Although it never gets quite as much attention in the States, the Armored Core franchise is gigantic in Japan, and the latest installment is likely to gain some serious attention as an early PS3 title. And in the latest Famitsu PS2 issue, producer Toshifuma Nabeshima volunteered the first concrete set of details concerning online and Sixaxis functionality for Armored Core 4 .
First off, eight players will be able to come together for action-packed network battles. The game will feature battle royal and team-based combat, and Nabeshima believes the game's intensity increases in direct proportion to the number of players. Therefore, he recommends that all online gamers try out the eight-player craziness at least once.
While developer From Software is utilizing the PS3's significant networking capabilities, the same can't really be said in regards to the Sixaxis: AC4 will not take advantage of the motion-sensing technology in the controller. Nabeshima said his team looked into the possibility, but they ultimately decided against using the feature, primarily due to doubts about how well the motion controls would work in the game.
But even so, this little drawback isn't likely to stop a lot of Japanese – and hopefully a few American – gamers from giving Armored Core 4 a try. And besides, at least it's not a racer…in the first month, Japan's PS3 launch lineup includes MotorStorm , F1 , Gran Turismo HD , and Need for Speed: Carbon . So at the very least, AC4 will represent a much-appreciated change of pace.
Related Game(s): Armored Core 4