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System: Playstation 2
Publisher: Agetec
Players: 1-2 (1-4 via Sony ilink)
From the creators of the popular mech fighting games, comes the sequel to their long
running series of Armored Core with Silent Line: Armored Core for the PS2 . You may
think this game goes straight to the bargain bin, But that's were you are wrong. For those
who are new to the series, the armored core series has been in production since the early
days of PS1. Unlike lackluster mech games ( cough Steel Battalion cough ), Armored core
shines like a diamond in the rough.
The Controller, a giant super computer aimed at killing the entire human race was
destroyed in Armored Core: Project Phantasma. After the destruction of the Controller,
Humans started to repopulate the planet after years of oppression. Exploration teams sent
from the government on the surface uncover an unknown super-city protected from any
scouting intrusions. Any units that were sent were destroyed; the telecom goes silent.
This is where you come in, a young Raven, mercenaries hired by the government, to
break through the "silent line".
 400+ parts, 200 of which are new to Silent Line.
The customization is incredible. With 400+ parts that consist of head, torso, legs, arms
and other parts and makes for billions of customization options for each kind of player.
You want high armor points and like to rain bullets on your enemies? slap on some tank
legs and some gantline guns. Want high speed and samurai sword swinging action? Equip
yourself with light parts that allow high speed and the dual arms blades. Like to play
keep away with you opponents? Get some low drain boosters and load up good supply of
missiles. The mechs themselves handles like the mechs in MechWarrior, with each button
assigned to different parts (left arm, right arm, back unit etc). Some go fast with light
weight legs, and some go caterpillar slow with heavily armored legs. The possibilities for
customization are endless.
 The ever popular Arena mode is back, with new 2 on 2 battles.
The newest big draw is the AI arena. The AI arena is a arena that allow you to create a
robot(called an Armored Core, or AC for short) with artificial intelligence to battle other
arena opponents without piloting the mech your self.
In the AI arena, you can train one of your 'bots with artificial intelligence through
rigorous training. You train them long and hard until you have a robot as smart as a
human. Ok, it isn't that smart(more like a monkey), but it's very useful in AI arena. You
could even use the AI AC to battle your friends and humiliate them with your computer
controlled AC. There's even a cool first person view mode and breakable weapons
(weapon only break during arena matches).
 For the last time,I am NOT a Gundam!!!
There are only a few problems with this game. The learning curve is a bit steep, since
they just give you a mission without any training for new players. With current trends of
the gaming industry, almost every action game has some sort of online support. Why
hasn't Agetec, after all these Armored core games, paid attention to the trend and added
some online multiplayer action? I guess we will have to wait until Armored Core: Nexus
to ship in august. Other than my minor rants, this one game that mecha aficionados and
new players to sink their robotic teeth
into. 8/10
 Road rage, reinvented
Pictures from agetec.com
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