Armored Core 4 is a new mech game that focuses on customization over its story. In fact, customization is one of the few things that the game has going for it. In addition to the story, the gameplay in general is lacking. That's not to say that it is a complete waste.
Getting right down to it, Armored Core 4 is all about mech customization. Not only do you get to choose your weaponry, but also your body style, head, arms and legs. You can go two-legged to four-legged to tank wheels. And of course you can change the colors of each part separately and add a logo to various pieces.
Actually playing through the single-player campaign is a bit boring. You'll have simple mundane tasks to perform that can usually be completed very quickly. And to make things worse, there are level boundaries. You are typically placed in a small area that you can't leave for more than a few seconds or you will automatically loose. The gameplay and design was much better in Day 1 Studios' MechAssault.
Graphically, the game looks good but not something that will really impress you. The opening movie looks awesome but in-game graphics seem like they could be further enhanced. The small level designs make it seem like they should be able to up the graphics a bit more.
A nice addition that saves the game a little more is multiplayer. Armored Core 4 allows you to play split screen or on Live for up to an 8 person battle royal. Unfortunately, we don't have any creative modes to make things even better. Instead we are stuck with basic Mech fighting, which is still fun.
Armored Core 4 is lacking too much to be worth the $60 next-gen price. The game's main problem is the single player mode having short, basic missions. I loved MechAssault and was hoping AC4 would be good to hold me over until (if) MechAssault comes to 360. The game is good for renting but most will probably want to wait for a price drop before actually purchasing it.
