Vast improvement, if you're gonna get a Mech game, this game is required to be in your library.
In the origional games of the series, moving, turning and aiming was a hassle!!! Now, they changed the controls into a first person shooter style scheme. Unfortunatelly, a lot of their formulas collide with each other on the controller, so it doesn't play like a shooter. Sega and Software also removed some of the extreme managment or Radiators and energy management. The removed the radiators all together and added Stability and Tuning upgrades. Making the mech is also easier, the specs of parts are cut down a lot of specifics so you just have to look quickley when making a decision. The amount of parts of course, do not dissapoint. Now lemme hold your hand in making the AC: First you pick the base, which is the head, core, arms, legs, FCS (Fire control system, this helps you aim), and the generator. Next are the booster, side boosters, back boosters, overboost and main boosters (They added something called Quick Boost, this really increases the already fast gameplay of the game). Next are the weapons, Left and right arm and back weapons, shoulder weapons and hanger weapons (which are backups). Next are stability, this simply changes how your mech responds to controls, how they turn, how they boost and how they move. You can do this manually or let the computer do it itself. Next comes tunning, this uses Chips called FRS memory, this is sort of an RPG type thing that increases specific partws of your mechs performances. They also changed the forumal of boosting from previous Armored Cores. Now, if you don't stop boosting, you WILL die. On that note, they removed the hassle of worrying about energy... for the most part. When boosting horizontally, or on the ground, you do not lose energy. You only lose enery when flying vertically, using energy weapons of use overboost. As well your energy never bottoms out, so you don't wait like a sitting duck. They also added a shield, a very neat addition to the game. The shield is made of a new technology, Kojima technology. It uses Kojima Particles to greatly hinder the attack power of weapons, it also adds cool effects around your AC when recharging or getting shot. It's a form of radiation, so in some missions you won't be able to use your Primal Armor (that is what the shield is called) so that you don't causde massive radiation poisoning to the people. Now then, we reviewed building mechs and new features and the removal of olde features. Now onto the most important part ONLINE MULTIPLAYER! First off, the maps are just fine, I don't know why people complain. It's lag free and practically flawless, very simple gametypes though, nothing special... Deathmatch and team deathmatch. I only have one problem, it is that multiplayer is like playing rock, paper, sissors. You have to pray the next person(s) you verse are weak to your weapons, have low AP, low PA, crappy weapons, or anything like that. You basically have to get lucky whith the people you play, because the weapons are NOT BALANCED WELL, you hafta be lucky, as I've said before. That's all for gameplay I suppose... Oh, wait, the story... It's ok, you could follow it better than any other Armored Core game. But some missions are ridiculously easy but some... are ridiculously hard. Now graphics. They are also extremely improved... VERY much improved. Of course, it's not Gears of War, but not bad... Some textures are silly and some views or landscapes are just bland. But they are certainly not bad... (The explosions are SWEET)
The sound, it isn't special, but it isn't bad. It lets you hear what you need from where, especially when you're getting screwed up!
Final Word:
If you're gonna get a game that goes 700+ Kilometers per hour, this should be it. This game is well polished and really will take you in, it will easily take up hours of gameplay just finding the perfect AC. Trading online is also fun. Gameplay is solid, it looks good and always brings you into the game no matter what you're doing. I advise you to pick this game up... AT LEAST rent it for a week or two. (AT LEAST)