I played 15 of From Software's HARDEST games
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- čas přidán 25. 05. 2024
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TIMESTAMPS ▼▼▼
00:00 What have I done?
01:45 Armored Core
14:46 Armored Core: Project Phantasma
20:22 Armored Core: Master of Arena
29:40 Armored Core 2
36:09 Armored Core 2: Another Age
43:25 Armored Core 3 & Silent Line
46:24 Armored Core: Nexus
50:28 Armored Core: Nine Breaker
52:07 Armored Core: Last Raven
1:06:34 Armored Core 4 & For Answer
1:19:07 Armored Core V & Verdict Day
1:28:55 Armored Core: Formula Front
1:30:51 I like Armored Core
1:31:59 Which Armored Core games should you play?
SPECIAL THANKS TO
►Mispap1, for Lore / Prepare to Cry editing and footage - @mispap1
►Frans Bouma, for your legendary Elden Ring camera tools - fransbouma.com/
►Rainer, for their modding assistance in these videos - @rainergeis4071
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►Dark Souls 3 News: bit.ly/1NQbgbW
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THUMBNAIL ART
►Thomas Chamberlain-Keen www.artstation.com/tck
MUSIC (most is royalty-free or licensed from Epidemic Sound. Sign up or browse here: (www.epidemicsound.com/referra...)
►Almost all music is from the Armored Core series, except for Lacrimosa and Hall of the Mountain King.
PATRONS
►I'd like to give sincere thanks to all my patrons - your contributions have changed the course of my life, allowing me to put more emphasis on video production in the future.
►Special thanks to Soul of Cinder-tier Patrons: John, Mihaf, Matthew, Colin, budhawillyboy, Chattan, Aritz, Erlend, Michael, Finbarwrong, David, AmazinShawn, Aidan, Joshua, Ryan, Cat, Lucian, Nicholas, HugDucks, Kyle, Xavier, Justin, Andreas, Ian, Xensvet, Mike, Loak, Morningstar, Morgan, Vanguard, Ricakardsson, Seleiful, Dain, Diablo, Chase, Andronikos, Nezzly, Rune, Thomas, Jacob, One Unimpressed Boi, Matthew, Aj, GoldenSunX, Yousif, sean, Croonz, ndr.alng, Meistermuall, Armand, Albert, Liam, AJ, Aishlinn, Reiftyr, nicolas, and Ricky. - Hry
Shout out to Vaati’s wife who - at some point recently - had to hear about how important it was for him to play through the 15 game discography of Armored Core!
more like she had to listen to me rant about how bs the platforming section was in the first game
@@VaatiVidya you are so brave for powering through that section 🫡
@@VaatiVidya 😂
And justifying $2k on all the games/consoles (at least I sure would need to) 🤣🤣
@@ryuman757 This video should cover that pretty easily tbh, he did an awesome job.
Willem Dafoe really came through for me on this edit
YOU AND ME KID
A minute in and already so much William Dafoe. Perfect
Yo... how many comments can even claim that?😂😂
Must return back to formula.
@@TheGimbishGlob you have an amazing username.
One thing you missed about the final mission of AC1 is once you get past Nine Ball you run into a second Nine Ball. 14:14 You somehow managed to walk around him while running from the first one. This was your first hint that he was an AI
that's funny
I never would've noticed that, that's hilarious
I barely saw his feet in the corner, then the two red blips in the map
Maybe it's good he didn't see him
I feel like the sight of a _second_ Nine-Ball while running away from the first one would've broken him
I noticed after I beat the first one and didn't have enough ammo to fight the second, so I ran.
1:11:10 Fun Fact: The White Glint was designed by *Shoji Kawamori* , the creator of the Macross series, Vision of Escaflowne, and most notably the Diaclone toyline which Hasbro would later adadpt to create the *Transformers* toyline. This man is a LEGEND and Pioneer in Japanese Mecha media. He's also the "Mechanical Director" for the Armored Core games, specifically the 1st Armored Core until Armored Core Nexus.
I want a Macross game with the gameplay of Armored Core so bad
THIS! Absolutely.
tbf its not clear what his title means, but the "concept" of armored core mechs were designed by Shoji Kawamori himself. The individual parts and AC's were designed by the team, which is why he is credited as "Mechanical Director" and not the main designer.
The White Glint from For Answer is the only AC he personally designed (It's also the only Custom AC up until that point).
@@Ikcatcher There's a level late into the story of AC6 that reminded me a lot of SDF Macross.
Even more wild then this: Through Macross designs...he also has his DNA is Battletech / Mechwarrior as well, meaning of the last three mecha series alive today (Gundam included) Shoji Kawamori has his DNA in 2/3rds of them!
GODDAMN YOU ACTUALLY DID IT.
YOU WENT AND PLAYED ALL OF EM.
HATS OFF TO YOU VAATI
Absolutely insane dedication on Vaati's part purchasing all this! A true lord of Fromsoft!
Fuck now I have to go back and played through the rest of them, I can't lose to Vaati!
Been playing this game since I was a kid but it's really interesting to watch someone develop an appreciation for it.... President shout-out patches in for answer though it's typically the first appearance of him and it's what started my long-standing grudge
Absolute mad lad
Swear to gods, the Soulsborne/Fromsoft community breeds the most dedicated and the most insane...
The reason games from this era didn’t have tutorials, is because they expected you to read the manual, which had a page or more dedicated to the controls.
Some games apparently didn’t go into what the controls were in the manual lol
@@MILDMONSTER1234 I recall playing an armored core game and only learning the controls through its manuals, I still couldnt beat the first few levels
i kinda like the idea of going in completely oblivious and learning everything on the fly. no tutorial, no manual
The biggest issue of Armored Core series is they did not wanted you to learn every single thing from the game, only from Manuals instead. Its basically a Middle-Finger to the players who wanted to play for fun but getting frustated due lack of control smoothness and aiming was very janky at that time (PSX era). The rival at that time is Front Mission 2 where you need to learn everything from the game how choosing wanzers, positioning and skills work during combat and Arena was being introduced where you can bet your own money against certain pilots on 1v1 or Mock battle with fixed setup and skills on each opponents.
In term of tinkering/parts, Armored Core is second to none but also very unfriendly to beginner/newbie due too complex and slight difference in stats can make you survive or die. Front mission doesnt have that amount but they are very straight-forward and easy to use because they have more detailed of which weapon can be used on your parts.
If I wanted to say, Armored Core always be not a favorite game to most players because they are far too complex and too hard to play (what do you expect from creator of Dark Souls and Bloodborne?) while Front Mission have same issue but they are not as hard as Armored Core because this is about Strategy game, not an Full-Action game with just complex tunings and settings. I play Front Mission series over 20 years and I can say that Front Mission 2 and 5 is the best experience I have because they are very complex yet very fun to play due enemies are very smart to flank you from both sides and they can erase your team within few turns if you just playing aggresively instead of taking them down slowly while keeping your resources enough for entire mission
Manuals were part of the fun. Most of the older gen console games had beautifully designed manuals, with fully colored images, concept art of the games. Sometimes with bits lore or even an intro to the actual plot of the game. I still remember sitting in the backseat of my mom's car, after I've just gotten a brand new ps1 game, studying the manual super hard and getting super hyped up to finally putting that sweet disc inside the console. We also had this ritual to first put the controller aside and fully watch every little intro clip, including the dev logo animation. Good times ❤
Every time Vaati said “thank god I don’t have to fight that guy again” I laughed like a maniac. A traumatized 32 year old AC vet maniac.
as a vet what do u think about fires of rubicon, it’s my first and only ac game as someone who considers themselves a souls vet a i loved it the true ending was very fun to get
@@harryedwards2933 I have some complaints about streamlining out some stats that, in combination with hard lock, gave heavy builds an overwhelming advantage in PvP.
I hate that you can’t strafe outside of hard lock without firing. I also miss chainboosting, though that’s the AC4 fanboy in me talking that’s not an AC vet thing specifically.
Also the music. I was most active during AC4, ACFA, ACV, and ACVD. I really wish we had gotten some FreQuency tracks. Fall was the track that played when I fell in love with AC4. It was my “I get it” moment. Also AC6 needs a proper garage theme.
But overall I love AC6. Definitely there are some pain points for me that are QoL improvements for newer players, but a more accessible experience means more players to share the game with.
vAAti/NosAAc is a HACK, VERmin. Ever wonder why he hasn't mention me? Or Walt? or NosAAc, the BACKWARD SCUM of FROM?
@@lushedleshen That last sentence is an excellent sentiment, and one that I wish was more common.
@@lushedleshen Coming back to AC6, my first AC game, after now looking into some of the older games .. I can definitely see where you're coming from.
Especially with the music, like, AC6 OST isn't *bad*, but there's very few tracks that I'd listen to on the regular. Comparing that from the tracks before, especially from 4 to VD ... It makes me a little disappointed. FreQuency is still a very good band though
2m views! I never expected this video to do so well. This is one of my favourite videos, so thank you all for the support
Completely deserved, and I hope it gains even more. Very grateful for your ability to introduce so many people to armored lore!
I watched this when it came out, and started it again as I play (ng++ chapter 4 at present) through AC6, my first AC game.
Am in love with AC6 and am now tempted to see about playing at least a couple of the old ones.
not many video that "recap" all previous Armored Core title in a single video, so it might be one factor
It's an amazing video. I watched it when it first came out and a couple times after that when I was bored. Now, I revisit it whenever I finish one of the games to rewatch the section on that game. Just started Silent Line, and I'm so glad you got me into the series with this video.
You got me into AC so you absolutely deserve it
Little note I think you missed. In the Old King route of AC4A, if you play the final ambush mission on hard, the fifth next that is added is actually -=YOUR OPERATOR=-, the lady who has been briefing you, by your side through the whole game and both other endings. So hard hitting, and most miss it.
That's awesome, I love it when games do stuff like that.
Having a character who is supposed to be a non-combatant join the fight against you because the situation is just that desperate…
Yeah. I can see how rough that would be.
I was surprised to hear it's only 4 enemies in the regular fight, I could swear it would throw new ones at me every time I killed some. With everybody from various factions yelling about how horrible you are as they join the fight.
What is the context of that mission anyway? Is Old Kimg just some weirdo who likes to blow stuff up? Is there any reason for it or is it just spectacle?
@@Alex_Barbosa with Old King you end up with pure, mindless murder on the cradles to the point that even the remaining Orca members consider you as an animal that has to be put down for the sake of humanity
Last Raven hit this man so hard he had to go back THREE GAMES to prepare himself
We are NOT joking when we say Last Raven is THE HARDEST game FROM has ever made. They changed too much to the point you have to completely relearn what makes all your cores & weapons tick.
Last raven do be like that.
@@justinl8791 But when you DO learn it, that knowledge becomes ingrained into your muscles and it never really goes away lol (especially if your first exposure to it was jumping from Silent Line Portable to Last Raven Portable)
The thing I don't like about Last Raven is it's mostly hard because all your opponents just cheat. With the Pulveriser fights I get it, it's not supposed to be an even playing field, but every time it sets up a mission as a duel between two ravens to see who is strongest I'm like screw you no it's not! The AI is literally ignoring half the game's mechanics and playing the game like it's AC4 and they are in a NEXT.
@@HammerspaceCreaturehmm well saying the opponents cheating is like the same thing saying malenia should not have life steal, honestly last raven is great for having this stupidly overpowered equiped with human plus and also auto aim, it's like the game want us to get good
I love how you became a sort of shadow of nineball in master of arena, with the red AC, Karasawa and moonlight. Incredibly fitting
I don't recall 9-ball ever using the Karasawa in a game. He had WG-XP2000 pulse gun, LS2001 blade, WM-S40/2 small missile and his most terrifying WC-GN230 Grenade Launcher. There's a visual novel of sorts where he was depicted using the moonlight/karasawa combo that maybe you're referring to?
@@zg1k68 Laser sword and energy gun, not the *specific* weapons but similar typed weapons. Same with the chassis, probably not the excactly same parts, but pretty similar parts.
@@omppusolttu5799 he used a pulse gun not a laser weapon
Nineball does use a Karasawa in one of the games.
@@Tortle-Man If i recall. I think that was actually a linear rifle
Vaati *running away* “AUUIUUGH AUUUUGH! AUUUUGH!”
9-Ball *chasing him down* “WHY are you running? WHY ARE YOU RUNNING.”
This is the point of the backwards theme in AC6/ vAAti is NosAAc, Brutus, and even the pedophile AC in the Ex arena.
Sorry for taking so long to upload! This video obviously took a long time to research, script and edit, but everyone in my household also got a bad strain of covid, which has taken us 3+ weeks to recover from. Crazy how long it's lasted. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this behemoth of a video...I know it's probably too long, but I really wanted to document my experience playing these games, and I think it will be a useful point of reference in the future, as we dive into Armored Core VI.
Really looking forward to reading about everyone else's experiences with these games.
Thanks for all the support, as always.
P.S. Ranni's Prepare to Cry is in the later stages of production and should release sometime this month, or next.
Can't wait for it. And can't wait for the new Armored Core. Thank you vaati 😊
Get well soon vaati!
Some of these game's are probably impossible to get and if they are they cost an arm and a leg
I appreciate you taking the time to play these games. They don't get enough love.
Glad y’all got better❤
Not sure if it was already mentioned, but there are 2 9 balls at the end of Armored Core 1. When you thought he followed you up, that was just the second one. This is the first big reveal that Hustler One is actually an AI, and why destroying the computer terminal ends the mission.
One of the few times I ever heard my dad swear at a video game was that mission. He spent days trying to figure out how to beat 9 ball, and when the second one came up, he pulled a "Oh, fuck that!" out of nowhere. Startled the hell out of me xD
is literaly the "Another one" meme
@@multiversorenzel"there is another"
thats like 18 balls wtf
This is why AC6 is backwards, he used my strat, tried to hide by walking backwards. Come on, what else would you expect from NosAAc the Debt Barron?
One interesting note about the Armored Core for Answer mission where you fight the squad of NEXTs with Old King, the Hard mode throws a fifth NEXT at you.
That NEXT being the one you fight in the training mode. The Lynx piloting it is Kasumi Sumika, also known as Serene Haze - the woman who acts as your operator for the game (who leaves you when you take on the the Destroy Cradle 03 mission).
Yeah, I really felt bad after the Oldking mission and hearing Sumika telling me "I didn't think you were like this..." with disappointment in her voice...
But for my defense, I really needed money to buy some part at the time, and Oldking offered 1.000.000 where most of other mission were around 250k !! And his emblem looks great too !
At least, Oldking succeed in one thing : he made everyone to rally against one common enemy : you...
I did this in my first playthrough, it was really tough finishing it. I almost quit at this point, but pulled through and finally beat it after more than 100 tries for sure. The hard version was a bit faster as I had all the parts so I could build the perfect killing machine to do it (but it was still hell to fight)
And if I remember correctly, she really can't pilot a NEXT anymore as she would die after riding one. That's why she's your operator the whole time until you go for Old King (and i don't think she also joins you if you join the league.)
Why does that sound like...
Oh f&@$ they put an ACFA reference in 6 right under our noses, specifically the part where they die trying to stop a Monster.
Holy fuck
Steel Haze is a reference.
FromSoft you cheeky motherfuckers
This man commited and went through the full package of experience as authentcally as possible. I respect it. He might be the last person to ever do that.
this video was pretty fun to watch, as i did the same thing recently, played through all of the ac games (except for VD currently) on mostly original hardware, and i gotta same, its a very fun experience, would totally recommend xD
yeah if only it didn't cost $2,000 more people would do it lmao
@@sickrandy2946 if you have a decent computer you can emulate up to last raven easily
@@sickrandy2946true, any 'retro' gaming of any sort has gotten so overpriced that its mind blowing.
@@ponkotuu it's a god damn shame. so many classic games unavailable to anyone without emulators. and the emulator experience is not the same fr.
"From this moment on, you are, a Raven" I played this game when it first came out, and that line gives me chills.
_Caw, caw. BANG! Fuck, I'm dead._ That quote from The Crow is quite fitting for my memory of AC.
"The test is over. You are now.. a Raven."
That line hit me HARD right in the nostalgia part of my brain
Never played AC, though I hope to give it a try with its newest installment coming out
🐦⬛
it was like a shot of dopamine.
“Unknown enemy approaching rapidly” always freaked me out as a kid
Croak?
Vaati began this project intending to do an armored core retrospective. Little did he know, he was also recording a Prepare to Cry video about the hell of learning to play and beating the bosses of the first several games, with himself as the subject character.
He also had to use my AC1 strats, and walk backwards to lie about it. Typical coward. Ever wonder why I'm glorified in the game, and vAAti is NosAAc? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
He stole from me, he's a scumbag. Ask him who NosAAc is.
This is why Vaati is the GOAT. To make sure he would fully understand the next fromSoft game he went back and not only played a full series of games but made sure he understood what they were going for. Keep doing you friend
No, he's a scumbag, this entire game (AC6) mocks him. Why do you think he hasn't done a video on Vesperas... or NosAAc... he's a FRAUD. I'm the FREUD.
Fun fact: In AC4A if you fly directly up in the Cradle missions, the Assault Cell satellites that ORCA wants to destroy will start to open fire on you. Your operator panics, having no idea what they are, and orders you to lower altitude before you die.
Can you betray Old King and save the humans in the cradle?
@@luichinplaystation610 no youd have to kill 100 million lives to finish destroy cradle 3
That, and the fact that SoM can leave the mission area are insanely cool details
OG here. Love the videos. You guys have to understand, back in 1997, this game was blowing our minds. We basically went from stuff like Sonic and Mario to this in a very short time. The graphics and effects were top notch and a lot of the features like customizing your mech were reletively new ideas in video games. It was really a masterpiece for it's day, looking back on it now.
Completely agree, it was the visible changes to your AC as you swapped/changed parts that blew my mind
@@coreyjameshaims449 yeah! Stuff like that was crazy back then!
@@coreyjameshaims449 Couple that with all the paint schemes too that all worked relatively well and it just felt awesome having a fully customized Core that you built yourself.
YES SIR!!! It's crazy that my son can play a series at the same age now when i was playing AC1.
AC:Fires of rubicon is going to smack and smack it hard!
The extra effort for the authentic experience really elevates this, gives you insight to this series' legacy, bravo. Easy for people to underestimate the insights you gain access to when you do stuff like this, I'm reminded of Tim Rogers insistence on somehow beating Tokimeki Memorial's true route without using any guides, and it leads him directly to the central thesis of his entire video.
Tim is the g.o.a.t. Love that gosh darn guy.
Thank you for this video. Armored Core is probably the single strongest influence on why I'm now a game designer. You articulate so clearly what's great about various parts of the series over time. When you hit roadblocks and got frustrated, those were my roadblocks and frustrations, too. It was such a joy seeing your progression, too.
Welcome to the Nest.
“I pressed pause so I could cry here.” I feel that lmao. This is amazing. The nine ball return I lost it.
11:54
Fun Fact: The armor design of the Alonne Knight Captains from Dark Souls 2 was partially inspired by 9-Ball.
Also the Pursuer is likely an Armored Core reference as well. He glides all over the place, he gets dropped from the air, his eye glows in red like a mech, his curse attack fires like a bunch of homing rockets, etc.
But they're nothing alike?
@@Gamekrayz the helmet, the oversized pauldrons. Those resemble that of 9 ball.
@@bigdumbfatcat2869 dont forget Patches is straight up an Armored Core character and his Japanese dialog always references it
@@Gamekrayz if wikias have taught me anything it's that nerds will find any sign of the slightest possibility something popular has some tenuous link to their favorite "x" or some other secret meaning that only they can discern. It's safer to assume it's ego posting in lack of actual evidence for their claim.
1:01:00 This is my favorite part of AC6. I've gotten so ingrossed into the role playing of the game with my specialized mechs and my rivalries with other pilots in the story.
I didn’t realize actual lore would play into why the ACs are so different from NEXTs and that you would play a game where you fought one while piloting something inferior to it. That’s really cool and makes me more open to getting use to how much the controls can change with each game.
AC6lore involves mocking vAAti, he can't give you all the info, Hi, I'm the guy he stole off of, the original Vesperas... why do you think I'm all over the place in this game?
The idea of having to go back to a previous game and farm for parts just so you can import a save strong enough to do the first mission of another game is wild to me. You have the determination of a god!
Its so cool though. I wish more games had a feature like that
@@Josh-jw3goit's cool for armored core but as a standard rule it would be hell to do it for another game
@@Josh-jw3go Yea but imagine wanting to play one game so you buy it but then you find out that you have to buy another just to win the first mission of this one. Doesn't sound good to me
The thing with the first mission is that its one of 3 u can choose, bolt is super not supposed to be fought on ur first playthru. Its basically a trap that sets the tone for the rest of the game
Something to note about Kota Hoshino's band, FreQuency, is that both the drummer and violinist are capable composers in their own right. Both of them composed boss themes for Bloodborne!
38 years old here, AC vet since '97. Been enjoying everyone younger getting excited about the new game and all the 'what even is this series?'
Your adventure has been the best retrospective and was so well put together. Instant sub and I hope you look forward to AC 6 as much as I do. Cheers!
He used my guide to cheese the nineballs and lie about, this guy, vAAti/NosAAc is PURE SCUM.
Your discussions on about learning the intricacies of the Armored Core building system felt good to hear from a newbie. Congratulations, Vaati. You're finding out a big part of why people absolutely adore the mech game genre.
8:30 watching that footage of that specific mission... I know that pain man. I know that pain.
Hey, great to see you here! I loved your thorough analysis of all of these games, and I'm very thankful that I could compare my experiences against your own. I wanted to shout out your vid but this video script just got out of control..
Anyone reading this comment should check out the Writing on Games "Getting to Grips with Armored Core" video 👍
And yes, that mission was just..hell. I was stuck on it for like 20 minutes only to die like that lol
@@VaatiVidya no worries! Just cool to see someone else go through the series and examine it from a newcomer's perspective, especially seeing as you cover the games I missed.
This exchange has the same energy as the "you son of a bitch" buff handshake meme
@@mikel287 Yep except they both had same trauma with Nine Ball
I'll be honest, I love Black Flint. Even though the name was a initially a joke, the fact that you made this antithesis to White Glint that turned out to be just as legendarily capable of not more is awesome.
Not to mention it's tonal look, by swapping out the parts made for it with more utilitarian components it makes it seem far more serious and professional as opposed to loud and proud
Alongside that, Black Flint plays the role of black knight to the white knight of White Glint. Thr Black Flint who had played both sides, that had become monster, whereas White Glint would have held strong. Their mirriors, accidentally at that and I love it
Memento Mori
I can’t help but chuckle at him making black flint, with the final boss of verdict day being a butchered revival of white glint often called black glint it continues the trend of fighting your character from older gens
AC6 is so fantastic, after beating Balteus I already started looking into getting the other games but all the copies are priced through the roof, which sucks considering I already have the OG hardware. Still love seeing these old games making a monsterous comeback with nothing but fire
Maybe u could download a rom and burn it onto a cd
Just here to thank the creator of this video in a message that will be lost to time. Armored Core 1 came out when I was 10 on PS1 and I rented it from Chartbusters a few times but I could never beat it. When you beat that 9 Ball at the end a second one spawns. I never considered that you could go past him and complete the game. My mind is blown. Also thank you for agreeing with me on Armored Core for answer. You reminded me of those good days what seems like so long ago beating the game 3 times to get the secret ending. I only ever played 1, 3, For Answer and 5 but I am so hyped for 6. Feels weird being so excited as a near 40 year old person for a game that I got into when I was 10 years old.. So much has changed but I will take some time off work this August 25th to do something important and just for me. I will play with my damn robots once more.
He used my strat and edited the video, he's a scumbag, this why he's mocked in AC6 (NosAAc amoung many) and I'm over glorified.
I can't believe FromSoft legit makes your first Armored Core mission involve acting as a Pinkerton lol
That plus the fact that you're an independent contractor (have to pay for your bullets and damages) makes it sound like you're tasked from the start with the inevitable moral quandary of being a giant robot wielding asshole haha. At least I hope that's what the from soft team was trying to say...
Basically every fromsoft game in my experience has some pretty scathing critique of power, fascism, and/or conservatism in there somewhere. It's just that sometimes they're a lot more blunt than other times lol.
I mean, the first main boss of Elden Ring is literally a pathetic sniveling despot obsessed with his glorified version of the past and his bloodline, heritage, and ancestry, and he's so desperate to maintain his power he's literally, physically turned himself a big disgusting monster.
@@Ezekiel_Allium not to mention blind religious zealotry!
"It's said clerics turned into the most gruesome beasts"
@@Funko777 I'd say bloodborne is less a criticism of zealotry and more of the hypocrisy, abuses of power, and political manipulation of large religious organizations like the catholic church. The crimes of the church were not directly motivated by any religious belief, but were politically motivated power plays to seat themselves at the heart of society.
I think Dark Souls series does more with the concept of zealotry to be honest.
@@Ezekiel_Allium It makes more sense in the context of Japanese culture. Always listen to elders/senpais. Don't go against the grain.
I completely love this video. I adore Armored Core, but I have never been able to share that enjoyment with anyone. This video makes me feel like I got the opportunity to kick back with a pal and geek out over Armored Core, an experience I never realized how much I wanted. Thanks so much for making this.
That's awesome
@@VaatiVidya You're awesome
@@ryanb6614You're awesome too
4/For Answer best games.
Armored Core 6 is going to revive this series with updated control layout and new playstyle. I'm very excited for future Armored Core games.
As mech control goes, I always found the general movement from the Zone of the Ender's series was incredible...
Not that we're going to get another one of those anytime soon 😂
Feel like zone of the enders spoiled me. My expectations for robot movement comes from that game. N there hasnt been any that felt the same. Atleast to my knowledge
One of the things i loved the most about the earlier eras of armored core was an old gaming magazine i used to get, called Tips'n'Tricks usually covering new cheat codes and walk-throughs of recently released games. Armored Core got to a point where than magazine had a dedicated AC Builds section dedicated entirely to reader submitted builds, strategies and color schemes. I even submitted one for my tetrapod build i used in one of the games.
If you told me ten years ago we'd get armored core content on CZcams that was this good I'd have laughed. Love that you went all in to learn about my favorite series
Honestly, mate. Between this, Above Average Gaming and Writing On Games, I'm loving this new wave of attention. All we need now is Noah Gervais and I'll be set for life
There was barely anything at the time and now the community has new life! I never thought so many would go back and play these games.
The last time I played an Armored Core game was before CZcams existed... Looking forward to getting back in the garage.
Yeah. "Armored Core gamers watching their series take the backburner" is an understatement. Most of us thought it was over.
@@StellariumSound Amen to that. I thought it was just over and from soft was done with it because the souls like games were making them so much money. Not blaming them for working on good games and making good money with them but i have missed a good AC game. Heck I still hear AC and think armored core and not assassin creed.
Something you might enjoy Vaati: I was discussing ACFA on the subreddit the other day and someone told me a pretty cool fact about Old King - in the japanese version of the Destroy Cradle mission, his humming is 'Thinker' from the Armored Core 4 soundtrack. Some stuff gets lost in translation and the vagueness inherent to old Armored Core, but his comrade Sadhana dies in that game, so perhaps that's part of why he's so uncaringly bloodthirsty.
Also, the 5th enemy NEXT that's added in the Hard Mode of Arteria Carpals is your operator, Serena Haze, who is also a returning character from AC4 - Kasumi Sumika. Her old NEXT is the target if you enter the training mode and select a NEXT as your opponent, along with a bunch of other neat hints she's no normal operator.
Wasn't it also hinted or outright said that the pilot of White Glint in For Answer was the player character in 4?
@@shadow_blaze2317 Correct! A lot of people think it's the operator from the previous game, Fiona, but it's just unclear english - she says Operator, but that's a different role from Pilot, who she's talking for. The pilot is your character from 4. Anatolia's Mercenary is their usual name in the community.
Another interesting fact is that like Otsdarva/Thermidor, Anatolia's Mercenary survives the fight, though White Glint is destroyed. It's confirmed by some extra material in universe that was never translated into English.
Also i'm pretty sure the music when you fight the NEXT in Verdict day is the same as the music in the destroy the cradle mission (and shows up in other entries in the series). Also the NEXT in Verdict day is white glint.
Fun fact, Vaati, someone in the comments of a video played AC Nexus, got to the Nine Ball fight, and had never heard of why Nine Ball was feared and infamous for, and still felt an unknown dread when Nine Ball showed up.
Simply put, Nine Balls target was verified, he commenced his hostilities and the guy knew
Well, if you used me guide, like vAAti did and snubbed me, you wouldn't have trouble... vAAti is a theif, and SCUM. Look at NosAAc, I wonder WHY he hasn't done an adequate lore video yet.
I replayed several of these before AC6 as well and I learned a few things that made the earlier games easier: Just remap camera controls (looking up and down, and turning left and right, also move strafing to dpad) to X Square O Triangle, and everything else to shoulders, as a sort of pseudo-dual stick setup. For AC2, several enemies are bioweapons which can't be locked on by standard targeting including the final boss but there are head pieces that let you lock on to them, so you can just buy one and swap to it when you know it's a bioweapon mission.
I like how by the time you get to For Answer, you've basically become the impossible -to-kill version of 9-ball from the first generation.
Armored core is actually something special. I think were it thrives vs dark souls is its customization element. This dude vaati did a pretty good job explaining it which blows my mind... Ill see you all in AC6!
Damn, you even here
i used to spend more time testing builds and weapons just customizing my AC than actually playing the games
@Kazuhira I feel you
@@Kazuhira2249 customize AC in 1 hour, just for a mission that end in 5 minutes
See u there boyo
The joke is I played chrome hounds back in 2006, and have been searching ever since for a mech game with really great build customisation options. Thank-you Vaati, for your continued excellence
You can actually lock on to that boss in AC2 with a head capable of bio-sense. Respect for figuring out a way without it, though.
I'll admit, Vulture was a really creative way to kill Daemon. Awesome work!
100%
the "vulture build" with a very apt name, is almost a "right of passage" in the older AC games. My build in AC2 was pure flight with vertical missiles (that fire up and rain down) with a sniper rifle. No enemy could get me as I was at max altitude.
AC4+ (and probably AC6) is when the game turned into Formula 1. Not only do you need to have the right build but true piloting skills came into play.
I feel like Ninebreaker only existed, because they knew Last Raven was gonna be so ball-bustingly hard, that they needed to prepare their audience for it. And Ninebreaker genuinely did a good job of cultivating higher skill.
So thatd why ninebreaker exist
@@judicatorhurayth1927 yes it's a training camp both IRL and in universe to prepare you for last Raven
Yeah thats pretty true, I think it would have been recieved much better if they just made it a second disc for last raven.
Not how commas work
@@Dehalove It is, what do you, mean.
oh maaaan this takes me back. AC1 blew my little child's mind. It took me so long to get good at that game, but after countless hours of obsessive tinkering with my mech and running missions I eventually mastered them. FromSoft had my number from the very beginning!
I remember my introduction to AC was from a demo disc that also had parappa the rapper and like 2 other games not worth remembering. I died so many times on the "Destroy the Turrets" mission with my cousin and his neighbor as we passed the controller around after every death.
@@zg1k68 lol I had that same demo disc. A friend gave it to me after he was done with it, and it's how I discovered the game 😂
Watching this after playing through AC6 all 3 times and what you say about loving master of arena cause the arena felt more important - I REALLY loved the way the arena was incorporated into AC6
Armored Core really captures the best of FromSoftware's raw, unfiltered design ethos- it makes no promises to be easy, or even to be fun at every turn, but it makes you the master of your own experience- you own all of your victories and defeats. You won't just remember beating the challenges, but you'll remember exactly how you did it. It may not have the ambition or polish of, say, Elden Ring, but what other franchise would have you to return to a PREQUEL to farm just to beat the first mission?
Tbf Elden Ring was emboldened by the flame of ambition
I literally only remember frustration, games fell flat
I would say it was more ambitious than Elden Ring. The core systems and gameplay of Elden Ring were already created and tested over the course of multiple other games. There was already a community willing to accept the game with open arms the moment it was announced. Armored core however was the first of its kind, there was no way for from to know whether people would love or hate it, and everything they did in the first game was being done for the first time.
@@Beanpolr i am sorry, but mechwarrior existed. as gundam\macross series. pls stop creating a false image of miracle from nowhere.
@@BloodyArchangelus I didn't say it was the first mech combat game. It was however the first of its type, and games like MechWarrior or various Gundam installments are not like armored core gameplay wise.
This is the most dedication I’ve ever seen put into a video. The fact that you found every game and played them AND RECORDED ALL OF THEM is insanity.
This is coming from someone who’s watched all of your prepare to cry series.
I’m hoping this video pops off worldwide on the CZcams algorithm and brings well deserved attention to the Armored Core universe. Killed it Vaati.
He has the money to do it but he has the passion to, if he actually beat all games, no other youtube comes close to dedication for a company and fans.
Dual analog comtrol became popular with Halo, Cody then everyone used it cuz of their success , Xbox and ps2 has such strange controls hence why prefer emulation. Every game lacked inverted or normal controls for x and y.
Google Armored Core for Answer.... ooohhhhh ouch nope.
@oasisbeyond you are butthurt for seemingly no reason, shut up
@@oasisbeyond Be wary of confusion, therefore research required ahead
I enjoy the shoulder button camera controls of the old games. It makes you feel like you're the pilot of a giant mech, and not like you're playing another third-person shooter. Mechanically, I think the reasoning was it makes your FCS selection matter more since you can't override the lock-on behavior with easy, convenient aiming. In all seriousness, using your middle fingers to do up/down looking was the way I and all my friends played back in the day. You get used to it after a while. In the PS1 era, before the Dualshock was standard, shoulder button up/down looking was the convention. The default controls in OG Medal of Honor were this way too, but that game had a toggle-able feature that aligned your aim with the angle of the ground you were walking on and also incorporated a lot of flat level design because they knew it was awkward. The fact that the PS1-era games used this control scheme isn't unusual for the time, but the fact that they made it necessary to look up/down often in order to complete missions and win arena fights, was.
I saw this video recommended to me before and I'm glad I saw someone take the time to analyze my favorite games from growing up. This series was my all-time PS2 favorite series, and I'm so glad I still own those games, thanks for taking the time to do a deep dive into the games, their lore, and definitely for nerding out about the mechs themselves!
Seeing how Miyazaki influenced the speed of combat in armored core I no longer wonder where the incredible innovations that made souls combat into bloodborne come from.
I was 11 when I first played Armored Core and I am genuinely tearing up. Not only did you do the deep research into the secrets but you experienced the excruciating painful controls first hand. That's true dedication and deserving of the title Nine Breaker!
it was part of the fun playing multiplayer split screen! its all we had in 1997!! we always played the nigh city map
@@mastergwaha yeah, the city map was the one to play in multiplayer. This video made me wonder if my friend didn't want to play AC because of the controls and not just because I was more experienced :P
No, me and Walt are nineballs, vAAti walked backwards like a coward, hense the backwards theme of AC6.
ball breaker
your Master of the Arena footage and narration was so nice. especially the thematic way you showed the horror of the final gauntlet. good shit!
This video is a treasure. I appreciate that you used old hardware and using the bunny hop technique. I remember buying AC on the PSX after reading game magazine articles previewing the japanese version. I got all the AC games up to Nexus. I hope AC6 will keep the core gameplay of the series.
Yet he didn't mention me, whos guide he used... no, he would rather LIE to you and walk backwards... ask NosAAc why?
The genuine terror I felt when you reached Nineball Seraph could be felt through the screen. Truly he is one to be feared, and he keeps coming BACK! They better add him to armored core 6.
I haven't played AC myself, but I've been meme'ing in my head in hopes that Nine Ball comes back in AC6 as well.
I've never played an AC game and I'm already afraid of Nineball Seraph. He'll probably be lurking in some long-forgotten cave waiting to kick my ass.
He even appeared in a different franchise to kick my ass lmao
Honestly it'd be great to have him as a first boss you're meant to lose to like other games From have done. It'd allow them to move onto new enemies and designs, while showing love for the older games.
This dude even follows you to another game franchise entirely! He shows up in Another Century's Episode R, theme song and all!
The scale of this video as a creative project is mind-boggling. Thank you for this beautiful, beautiful work of art.
It's great coming back to this video after playing AC VI: you can see how they went over the back catalogue and assembled an incredible game from all the best bits of previous games
I really hope this series gets ported to modern consoles/pc one day, these are really great games that I think many people would enjoy if they were easier to access
emulators are pretty damn easy to access, and if you want them to be, nigh indistinguishable from original hardware.
@@Just.Kidding only up to ac3 gen, 4 and onwards have lots of emulation problems
Kota Hoshino is From Software's audio guy, he was the lead sound designer in the souls games and most other things they put out. they've gone far too long without his music, but the PS2 and 3 eras are blessed with some of the best music in video games because of him.
He created yuka kitamura. why bother. when your prodigy is making one of the best music in Industry.
@@BloodyArchangelus Yuka Kitamura joined FromSoft before Demon Souls but she's classically trained as oppsed to Kota Hoshino's play by ear, that means at this point FreQuency has about 3 composers with Saitoh being with From Soft nearly since its inception probably when they were still a software company
@@lesslighterHoshino is back for AC6
@@BloodyArchangelusKota Hoshino is at his best when he's doing weird glitchy break-beat / electronic stuff like in the old AC games. Idk anyone else who does it quite like he does.
My favorite part of that Nine-Ball fight in the original game that you actually didn't see is that there are TWO Nine-Balls. After you escape into the ceiling and into the tunnel, there's just another one chilling and waiting for you. Check the radar during those clips like at 14:09 ; Vaati actually gets caught on the second Nine-Ball while flying backwards!
crazy fr
Did anyone beat Nineballs in AC 1 legitimately? And with original controller bind?
Yeah he didn't see it HAHAHAH luckily he didn't die
I have, but I was human plus with moo light and mgs. A lot of trial and error
@@Apple_Beshy nope.
the thing with these games is, the devs aren't afraid of throwing bullshit at you, so you shouldn't be afraid to throw bullshit at the game, what I did in AC 1 was to go into the hole, and then wait there for Nineball with my shoulder mounted plasma cannon, once he got in, five seconds of concentrated firepower, and then he was dead.
1:30:52 - That, that scene right there is the one I watched so many times it embedded itself in my mind forever. I was in love with AC when I was a kid, glad you enjoyed it as well.
I love so much passionate video like this doing a TRUE retrospective of old game license.
I watch it on two parts and it was a pleasure to watch. Calm voice and passionate, good flow. I got no trouble to understand you as non native speaker.
Keep going :D
50:00 this scene just breaks my heart, this kind of presentation is so powerful. Idk what it is, like Slam Dunk's silent victory in the manga's last chapter, it just fills you with immense emotions and there are no dramatic dialogues needed to convey the story and what the characters are feeling. It just presents itself silently(obviously, the ending in Nexus isn't completely silent but I hope I conveyed my point), idk why, but these kinds of endings are the ones that stick out the most for me.
Great video Vaati, I enjoyed it through and through. I'll definitely get into AC once I finish my DS challenge run.
Very true . Reminded me of the final halo reach mission. Inevitable but fantastic story conclusion wise
That was an amazing overview. As a longtime armored core fan - I couldn't have said better myself. I'm still in love with these games all these years later.
Thank you! I've stumbled upon a bit of your content, great stuff.
@@VaatiVidya Ahh man, that's a welcome surprise. Thanks.
I think it’s so cool you called your AC in Last Raven Vulture, because my machine in AC6 is called Ember Vulture, nice to see someone else had the same thought process
The menu music for Nexus just plays in my mind constantly since playing it. Thanks for the video as well Vaati! Armoured Core has become my new hyperfixation
The VA for Old King is amazing you can tell he's revelling in the death
That was some disturbing sh*t
He is also humming a song as you're destroying the cradles, and sounding happy about it too.
For real, he says “100.000.000” as if he just won 100.000.000 dollars
I didn't play this route in 4A and now I can only imagine Old King as the Count from Sesame Street.
@@ChillyReaper what people don't know what he's humming to is to the tune of Thinker from AC4 but hasnt memorized the lyrics (as par of the course) not sure why but thats the JP audio for the mission essentially
this is dedication
I had no intrest in Armored Core prior, but I was hooked through the whole video and I am truly impressed. I don't think I've seen someone deliver the feeling of enjoyment and admiration, I had chills without having any nostalgia connected to it. great job
I feel the same! I was indifferent about AC6 but now I'm actually pretty excited :D
Id also recommend Writing On Games video on the Armored Core games
Absolutely agree 👍👍👍
"I had chills" loll lmao even.
Wow, what a video. Your committment to the series is inspiring. Thank you for the nostalgia trip. I loved playing all of these games, and this brilliantly put together video really does the franchise justice and yourself credit. Thank you!
Did you even play the game? They mock him the entire way as NosAAc lol, follow me or check the missions with Unknown craFt... Gee, how come the great (scumbag) lore guy can't tell you that?
I have played every game here apart from the original AC. I don't know what you have against the creator, but surely you must appreciate how much effort went into this?
Btw, I make better videos, without sponsors, without snubbing the most well known Vet (Me) from back in the day. Again, I wonder why the fraud lore bard hasn't mentioned where the names Vespers/Arquebus comes from. He knows, the devs know (he's a scumbag thief), follow this scumbag fake all you want, he lies, and will 100% misdirect you. @@YorkshirePirate
He walked backwards in the original AC game, he edited the video and walked backwards, not realizing everyone knows a nineball will harash you if you skip them, he said he ran from them. Since he sucked, and I was literally a pro before youtube, it was easy to see he used my or a variation of my strategy, in my AC1 guide on GameFAQs. Check out my Silent Line FAQ, if you are wondering why the words silent and survey pop up a lot... just like my name. Any Wally too. @@YorkshirePirate
After seeing you go on this tremendous journey, I've decided to take it on myself. Recently finished Gen 1 and currently going through Armored Core 2, loving it so far. Awesome video as always Vaati!
Resident Armored Core nerd that grew up playing the series starting in 1999. Special note about AC2:
- Disorder Units are actually bio weapons so you can't lock onto them unless you use a radar and/or head part with a bio scanner.
- There was also a "secret" arena opponent that you missed who enters only after you kill Ares. Let's just say that he makes Ares look like a toddler fumbling around with toys.
- I don't recall seeing if you mentioned it but Human+ is a MASSIVE, hidden option for serious and permanent upgrades that the game requires you to die repeatedly for until you accrue a negative balance of -50,000. It never tells you about this, you can only do it a maximum of 7 times, and it also stops with AC2:AA (3 has something similar but it's gotten with totally different methods. Later entries remove it completely). Also, you can ONLY use it in AA if you first unlock it in AC2 and then transfer your save. Super simple, right? 🙃
All that said, I want to also give a special shoutout to Zinaida in Last Raven. To this day there hasn't been a single video game boss that made me struggle as much as her. Not Malenia, not Isshin, not Nineball. Ultimate Zinaida had me stuck for 2 weeks and I may need therapy.
Anyway, I THOROUGHLY enjoyed this. I'm so happy to see other people discover AC because there's truly nothing else like it.
op intensify?
To clarify the bio sensor on the radar detects them you need one on your head to lock on.
( Head radars can also have bio sensors which is separate from the bio sensor stat that lets you lock on.
To clarify the bio sensor on the radar detects them you need one on your head to lock on.
( Head radars can also have bio sensors which is separate from the bio sensor stat that lets you lock on.
@@CybersteelEx op-I is a part that can only be gotten after you beat the game so it's not quite the same as H+
Bro the evil cackling that came over me as you got to the *fourth* Nine-Ball fight with like 600 AP is indescribable. I remember struggling SO HARD in the AC games back in the days before even those massive ASCII Text-wall guides on GameFAQs. It's such a sadistic glee to see someone walk into these games blind in 2023 and experience the games I developed Stockholm Syndrome with back in my youth. I can't put into words how excited I am for this series to resurface
It makes me so happy seeing a lot of people discovering that they really like Armored Core, cheers Vaati
Did you figure out the secret lore in AC6? It's all about mocking vAAti, look at NosAAc, then follow me for more details.
vAAti is NosAAc, he stole from me, probably others... he isn't welcome as a Raven... it's literally the whole point of the game... wonder why that HACK didn't mention it.
Thank you Vaati for your dedication in sharing your experience with us. It really takes me back to this period where it felt like mech arena combat was quite popular in video games and on TV. Playing armoured core, and heavy gear on PC, and then watching the Heavy Gear show on Saturday morning cartoons, and also i think Zoids at the time. I would be interested to hear your thoughts on the multiplayer in the series to date and your speculation on multiplayer in AC6. Many thanks again Raven!
Vaati needs a Award and a gold medal for this marathon
Vaati shows us here that he's not just recognizable in the From Soft community, but also one of the most dedicated.
This was an amazing video about a game series that I never knew about. Thank you 😊
I really enjoyed this video. I like how you mentioned all the things I liked and enjoyed the most out of all these games. It was a great stroll down memory lane
The mission with Oldking in AC4A is messed up, but the lyrics to the song that plays really hammers your loss of any humanity whatsoever home. "Oh, I'm scary. So, I'm scary. All that I see. Now I'm scary." Actual masterpiece.
it’s crazy that there are so many of these games and I have NEVER heard of the series at all. thanks for introducing me to this really interesting series!
You never cared
@@luichinplaystation610 ?
@@rawrpopsicles ignore folks like him lmao AC was super niche and super difficult to get into, glad you'll get to experience it with AC6 which should be the best entry for newcomers ^_^ welcome to the community!
After careful consideration, I have decided to do the same Vaati. Experiencing the games before my time, relive memories and the struggles I had with this franchise as a kid in the early 2000s.
Watching this a second time, would like to say that this video does such a good damn job of prepping you for what this series is about, while also being incredibly entertaining and funny. Fantastic work
the karasawa rifle is pretty much the claymore equivalent of ac games, its on every game, its always a solid choice if you are unsure to what to use
Dark souls is truly the armoured core of dark souls
Armoured Core is the Dark Souls of FromSoft’s catalog
dark fantasy*
It really makes you feel like you are the core of the armoured core of dark souls.
What an unoriginal and cringe comment
Oh my god shut up
Armored Core For Answer, playing online on the xbox 360 for endless hours. Joining blade lobbies in the train map and giving a courtesy slash to ask if someone wants to 1v1 unreal. So many good memories
Started this video when it came out and I decided to play the games before watching it. Just finished for answer and it was an absolute blast. Totally agree with MoA, Last raven, and 4A being the stand-out games of the series! Thanks for helping me get into a franchise I should've played a long time ago :)
A
Massive props on completing these games, Vaati. You're indeed a true Raven.
6:20 Karasawa is basically the counterpart to the Moonlight
The L-99 Moonlight is said weapon, Karasawa is a reference to the producer and made it powerful and available is most game for that.
I love this. I played Armored Core 3 and expansions A LOT. Always beating arena and missions without caring so much about micro details and story. This is refreshing and gives me the nostalgia.
It's worth noting that in the final mission of AC4A's Hard Mode Genocide route, the fifth AC who comes to stop you is Kasumi Sumika, aka Serene Haze, aka your Operator. It's gut-wrenchingly tragic how your mentor-waifu who was by your side from the beginning, supporting you as you grew from a rookie into a precision machine of war, is now forced to kill you to prevent further human genocide.
It makes me so sad that I think I need some fresh Ayre... after choking on all the genocidal smoke... from the Fires of Raven...
The nostalgia this video gave me is beyond what I ever I thought I wanted and desperately needed! Reliving and reminiscing all those memories and dedication and the agonizing defeats and overwhelming victories to every AC game that ever came out, all I can say is thank you Vaati. This is exactly what we needed until AC6 comes out! Loved and cherish every min of this! Again thank you for this nostalgic masterpiece of an experience!
Obligatory mention that you can fully remap the controller in all the games with the old-style controls in their respective options menu, so you don't have to live with using the shoulders to look up, use the face buttons instead.
I mean, he knew that, he played with default controls on purpose.
Kota Hoshino makes some seriously good music. He was behind Lost Kingdoms 1 and 2's soundtrack too, and it really helps them fit into the Fromsoft Pantheon for me.
Never got to play many AC games, but always loved em. I appreciate this video so much and im honestly as excited for Rubicon as i was for Robotech and Custom Robo for gamecube. Lots of similarities which is drawing me to AC. Keep it up! You got a sub from me.