Armored Core V (PlayStation 3)

Armored Core V is an action game in which the player controls a mech, a big combat robot. The story is more of a reboot and has no direct connection to the predecessors. The protagonist gets caught up in a war between two corporations: the faction of “Father”, the dictator of Alloy Gate City, and the resistance. The player joins up with the resistance.

The story is divided into ten missions with cutscenes and voice-overs; between them are various story-less order missions open to participate in. However, the core stays always the same: moving forward and blasting a lot of enemy mechs and buildings. This rewards money which is reinvested into mech upgrades – like in all Armored Core games, mech customization is comprehensive and allows to change many details and parts.

The single-player content is interwoven with the multiplayer component: clan fights over a persistent map. Right from the beginning, the player has the option to found a new clan or join an existing one. Then every action, solving single-player missions or participating in co-op/competitive fights with clan mates, earns team points. These are required to challenge another clan for their territory.