Introduction

In the world of mechanized warfare, where gigantic robots duke it out like they just dropped in from a B-movie, Armored Core: For Answer rises as a heavyweight installment, bringing together robots, explosions, and enough customization to satisfy even the pickiest gearhead. Released in 2008, it follows the tradition of the Armored Core franchise with its blissfully chaotic vehicular combat, combined with a storyline so convoluted it makes Inception look like a straightforward romance flick. Spoiler alert: there's a lot of mech smashing involved!

Gameplay

Get ready to channel your inner mechanic because, in Armored Core: For Answer, customization is king. You have a veritable buffet of parts to slap onto your mech. Want big guns? Check. Rapid-fire missiles? Sure thing. Blades for up-close-and-personal encounters that make you feel like a Gundam ninja? Absolutely. The new interface makes assembling and tweaking your mech feel almost like a serene arts and crafts project, assuming your version of craft day involves 20-foot-tall robots blowing the opposition to smithereens. The gameplay evolves as you master the auxiliary high-speed booster, allowing you to zip around the battlefield like you're late for a date... or about to be hit by a barrage of missiles. The levels look good, offering a varied backdrop for your mech battles, but don't get too cozy because combat tends to get chaotic faster than a cat pops out of a paper bag during a party. Also, the return of online play surely adds extra dimensions, although you might find the lobbies emptier than a college party the day after finals. AI can step in-the computer-controlled foes are decent but lack that special 'I-will-suddenly-fly-into-your-rocket' flair that human players bring. Spoiler alert: kill-or-be-killed scenarios abound as you seek to unlock different ending routes. That's right. You can play multiple times and discover radically different outcomes, because who doesn't enjoy revenge as a plot point?

Graphics

Graphically speaking, For Answer won't make your PS3 weep tears of joy, but it gets the job done and looks better than many things I encountered in my middle-school art class. The mechs themselves are intricate with detailed moving parts, and when they clash, they explode in a visual feast of sparks and shattered shards. From the towering airborne structures to the rubble-strewn landscapes, the visuals convey the desolation of a world constantly at war with itself. Yet, every so often, there are hiccups; pop-ins occur and textures can lag behind like a slacker in gym class. But the sense of scale provided by massive mechs duking it out amidst beautiful destruction? Spectacular. You almost feel like a kid again, playing with toys but with adult-sized stakes and inner monologues filled with existential dread.

Conclusion

In a nutshell, Armored Core: For Answer is an adventurous jaunt through a post-apocalyptic world where you get to become a pilot of a giant robot. From vast customization options to variations in gameplay modes, it almost feels like a world where everything can explode if you try hard enough. As a sequel, it manages to build upon its past while innovating, even if that innovation occasionally feels like it trips over its own feet. Scholar of mechs or just looking for some good ol' fashioned robotic carnage? Either way, throw on your favorite tunes, lock and load your laser cannons, and get ready for a ride. Just make sure to hang around for more than a couple of matches-it might take time to find players in this sparsely populated community! So, if you're into highly customizable mechas and a plot thicker than a triple-cheese lasagna, jump in. You might find yourself back in the cockpit sooner than you think.

See Latest Prices for Armored Core: For Answer on PS3 on Amazon

See Prices for Armored Core: For Answer on PS3 on Ebay