Armored Core Verdict Day Review

Armored Core: Verdict Day is a solid entry for those that have stuck with it since day one. Anyone coming in fresh or even returning from the series’ past is in for a rude awakening. The unfriendly design and gross presentation are quick deterrents to an otherwise massively deep experience.

Armored Core: Verdict Day is a mechaction game developed by FromSoftware for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. It is the 15th installment in the Armored Core series, and was released worldwide in September 2013.^[2]

Gameplay[edit]

The storyline is set in a future world wherein three factions are fighting over natural resources. In online multiplayer mode, which is the main focus of the game,^[3] players select a faction and battle players from the others, either in teams or by forming their own team of artificial intelligence-driven mechs. Mechs can be customized with different weapons and skills, and the behavior of AI mechs can be customized as well. The persistent world is reset when one faction dominates the others or when the season ends.^[4][5][6]

Story[edit]

Setting[edit]

Verdict Day is set 100 years after the events of Armored Core V. The contamination that isolated humanity has begun to subside, allowing humans to return to more of the world. The discovery of high-tech Towers once hidden by the contamination has ignited a new 'Verdict War' between three different factions. The three factions now controlling the world wage war against each other for world dominance and for control of the mysterious 'Towers' once hidden by the contamination. Adding to the conflict is a mysterious group known as 'the Reaper Squad', as well as the usage of Unmanned Armored Cores (UNACs).

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The game follows the story of an unnamed mercenary AC pilot's exploits during the eve of what would come to be known as 'the Verdict War'. With the assistance of mercenaries Magnolia 'Maggy' Curtis and codename: 'Fatman', they accept assignments on behalf of the factions, before entering into conflict with the Reaper Squad.^[7]

Reception[edit]

Verdict Day received 'mixed or average reviews' on both platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.^[19][20] Critics pointed the difficulty for newcomers to understand the game and weak story. Most critics agreed that the game would be successful with those who are already into the series but would suffer to add new players to its fanbase. On a more positive light, IGN, although acknowledging the weak graphics and confusing menus of the PS3 version, remarked: 'a special kind of magic here that most games would never even attempt.'^[13]

In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of two nines and two eights for a total of 34 out of 40. One editor wrote: 'The game's pretty difficult and you have to use a ton of buttons, which makes the hurdles seem pretty high at first. But the more you plug away at it, the more you can really feel how much better you're getting at it, which is nice.' Another wrote: 'The game's focused primarily on online play and that may scare off some players right there. There is a tutorial, but beyond that, you're pretty much thrown into the wilderness. This makes the missions pretty tough from the start, but the mercenaries and UNAC auto-AI system provide beginners with a fair amount of backup, which is key. It's the kind of game that rewards repeated trial and error as you play, and so if you like that, here it is.'^[9]

References[edit]

1. ^Swiader, Keith (April 11, 2013). 'Remember Chromehounds? Here's Armored Core: Verdict Day'. Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Archived from the original on April 24, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
2. ^Hillier, Brenna (February 25, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day headed west'. VG247. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on May 27, 2013. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
3. ^Lorentzen, Jon Cato (April 16, 2013). 'Er du glad i japanske kjemperoboter? - ARMORED CORE: VERDICT DAY' [Do you like Japanese giant robots? - ARMORED CORE: VERDICT DAY]. Spill.no (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on June 19, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
4. ^Agnello, Anthony John (April 12, 2013). ''Armored Core: Verdict Day' preview: Time to build a better bot'. Digital Trends. Designtechnica. Archived from the original on November 21, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2013.
5. ^Spencer (March 10, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day Has 56 Maps, World Resets Each Season'. Siliconera. Curse, Inc.Archived from the original on April 14, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
6. ^Gueed (March 11, 2013). '「ARMORED CORE VERDICT DAY」，3勢力がエリアを争奪するシーズン制のオンラインマルチコンテンツ「ワールドモード」の情報が明らかに' ['ARMORED CORE VERDICT DAY', information on the season-based online multi-content 'world mode' in which three forces contend for the area revealed]. 4Gamer (in Japanese). Archived from the original on May 21, 2013. Retrieved April 21, 2013.
7. ^'Armored Core® - Verdict Day'. FromSoftware. Archived from the original on February 20, 2014. Retrieved December 23, 2018. Command a squadron of fully customized Armored Core Units in a dystopian future ravaged by war and stripped of its natural resources; The last remaining resources needed for the survival of your faction are scavenged and bitterly fought for in the No Man’s Land, a bleak landscape that offers little hope for survival. Enlist into one of the various in-game factions and strategically adapt your weapon systems to wrestle control of territories away from other players and establish a much needed peace.
8. ^Edwards, Matt (September 24, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day review (PlayStation 3)'. Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on January 1, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
9. ^ ^abcGifford, Kevin (October 16, 2013). 'Japan Review Check: Sonic: Lost World, Armored Core, BlazBlue'. Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on November 3, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
10. ^Meunier, Nathan (October 3, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day Review (X360)'. GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
11. ^Bailey, Kathryn (September 30, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day review (X360)'. GamesRadar+. Future plc. Archived from the original on January 6, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
12. ^'Review: Armored Core: Verdict Day (PS3)'. GamesTM. No. 141. Future plc. December 2013. p. 120.
13. ^ ^abButterworth, Scott (October 1, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day Review (PS3)'. IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on November 19, 2018. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
14. ^Elliott, Matt (September 24, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day PS3 review – Enduring mecha series remains proudly impenetrable'. PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future plc. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
15. ^'Armored Core: Verdict Day'. PlayStation Official Magazine – Australia. Future Australia. December 2013. p. 81.
16. ^Hall, Alexandra (September 24, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day review'. Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved December 23, 2018.
17. ^Young, Amy (October 31, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day (PS3)'. The Digital Fix. Poisonous Monkey. Archived from the original on July 3, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
18. ^Hargreaves, Roger (September 25, 2013). 'Armored Core: Verdict Day review - mech souls (PS3)'. Metro. DMG Media. Archived from the original on March 3, 2019. Retrieved December 24, 2018.
19. ^ ^ab'Armored Core: Verdict Day for PlayStation 3 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2018-12-23.
20. ^ ^ab'Armored Core: Verdict Day for Xbox 360 Reviews'. Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on 2018-12-25. Retrieved 2018-12-23.

External links[edit]

• Armored Core: Verdict Day at MobyGames

It’s a good thing Pacific Rim didn’t spawn a console tie-in. After strolling out of the cineplex, I could envision succumbing to the temptation of a hastily-developed interactive interpretation. Lured in by the prospect of piloting a hulking Jaeger, perhaps in perfect unison with an online partner, I concede that this rendition would likely follow the fate of most licensed games- and be devoid of depth. In practice, my deep-rooted mecha fetish would probably be better soothed by an entry in From Software’s long-running Armored Core franchise rather than some cash-grabbing rendition of the Guillermo del Toro film.Although the series latest entry, Armored Core: Verdict Day doesn’t have any scaly terrors to trounce, the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 title does provide a cavernousness amount of content, offering the potential to engage committed players for weeks. In many ways, the recent release is the antithesis of the typical licensed game.

Instead of delivering a feverish but short-lived conflagration, Verdict Day is like its predecessors, a smoldering burn. Requiring patience and determination, the title’s dividends are correlated to the amount of time players are willing to invest.The preceding game in the series, Armored Core V, concentrated on an online, multiplayer pursuit. While Conquest mode flourished in Japan, the component floundered stateside, stymied by a slender user base and servers which separated the endeavor into geographical regions.

For Verdict Day this restriction has been jettisoned, with World Mode allowing global participants to side with one of three conflicting factions, or even play as a mercenary- picking up contract assignments.In execution, teams of up to ten players are tasked with taking control of towers protected by a chain of eight bases. If an opposing force is online, you’ll be matched again their squad of Armored Cores (or ACs).

Otherwise, players will battle AI-controlled forces, with the resulting of the match altering the AP rating of the base. Periodically, teams can tackle Special Sorties, where well-armed antagonists with substantial defensives put AC squads to the ultimate test. For players who prefer a managerial role, the role of operator is available. Here, gamers forsake the exhilaration of combat to command a quartet of AI drones to victory.Regardless of the gameplay variant, camaraderie ran strong through Verdict Day’s sorties. While your results may be wildly different, the game’s Xbox 360 community seemed exceedingly supportive. After joining a team, I was welcomed by its members, and we quickly developed a relaxed rapport.

Naturally, some of this is cultivated by Verdict Day’s mechanics, which encourage teammates to call targets, draw fire, and communicate the effectiveness of each weapon type. For serious players looking for like-minded, well-behaved compatriots, a purchase of Armored Core: Verdict Day might just be warranted by its community.For games who prefer a solidary experience, the title’s offline component has some intriguing elements, but also a few blemishes.

The game’s post-armageddon context is lacks a compelling narrative impetus and conveys about as much emotion as one of the game’s mechanized Cores. Although the sixty mission attempts to provide variance, too often players are left shooting at fitful foes which demonstrate a modicum of astuteness. ‘Fire when near’ and ‘buzz the player’ seem to be the title’s core stratagems.The lack of enemy intelligence is a bit puzzling, since ally NPC Cores show brainpower on the battlefield. One of Verdict Day’s best additions is UNACs, CPU-driven customizable Cores which provides support on sorties.

Like your own personal mechanized mayhem-bringer, UNACs can be outfitters with a plethora of parts and given sets of details instructions to model behavior. Although players can undertake the title’s persistently challenging missions independently, before long the assistance of a UNAC will be required, as a deluge of enemy descend on the player.Following Armored Core protocol, a myriad of construction option ensure players will spend as much time engineering as they will be engaged in combat.

Each of a core’s fourteen components can be outfitted with a multitude of objects, allowing players to modify everything from weapon loadouts, forms of propulsion, shielding, and energy sources. From hummingbird-esque ACs which flit across the battlefield to lumbering tank-like monstrosities which can barely push around an arsenal of overwhelming weapons, players are given near complete autonomy to craft a wide variety of machines.

In essence, the only limitations are the laws of physics- forcing players to make accommodations based on energy consumption and weight. Pleasingly, players can even import their own custom AC from Armored Core V at the beginning of the game.Configuring your Core can be a bit daunting; the process which isn’t helped by the lack of tutelage, intermittently unintuitive user interface, and diminutive font size. Yet unlike most mech titles, Verdict Day’s control methods aren’t astonishingly complex. Beyond the basics of boosting, navigation, weapon deployment and selection, the title only offers a few additional elements. Engaging the right thumbstick triggers scan mode, which highlights enemies and shows mission waypoints.

For foes hidden behind cover, players can launch a recon unit with a press of the “B” button, sending a tiny scout that can provide additional intel. Although the Verdict Day’s controls are easy to master, that doesn’t mean the game is a cakewalk. In fact, players who rush in, shirk cover, and fail to evade enemy fire will quickly find themselves in a smoldering pile of melted metal. For those inclined, the completion of the main campaign opens a Hardcore Mode, which bring a nigh-insurmountable trial to gamers. Amusingly, one element even put’s Chris Rock’s joke to the best, outrageously elevating the price of ammunition, and making every trigger pull a challenging meditation.The visual apex of the game is its core designs. Assembling your steely superweapons, brings up a rotatable image of your machine, apt to ignite the passions of any Gundam enthusiast.

Woefully, the rest of the game never nears that plateau; weapon effects are only decent, lacking the particle effects, striking smoke trails, collateral damage and mounds of expended brass that have highlighted other mecha games. Environments fare no better, most are drably hued and composed of low-resolution textures. Explosions do little to covey the bombast of humongous, overwhelming weaponry.Preserving precedent, Armored Core: Verdict Day is not for the impatient players accustomed to hand holding. Demonstrating intricateness and sporadically- intolerance, the game ultimately rewards, but only to players willing to dive into its recesses, and learn the nuances of UNACs, Core construction, and team cooperation. The title’s virtues aren’t found in the fleeting thrills of a singular firefight, but in a cornucopia of complexity.

This is about as close as console titles come to the intricacy and involvedness of a PC game. It’s a good thing Pacific Rim didn’t spawn a console tie-in. After strolling out of the cineplex, I could envision succumbing to the temptation of a hastily-developed interactive interpretation.

Lured in by the prospect of piloting a hulking Jaeger, perhaps in perfect unison with an online partner, I concede that this rendition would likely follow the fate of most licensed games- and be devoid of depth. In practice, my deep-rooted mecha fetish would probably be better soothed by an entry in From Software’s long-running Armored Core franchise rather than some cash-grabbing rendition of the Guillermo del Toro film. Although the.