Software:Armored Core 2: Another Age

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Short description: 2001 video game
Armored Core 2: Another Age
North American cover art
Developer(s)FromSoftware
Publisher(s)
Producer(s)Toshifumi Nabeshima
Artist(s)Shōji Kawamori
Composer(s)Tsukasa Saitoh
SeriesArmored Core
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: April 12, 2001
  • NA: August 21, 2001
  • EU: September 27, 2002
Genre(s)Third-person shooter
Mode(s)Single player, multiplayer

Armored Core 2: Another Age is a 2001 third-person shooter mecha video game developed by FromSoftware for the PlayStation 2. It is the fifth entry in the Armored Core series and a direct sequel to Armored Core 2. A reboot of the series, Armored Core 3, was released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2.

Another Age is the final game in the original Armored Core continuity that began with 1997's Armored Core. Five years after Leos Klein's coup in Armored Core 2, the Earth government must contend with corporations rebuilding their influence and a rebel faction attempting to overthrow the existing regime.

Gameplay is extremely similar to Armored Core 2, changing few of the core mechanics. The Arena is removed from the game, making way for over 100 missions. Minor analog controller support has been added to the game along with a local cooperative mission mode. While only retained in the Japanese version, the game was notable for being the first game in the franchise to include online multiplayer.

Gameplay

Another Age's gameplay retains the core mechanics of its predecessor with a few minor changes. The game revolves around accepting missions from various corporations to earn credits for new parts for the player's Armored Core unit.[1] Like Project Phantasma and Master of Arena, Another Age acts as an expansion to Armored Core 2, though it can be played as a standalone title.[2] The Arena, a game mode added in Project Phantasma and recurring through the series, is absent from Another Age, giving way to a greater number of missions.[1] Whereas earlier games had a maximum of 50 missions, Another Age contains over 100, which remains the highest number of missions in a single game in the entire franchise.[3]

Analog support is added in the game but only allows for the left analog stick to be used for movement. While other games of the era allowed for look functionality on the right analog stick, Another Age retained the franchise's use of shoulder buttons to look around.[3][4]

Like its predecessors, the game includes a versus multiplayer mode that can be played in split screen or via a PlayStation I-Link Cable. An additional cooperative mission mode is included in the game that can only be played locally. In multiplayer modes, the second player can load their own personal Armored Core from a save on a second memory card.[5][1]

In Japan, Another Age introduces a broadband multiplayer option that allows players to fight each other of the internet, but the feature is not included in versions released in other territories. The removal was in part because the PlayStation Network Adapter had not yet been released outside of Japan.[6]

Plot

Five years after the coup attempt led by Leos Klein the Earth government struggles to realize one of its original objectives, relocating people from the underground cities to the Earth's surface. The three largest corporations, Zio Matrix, Emeraude, and Balena, fight for dominance following a massive loss of influence. The government attempts to keep the corporations in check, but the situation is made more complex by the involvement of a rebel group, the Indies, who engage both sides in an attempt to establish a new government.

The player character is a veteran Earth Raven working for all sides. Due to the coup and the Martian war, the government has set rules restricting the actions of Ravens. The government's major aim is to reclaim the surface completely, but its attention is forcefully shifted due to the actions of the Indies and the corporations. The player can choose missions relating to each city and location, including underground cities and surface locations.

The main final mission comes from Concord Corporation, the parent corporation of Nerves Concord, the successor of Ravens' Nest. In the mission, the player is sent to assist two Ravens against an unidentified Raven who, in a rampage, has attacked and killed multiple Ravens for reasons unknown. Though the enemy Raven's identity is not revealed in-game, the enemy is actually Nine-Ball, the final antagonist of both Armored Core (video game) and Software:Armored Core: Master of Arena. After the last mission, the player can unlock extra missions. Some of the extra missions take the player to the Lost Field, a location where the player first encounters Stinger, and then Phantasma, both antagonists of Software:Armored Core: Project Phantasma, and Nine-Ball Seraph, the final boss of Master of Arena.

Release

Armored Core 2: Another Age was initially released in Japan on April 12, 2001.[7] FromSoftware partnered with Agetec and released a North American version on August 21 the same year.[2] A European version was released in partnership with Metro3D on September 27, 2002.[3]

Reception

Reception
Aggregate score
AggregatorScore
Metacritic75/100[8]
Review scores
PublicationScore
Edge8/10[9]
EGM5/10[10]
Famitsu35/40[11]
Game Informer8.5/10[6]
GameProStarStarStarHalf star[4]
GameRevolutionB+[1]
GameSpot8/10[5]
GameZone8.7/10[3]
IGN7.8/10[2]
Next GenerationStarStarStarStar[12]
OPM (US)StarStarStarHalf star[13]
Maxim6/10[14]

Another Age received "generally favorable reviews" according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[8] In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of 35 out of 40.[11]

Reviewers praised the graphics and larger mission count in Another Age. GameRevolution's Shawn Sanders wrote "the mechs are still incredibly detailed" and concluded that the game looked "awesome".[1] GameSpot's Gerald Villoria noted that in adding the greater number of missions and optimizing the visuals, FromSoftware "improve[d] upon the already solid framework set by Armored Core 2."[5] GameZone added that with all of the added content, "there is still plenty to love here."[3]

Like previous games, reviewers found the gameplay to retain its quality. GameSpot's Villoria commented on the challenge that the game provided, saying: "The difficulty of the game is a testament to the game's stellar AI, which never fails to surprise with deft maneuvers that are at a nearly human level of unpredictability."[5]

The removal of the Arena mode drew much criticism from reviewers, all of whom said that its loss was disappointing. GameRevolution's Sanders said that the removal of the mode left him "bummed", while GameSpot's Villoria called it "disappointing".[1][5]

IGN's David Smith called Another Age "the best Armored Core expansion yet" but added that it was "in essence the same game."[2] Many reviewers wrote about the lack of innovation in the title, with GameZone writing that "there is very little that is different or new compared to the other titles in the series, so if you've played one before, don't expect to be blown away."[3] NextGen's Jim Preston wrote of the game, "Only lack of the promised online supports keeps this from earning five stars."[12]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Sanders, Shawn (September 6, 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age Review". CraveOnline. https://www.gamerevolution.com/review/33319-armored-core-2-another-age-review. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Smith, David (August 27, 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age". Ziff Davis. https://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/27/armored-core-2-another-age. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 immortal (October 22, 2001). "Armored Core 2 Another Age Review". http://ps2.gamezone.com/gzreviews/r18974.htm. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Star Dingo (August 20, 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age Review for PS2 on GamePro.com". GamePro (IDG Entertainment). http://www.gamepro.com/sony/ps2/games/reviews/16226.shtml. Retrieved December 16, 2018. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Villoria, Gerald (September 5, 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age Review [date mislabeled as "May 17, 2006""]. CBS Interactive. https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/armored-core-2-another-age/1900-2810552/. 
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Reiner, Andrew (October 2001). "Armored Core 2 [Another Age"]. Game Informer (FuncoLand) (102). http://www.gameinformer.com/Games/Review/200110/R03.0805.1238.31974.htm. Retrieved December 16, 2018. 
  7. ↑ "Armored Core 2: Another Age" (in ja). https://www.fromsoftware.jp/jp/detail.html?csm=017. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Armored Core 2: Another Age for PlayStation 2 Reviews". CBS Interactive. https://www.metacritic.com/game/armored-core-2-another-age/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2. 
  9. ↑ Edge staff (July 2002). "Armored Core 2: Another Age". Edge (Future Publishing) (112). 
  10. ↑ EGM staff (October 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age". Electronic Gaming Monthly (Ziff Davis) (147): 145. 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 "プレイステーション2 - ARMORED CORE 2 ANOTHER AGE" (in ja). Famitsu (Enterbrain) 915: 61. June 30, 2006. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Preston, Jim (November 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age". NextGen (Imagine Media) (83): 100. https://archive.org/details/NextGen83Nov2001/page/n101/mode/2up. Retrieved September 20, 2021. 
  13. ↑ "Armored Core 2: Another Age". Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine (Ziff Davis) (48). September 2001. 
  14. ↑ Boyce, Ryan (August 23, 2001). "Armored Core 2: Another Age". Biglari Holdings. http://www.maximonline.com/articles/review_videogames.asp?videogame_id=1163. 

Features

Edits and submissions to the site (including screenshots, box art, developer information, game summaries, and more) go through a verification process of fact-checking by volunteer "approvers".[2] This lengthy approval process after submission can range from minutes to days or months.[3] The most commonly used sources are the video game's website, packaging, and credit screens. There is a published standard for game information and copy-editing.[4] A ranking system allows users to earn points for contributing accurate information.[5]

Registered users can rate and review games. Users can create private or public "have" and "want" lists, which can generate a list of games available for trade with other registered users. The site contains an integrated forum. Each listed game can have its own sub-forum.

History

Logo used until March 2014

MobyGames was founded on March 1, 1999, by Jim Leonard and Brian Hirt, and joined by David Berk 18 months later, the three of which had been friends since high school.[6][7] Leonard had the idea of sharing information about computer games with a larger audience. The database began with information about games for IBM PC compatibles, relying on the founders' personal collections. Eventually, the site was opened up to allow general users to contribute information.[5] In a 2003 interview, Berk emphasized MobyGames' dedication to taking video games more seriously than broader society and to preserving games for their important cultural influence.[5]

In mid-2010, MobyGames was purchased by GameFly for an undisclosed amount.[8] This was announced to the community post factum , and the site's interface was given an unpopular redesign.[7] A few major contributors left, refusing to do volunteer work for a commercial website.{{Citation needed|date=June 2025} On December 18, 2013, MobyGames was acquired by Jeremiah Freyholtz, owner of Blue Flame Labs (a San Francisco-based game and web development company) and VGBoxArt (a site for fan-made video game box art).[9] Blue Flame Labs reverted MobyGames' interface to its pre-overhaul look and feel,[10] and for the next eight years, the site was run by Freyholtz and Independent Games Festival organizer Simon Carless.[7]

On November 24, 2021, Atari SA announced a potential deal with Blue Flame Labs to purchase MobyGames for $1.5 million.[11] The purchase was completed on 8 March 2022, with Freyholtz remaining as general manager.[12][13][14] Over the next year, the financial boost given by Atari led to a rework of the site being built from scratch with a new backend codebase, as well as updates improving the mobile and desktop user interface.[1] This was accomplished by investing in full-time development of the site instead of its previously part-time development.[15]

In 2024, MobyGames began offering a paid "Pro" membership option for the site to generate additional revenue.[16] Previously, the site had generated income exclusively through banner ads and (from March 2014 onward) a small number of patrons via the Patreon website.[17]

See also

  • IGDB – game database used by Twitch for its search and discovery functions

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sheehan, Gavin (2023-02-22). "Atari Relaunches The Fully Rebuilt & Optimized MobyGames Website". https://bleedingcool.com/games/atari-relaunches-the-fully-rebuilt-optimized-mobygames-website/. 
  2. ↑ Litchfield, Ted (2021-11-26). "Zombie company Atari to devour MobyGames". https://www.pcgamer.com/zombie-company-atari-to-devour-mobygames/. 
  3. ↑ "MobyGames FAQ: Emails Answered § When will my submission be approved?". Blue Flame Labs. 30 March 2014. http://www.mobygames.com/info/faq7#g1. 
  4. ↑ "The MobyGames Standards and Practices". Blue Flame Labs. 6 January 2016. http://www.mobygames.com/info/standards. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Miller, Stanley A. (2003-04-22). "People's choice awards honor favorite Web sites". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. 
  6. ↑ "20 Years of MobyGames" (in en). 2019-02-28. https://trixter.oldskool.org/2019/02/28/20-years-of-mobygames/. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Plunkett, Luke (2022-03-10). "Atari Buys MobyGames For $1.5 Million". https://kotaku.com/mobygames-retro-credits-database-imdb-atari-freyholtz-b-1848638521. 
  8. ↑ "Report: MobyGames Acquired By GameFly Media". Gamasutra. 2011-02-07. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/report-mobygames-acquired-by-gamefly-media. 
  9. ↑ Corriea, Alexa Ray (December 31, 2013). "MobyGames purchased from GameFly, improvements planned". http://www.polygon.com/2013/12/31/5261414/mobygames-purchased-from-gamefly-improvements-planned. 
  10. ↑ Wawro, Alex (31 December 2013). "Game dev database MobyGames getting some TLC under new owner". Gamasutra. https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/game-dev-database-mobygames-getting-some-tlc-under-new-owner. 
  11. ↑ "Atari invests in Anstream, may buy MobyGames". November 24, 2021. https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-11-24-atari-invests-in-anstream-may-buy-mobygames. 
  12. ↑ Rousseau, Jeffrey (2022-03-09). "Atari purchases Moby Games". https://www.gamesindustry.biz/atari-purchases-moby-games. 
  13. ↑ "Atari Completes MobyGames Acquisition, Details Plans for the Site's Continued Support". March 8, 2022. https://www.atari.com/atari-completes-mobygames-acquisition-details-plans-for-the-sites-continued-support/. 
  14. ↑ "Atari has acquired game database MobyGames for $1.5 million" (in en-GB). 2022-03-09. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/atari-has-acquired-game-database-mobygames-for-1-5-million/. 
  15. ↑ Stanton, Rich (2022-03-10). "Atari buys videogame database MobyGames for $1.5 million". https://www.pcgamer.com/atari-buys-videogame-database-mobygames-for-dollar15-million/. 
  16. ↑ Harris, John (2024-03-09). "MobyGames Offering “Pro” Membership". https://setsideb.com/mobygames-offering-pro-membership/. 
  17. ↑ "MobyGames on Patreon". http://www.patreon.com/mobygames. 
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