History YMMV / ArmoredCore

* EvenBetterSequel: With ''Project Phantasma'', ''Another Age'' and ''[[BizarroEpisode Nine Breaker]]'' as exceptions, the sequel game to each new "generation" of the series tends to be the more refined and better experience. ''Master of Arena'' would have the most balanced of the [=PS1=] trilogy and the most in-depth Arena in the series, ''Silent Line'' would improve upon ''3'''s parts, design and challenge with actual difficulty compared to the relative ease players had with the predecessor, ''Last Raven'' was a refined shot of adrenaline after ''[[ContestedSequel Nexus]]'' controversially revised various mechanics, ''For Answer'' would basically be everything ''4'' wanted to be and then some, and ''Verdict Day'' ended up much the same to ''V''.

** BrokenBase: The one that still spark controversies all over the discussion is the inclusion of the [[AntiFrustrationFeatures Human Plus feature]] and the games that gives the players the access to it. Many players (especially veterans) treats the system as a crutch that trivializes most of the game that includes it, citing that the games aren't necessities the use of Human Plus and owe to the defender's frustration to poor gameplay. Defenders of the features however criticizes the developers for locking most of the features in an arbitrary crutch mechanic that should have been there by default, like not having to kneel to fire most of the available back weapons without using tank treads. The developers seems to listen to the latter as players are now have access to some Human Plus features from 4 onward, including the aforementioned shoulder-mounted weapon perks.

* PolishedPort: ''3'', ''Silent Line'' and ''Last Raven'' were all ported to the UsefulNotes/PlaystationPortable, where they suffer a bit from the lack of L2/R2 buttons and a second analog method, but are still fully playable with some effort. Extra parts and fights were also added to these versions, as was being able to import your AC from the first two games into ''Last Raven'' unlike the [=PS2=] entries. While most fans would recommend the originals, they're absolutely playable and admirable porting work.

** Let's see... Stinger from ''Project Phantasma'', The Frighteners from ''2'', the Massive MT and the {{Bonus Boss}}es from ''Another Age'', Leviathan and Ofanim in ''3'', Big White and IBIS from ''Silent Line'', Agraya, Genobee and [[spoiler:Nine Ball]] from ''Nexus'', Nine Ball from ''Nine Breaker'', Nine Ball from ''any game he appears in'', Zinaida (On the Last Raven path) and the Pulverizers from ''Last Raven'', take your freaking pick.

* HarsherInHindsight: Poor, poor RD. His only wish is to survive the whole big conflagration that is the Resistance vs. Father war. His big sister figure makes fun of him, his allies only think he's useful because of his sixth sense, and nobody pays him any attention. Small wonder when the Corporation offered him a chance of survival and an AC of his own while telling him that he's special, RD promptly tries to kill you. In the end, after you defeat him for the last time:
--> "They told me I'm special...I don't want to die!"

** ''Silent Line'''s story hinges on the corporations, who are typically anal-retentive about the smallest details in their work and operations of trying to outplay each other, [[spoiler:[[FailedASpotCheck completely failing to realize]] that they've ''never'' met the representative of the Artificial Intelligence Office and only kept getting messages the entire time just like you.]] This is after enough suspicious {{Foreshadowing}} has occurred for players to draw their own conclusions, especially if they played ''Master of Arena'' before thanks to the WholePlotReference.

* BestLevelEver: Each game has their own memorable levels and bosses.

** Sol Dios Orbit in ''For Answer''... unless you're playing on hard mode.

* SugarWiki/VisualEffectsOfAwesome: As far as this [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09L_WZQr9Nc&feature=related trailer]] is concerned, {{Video Game 3D Leap}}s are easy.
** The opening cinematics for every game are usually pretty jaw-dropping for the time they were released, and, arguably starting with ''Armored Core 3'', continue to look awesome to this day.

* ItsTheSameNowItSucks: One of the most common points of critique seen in reviews of the franchise- besides the often steep learning curve- is how similar all the main games are to each other, what with the majority of entries being [[MissionPackSequel Mission Pack Sequels]], and even new numbered entries following a strict formula which has been omnipresent in the series since [[VideoGame/ArmoredCore1 the first game]], especially with regards to the plotlines and the gameplay loop. This is not as common with post-''VideoGame/ArmoredCore4'' entries, which started shaking up the formula a bit more. The fanbase is a lot more forgiving in this regard, sometimes to the point of leading to the [[TheyChangedItNowItSucks opposite reaction]] whenever a new entry is announced with newly added/removed features.

* {{Narm}}: In ''Armored Core 2'', the briefer for Emeraude [[TrrrillingRrrs rreally likes trrilling his R's for some rreason]]. It's [[WhatTheHellIsThatAccent harrd to tell what kind of accent he's trrying to prresent]] (though going by [[BilingualBonus the name of the company,]] prrobably Frrench), which also makes it harrd to take him serriously sometimes. The rest of the voice acting isn't much better, particularly Boyle's infamous death transmission sounding less like the ominous recognition of your skill that it's supposed to be, and more like someone trying to remember a co-worker's name.

** ''Formula Front'' is often not looked on very positively entirely because the game takes the strangest option of helping program an A.I. for your Armored Core so ''it'' can do the piloting instead, or for really doing anything all that interesting on its own. Notably, the later revisions actually let you [[AuthorsSavingThrow take manual control]], but it ended up being NoExportForYou, rendering all but the most avid of importer players not exactly wanting to give it a try as a result. For those that do manage to get past all of this, though, it's otherwise a game filled with Arena battles to the brim, which is perfect for those into that part of the series.