If I was going to play 1 Armored Core before this one which should it be?

[Tacred]

Topic.

[ApexMega]

armored core for answer

[ImHelping]

This close to launch, I would say waif for 6. But aside from that?

When my own brother asked this question, even with a pile of the games still owned. I suggested 3 (Regular 3), or 4 Answer.

Not nexus "because stick controls" Not last raven because that is the hard mode expansion version where even if I can beat it too, it is more pranks on veterans than introduction to the series.

Not REGULAR 4, because as much as I like 4 it has the most bland pathetic nothing damp whimper of a plot in the entire series. Even the people trying to defend it damn it with the faint praise of "Yeah well AC4A references stuff from 4!"

3 is basically a polished retread of part 1's plot. It escalates slower instead of skipping you straight to ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ (Even the very first AC1 people hype up as 'brutal' still starts you off bullying construction workers or squatters as mission 1).

4A is a polished version of 4's gameplay, has parts missing from 4, and is now tied with last raven for the most talked about plot of an AC game. Anyone denying that still knows exactly what I mean when I say "Lap dog".

V has the awkward issues of MMO guild ratings in a game with a now dead online. and I dropped V most of the way through tired of being unable to spend money on new parts because my guild rating was too low.

I hear people liked Verdict Day, which I never got around to as "No no this is the good version of V!". But V gameplay is an odd mix of cool ideas that were cool, and ideas falling flat like leaning too hard into the rock paper scissors damage defenses so it was jut annoying rather than challenging.

[Blackmage]

I think the better question is which AC games you should avoid, cuz it's a lot shorter.
Nine-Breaker, AC4, and AC5 and Verdict Day.

The good games: all the rest.
- Armored Core: because it's the original.
- Project Phantasma: probably one of the better stories if you like having a story in your game, and it introduced the arena.
- Master of Arena: the best of the original PS1 games.
- Armored Core 2: it was the first step in the natural evolution of the franchise. New part types, new mechanics, etc.
- Another Age: 100 missions. It'll keep you busy for a while.
- Armored Core 3: A lot of fans say this was Armored Core at its peak.
- Silent Line: Tried some new things, like an optional first-person view, but otherwise more good AC3 content.
- Nexus: First entry to permit modern dual analogue controls.
- Last Raven: Very challenging missions, and the first entry to have multiple endings.
- AC4 For Answer: Everything AC4 should have been, and then some. And Arms Forts are fun to fight against.

I admit putting Verdict Day in the "avoid" category may be divisive, but hear me out. Yes, it did address many of the problems AC5 had, but it still doubled down on the cooperative multiplayer aspect. Armored Core, as a franchise, has primarily cultivated a single-player experience with optional versus. This means both gen5 games are outliers from what is traditionally expected of "Armored Core." It's simply a different experience, neither inherently bad or good.

[ImHelping]

Originally posted by Blackmage:

I think the better question is which AC games you should avoid, cuz it's a lot shorter.
Nine-Breaker, AC4, and AC5 and Verdict Day.

I do have a soft spot for phantasma because it was my first AC game (I keep thinking of the big green shoulder bot on the cover as 'What my brain thinks AC looks like').

But even then I would still suggest the common on the internet claim of "3 or 4A"

Still, that is a great rundown. More informative > "Games I like good, games I don't like bad"

[frowningmirror]

I'd recommend emulating them, because there are more online pc players, I have four recommendations, each are the last entry in their generation:

Master of Arena (Ps1), Last Raven (Ps2), ACfA (Xbox360 / ps3), and Armored Core Verdict Day

5th generation leaned more into the competitive aspect, but Verdict Day has a lot of story features like a hard mode, and just got working with its emulation so there are bound to be some players there. 5th generation has rock paper scissors mechanics (although i never thought them that extreme, I used only kinetic weapons and won all my pvp fights), which VI will have as well, but it seems to undo the wall bouncing movement of 5th gen.

[KKNDKING]

Originally posted by ApexMega:

armored core for answer

THIS

[why are we here? just to suffer?]

the very first 1 for PS1

[Aldain]

Either Nexus, For Answer or Verdict Day.

Normally I'd say Last Raven instead of Nexus, but that hellish difficulty is not something I wish to revisit.

[Dexaldem]

Originally posted by Tacred:

Topic.

Armored Core: For Answer. EASY no-brainer. It's not what you should expect from AC6, but it is a LOT of fun. Verdict Day is also a fun title.

[Outsider]

Last Raven.
It's the most feature-complete, complex and compelling game in the series, with 6 different endings to boot.

[Yefrign]

I'd say AC1 or AC3. personally I feel that they show the "essence" of what Armored Core is. 1 is where it all started. but 3 is its... what I would argue "perfected" state when it comes to that Generation of Armored Core. it will always have a special place in my heart and memory .

[Emerald Lance]

I'm also gonna throw my bet in the For Answer hat.

[Nero1024]

For Answer

[hakabata]

Since you asked only 1, For Answer

[_oBSOLEte_]

I guess you should take for answer for answer.