Line #37 VideoGame/ArmoredCoreVerdictDay


1	[[quoteright:721:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/screenshot_20240306_070253.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:721:To secure peace is to prepare for war.]]
3
4	''Armored Core: Verdict Day'' is the fifteenth game in the ''VideoGame/ArmoredCore'' franchise by Creator/FromSoftware and is the sequel to 2012's ''VideoGame/ArmoredCoreV''. It was published by Creator/BandaiNamcoEntertainment for Platform/XBox360 and Platform/PlayStation3 in September 2013.
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6	[[TimeSkip Countless years]] have passed and the events of ACV have been consigned to forgotten history. The pollution has cleared, but what should be a celebration of humanity's revival is turning into a prelude for a new apocalyptic war. Across the land, countless structures known as Towers remain from times past, so massive that their interiors are still not fully mapped, but stocked full of valuable Lost Technology. Eager to dominate the new world, the Three Great Factions prepare to battle for the Towers and the unpolluted lands: the wealthy Sirius Executives, the dictatorial Venide, and the inquisitive Ever Green Family, setting the stage for what will come to be known as the "[[TitleDrop Verdict War]]".
7
8	''Verdict Day'' continues the gameplay set by ''Armored Core V'' and offers a number of tweaks. A large number of new parts and new part types have been added. Existing parts have also been rebalanced and renamed. The game introduces the UNAC system, which allows the player to program their own unmanned Armored Cores for use on the battlefield.
9	----
10	!!The game provides examples of:
11
12	* AIIsACrapshoot: [[spoiler:Zigzagged.]] It's averted with the [=UNACs=] [[spoiler:at first. The trope then appears to be played straight when they start going rogue but it's averted again when it turns out that they were following the Foundation's orders all along.]]
13	* AllThereInTheManual: The game's backstory is thoroughly explained in both the in-game manual and pre-release news. The artbook also has a lot of information, but it's a case of NoExportForYou.
14	* ArtificialHuman: J. WordOfGod is that he's a Cultivater, an artificial human cloned from pilots throughout history of great skill.
15	* BadassBoast: J gives one near the end, where he promises to kill the victor of a match between two formidable AC pilots. It's clear that he's confident that he can take on the victor.
16	* BadassFamily: The Fischer family. Both Dave and Natalie are experienced AC pilots and their son, Marcus, is following them in their footsteps. Dave and Marcus are encountered and killed quite early, [[spoiler:[[CrusadingWidow which prompts Natalie to hire a mercenary and attempt to ambush you much later on.]]]]
17	* BattleIntro: Appears with nearly every AC fight. The AC will appear, they'll say a few things, and the game will give a quick heads-up on who they are.
18	* TheBerserker: The mercenary Jack. Just watch his intro.
19	-->'''Jack''': Crush crush crush crush crush!
20	* BigBad: The Foundation Man changes the stalemate between the three factions by [[spoiler:turning their own [=UNACs=] against them and unleashing lost technology from the towers, sowing chaos across the world]]. What's worse, [[spoiler:Reaper Squad are effectively his subordinates, and carry out his secondary objective of eliminating potential AC pilots]].
21	* BlackBox: The Towers, massive [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin towers]] that contain mysterious LostTechnology. No one knows where they come from or who built them.
22	-->'''Fatman''': The Towers, huh? They're a mystery too.
23	* BlackComedy: You and Erik are hired on a mission [[spoiler:to repel wave after wave of Sirius [=UNACs=] gone rogue]]. How does Maggy react when Erik is defeated and seemingly killed?
24	-->'''Maggy''': Oh no. Nothing to draw their fire now.
25	* BloodKnight: Plenty of characters. Many soldiers even become mercenaries because their superiors give them boring orders.
26	* BoisterousWeakling: A lot of weak AC pilots have a tendency to boast despite not having the power to actually back it up.
27	* BossBonanza: Story Mission: 08 has you fight multiple [[spoiler:Reaper Squad]] [=ACs=] in a series of consecutive fights.
28	* BribingYourWayToVictory: You can buy DLC to unlock parts, workshops, emblems, and easily get reliable [=UNACs=].
29	* BullfightBoss: Some of the Foundation weapon bosses have deadly charges that can take out [=ACs=] in two hits.
30	* ButtMonkey: Erik. He's the bipedal AC in the Workshop's test battles so you can beat him up all you want. In the story, he gets his ass handed to him in a curb-stomp battle against... standard military [=UNACs=]. According to his [=VoW=] profile, [[IronButtmonkey he actually survived that mission]].
31	--> '''Erik:''' You just sit back and let me show you the difference between man and machine.\
32	''[Later on]''\
33	'''Erik:''' This can't be happening! No! I can't let these rust buckets kill me! ''[Gets kicked by a UNAC]''
34	* ChewingTheScenery: The Foundation Man whenever he gets riled up.
35	* CliffHanger: The ending. [[spoiler:The Foundation and Reaper Squad have been defeated but the war between the Three Forces is ongoing and the Foundation Man has made it so that the unmanned weapons will continue to fight even with his demise.]]
36	* CoolOldGuy: Again, those from since Fatman's time. Fatman himself is over 60 by the time the story starts.
37	* CrapsackWorld: As is expected of an ''Armored Core'' game. A hundred years have passed since ''Armored Core V'' and the world is still at war. [[spoiler:As it's heavily implied to be the same world as ''4'' and ''For Answer'', it's a bigger crapsack than it initially appears.]]
38	* TheComputerIsACheatingBastard: Surprisingly [[spoiler:mostly]] averted. Unlike in previous games, AC enemies in ''Verdict Day'' don't get any special advantages. [[spoiler:The sole exception is Maggy in Story Mission: 09, where she gets to fight one more time despite being already defeated once.]]
39	* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: Many of the stronger mercs and Reaper Squad are famed in-story to be invincible. Naturally, you get to kick their asses as the story progresses.
40	* TheDragon: J to the Foundation Man.
41	* TheDreaded: Reaper Squad. They appear out of nowhere to cause chaos and are pretty much unstoppable.
42	* EndOfAnEra: For the mercenaries. The world is now ruled by the Three Forces, so the neutral mercs now find themselves ostracized by the Three Forces for refusing to take sides. The rising number of AC kill missions have also dwindled their numbers.
43	--> '''Caspar Dunbar:''' I guess the days we could make a living as mercenaries are over, huh?\
44	'''Sammy Germain:''' That's not something anyone can dictate. Same goes for life and death.
45	* EvilLaugh: The Foundation is just plain LaughingMad. J, on the other had (at least, in the Japanese version) gives out a little sinister chuckle at the end of Story Mission: 08.
46	* EvilSoundsDeep: In the Japanese version, Reaper Squad's D and J.
47	* FaceHeelTurn: After Story Mission: 07, [[spoiler:Maggy]] leaves you and Fatman to go join the Foundation. She returns as a Reaper out to get your head.
48	* FamousAncestor: Averted with Maggy. Maggy being a direct descendant of Francis Batty Curtis would give her clout at EGF but it never comes up since Fran didn't even know of the EGF's existence and thus never told her descendants about her connection with the EGF's forebearers. Maggy instead joined the EGF as a soldier and rose in the ranks thanks to her natural talent as an AC pilot, something which Fran did not possess.
49	* FantasyCounterpartCulture: WordOfGod is that Sirius represents America, Venide represents Europe, and the Ever Green Family represents Asia.
50	* FourIsDeath: The Reaper Squad has four members: D, K, N and their leader, J. [[spoiler:Maggy eventually joins them as "M", but by the point you actually fight her, D, K and N are already dead.]]
51	* FunWithAcronyms:
52	** [=UNACs=] - '''UN'''manned '''A'''rmored '''C'''ores.
53	** EGF - '''E'''ver '''G'''reen '''F'''amily.
54	** [=VoW=] - '''V'''oice '''o'''f '''W'''ar.
55	%% ** One that was only revealed in [[AllThereInTheManual supplementary materials]] is the full name of J's Armored Core: [=N-WGIX=] - [[spoiler:[=NEXT=]- White Glint, model [=IX=].]] No such piece of information in the game's only artbook so this should be more precisely sourced.
56	* FutureImperfect: Enough time has passed that not only are the events of ''Armored Core V'' half-remembered [[spoiler:with the events of ''4'' and ''For Answer'' all but forgotten]]. Few if any even know what many of the continents and placenames being fought over were originally called. North America is known as the "North Frontier", for instance.
57	* GameBreakingInjury: Part of Maggy's backstory. During her days as "Blue Magnolia", she was a talented AC pilot said to be unstoppable on the battlefield. However, she eventually ran into a Reaper who proceeded to kick her ass. Not only was it her first and only defeat, but the loss of her left arm rendered her incapable of piloting an AC ever again.
58	* GodIsEvil: In the "Dark Raven" legend. The "God" that's trying to "save" mankind is actually the same AIs as Chief and Carol from ''Armored Core V''.
59	* GrayAndGrayMorality: Just like the previous entries in the series, there's really no "good" side here given how it's a CrapsackWorld. The Three Forces are warring for control, and the mercenaries just fight to survive. [[spoiler:That said, the Foundation is definitely a "Black" carrying the same elimination objective as ''Armored Core V''[='=]s Corporation.]]
60	* TheGrimReaper: This is the Reaper Squad's theme. J appears to take it to heart.
61	-->'''J''': And when I have my champion, I will kill them. I am the Reaper, after all.
62	* HardModePerks: One of the options in Hard Mode gives you a massive damage boost that makes the game way easier than harder. It's entirely possible to win the mode with a junk AC. Said option happens to be the most picked by players, as seen in the Master of Mercenaries listing.
63	* HiddenDepths: Fatman may seem like a carefree bag of fun but as one of the oldest combatants still active, he is much, much more insightful than he looks. He has a firm grasp of the conspiracy at play and repeatedly gives helpful advice. [[spoiler:His final talk with Maggy also implies that despite his appearance, he's already [[SadClown exhausted]] by the endless warring in the setting]].
64	* HumansAreBastards: How the Foundation Man sees things. He even predicts that humanity will bring about its own downfall.
65	* ICanStillFight: Said word-for-word by Reaper M in Story Mission: 09, even as her AC is on the verge of exploding at that point.
66	* InsultBackfire: Happens in a quick exchange between Fatman and J. In the Japanese version, J doesn't mind the insult and even laughs about it. In the English version, he takes it seriously.
67	-->'''J:''' I am the Reaper after all.
68	-->'''Fatman:''' You are not right in the head.
69	-->'''J:''' And what is wrong with that?!
70	* IOweYouMyLife: The case between Severin and Wanda. Severin was about to be executed when Wanda bursted in and (unintentionally) saved him. As a result of her saving his life, he's utterly devoted to acting as her shield, even though she doesn't care one iota about him.
71	* {{Irony}}: Sirius and the EGF, two factions that had their roots from [[HeterosexualLifePartners Rosary and Fran]] respectively, are waging bloody war against one another.
72	* LargeHam: A few characters here and there but the Foundation Man takes the cake.
73	* LaughingMad: The Foundation Man starts cackling in the final mission as he leads you you into a false sense of security as you bring down [[spoiler:J's N-WGIX]] for the first time.
74	--> '''Foundation Man:''' No! It can't be! [Beat] Ahahahahah! Is that what you wanted me to say? Hahahaha! All is proceeding as planned! Muahahahaha!
75	* LegendaryInTheSequel: Downplayed. The player character of ''Armored Core V'' is now known as the first Dark Raven, a harbinger of death and destruction who opposed "God"; however, it's rarely brought up and only a few people seem to actually know about the tale.
76	* {{Leitmotif}}:
77	** Maggy's is "Blue Magnolia".
78	** Reaper Squad's is "Vendetta".
79	** J's is "Mechanized Memories", a remix of "Remember" from ''Armored Core: For Answer''.
80	** Exusia returns as a Special Sortie boss and once again has "STAIN" for its boss theme, this time as a creepy remix by the name of "STAIN - A Perfect Day".
81	** The Spirit Class Moving Fortress has "The Mother Will Comes Again", a remix of "The Spirit of Motherwill" from ''For Answer''.
82	* LightningBruiser:
83	** Any AC with the needed speed, defenses, and firepower.
84	** The FinalBoss is also one. [[spoiler:N-WGIX is fast, hits hard, and has way more health than even the most AP-heavy [=ACs=].]]
85	* LikeADaughterToMe: Pretty much the relationship between Fatman and Maggy. It's even noted that Maggy's young enough to be Fatman's daughter.[[note]]Maggy is 25 while Fatman is 62[[/note]]
86	* LostTechnology: The Foundation has access to plenty of this from The Towers. [[spoiler:The full name of J's mech, revealed in artbooks, heavily implies that the Towers are in fact either the landed or crashed remains of the Cradles from the era of ''[=AC4=]'' and ''For Answer''. It's never outright stated, however, leaving it open to interpetation.]]
87	* LuckilyMyShieldWillProtectMe: Shields have been reintroduced. Thanks to the game's defense mechanics, they are viable weapon choices and are heavily used in the online multiplayer.
88	* MilitaryMaverick: A number of mercenaries you fight are former soldiers who started disobeying orders.
89	* MissionControl: Fatman and Maggy serve as yours. [[spoiler:Near the end, Maggy leaves and you're left with just Fatman.]]
90	* MotiveRant: Happens here and there, usually involving characters related to either Reaper Squad or the Foundation or both.
91	* MythologyGag: Between the two phases of his boss fight, J paraphrases a line from [[spoiler:[[VideoGame/ArmoredCore4 Joshua O'Brien]]]], who is heavily implied to have been at least one of his genetic templates.
92	-->'''[[spoiler:Joshua]]''': Hey, I guess there's little need for words.
93	-->'''J''': Enough words. They are meaningless now.
94	* {{Nerf}}: This game reuses all of the parts and weapons found in ''VideoGame/ArmoredCoreV'', but some were tweaked with.
95	** Shotgun pellets are drastically reduced in power and serve more of a stagger tool.
96	** Jammers are made less effective to prevent stacking them up and recreating situations where enemy [=ACs=] just couldn't budge.
97	** HEAT Cannon muzzle velocity has been reduced to where they are slower than Battle Rifles (which are already low on the list).
98	** [[InfinityPlusOneSword The X00 MOONLIGHT Laser Blade]] has been given a much longer swing interval, effectively limiting its huge damage output.
99	* NeverFoundTheBody: M. [[spoiler:One of the post-mission news reveals that her body was not found in the wreckage of her AC.]]
100	* NoNameGiven:
101	** As usual for an ''Armored Core'' game, the player character's name is supplied by the player, so other characters just call him "mercenary." The game's opening cutscene even refers to him as "a lone mercenary".
102	** The Foundation Man is never given a name. In fact, "Foundation Man" is just what the [=VoW=] reports call him.
103	* NoOneCouldSurviveThat: Part of the reason Erik is so popular with clients is his miraculous ability to cheat death. Goes hand in hand with his status as the designated punching bag.
104	* OldMaster: Daiji Shinjin, the leader of the Iron Path mercenary group and its founder. He's one of the few characters whose [=VoW=] profile doesn't give an age, and attacks you several missions after you killed members of the Iron Path.
105	--> '''Daiji Shinjin:''' You! You're the one who killed my disciples! You will pay for rousing these old bones!
106	* OldSoldier: Some of the best AC pilots are already quite old, especially those who have once fought under Fatman's wing. Fatman himself is 62 and still goes around the battlefield towing your AC between missions.
107	* OminousLatinChanting: Some of the tracks in the soundtrack, especially those which are remixes of tracks from ''For Answer''.
108	* OmnicidalManiac: The Foundation Man.
109	* OnlyKnownByTheirNickname: Much like the Ravens of old ''AC'' games, AC pilots and Storkers usually go by callsigns; for example, Maggy (full name Magnolia Curtis) went by "Blue Magnolia".
110	* OrderVsChaos: The Dark Raven legend, where God represents Order, and the Dark Raven represents Chaos.
111	* OutOfFocus: Ultimate Weapons in Story Mode, where they aren't mentioned or seen even once.
112	* PreAsskickingOneLiner: Some of the [[BattleIntro Battle Intros]] count, coupled with BadassBoast.
113	* PrepareToDie: Happens twice in Story Mission: 09. [[spoiler:Once with Maggy (or "M" by this point in the game), and another with the Foundation Man. Both times they are referring to you.]]
114	-->'''M:''' Now it's time. Time for you to die.\
115	'''Foundation Man:''' There's nobody left worth mentioning except for you. And now, it's your turn to die.
116	* RankScalesWithAsskicking: J, the leader of the Reaper Squad. Two years before the events of the game, he defeated the unstoppable Blue Magnolia and gave her a traumatizing GameBreakingInjury. [[spoiler:In the final story mission, he's the FinalBoss and is the strongest Story Mode enemy by far.]]
117	* ReassignedToAntarctica: Ray Shark used to be an ace pilot for the EGF. He was so powerful that his superiors feared that he would usurp them so they had him promoted to a position where he'd rarely ever see combat. Being a BloodKnight, he left the EGF and became a merc for this reason.
118	* RuinsOfTheModernAge: Scattered across the vast wastelands are the crumbling ruins of old cities and military bases, while the great Towers loom overhead.
119	* RuleOfSymbolism: M's AC loses its left arm during the second fight against it, reflecting not only her gradual defeat but also [[spoiler:how Maggy lost her actual left arm before the start of the game.]]
120	* SadClown: Fatman has a joyful and carefree attitude in spite of living in a CrapsackWorld, but there are hints that he isn't as happy as he seems.
121	-->'''Fatman''': All I've known my whole life is war, and this whole time all I've done is watch others like you throw your lives away on the battlefield.
122	* SniperDuel: Entirely possible to do with sniper builds.
123	* SocialDarwinist: The founder of Venide, Cesar Venide, came back from the Towers with the mindset that the weak must die and only the strong survive, and subsequently transformed the organization into a major superpower that's both brutally dictatorial and highly militarized. By the time he died, rather than name a member of his family as successor, Cesar passed leadership onto one of his officers who would carry his ideals, and purged his own family when they protested. This unique line succession is on-brand with Venide's belief of power and skill prevailing over any form of pedigree.
124	* SphereOfDestruction: Available to some of the mechs. One example is the FinalBoss, [[spoiler:N-WGIX, which uses NEXT tech like Assault Armor.]]
125	* StealthSequel: [[spoiler:The appearances of elements of the ''4'' universe (in particular a Spirit of Motherwill Arms Fort and the N-WGIX being at least based on White Glint) and the ''Forgotten Day'' text story strongly imply that ''5'' and ''Verdict Day'' are actually set in the distant future of the ''Armored Core 4'' universe.]]
126	* {{Superboss}}: The Unindentified Weapons featured in World Mode, a mechanic that returns from ''V''[='=]s own defunct online mode, are meant to be fought with an entire team, making them appropriately difficult. Each of them is tied to the territories of the factions you didn't enlist for the active season, and are only fought if your Special Sortie (which is made available by completing 6 normal sorties) doesn't match you with an enemy player team, or if you wait for the end of the season's grace period (during which all territory bosses are made available for a limited time).
127	** The ''Spirit''-class Moving Fortress fought in the South Frontier is a LegacyBossBattle that takes from ''For Answer''[='=]s ''Spirit of Motherwill'' Arms Fort. Much like the original fight, your approach towards the fortress consists of avoiding the missiles and laser cannons that try to eliminate you from afar. Once you reach the base of the fortress, you still have to climb it up to destroy the cannons and missile launchers while being pursued by Hellkite [=ACs=] and even more missiles. Because of the sheer amount of targets required to destroy to complete the sortie, you'll likely throw your lot with KE and CE weapons that boast a high ammo count.
128	** The Grey Lotus, a very beefy floating boss on its own, is fought in Mission 07 of the story mode, but in World Mode, you fight ''four'' of them in the Middle East territory. The mini-drones that normally distract you in story mode now actively attack you and deal increased damage, and the Grey Lotus's ramming attack can typically oneshot lighter [=ACs=]
129	** The South Islands are home to the To-605 automatons, and you fight two of each variant (A, D and S, with S being a sniper variant exclusive to World Mode) for a total of six bosses on a single map.
130	** The North Frontier Special Sortie pits you against five Scavenger-type unmanned weapons (one Scavenger, two Hunters and two Predators) on the Galef Plant map. The Hunters will perch themselves atop the tower to snipe you while the three other units will bullrush you, necessitating a divide-and-conquer strategy to manage the close-range combatants and distract the snipers.
131	** The [=LiV=], or "Lady in Vortex", is the small, but deadly humanoid unmanned weapon of the Mid-Continent combat zone. Not only is she extremely agile and liberally fires an array of lasers and homing missiles, but her jammer is very effective, requiring your team to build their [=ACs=] with parts that have high jamming resistance.
132	** A red-and-black variant of Exusia, who was the final boss of ''V'', is featured as the boss of the Far East combat zone. Not only is its health close to a ''million'' AP (900,000 AP, to be exact), but its focused laser beam and lunge attacks spell doom for lightweight [=ACs=] that don't get out of its way. For added nostalgia, this boss's BGM is a remix of "Stain", the boss theme for the original Exusia in ''V''.
133	** The New Frontier combat zone has the [[spoiler:[=N-WGIX/v=],]] which is the final boss of this game's story mode. Unlike its story mode counterpart, though, you actually have to dismount it from its fast-moving VOB pack, and it wields two laser blades once it's grounded, making it very dangerous up close.
134	* SuperMode: In the final mission, [[spoiler:J's N-WGIX]] removes its limiters and maximizes its power output, [[spoiler:setting up the second phase of the boss fight]].
135	* ThemeNaming: The Reaper Squad. N, K, D, J, and M. Notice a pattern? Supposedly, said letters come from the first letter of their respective given names, as is the case with M, [[spoiler:Magnolia Curtis]].
136	* TimeSkip: The game takes place a long time after ''Armored Core V''. To drive the point home, many of the urban locations in the previous game are now wastelands, and wreckages of ''ACV'' machines can be seen sticking out of the ground.
137	* TitleDrop: Happens in the prologue cutscene.
138	* TookALevelInBadass: Acknowledged in-universe for the protagonist, who goes from an unknown with uncertain potential in the eyes of many to a dreaded, [[OneManArmy one-man army]] "monster" who many would rather not fight alone. [[spoiler:He ends up becoming the last target of the Reaper Squad, and his continuous and rapid growth majorly contributes to Maggy's decision to become a Reaper just so she can pilot an AC again.]]
139	* TrailersAlwaysSpoil: The "No Future for Mercs" trailer spoils a lot of the story.
140	* UriahGambit: Happened to Severin in his backstory. His piloting skills and overly frank attitude earned him the ire of his superiors so they engineered a situation where he'd be captured by the enemy. Thanks to them, he was captured and was to be executed.
141	* WarIsHell: Hinted to be how Fatman sees things.
142	* WarIsGlorious: Aside from the automatic RuleOfCool provided by mech warfare, the Voice of War news organization pretty much thrives on this. One of their members is even explicitly stated to love the sound of guns firing.
143	-->'''[=VoW=] catchphrase''': Have a nice war!
144	* WasOnceAMan: When asked by Fatman if he's human, the Foundation Man answers yes... before adding that he "was".
145	* WhamShot: [[spoiler:Even without knowing its name, seeing J's Armored Core with the White Glint's iconic design and the clear features of a NEXT slams home that all along ''5'' and ''Verdict Day'' have been set in the far future of ''4'' and ''4 Answer''.]]
146	* WorthyOpponent: Reaper Squad slowly comes to see you as one after you defeat [[spoiler:N]].
147	----
148	[[index]]

Context VideoGame / ArmoredCoreVerdictDay