Armored Core 5 Announced!
Armored Core 5
Fromsoftware announces yet another installment in the Armored Core series, Armored Core 5 at an Armored Core Silent Line Portable tournament in Tokyo, Japan.
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Mechadamashii was kind enough to translate the two interviews that come inside the AC Chronicle Art Works book. One with series producer Toshifumi Nabeshima and another with two designers; Miki Masahiro and Satake Daisuke.
Nabeshima talks more about AC5’s change in functional approach, emphasising that the game will be more about tactics and using the geography of level rather than high-speed finger work. This harks back more to the original PSone games, especially the first, as many levels were set within city type environments and were more tactical as a consequence (the reduced size of the AC’s is also to do with this too apparently, as it would make it far easier to take cover). The other interesting element is that apparently you won’t just view your AC from behind and that you will have some form of camera control. Apart from that, the approach they’re taking is one of coarse realism and that you’ll have to “think” more in combat. The narrative will mirror this too apparently, as the characterisation won’t be simply friend or foe but instead more grounded and realistic. Again, like the older games, they’ve opted to keep the characters “faceless” so much of this will be inferred through dialogue and in-game text. This doesn’t really bode well for a Western release, as this kind of narrative has never been localised properly in terms of the series’ history.
As for the two designers, Masahiro worked on Chrome Hounds and is helming the main mechanical design of AC5 (as we suspected, as he is an internal designer). Whereas Satake is assisting him and comes from working on both Nexus and Ninebreaker (interestingly he designed the Mayfly head that adorns the new Nineball on the cover of Ninebreaker), they both also recently worked on Demon’s Souls. Over the years they’ve penned multiple designs for the Armored Core games as well, which helps to explain why Shoji Kawamori’s involvement was scaled back after Silent Line and why parts began to look more angular. They also talk a fair bit about how the realism in AC5 is dictating the design of the respective parts, citing a new revolver hand gun and vertical missile launcher. In any case, having a mecha desginer from Chrome Hounds and his assistant who contributed to Metal Wolf Chaos can only bode well for AC5, as those designs were truly exemplary and fit the new realistically grounded approach that seems to be the new direction for Armored Core as a whole.
What is known so far:
- The game’s Japan release is scheduled for 2010, we can assume LATE 2010 given their statement that the game is roughly 20% done.
- Nobody has announced that they have picked it up for a US release, but it’s still early so don’t get discouraged.
- The game is going to be on both PS3 and 360.
- Japan is getting a nifty preorder bonus with Last Raven Portable that includes an Art Book and some sort of code for use in Armored Core 5.
- Armored Cores are going to be 5 meters tall instead of 10.
- The Giant Chainsaw Weapon is called an Over Weapon, and is part of an entirely new class of weapons. (Though they didn’t say if there will be multiple types)
- Due to the size change, levels will be much bigger and more detailed.
- Some form of changes are planned for the multiplayer.
Armored Core 5 Forums
Interviews:
19 Feb 2010, 5:34 pm
Armored Core 5 announced! http://armoredcoreonline.com/news/featured/armored-core-5-annnounced
20 Feb 2010, 4:01 am
Testing comments
22 Feb 2010, 4:19 am
When I first saw real info on AC5 I said “YES ITS COMING”…I was on the official site FROMSOFT has up and was so happy I had to e-mail my friends and tell them the good news..
22 Feb 2010, 6:59 am
I wonder what the story is about and if the gameplay will be different. Im going to get this the first week. About the smaller AC’s I wonder how that will effect us the player if the terrain is larger? It doesn’t matter I can’t wait till it comes out.
23 Feb 2010, 11:08 pm
The most thing I am concerned with is making it available in North America.
I came to Armored Core because it was a Mekka I hadn’t piloted yet. I bought AC4 and 4 Answer, 2 years ago hoping it would be an awesome looking Mekka, Chromehounds 2. But at the time it was too fast and the customizable aspect was way to deep for my liking. So I sold them back. ( Stupid move.)
I hated Chomehound Mechs but loved the cockpit view and its strategic based game play.
After 1.5yr of play I gave it up to Pilot VTs in Steel Battatlion. That was some AWESOME game play, I still play.
This brings me to date were MS is pulling the plug on Original Xbox live, April 15. No more Hia Shi Dao VT battles. Sure we moved to X LInk Kia but the world community of some 80 player is going down to about, 9 at last count.
Any Way the SB is no AC, I welcome the Speed and limitless customization the community is large and Next are Modern Art.
I am excited to be come a Lynx and really hope that AC5 get a release in North America.
08 Mar 2010, 2:03 pm
omfg AWSOME loved it !!!
08 Mar 2010, 2:04 pm
Very awsome
08 Mar 2010, 8:27 pm
I didn’t realize it was possible for anyone to make AC better, but AC5 just made me think twice(I am so happy).
28 Mar 2010, 2:29 am
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Think that is good?Look at what I found!:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8amRJUebaxQ&feature=related
28 Mar 2010, 2:30 am
HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Think this is good?Look at what I found!:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8amRJUebaxQ&feature=related
14 Apr 2010, 7:54 pm
I will own this game the day it is released stateside.
24 Apr 2010, 10:20 am
i wish they put this in psp hai….
24 Apr 2010, 10:21 am
i wish this game will be made portable
26 Apr 2010, 10:09 pm
Cant wait for this to hit the shelves in the U.S. :]
15 May 2010, 10:03 pm
RT @TopsyRT: Armored Core 5 Announced! http://bit.ly/9oOFja
06 Jun 2010, 5:57 pm
any one know when they will announce the US release date?
24 Jun 2010, 4:22 am
The ac will be smaller right? does that mean we cannot have the past parts and weapons?
Weapons for th 10 foot ac? do you understand my point?
24 Jun 2010, 5:06 am
THE ac will be smaller right? does that mean we cannot use the parts and weapons from the past series?
5m ac cannot cary what a 10 feet ac uses.
Will there be a new set of parts and weapons?
Will all the parts from the past series discarded?
Do you guys understand me?
09 Jul 2010, 12:53 am
It would be nice if they put an agent would choose so that detail by detail type of weapons and arms can increase or leave the arms wider to give places that most would want a limit to choose the format
22 Jul 2010, 8:28 pm
I wonder if it’ll be like a dwarf with a giant mini-gun now…? I’m looking forward to it because it sounds like its going to be more like an individual stepping into a massive warzone instead of a titan walking on ants. But, with the size differance, ‘DOMINANT’ makes a point. Will the old arms be discarded or resized?