The fifth installment installment in FromSoftware's Armored Core series, released in 2001 for the Playstation 2.
It's been five years since Leos Klein's failed coup on Mars, and the political situation on Earth is...tense, to say the least. The Earth Government has applied heavy sanctions to leading corporations Emeraude and Zio Matrix for their attempt to overthrow the LCC, while Balena escaped mostly unscathed but was put firmly in the crosshair of the big two now that its dealings with the government have been made public. This has not deterred any of the corporations from secretly building up their military might to counter the Earth Government's growing influence. Further adding fuel to the fire is that the citizens of the underground complexes are increasingly frustrated by the slow pace of surface resettlement and perceive the government as neglecting them. Rallying under the banner of the "Indies", many of these citizens have started revolting and actively sabotaging corporate and government assets alike.
It's a terrible time to be a working stiff...and an amazing time to be a mercenary.
A Mission-Pack Sequel to Armored Core 2, Another Age puts the biggest focus on Mission gameplay since the original game, adding 100 missions (92 single-player and 8 co-op) set all over Earth. Rather than placing the player through a mostly-linear storyline, you're presented with a Point-and-Click Map divided in a series of Hexagons representing various regions. Completing a certain number of missions in each region unlock further regions, which you can wander in the order of your choice. As a result of this non-linear structure, the game has no real storyline, though there is some Worldbuilding and subtle recurring plot threads.
Another Age serves as the finale to the original Armored Core timeline. The next game, Armored Core 3, is a Continuity Reboot.
The game provides examples of:
- All There in the Manual: Many of the Ravens you fight are only named in the Japanese strategy guide.
- A Winner Is You: After defeating Antares, you get a message thanking you for playing the game and the credits.
- Dual Boss:
- The mission "Eliminate Raven" has you take on three Ravens at the same time, setting the template for later game's missions like "Marche Aux Supplices and Occupation of Arterias Carpal.
- The final mission has you take on both Antares and Carlyle (pilot of the cover AC) at the same time.
- Mission-Pack Sequel: Perhaps the most literal application of this trope in Armored Core's history, as the game makes no major gameplay changes and additions and its main selling point is adding a lot of missions. It doesn't even have an arena.
- New Neo City: One of the region is named New Isaac. An Isaac City was the main underground complex depicted in the original Armored Core.
- Old Save Bonus: You can transfer your garage and money by loading a save from Armored Core 2. This is mandatory if you want to make use of Human Plus.
- Playing Both Sides:
- A recurring theme in most region's arc is some party hiring you to cause a problem a faction, and then that faction hiring you to cover the problem you caused them. One example is Antares hiring you to take out the security complement at the orbital elevator, only for the Earth Government to hire you to take out Antares.
- Balena is the main weapon contractor for the Earth Government, but it also supplies weapons to the Indies.
- Legacy Boss Battle: Unlocked after beating the main storyline is the Lost Fields region, which contains three missions successively pitting you against Vixen, Stinger's Phantasma form and Nine-Ball Seraph.
- Levels Take Flight: "Airborne Attack" has you drop on a fleet of airships. You have to destroy them one by one, being careful to not drop with the one you just blew up.
- Superboss: Nine-Ball Seraph, the final post-game boss. This also makes him the absolute final fight of the entire first continuity of Armored Core; an appropriate position, given the AC's importance to the previous games.
