It seems like only yesterday when I first discovered Armored Core, I can remember when I snagged up the mech sim at my local game shop I was enthralled at the idea of customizing my mech. I recollect dreaming about controlling my massive structure of metal through glorious missions earning money and becoming one of the elite members of Raven. I also remember eating re-hash after re-hash of this game and loving it! AC is one game that has spawned a total of six games and only two sequels, isn't that amazing?? The questions is does the latest bring back memories or does it want to make you raise that suspicious eyebrow and say, haven't I played this before??

Graphics
If you played Armored Core 2 or even it's pseudo sequel Another Age then you know what to expect here. The game doesn't set any standards as far as the visual department is concerned, this does not mean that the game is in any form ugly, it just doesn't wow us like the original did the first time we booted it up. The most noticeable improvements are of course better lighting, cleaner textures, and a smoother frame rate. These seem to come standard with today's sequels so anything less would have been a let down.

Sound
Ya know I may be the only one who misses it but dammit the garage song from the first game rocked. Now we are treated to music that sounds like it was composed in about fifteen minutes and re-looped a thousand times over. The dialogue in AC has always been exceptional and AC3 is definitely not straying from the norm. For a mech sim this game has some damn fine voice actors.

Gameplay
Those familiar with the AC universe will pick this one up like they had been playing it for 6 years...oh wait they have been! Trust me anyone who plays AC religiously (I am guilty of this so don't feel bad) knows that AC's control scheme is about as good as you can get for a mech game. The only implementations I would like to see are right control stick aiming and a decent first-person mode. With these two additions AC would finally be the perfect mech simulation. The next best feature added to this game is the ability to link two systems together and play 4-player death match. For those that have the dough to shell out this proves to be a kick ass experience!

Overall
I can honestly say that with the addition of AI partners, beefed up visuals, and solid controls this game will satisfy the average AC player. Newbies to the universe may find the challenge a bit too much and be suffice with a rental. Mech heads will find the customization to be the best around and get more than their 50 bucks worth. In an aging series AC3 still manages to deliver a solid and fun gaming experience for all.