played last raven yet, just tried importing my save there to see what is different. So you're telling me it gets worse.
@@tehfoxxy9630 well ya in a good way (maybe not for 100%) but the game has this crazy branching story and I think in terms of story and lore its deepest in the series
@@tehfoxxy9630 LR have much more branch but each one is shorter than the story in Nexus. Also even with the branch Nexus only have one ending while LR got like 6 endings. So at least it won't be as boring as Nexus to get through each branch.
@@air1744 Yes that got boring in nexus real quick. I hate how i need to path certain routes when i reset the story so that i can unlock that one mission then do it all over again. Freaking annoying
Looking forward to your views on Last Raven, as its the only one from the PS2 era i've never played, and also seeing your eventual outlook on AC 4 as it is my personal favorite
The only mission I really remember from Nexus is the 1 where they drop some light mechs with energy weapons at like a power plant or something like that. It starts off as 1 enemy, but after defeating it, more are dropped. The only reason I remember it is it was the only mission that gave my light weight build any trouble. But only because I didnt have enough ammo. Its the only mission I had to restart over and over again, looking for a way to win without going heavy. I spent more time doing math than I did in school just on that mission. And the only way I could find for my build to have any chance was to either make it overweight, over heated, or change to at least a mid-weight. I ultimately went the most cost efficient build I could do and 1 shot them all with cannons on a quad
i cant stand how they re did machine guns in the later games where they pluse fire and cant hold to fire them. the other thing i notice with this game was the over heating seem to be a big push snice you can over heat yourself to death and other AC units.
Human+ feels reminiscent of Cyber-Newtypes from Gundam. In older games being able to play without it shows the players more proficient status akin to the technical proficiency of expanded cognition and intuitive interfacing with machines of regular Newtypes, compared to Cyber-Newtypes requiring the crutch of technological alteration to instrumentalise them into a tool for killing.
I hope you keep going! Love these overviews! Also I was thinking, Armored Core 3 doesn't make a whole lot of sense does it since you do above ground missions multiple times, no where in the game does it say everyone is underground until the very end. Love that game though. lol
Ya I wish they added in a bit more detail. I figure the excuse would be like for answer where humanity still gathers and wars over resources. Then again people would probably know it's safe on the surface
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Yeah that's what I was thinking. It'd be cool if they gave it one more shot with a new game and rebooted it but stuck to their own lore a bit more / went into detail about how life underground works etc it'd be really interesting. It's a cool setting they just really needed to flesh it out more and I love how mysterious that game felt the first time you experienced it though, the music / art direction and sound direction are spot on for making it feel immersive.
Ngl, I played Nexus and Last Raven hand-in-hand when I had the ps2. Bought them both the same day, used ofc cuz I wasn't really well off and allowance was sparce, but enjoyed them both regardless. The only regret I have with playing Nexus is the fact that I've not played any of the games referenced on the Nexus Revolution disc. When I learn how to use emulators and get the necessary things to use them, I plan on going back and playing the games I missed in this series, being everything between 1 and Nexus, with the exception of 2 and AA, as well as 4Answer. I also plan on going back to play the ones I had played, since 2 and AA were my introduction to the series, Nexus and Last Raven solidified my adoration for the game, and the absolute adrenaline rush and personal revitalization 4 provided. Obviously I want to go back and replay V/VD, as my experience with them were...skewed, slightly. For whatever reason, when I played them, the music, arguably one of the most important aspects to the game, was all but totally absent in those playthroughs. I think it chalked up to my PS3 getting old by the time the games released (that or faulty cables). With 6 on the horizon, being able to go back and play the older stuff at some point too would be an absolute dream.
I apparently skipped Nexus in my path from silent line, I went to Armored Core 3 through 5. In fact I was probably playing Front Mission 3 when this turd arrived.
Speaking of selecting the stage for arena match, I remember in PS1 game I used to specifically pick low ceiling stage like the parking lot when fighting opponent that used vertical-launched missiles; effectively neutering them. That's a cheap tactic but as a kid I felt like I'm a master of strategy.
I may or may not have resorted to that tactic occasionally way back then. I will neither confirm nor deny. My favorite matches were in the large dome arena though. No cover, lots of space, even ground. just me, them, and a whole lotta dakka.
This has the less nitpicky cons and pros only imo. Pros: Better controls (Took them long enough.) Great intro. Overheating adds a new layer of difficulty. Good for beginners. Cons: Cannot eat generators. *(Why add a nutritional value if I can't eat it!?)* Difficulty is a lot more lax for older fans. Operator eats the mic. 8/10, would buy another copy to replace my broken copy.
big agree re: the balancing. i think the balancing would be less egregious if they had left human plus in as like an ng+ thing, if they were trying to make it more difficult or something. but they just made it unfun to play, imo. especially since the other ACs still have it.
While I couldn't disagree with you more on a lot of points on this video, I still appreciate all of your AC content. Well other than the lack of human plus or OP intensify, totally agree with you there.
One tip i have for reading some of the images is trying google translate's drawing feature. Google translate is sometimes inaccurate but hey its something xd i also wish i knew japanese. Man when i was 17 i was crazy over it, and i regret so much having given up, today there are many japan only games i wish to play that dont have translation. Also thanks a lot for your videos on armored core man, its impressive how little content there are on youtube d for such a fantastic franchise.
Thanks. I've been surprised for so long that noone has really covered the games. I thought with souls going mainstream it would spark alot of interest but I guess not
i'm surprised you didn't talk about the branching mission structure, where failing one mission can change a cutscene or affect future missions. its something that helps elevate Nexus imo
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 you know the text that's highlighted blue in post-mission mails? That usually changes depending on the mission outcome. If you were to say, fail at killing Genobee or Agraya, they're then considered missing instead of KIA. They're out of the story, though "alive". If you fail the very first mission, then get low AP on the second try, Jack-O will intervene and insult you. In the mission where Mirage MTs invade the city, should you die, a different cutscene will play out with Genobee rescuing you from the MTs instead of the usual mop-up cutscene. Then there's the ones that actually change future missions; biggest example I remember is the mission where you shoot down transports on a rooftop. If you fail to shoot any transports down, then a later mission which would normally be an assault on a base with a few Mirage MTs will now have you fighting Jack-O as well. iirc you can pretty much fail every single mission except for the final two and still go on as the most incompetent Raven people keep hiring for whatever reason. Sometimes you only get a change in flavor text, but even so I think its a shame no future AC would reiterate on this feature.
It's like they put all their efforts into disk 2 and the intro. then when it came down to the main game they found they used most of the money on again disk 2.
I'm also part of the group that hates this game. Going from Silent Line to Nexus, the new heat mechanics absolutely screwed me over when I was a kid. The only feasible explanation for the new heat mechanic is From Soft's attempt to make AC more "simulation". The bad part about making the game more sim was that you almost had to build your AC around heat management. You had to balance your generator's calorific value, your booster heat, and your AC's overall cooling so that you can play the game without busting your generator. This change didn't make the game fun, it just made it annoying. Gameplay overall also feels a lot slower because there's much less energy to go around for your AC compared to Silent Line. Fortunately, Ninebreaker and Last Raven fixed these issues by reducing booster heat, giving generators more energy, and increasing booster power. The gameplay feels much closer to Silent Line as a result.
Sounds like another age in terms of mission quality. I just started playing through AC and AC2:AA was my first go (about 60% through and got through the 2v1 and 3v1 eventually). Kinda wish I had started with AC2 or AC3 after seeing your videos. Thanks for the overviews, really helpful to know what's worth putting time into. Would you recommend remapping controls for these older games and if so what would you recommend (I'm emulating so there's quite a bit of possible customization)
'git gud' doesn't suffice as an argument when enemy AC just get handed the same abilities that are completely unavailable to the player AC at that point it'd be preferable for the game to just do the usual cheap difficulty hacks that any other game would do, than to watch an enemy AC run around with specific functionalities that were otherwise removed
I played the newest one and liked it. There was some ps2 ace combat I played as a kid and always got my ass handed to me but I also enjoyed it lol. I'll have to seriously think about going through the whole series tho. I talk on AC because I've played most of the games multiple multiple times and I dont have that experience with ace combat
I played this back when it released and still play the 3rd gen. This was the first game that from soft decided it was easier to make the player character handicapped than actually tune the enemies to make the game challenging. This philosophy hasn't changed since.
Ah Nexus, the start of Armored Core's downfall. Though the seeds had been planted as far back as Armored Core 2 : Another Age, this is where From Software not only made bad decisions, but doubled down on them. Even the good content in the second disc only makes the disappointment worse, since it shows they could've made something far better had they tried.
Even a bad Armored Core is still way better than most other games out there. Even if Nexus is a low point for the series, its just a small valley between huge mountains.
Flaw aside and believe me I don't like the magazine mechanic I am a barrage kind of guy >.>; And the intensify option like how the game forced me to radicalize my desings and step out of my usual load out I can understand why someone would not like this thou
Interesting, I just beat this as my first AC game and I just got to Last Raven. I plan on going back and doing 3/SL than maybe 2/AA? Or should I just go straight to 4/A?
You can skip ahead and play 4 and fa. The only games I'd suggest playinf in order are 3 to silent line, and nexus to last raven. Their stories are close enough connected to play in order. I guess 4 and for answer you wanna play in that order too
I hated Nexus. And Last Raven didn't do it for me. Mainly because of the poor theme and its stupid difficulty whereas just like Nexus, they don't allow you to have a AI partner. I stick playing AC3 & SL rather. A MILION TIMES better with full briefing voice lines! And the musics are insanely awesome!! As for AC4 & 4A well, AC4 is good! Good theme and okay storyline. 4A however -- AWESOME GAME WITH A GREAT STORYMODE in my book! There is multiple paths to choose from. And the soundtracks are freaking TOPNOTCH!! And you're able to choose a partner again in many missions. The gameplay mechanics are different than previous titles though but still stood true to Armored Core series overall. As for Armored Core V - I did not like it one bit. The story is meh.....gameplay okay. And it's just flatout boring and was 100% meant to be played online. Good luck beating the game solo. Now. Last but not least, Armored Core Verdict Day ( expansion to ACV ) is LITERALLY my favorite Armored Core game = )! Why? It's simple. Just one thing. The UNAC feature. You will be able to built your own AI partner UNAC ( Unmanned Armored Core )! The amount of debts in building these bad boys are INSANE!! It will take time, but BOY it will also be fun as hell! Because once you finalize these bad boys - the great feeling you'll have seeing what you've built from top to bottom aiding you on missions like a boss will be so rewarding! But by default, you will be able to edit only one UNAC ( Or maybe two. I forgot). More slots get unlock by buying more preset DLC UNACs. You can unlock up to 10 slots. So that would be 10 UNACs for you to built! It took me over 4 years to finally complete all 10 UNACs lol. But it's super fun, and really rewarding. Aside from the UNACs feature, the storymode is pretty weak BUT much better than ACV overall. And the gameplay is like ACV but a little better as well. And the game is very hard. And the online contents is a blast! You can even as an operator commanding 4 of your UNACs fighting on the battlefield! I have so much fun with this! Last but not least. Armored Core Verdict Day is a DIRECT sequel to Arnored Core For Answer = ) But it takes place CENTURIES after For Answer. In other words, AC4, AC4A, ACV, ACVD are literally all connected. Crazy! But also awesome!
@@The_Raven_ There you go people. The git gud crowd. You know, the crowd that literally have nobody to fucking hug them so they will take it upon other people's being just to make themselves feel better. These idiots never cease to amaze me lol.
Totally agree, wasn’t a big fan of the gameplay changes. However, if you go back and play with Human + enabled, both Nexus and ESPECIALLY Last Raven play like a brand new game. I love the story, but nexus and LR were my least faves until trying with Human +. It feels even better Lore wise with LR, since it’s the final 24hrs of the Raven era
The saddest part is not being able to export your save from previous games... That's also why I thought this one was before Armored Core 3, I thought it was another Armored Core 2.
You sound like life and happiness have fled your body lol! Appreciate the overview, my brother I believe enjoyed this game, but that was over a decade ago.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Ah, for once I ask not for brevity, but the pouring out of your soul in (4th paragraph) truly spoke to me. Hold that silent line, one slightly aloft mediocrity.
@@montecarlowithdawningornam1817 them making it more like dark souls. I didnt like the change from armored core 4 to armored core 5 so that would suck. If I'm not mistaken, miyazaki was involved on armored core 4 or maybe for answer on a very basic level so I hope he leans more towards those games.
@@Errorcutive I just played the PS2 version recently and it's a completely different game from the PSP version, including the entire story. The 5v5 in PS2 is also a lot more engaging than the 1v1 in the PSP version. Definitely recommend the PS2 version, but yeah having to be able to understand Japanese sucks.
The controls for this is amooth that hard I don't know why people lied saying 3 was hard with the controls it wasnt I dropped 2 cause aiming was hard and it was like I always had to fight against it doesn't aim as smoothly As soon as I did the first mission on this one I noticed the smoothness difference and aiming is way easier and the movement is faster to
AC Nexus in my experience : 1. Slowest AC's ever 2. Machine gun and chain guns are now garbage 3. Blade is irrelevant 4. Radar is a must 5. Dual wield weapon is the thing until ACLR 6. AC overheating like old motorcycles 7. Meh soundtrack 8. Only saved by the disc 2's nostalgic value on PS1 games 9. TERRIBLE MISSIONS 10. Arena AC's are made easy. PS : For me Silent line is still the best AC game ever made.
As much as I love Armored Core as a series Nexus will always be the weakest link of the main lineup (excluding Nine Breaker) cuz that terrible blurriness kills me
Just started replaying Nexus and I hard disagree on some complaints about this game. First off, cash isnt really that big an issue since payouts are massive compared to early 3rd gen. Used parts giving back less money when sold is also a rather minor inconvenience, the sales multiplier really does not seem to be that bad. There's also a lot of "bonus" missions that are easy enough and give you big payouts since theres no repair bills. Heat management also isn't that difficult as long as you're prepared for it, though I will concede that its entirely possible I've just been lucky with making heat efficient builds. I absolutely agree on the ECM stuff though, its so annoying. The Protect Mirage Transports mission has to be one of the worst missions in Oldgen, though if it was in Silent Line I will bet you anything they would have crammed some of the best parts in the game behind a requirement to not let a single MT get blown up or any of the cargo gotten scratched. Its also kind of annoying how little ammo some weapons have all of a sudden, guessing they really wanted to push the hangar mechanic.
Heavy back weapons work with quad legs too, not just tank legs
tho the issue with Quadies is that the legs are huge energy drains and while you can use backmounts of the mobe, unlike with tanks you cannot fire while you are airborne, which is problematic as the main way to move quickly is boost hopping.
@@Teixas666 umm...that's right? Just fire the back mounted weapons when your on the ground while boost hopping, Worked for me in AC3 until I got OP-I, also worked in Last Raven too.
@@Teixas666 airborne shooting+quad legs has truly never been a concern personally, a couple seconds of ground boosting or a split second is enough to make use of a back weapon, including a chaingun, slug gun, or especially grenade cannons & railguns. EN drain in quad legs has never bothered me, they're my go-to in most PS2 games AC3 & onward
The benefit of tank legs of course being maximum load or defense with minimum horizontal speed etc. it's all about playstyle , that's why armored core's customization is still great in Nexus & onwards imo, years later I'm enjoying loadouts i never thought i would, meticulously combing thru stats, etc.
...it's big shame you can't really fly while using them
Quads can touch grass, hit the button to fire a railgun (LADON) and boost hop before the shot comes out to attack from a low altitude.
More importantly, quads can ground-boost which is faster than flying and more energy efficient (still a battery drain tho)... you want to play defensively until your opponent's close to an arena edge and then push with a ground rush to close range and force hits.
Also with most back lasers a couple good hits will more or less wipe your opponent's energy thanks to massive overheats.
Say what you will about Nexus, but the intro is the definition of PS2 era for me
Shining is one of the best ost of the entire AC franchises!
It feel peak 2000 somehow. I guess its just about how Campy it is.
Correct
Unfortunately the game didn't live up to the Trailer. Much like V and Verdict Day.
This intro would look so sexy remastered and ray traced.
In my headcanon I like to think that Nexus protagonist survives the ordeal and only his AC gets trashed. Because screw that operator hag that sits out the suicide bomb drones attack in relatively safe base. Later the protagonist proceeds to become the Last Raven. That's how I interpreted me converting save file from Nexus to LR at least.
Also Nexus was my first and for a time only AC game I owned, so many legitimate issues were never registered with me. It was the first AC game that I stumbled upon in a gaming magazine review, and it highlighted the fact about Nexus having two discs. So I figured I might just grab this one, because it has its own campaign and the "Greatest Hits/Best of" bonus album so to speak.
I feel it was the best way to start my AC adventure, because I was able to appreciate all the good stuff, and work my way up to previous games later to appreciate their best parts (pun intended).
Thanks for sharing your perspective aag. I'll be waiting for your input about Last Raven and beyond. :]
This is absolute nostalgia, used to run home from school to play this game. Don’t care if it was bad or good, it was fantastic to me at the time. Thank you for this video.
Looks like Nexus started with just the Revolution disk mission remakes, only to go "oh shit, we still need to make an actual main game" which lead to the rest of Nexus.
There are things I definitely don't like about Nexus but overall there are more things I like about it like better controls part tuning.
If Nexus had Silent Line balancing, most of my gameplay gripes would vanish and it’d shoot up my list.
The story really intrigued me, especially when paired with its direct follow up, Last Raven
I think Last Raven really indirectly gave a lot of people more appreciation towards Nexus, because it does work well as a transition from Silent Line into Last Raven. As a standalone game it's definitely lacking but seeing a lot of the returning ACs be fleshed out with their own goals and backgrounds really indirectly made Nexus more interesting to reflect on.
I had fun playing Nexus first time around, but in a lot of ways disc 1 really just feels like the steppingstone to prepare both new and experienced ACs to deal with some of the absolute bullshit Last Raven had difficulty wise. Gamespot giving Silent Line was a damn sin though
I'd say Ninebreaker is worth a go, maybe do a video of it combined with Formula Front. As for Nexus, it's a good beginners AC game and damn near required to make Last Raven tolerable to finish without tearing your hair out if you're going in fresh with little classic AC experience.
When I'm done with the series I wanna go back and cover it in some form
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 +1, please do Ninebreaker!
+2, Ninebreaker is super underlooked, a video covering it would be awesome. Also an Another Age vid would be cool too! :p
+3, Ninebreaker, I feel, should be like a disk 2 of somesort. It's a playground for tuners
Last Raven was my first AC.
I don't care how divided the community apparently is, but I fully believe the AC Nexus intro will never be topped. I genuinely have yet to see a better intro cinematic to any game ever. But I really do hope AC6 can prove me wrong on that.
That intro gets you hyped for some quick mech action. Bit of a bait and switch unfortunately. My friends I played these games with lost interest with Nexus.
Good damn that intro is the best one in the franchise for me
It's a straight banger
Over Ac 4 answer?!!?
That intro sucked
On top of the frustrating inflicted heat -> emergency cooling drain, and ECM, Nexus introduced the acceleration stat on boosters which made machines with the "wrong" boosters incredibly unresponsive. High impact hits were too punishing and usually came with very high inflicted heat (and overheat, and energy drain).
Nexus had a *banging* soundtrack though, and the game engine itself only needed some fine-tuning to give us one of the best AC experiences in Last Raven.
Something funny I found out yesterday is theres pnach cheats in last raven that remove the crap filters. That pretty much means they intentionally made nexus and last raven look worse. My next video has these "cheats" enabled.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I'm gonna fire up Last Raven on my vita and see if you mean what I think you mean about the filters. I remember Last Raven's visuals looking ok and the menus especially being the best in the series because your mech's on screen all the time.
16:37 Fun fact, that briefing voice is also one of the briefing voices you get in Ace Combat. Can't remember which game off the top of my head, though
Ace combat 4 he has a more low key sounding voice in that game
@@imthethriller was it 4? Sorry, deleted my other comment because lack of sleep and brain didn't process what I was reading.
Edit: but who else but a nerd for two different franchises with AC as their abbreviations would immediately make that connection, eh?
Haven't played this in 15 yrs but I remember loving the 2nd disc. Appreciate your detail about the rebalancing. Also appreciate the chapters and full game intro. YT algo did good with this reco. Here's a like and sub
Tyvm
Yea I was always on the fence about this game, but can definitely see the negatives a lot more readily. Glad you addressed the "limiting options" which I feel is the most pronounced problem. Alot of ppl who defend the game say "if you just build focused on cooling, you'll be fine" but that's the problem, you HAVE to build one central build around cooling/energy drain in order to progress at all. What if I fancy a overboost build? What if I fancy lightweight that has high energy draining leg parts? What if I fancy using a energy weapons but also want a build that can maneuver with boosts alot (Ac3/SL balanced energy weapons and boosting a bit better). Instead the game always funnels you into a specific build. Just have the left and right CR-WH79M2 and low energy drain parts and a high cooling radiator, and you can pretty much blow through 90% of the game, safe for long drawn out missions that require ammo...
Eh?
I had two vastly different ACs, and neither used CR-WH79M2
@@kamikeserpentail3778 OK dude well that works for you, I found the dual gatling guns insanely overpowered until they were nerfed in ninebreaker/last raven
And also I didn't say you HAD to use the gatling guns, I SAID you were funneled into using a build that focuses on low energy drain/high cooling
What I then suggested was to just use the dual gatling guns for a easy time, I didn't say u HAD to use them...
If you didn't want a full cooling tune, you NEVER had to use one. You chose to, as did many. You choosing to miss out on building to your taste was a choice. If you were better in a high mobility AC, you would have used it.
The heat mechanic was one of the biguest bs that this series ever had.
@@emiliodeguarda2005 Nah, you have to. Literrally everything in the game creates heat, is just stupid.
I just played through this game myself and man this is easily my least favorite AC game, and at this point ive played every single one except AC2: Another Age.
Such massive difficulty spikes out of nowhere, the heat and ECM constantly bugging the shit out of me, the absolute lack of a story even by armored core standards, wow this was not fun. I hear the Revolution disc is good tho and as I recently beat all the gen1 AC games and AC2 I'm eager to give it a try and revisit some of those missions with 3rd gen mechanics.
I really hope Last Raven fixes some of these balance changes with overheating, I don't remember since its been such a long while.
Last raven fixed all the issues it's just a hard game
I wouldn't mind the removal of intensify if they had given everything the ability to use back weapons while moving.
Without that, 60% of back weapons are gimped unless you wanna play quad or tank legs, forcing missiles+radar, which is a shame.
Gosh the booster heat was also such a mess. It's sad that a game with so many parts makes 90% of them unviable. It probably could have been better balanced but I feel like it must just never been playtested.
Nice work as always. Keep it up.
Thanks. Same goes to you 👍
I still own the two disc OST for this game. I distinctly remember having to import it. It still slaps
Also, at one point OP-INTENSIFY was going to be in the game, but was cut during development. Some of the part files can be found in the game, and Genobee and some other ACs can use some of its effects.
My voice might sound a bit off. I was just getting over covid in the voice over.
Mans is doing a public service by talking about Armored Core
I started in Nexus so I had no idea it was hated until later. Still don't think Nexus was that bad though.
Even the ending is mocking your effort!
wanna know what makes Genobee even more of a joke in this game:
you cannot make his AC design for youw own use: Dual Face is massively Overweight to the point where you can hardly move(over 1000 units OW).
his ai is also very lackluster as his main and only tactic revolves around staying above you and spam the grenades, you cna counter him entirely by just being faster to the extreme you can win both of his story fights without taking damage.
so the game not only is giving him human plus, its a lso cheating by ignoring weight restrictions
this is not ot evne mention you have at least 3 other arena rankers that are stronger than him and tougher on the player(2nd round vs Evangel, bullet Life and Agraya tho the latter is not a ranker)
Nice to know genobee cheats. I didnt even know pilots cheated until zenadas crazy ass fight.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 final zinaida is a whole different kind of BS.
her AC at least is possible ot reproduce and use efficiently on player hands.
the issue on her is that she has an infinite capacitor and her ai is basically wired ot always be above where the player is(this is especially bs in the Psp version her her ai has its agression set on 11).
the only " handicap" she gets is that she starts the fight with a damaged core(which affects cooling/booster performance)
Never played an Armored core game, but god damn that intro is fucking hype
I totally forgot about the very last game of Armored Core's Nexus series... the PSP-only Formula Front. I just started playing it again and all I can really say is that the intro and menu designs are stylish as hell.
Also it doesn't have look up/look down controls so it's arguably the most ergonomic AC game on Sony's portable devices.
In defense of the helicopter mission, as a one-off it's kind of an interesting way of using the mission structure for storytelling. I still think it falls a bit flat since the rest of the missions aren't great, so throwing in a mission so absurdly short feels like a cop-out, but I like the idea that some corp wanted this VIP dead so bad that they sent an entire fucking mech after one helicopter. Like using that silly one-off mission to drive home the fact that you're really just a corporate assassin at the end of the day.
I can understand your criticism completely and let me just say thank you thank you for actually playing these games and making reviews I wanted to do stuff like that but I don't have the voice I'm very antisocial not very talkative not good at it either you laid everything out very well I can understand your criticism why you don't like it trust me it took me a long time to warm up to it but whenever you're a kid and you don't have many options it kind of forced to get with what you got I replayed this game a lot yeah I got to admit it grew on me and the soundtrack is honestly super awesome you got that one down to be honest with you there's lots of things they could do better but I think they did all right they clearly put most of their effort in the second disc as for the final mission in the game here is some interesting fact it's actually supposed to be the remnants of the original Hustler one AI said one of the developers of the game in an interview but you didn't hear that from me
I'm very antisocial too TBH. It's even harder talking into a mic to noone lol. Dont be discouraged by the antisocial part because it's something that improves every video
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I appreciate your words of encouragement since you're on armored core Nexus right now there is a mod on my RUclips channel you should try out it gives you access to the unbalanced parts from armored core silent line and the prototype AC parts if you want to check it out it requires you to download cheat engine and run a script in the garage that's it it's pretty cool
I am glad you made this review. I share a LOT of disappointments that you had.
I don't mind that they removed the re-skinned clone weapons, what I am upset about was they removed more parts than just that. They completely removed useful ones like the howitzers. The weapons that got "tweated". . . which in actuality downgraded are the machineguns, most of them are near useless especially the chainguns. I used to use the chainguns all the time in previous games but in the LATE-3RD-GEN games I never used them, not only do chainguns have a spread but they also have a reload function. It was a good thing machine/chainguns became useful again in AC4. And like you said how they downgraded laser-blading was also a bummer. I also noticed the blur/haze effect when I played it.
They also made aiming more narrow compared to the previous games, lock boxes are smaller and even in an IGN video talking about AC4 before its release one guy even complained about how the Heat in this game was very annoying especially when it comes to boosting. They really made the player focus a lot not just on the weigh but also the cooling and ECM.
I also didn't like how they removed OP-I/Human+ even if you 100% the two disks. I really hate it when people strawman me with the response "DUR, GiT gUd DUR" when that is not the issue I have with this game. I am NOT complaining that the game is too hard, I am complaining that the game doesn't earn players with OP-I/Human+ even if they got S-Rank on everything. That is how it was with Silent Line if people started a new game file on it, which was something I was fine with. That was the biggest reason why the LATE-3RD-gen games are disappointing, nothing earned from full single-player play which downgrades the replayability, I had to use Codebreaker (cheat-engine, don't use gameshark NOR actionreplay as those ruin systems) to unlock human-plus for Last Raven and I have some fun Human-Plus videos on last raven while using the Daemon-build.
The PS1 mission remakes and the soundtrack were the best things in this game even though I never played any of the PS1 games. Some of the music remakes are great but a few are not. (Another Age soundtrack remake is sound weird and unfitting).
Also about the story, Genobee and Agraya use Crest-only parts on their AC. It is rumored that Agraya is Zinaida and apparently "Genobee" is a mistranslation and is supposed to be "Zinovie".
Great Review.
Ya I've always fealt like late gen 3 was not rewarding. I only came to appreciate last raven recently for it's crazy mission tree and attention to details when it comes to lore.
I was amazed by all the hate I got for using human + in the ps1 games. It's probably because I said the games werent hard but human + is nothing compared to how OP weapons like the karasawa where
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I also forgot to mention I love the fact that you had to point out how stupidly ridiculous how not only the cinematics are (I guess made so that the developers can flex their in-game cutscene animations) but also how ridiculously easy and/or repetitive some of the missions are. Shooting down one helicopter is all you need for one.
I actually agree with them nerfing the machine guns, they were way too broken to even try and justify using anything else in the previous games. Machine guns are still usable and one of the best weapon-types in the game from nexus on though
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Yeah I honestly really hope AC 6 has OP Intensify or Human Plus. The game is just flat out more fun with it. And the freedom of mobility allows me to really enjoy the combat system without feeling frustrated.
Nexus is my first introduction to Armored Core series, and it was really bad...
But since I didn't know what's good, I ended up enjoying it a lot.
Yeah, Nexus has troubles. You could see it as a prologue to Last Raven, and you HAVE to play some of it if you wanna stand a chance against the Pulverizers.
Still, you can activate some of OP-INTENSIFY/Human PLUS through cheats, PCSX2 has an option to do that.
Armored Core 4 Answer >
Will we have a new armored core? it would be amazing a new one in the current generation, with a bigger world, current graphics, and with an almost infinite construction of robots and etc, which for me is the strong point of the series, I play the last Raven and spend hours building robots, it's good too much, the combat is also insane and different from other games, especially in multiplayer, with combats between clans as happened a lot, it was beautiful and insane, I think it would work super well nowadays
we're lucky. There are leaks about a new game, however no official announcement yet
(also i loved your nickname)
We don't know when, but we definitely know that it's being worked on
I'm going to predict that we will get first looks in spring 2023 ish
Yess
Armored core 6
AC IS BAAAAAACK
Hey man just wanted to say I love your AC videos, I look for them every time I revisit the series. I don't know if you're planning on doing Last Raven but it would be awesome to see. Thanks for putting the videos together, love the content man, keep going!
I will be doing LR
Yep, I am quickly reminded of why this was one of the most forgettable and at the same time unforgettable AC games. Forgettable because of boring story and missions, unforgettable because of that kick-ass soundtrack. I've had the tune from the opening cinematic pop into my head randomly throughout the years without even really remembering what it's from, it's got that ultimate earworm energy.
For whatever reason the more deranged the game is, the more of a banger the soundtrack is.
So this channel randomly popped up to my feed and I decided to watch every AC video you made up until now. Great stuff! Definitely worth a sub! 😄
Tyvm!
I now realize some of the ACs from Last Raven is an arena opponent in this game. Interesting.(I started out with Last Raven as my first game back into the series)
Hell yeah, always glad to see a new installment in this retrospective series. Keep up the good work Gamer!
I understand the criticism of AC Nexus, but that intro was certainly a "love letter" to the franchise, capturing the fantasy they've instilled in fans... until the title gets announced...
Nexus is my favorite but I think mostly for the soundtrack and that it didn't have dogshit controls lol
I know I am a little late but to unlock human plus equivalent for silent line you must beat AC3 it’s an optional part that you must use during certain situations to unlock its full potential. The part is called OP-INTENSIFY.
That, or reach 99% completion in Silent Line and it'll unlock the part + all of its functions.
Ah yes, the Dark Souls 2 of Armored Core games
Personally liked this game but hates DS2. Nexus doesn't compare to the bests of AC (that being AA, 3, SL, LR and FA for me, never played Gen 5 but is highly interested into) but manages to at least equal 1 personally.
Before even watching the video, this is the game. I would like to say, this is it, this is the one the burnt me out on my Armored Core 100% marathon. Overheating the mech game... I mean Nexus.
Trying to 100% is a chore, you need to do multiple routing through multiple playthroughs and it just got too harrowing for me... and then theres disk 2 I still need to go through...
PS: Theres some weird graphic tweaks you can do in PCSX2 that removes the weird fog effects but it breaks shadows (or Anisatrophic filtering) if done incorrectly.
Really? Last raven is the one has has tons a branching missions
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 haven't played last raven yet, just tried importing my save there to see what is different. So you're telling me it gets worse.
@@tehfoxxy9630 well ya in a good way (maybe not for 100%) but the game has this crazy branching story and I think in terms of story and lore its deepest in the series
@@tehfoxxy9630 LR have much more branch but each one is shorter than the story in Nexus. Also even with the branch Nexus only have one ending while LR got like 6 endings. So at least it won't be as boring as Nexus to get through each branch.
@@air1744 Yes that got boring in nexus real quick. I hate how i need to path certain routes when i reset the story so that i can unlock that one mission then do it all over again. Freaking annoying
Looking forward to your views on Last Raven, as its the only one from the PS2 era i've never played, and also seeing your eventual outlook on AC 4 as it is my personal favorite
The only mission I really remember from Nexus is the 1 where they drop some light mechs with energy weapons at like a power plant or something like that. It starts off as 1 enemy, but after defeating it, more are dropped. The only reason I remember it is it was the only mission that gave my light weight build any trouble. But only because I didnt have enough ammo. Its the only mission I had to restart over and over again, looking for a way to win without going heavy. I spent more time doing math than I did in school just on that mission. And the only way I could find for my build to have any chance was to either make it overweight, over heated, or change to at least a mid-weight. I ultimately went the most cost efficient build I could do and 1 shot them all with cannons on a quad
i cant stand how they re did machine guns in the later games where they pluse fire and cant hold to fire them. the other thing i notice with this game was the over heating seem to be a big push snice you can over heat yourself to death and other AC units.
with the second disk being given more effort put into it i think fromsofware wanted to remaster the ps1 games originally tbh
I'd love to see the newest armored core take that route. Maybe atleast through a dlc
Human+ feels reminiscent of Cyber-Newtypes from Gundam. In older games being able to play without it shows the players more proficient status akin to the technical proficiency of expanded cognition and intuitive interfacing with machines of regular Newtypes, compared to Cyber-Newtypes requiring the crutch of technological alteration to instrumentalise them into a tool for killing.
Wow, this is a deep cut. The narration was spot on, just what imagined a true Armored Core fan would sound like today.
Sarcasm? I know I'm not the most lively character.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 nope. I just think armored core fans are very technical sounding dudes.
@@MK384 were all old lol
I hope you keep going! Love these overviews! Also I was thinking, Armored Core 3 doesn't make a whole lot of sense does it since you do above ground missions multiple times, no where in the game does it say everyone is underground until the very end. Love that game though. lol
Ya I wish they added in a bit more detail. I figure the excuse would be like for answer where humanity still gathers and wars over resources. Then again people would probably know it's safe on the surface
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Yeah that's what I was thinking. It'd be cool if they gave it one more shot with a new game and rebooted it but stuck to their own lore a bit more / went into detail about how life underground works etc it'd be really interesting. It's a cool setting they just really needed to flesh it out more and I love how mysterious that game felt the first time you experienced it though, the music / art direction and sound direction are spot on for making it feel immersive.
Ngl, I played Nexus and Last Raven hand-in-hand when I had the ps2. Bought them both the same day, used ofc cuz I wasn't really well off and allowance was sparce, but enjoyed them both regardless. The only regret I have with playing Nexus is the fact that I've not played any of the games referenced on the Nexus Revolution disc. When I learn how to use emulators and get the necessary things to use them, I plan on going back and playing the games I missed in this series, being everything between 1 and Nexus, with the exception of 2 and AA, as well as 4Answer. I also plan on going back to play the ones I had played, since 2 and AA were my introduction to the series, Nexus and Last Raven solidified my adoration for the game, and the absolute adrenaline rush and personal revitalization 4 provided. Obviously I want to go back and replay V/VD, as my experience with them were...skewed, slightly. For whatever reason, when I played them, the music, arguably one of the most important aspects to the game, was all but totally absent in those playthroughs. I think it chalked up to my PS3 getting old by the time the games released (that or faulty cables). With 6 on the horizon, being able to go back and play the older stuff at some point too would be an absolute dream.
I apparently skipped Nexus in my path from silent line, I went to Armored Core 3 through 5. In fact I was probably playing Front Mission 3 when this turd arrived.
No worries. You didnt miss out on much lol
Speaking of selecting the stage for arena match, I remember in PS1 game I used to specifically pick low ceiling stage like the parking lot when fighting opponent that used vertical-launched missiles; effectively neutering them. That's a cheap tactic but as a kid I felt like I'm a master of strategy.
I may or may not have resorted to that tactic occasionally way back then. I will neither confirm nor deny. My favorite matches were in the large dome arena though. No cover, lots of space, even ground. just me, them, and a whole lotta dakka.
not a cheap tactic at all, it's how you deal with some enemies
This has the less nitpicky cons and pros only imo.
Pros:
Better controls (Took them long enough.)
Great intro.
Overheating adds a new layer of difficulty.
Good for beginners.
Cons:
Cannot eat generators. *(Why add a nutritional value if I can't eat it!?)*
Difficulty is a lot more lax for older fans.
Operator eats the mic.
8/10, would buy another copy to replace my broken copy.
I think they just made the overheating a bit too invasive, to the point where it's the most important worry in the game
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Yeah, that is true, but that doesn't address why the generators aren't edible.
LP2, more armored core overviews, and how to map your emulator settings so for smoothing gameplay. 🙏
big agree re: the balancing. i think the balancing would be less egregious if they had left human plus in as like an ng+ thing, if they were trying to make it more difficult or something. but they just made it unfun to play, imo. especially since the other ACs still have it.
While I couldn't disagree with you more on a lot of points on this video, I still appreciate all of your AC content. Well other than the lack of human plus or OP intensify, totally agree with you there.
I know alot of people will disagree but I had to speak my mind.
finally got around to replaying this as a precursor for finally getting around to playing Last Raven. Hope you're doin well big man
One tip i have for reading some of the images is trying google translate's drawing feature. Google translate is sometimes inaccurate but hey its something xd i also wish i knew japanese. Man when i was 17 i was crazy over it, and i regret so much having given up, today there are many japan only games i wish to play that dont have translation.
Also thanks a lot for your videos on armored core man, its impressive how little content there are on youtube d for such a fantastic franchise.
Thanks. I've been surprised for so long that noone has really covered the games. I thought with souls going mainstream it would spark alot of interest but I guess not
i'm surprised you didn't talk about the branching mission structure, where failing one mission can change a cutscene or affect future missions. its something that helps elevate Nexus imo
I wasnt aware nexus has such a thing. Every time I've played it it's always been the same
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 you know the text that's highlighted blue in post-mission mails? That usually changes depending on the mission outcome. If you were to say, fail at killing Genobee or Agraya, they're then considered missing instead of KIA. They're out of the story, though "alive". If you fail the very first mission, then get low AP on the second try, Jack-O will intervene and insult you. In the mission where Mirage MTs invade the city, should you die, a different cutscene will play out with Genobee rescuing you from the MTs instead of the usual mop-up cutscene.
Then there's the ones that actually change future missions; biggest example I remember is the mission where you shoot down transports on a rooftop. If you fail to shoot any transports down, then a later mission which would normally be an assault on a base with a few Mirage MTs will now have you fighting Jack-O as well.
iirc you can pretty much fail every single mission except for the final two and still go on as the most incompetent Raven people keep hiring for whatever reason. Sometimes you only get a change in flavor text, but even so I think its a shame no future AC would reiterate on this feature.
@@defenestrationismyfavoriteword wow that's pretty cool. Thanks for filling me in on that
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 yeah, its just a real shame that this diegetic safety net was paired up with the easiest game in the series
It's like they put all their efforts into disk 2 and the intro. then when it came down to the main game they found they used most of the money on again disk 2.
Blade tracking in late gen 3 only work when enemy at the center of the screen.
I never realized that. I'll have to do some testing
What is blade tracking?
@@khiemnguyen7929 when you swing your laser blade in the air it will lock on to your target and go towards them.
I'm also part of the group that hates this game. Going from Silent Line to Nexus, the new heat mechanics absolutely screwed me over when I was a kid. The only feasible explanation for the new heat mechanic is From Soft's attempt to make AC more "simulation". The bad part about making the game more sim was that you almost had to build your AC around heat management. You had to balance your generator's calorific value, your booster heat, and your AC's overall cooling so that you can play the game without busting your generator. This change didn't make the game fun, it just made it annoying.
Gameplay overall also feels a lot slower because there's much less energy to go around for your AC compared to Silent Line. Fortunately, Ninebreaker and Last Raven fixed these issues by reducing booster heat, giving generators more energy, and increasing booster power. The gameplay feels much closer to Silent Line as a result.
One thing I’ll say about the map/ main menu, on console you can tap L1 or R1 to jump from mail to garage without having to touch a joystick.
Sounds like another age in terms of mission quality. I just started playing through AC and AC2:AA was my first go (about 60% through and got through the 2v1 and 3v1 eventually). Kinda wish I had started with AC2 or AC3 after seeing your videos. Thanks for the overviews, really helpful to know what's worth putting time into. Would you recommend remapping controls for these older games and if so what would you recommend (I'm emulating so there's quite a bit of possible customization)
In my tips to surviving armored core video I had a guide to remap the controls
'git gud' doesn't suffice as an argument when enemy AC just get handed the same abilities that are completely unavailable to the player AC
at that point it'd be preferable for the game to just do the usual cheap difficulty hacks that any other game would do, than to watch an enemy AC run around with specific functionalities that were otherwise removed
Last Raven is my favorite AC, watch what you gonna say about it I warn you.
I actually like last raven
Love the Armored Core videos. For another set of videos, can I suggest you play through the Ace Combat series?
I played the newest one and liked it. There was some ps2 ace combat I played as a kid and always got my ass handed to me but I also enjoyed it lol. I'll have to seriously think about going through the whole series tho. I talk on AC because I've played most of the games multiple multiple times and I dont have that experience with ace combat
Fair - they were tough games. Or at least Ace Combat 5 was. Mind you easier than Armored Core IMO
I loved the MFV intro to this game but i was disappointed as a UK gamer to finally get a hold of this game
Cant wait for Last Raven review
Nexus is to Silent Line, what V is to For Answer. A severe de-evolution. The 2nd disc is gold though.
My bet is this game was meant to be some sort of legacy remake title, but they got forced to make original content for the game.
I was a kid when these came out and never played them. There is no way little me could've handle these games.
They where hard. Kid me cycles through them all but didn't beat any of them for a very long time
I played this back when it released and still play the 3rd gen. This was the first game that from soft decided it was easier to make the player character handicapped than actually tune the enemies to make the game challenging. This philosophy hasn't changed since.
Ah Nexus, the start of Armored Core's downfall. Though the seeds had been planted as far back as Armored Core 2 : Another Age, this is where From Software not only made bad decisions, but doubled down on them.
Even the good content in the second disc only makes the disappointment worse, since it shows they could've made something far better had they tried.
This game is awesome and one of the BETTER AC games of the PS2 era. You can remove the blur using a cheat/pnach file.
I think they hired Pingu to sing vocals for the intro scene
Its such a shame because that last mission and a couple of the design choices like making weapons work for both hands are genius.
Even a bad Armored Core is still way better than most other games out there. Even if Nexus is a low point for the series, its just a small valley between huge mountains.
Flaw aside and believe me I don't like the magazine mechanic I am a barrage kind of guy >.>; And the intensify option like how the game forced me to radicalize my desings and step out of my usual load out I can understand why someone would not like this thou
I hated Nexus when it first came out, but having gone back to it years later, I really enjoy it now.
This channel truly is a blessing, really helping me get up to date on this poorly neglected series.
Interesting, I just beat this as my first AC game and I just got to Last Raven.
I plan on going back and doing 3/SL than maybe 2/AA? Or should I just go straight to 4/A?
You can skip ahead and play 4 and fa. The only games I'd suggest playinf in order are 3 to silent line, and nexus to last raven. Their stories are close enough connected to play in order. I guess 4 and for answer you wanna play in that order too
I hated Nexus. And Last Raven didn't do it for me. Mainly because of the poor theme and its stupid difficulty whereas just like Nexus, they don't allow you to have a AI partner.
I stick playing AC3 & SL rather. A MILION TIMES better with full briefing voice lines! And the musics are insanely awesome!!
As for AC4 & 4A well, AC4 is good! Good theme and okay storyline. 4A however -- AWESOME GAME WITH A GREAT STORYMODE in my book! There is multiple paths to choose from. And the soundtracks are freaking TOPNOTCH!! And you're able to choose a partner again in many missions. The gameplay mechanics are different than previous titles though but still stood true to Armored Core series overall.
As for Armored Core V - I did not like it one bit. The story is meh.....gameplay okay. And it's just flatout boring and was 100% meant to be played online. Good luck beating the game solo.
Now. Last but not least, Armored Core Verdict Day ( expansion to ACV ) is LITERALLY my favorite Armored Core game = )! Why? It's simple. Just one thing. The UNAC feature. You will be able to built your own AI partner UNAC ( Unmanned Armored Core )! The amount of debts in building these bad boys are INSANE!! It will take time, but BOY it will also be fun as hell! Because once you finalize these bad boys - the great feeling you'll have seeing what you've built from top to bottom aiding you on missions like a boss will be so rewarding! But by default, you will be able to edit only one UNAC ( Or maybe two. I forgot). More slots get unlock by buying more preset DLC UNACs. You can unlock up to 10 slots. So that would be 10 UNACs for you to built! It took me over 4 years to finally complete all 10 UNACs lol. But it's super fun, and really rewarding.
Aside from the UNACs feature, the storymode is pretty weak BUT much better than ACV overall. And the gameplay is like ACV but a little better as well. And the game is very hard.
And the online contents is a blast! You can even as an operator commanding 4 of your UNACs fighting on the battlefield! I have so much fun with this!
Last but not least. Armored Core Verdict Day is a DIRECT sequel to Arnored Core For Answer = )
But it takes place CENTURIES after For Answer.
In other words, AC4, AC4A, ACV, ACVD are literally all connected. Crazy! But also awesome!
@@metalnat27 you sound like you suck at Armored Core
@@The_Raven_ There you go people. The git gud crowd. You know, the crowd that literally have nobody to fucking hug them so they will take it upon other people's being just to make themselves feel better. These idiots never cease to amaze me lol.
Totally agree, wasn’t a big fan of the gameplay changes.
However, if you go back and play with Human + enabled, both Nexus and ESPECIALLY Last Raven play like a brand new game.
I love the story, but nexus and LR were my least faves until trying with Human +. It feels even better Lore wise with LR, since it’s the final 24hrs of the Raven era
The saddest part is not being able to export your save from previous games... That's also why I thought this one was before Armored Core 3, I thought it was another Armored Core 2.
You sound like life and happiness have fled your body lol! Appreciate the overview, my brother I believe enjoyed this game, but that was over a decade ago.
Well... to be honest...
(10 paragraph sad story)
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 Ah, for once I ask not for brevity, but the pouring out of your soul in (4th paragraph) truly spoke to me.
Hold that silent line, one slightly aloft mediocrity.
Love seeing all these Souls kids discovering Armored Core.
These "souls people" dont understand the nightmare of dying an hour after not saving and having to reload the previous save lol
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 and rebuilding your AC because you lost all of that time as well.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 haha fuck that feeling is unfortunately very palpable XD
I've heard rumors Miyazaki is working on a new armored core game and if that's true it will be my first game in the franchise
Hopfully it's a good one. I'm concerned it will be nothing like the older games
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 I haven't played the older ones, what changes would you be worried about?
@@montecarlowithdawningornam1817 them making it more like dark souls. I didnt like the change from armored core 4 to armored core 5 so that would suck. If I'm not mistaken, miyazaki was involved on armored core 4 or maybe for answer on a very basic level so I hope he leans more towards those games.
You kids and your analog sticks. We had to aim up and down with the shoulder buttons on my day.
That hand me down SNES was straight up one of my favorite consoles. Sadly never had super metroid but old school Mario bros 1 and 3 was awesome
on PSP we don't even have shoulder buttons to aim up/down with, we gotta use triangle and O which is really fun when you also want to boost and shoot
formula front kinda develops that crazy AI further
I've wanted to try it out. Biggest turn off is I think ps2 is only Japan.
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 PSP version with emulator is basicly the same thing, its pretty easy to set up compared to ps2 and ps3 emulators.
@@Errorcutive I just played the PS2 version recently and it's a completely different game from the PSP version, including the entire story. The 5v5 in PS2 is also a lot more engaging than the 1v1 in the PSP version. Definitely recommend the PS2 version, but yeah having to be able to understand Japanese sucks.
I just fin back weapons unusable in this one
Oh hey, AC 6 ad while watching the vid. Unusually topical of Bandai and RUclips.
Main issue with Nexus, the heat balance is just terrible :(
The controls for this is amooth that hard
I don't know why people lied saying 3 was hard with the controls it wasnt
I dropped 2 cause aiming was hard and it was like I always had to fight against it doesn't aim as smoothly
As soon as I did the first mission on this one I noticed the smoothness difference and aiming is way easier and the movement is faster to
AC Nexus in my experience :
1. Slowest AC's ever
2. Machine gun and chain guns are now garbage
3. Blade is irrelevant
4. Radar is a must
5. Dual wield weapon is the thing until ACLR
6. AC overheating like old motorcycles
7. Meh soundtrack
8. Only saved by the disc 2's nostalgic value on PS1 games
9. TERRIBLE MISSIONS
10. Arena AC's are made
easy.
PS : For me Silent line is still the best AC game ever made.
As much as I love Armored Core as a series Nexus will always be the weakest link of the main lineup (excluding Nine Breaker) cuz that terrible blurriness kills me
Just started replaying Nexus and I hard disagree on some complaints about this game. First off, cash isnt really that big an issue since payouts are massive compared to early 3rd gen. Used parts giving back less money when sold is also a rather minor inconvenience, the sales multiplier really does not seem to be that bad. There's also a lot of "bonus" missions that are easy enough and give you big payouts since theres no repair bills. Heat management also isn't that difficult as long as you're prepared for it, though I will concede that its entirely possible I've just been lucky with making heat efficient builds.
I absolutely agree on the ECM stuff though, its so annoying. The Protect Mirage Transports mission has to be one of the worst missions in Oldgen, though if it was in Silent Line I will bet you anything they would have crammed some of the best parts in the game behind a requirement to not let a single MT get blown up or any of the cargo gotten scratched. Its also kind of annoying how little ammo some weapons have all of a sudden, guessing they really wanted to push the hangar mechanic.
Im here now
Damn you're quick. How did you know when I was posting my video?
@@aboveaveragegaming6120 HIT THE BELL
Lol that makes total sense