Best Armored Core games ranked

Wondering what the best Armored Core games are? Predating the Souls series, Armored Core is one of FromSoftware’s longest and largest series. The mech-battling sci-fi series has a total of 15 different games across more than 20 years, with the sixteenth, the much-anticipated Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon, soon to release.

With anticipation for the series the highest it’s been in a long time, we decided it was time for a breakdown of all Armored Core games ranked from worst to best, including Armored Core 6. You won’t find any Armored Core and Elden Ring comparisons here though – we’re taking the series purely on its own merits. We’ve looked at everything from story and gameplay to controls and world design to create a comprehensive ranking of each entry into the series since its debut. Here then is our choice of ranking for the Armored Core games.

16. Armored Core: Nine Breaker

Despite carrying a name paying homage to one of Armored Core’s longest lasting and best known villains, AC: Nine Breaker comes in at the bottom of our list. This game came out in the era of Armored Core Nexus and Last Raven, yet fell far outside the scope of those titles and their potential. Nine Breaker has no story mode, and no missions. It predominantly revolves around a Training Mode, with a series of 150 training challenges to test players on various skills and abilities. Sufficed to say that this mode is far from exciting.

Though it does have an arena mode, it doesn’t hold up all that well compared to many of the simply superb arenas that other games in the series have managed. It’s fairly short, fairly simple, and the garage – if it can be called that – is lacklustre. Worst of all is the cross progression feature. Though this is usually appreciated within the various different generations of AC games, transferring your data from Nexus to Nine Breaker is problematic. The game will fail to warn you that this transfer deletes all the default parts from your garage, leaving you with Nexus parts instead. That means if you happen to have little unlocked from the previous game, you can effectively find yourself locked into a single build for the whole playthrough.

15. Armored Core 5

Series veterans probably won’t be surprised to find this one so far down the list. AC 5 was, for a while, the controversial legacy of the series, taking major departures from the previous games with a different thematic and narrative direction, a new look and HUD, and various gameplay changes.

The story is widely considered one of the weakest, punctuated by cringe-worthy dialogue and poor pacing. This flaw is accentuated by a total shift in tone – disregarding the subtle commentary on human nature, corporatisation and existential questions of value and legacy for a bombastic, blunt glorified war simulator. It strikes a tone that seems totally deaf to all that has come before.

The art direction meanwhile is no better. Obviously graphics have improved across the series, but AC 5 fails to understand the nuance that gave previous games charm, even when they lacked visual fidelity. The world is plastered in ugly, greasy hues and often populated with uninspired architecture. Worse yet is the HUD, a severely overcrowded mess that creates a headache inducing amount of visual noise and clutter during combat.

This being said, the game isn’t a total failure. It retains the basics of combat and mech upgrading, allowing for a few fresh weapons, parts and ideas to facilitate interesting builds. New features like the ability to charge enemies to do damage work well with the pace of combat, and feel like a worthwhile addition to the series’ development.

14. Armored Core: Formula Front

Technically the most recent game in the series until Fires of Rubicon releases, Formula Front is a bit of a niche title, being developed exclusively for the PSP. It’s a pretty basic game, with no story or missions, and a total focus on battling through Arena mode. You begin with all parts unlocked, and can modify your mech as you wish.

It does try a few innovative things. The best known of these is of course its programmable AI auto battle feature, allowing players to navigate a menu and set up an AI for their mech that would then execute their preselected commands in a sequence to win. Unfortunately, it’s a very janky feature, and rarely works too well.

This entry finds itself slightly higher up for its strong enemy design. Opposing mechs all feel unique, offering a variety of challenges to overcome and sporting a plethora of interesting designs. This allows the game to remain a fun little experience, even if it’s limited in scope.

13. Armored Core: Verdict Day

Verdict day is the direct sequel to AC 5, and as such suffers from many similar problems. Overall though, the title manages to execute itself in slightly better fashion.

While the story is nothing too amazing to write home about, many of the features surrounding and supporting the narrative help to uplift the tone, bringing it slightly closer in line with what makes the series special. Verdict Day is renowned for an excellent soundtrack, and though the HUD is still a problem, the visual design as a whole feels just slightly brighter, with varied landscapes offering a more well-rounded experience.

Gameplay is also a step above its predecessor in a few areas. The addition of junk pieces in the garage – one free but poor quality piece of gear for each type – allows more player experimentation in the early game to find builds that work. Fast pacing and movement also continue to uphold the combat slightly. This is offset in some respects by elements like the scanner system, which reduces the intuitiveness of strategizing against opponents and the variation in approaches to enemies.

12. Armored Core 2: Another Age

AC 2: Another Age is likely the biggest game by number of missions. The title boasts 100 missions, but unfortunately, this ambition backfires. The game suffers from more than a few poor quality missions, including platforming sections. These are a nightmare on the older-gen controllers which themselves suffer from strange layouts. Some missions are simply incompatible with certain build types, increasing the frustration yet more. As a final kick in the teeth, all 100 missions are mandatory, and need to be completed to reach the end of the game.

Luckily it’s not all bad, as AC 2: Another Age still carries over lessons learnt from AC 2. The graphics are a little sharper, the movement a little slicker. Although it can be frustrating, the game does manage a good job of pushing players to try out a variety of builds, really hitting that core concept of strategy and care that makes Armored Core such a beloved franchise.

11. Armored Core: Project Phantasma

Phantasma is almost closer to an expansion than a truly new game, but its standalone playability earns it a space on this list. Phantasma added onto what the very first Armored Core before it had brought. It was the same game but with new missions, new gear, new weapons, and general rebalancing work to improve the experience. While AC: Project Phantasma does bring new additions to the table, and work to build on the foundations, its lack of coherent personal identity knocks it down to this spot on the list.

10. Armored Core

This was the game that started it all. Armored Core introduces us to the universe of the series’ setting, the mech building mechanics, and the challenging gameplay that requires strategy and perseverance to overcome.

The narrative of the first game is particularly special, really managing to establish a strong sense of the tones and themes of the series. It’s that now familiar grimdark aesthetic of From Soft games in which life seems to hold so little value, conversely revealing why it is in fact invaluable. It establishes the series themes of kleptocracy and monetised warfare, and the struggle of humanity to overcome its worst impulses.

The gameplay meanwhile speaks for itself. It’s the core concept of the franchise. You build your mech with different parts that allow for a whole variety of approaches to situations. You take into account things you never would have otherwise considered, like cost effectiveness and ammo consumption. All this is then put to the test in a variety of different battles and scenarios, ranging from straightforward shoot-to-kill missions to the very first encounter with Nine Ball at the end of the game.

While all this is fantastic and the game deserves praise for what it set in motion, it can’t take away from aspects that have aged poorly. The mechanics and gameplay are at their most basic here. A particular standout is the bizarre controller layout, that has you control camera movement using the back bumpers of the controller.

While it might be the series progenitor, and have plenty of charm, AC’s janky gameplay, poor controls, and difficult to understand graphics keep it at the bottom of the top ten.

9. Armored Core 2

AC 2 does a strong job of building upon the original. It finds its place here for hitting the mark on most of what the first Armored Core game and its successors in its generation did, while also bringing a sense of its own identity to the table.

This game has a strong narrative, focusing on humanity following a time called The Great Disaster, and the flight of survivors huddled underground on Earth to resource-rich Martian colonies. It sets the stage well for a tight, interesting story that follows through on the events of previous games.

Perhaps what AC 2 is best known for though is establishing Arena mode as a continuing trend for many of the series titles going forward. AC 2’s Arena balances fun gameplay with tight worldbuilding. Each opponent you fight, you can learn a bit about before a match. This not only expands upon the world in interesting ways and humanises your enemies, but it often offers insight into their strategies, weaknesses, and how to beat them, giving great functionality to lore and an edge to players who pay close attention.

AC 2 is still not perfect though. Although gameplay and controls are certainly improved from the previous entries, they still aren’t all that great. Bafflingly, this title still uses the bumpers for camera control, despite the next-gen controller featuring two analogue sticks. It’s definitely rough around the edges, but AC 2 has enough heart and progression to earn it the number 9 slot.

8. Armored Core 3

Much like AC 2, AC 3 finds itself just ahead for taking what worked from many of the previous games, and improving on it just so slightly.

The AC 3 narrative once again raises the bar a little. It focuses on humanity and their time dwelling underground on Earth following The Great Disaster. There’s a lot of interesting exploration of subterranean life here, from the level design reflecting the difficult atmosphere, to the worldbuilding reflecting the mix of hope and hopelessness as the species struggles to stay standing.

As far as gameplay goes, this is what puts AC 3 this high, and also keeps it from climbing higher. Armored Core 3 has faster, tighter combat. Controls are a bit easier, the graphical fidelity is better, and the fights are less difficult to follow. Even the shop and garage integration are improved with more streamlined, ergonomic menus. While this is all fantastic, AC 3 fails to introduce anything truly new or original to the series. It does plenty well, and it’s a good starting place for beginners to the series who want to try out the older style of the AC games, but it lacks the originality and ambition to be among the best.

7. Armored Core: Silent Line

Silent Line is a direct sequel to AC 3, following on from that game’s end as humanity begins to return to the surface of Earth once more.

There isn’t a lot to say about this entry that hasn’t been said already. Like AC 3, it has a compelling narrative that drives the game forward. This is as always supported by strong worldbuilding.

For its very slight gameplay improvements through rebalancing and fine tuning, it wins out over AC 3 itself. Just like that game though, it’s lack of vision to truly push the game’s foundations further holds it back from excellence.

6. Armored Core: Nexus

AC Nexus is the first of the three AC games that bridge the gap between the old generation titles and the newer generations. This is perhaps most importantly exemplified by the switch to using the analogue sticks in camera control, rather than the bumpers.

All round AC: Nexus is a very strong entry into the series. It’s got an interesting story, seeing revitalised corporations fight over ancient tech that they don’t understand. The devastating ending and its fantastic execution make the narrative all the more impactful, and among the best stories the series has told so far.

Adding further to this game is the uplift of the gameplay. New controls mean that the dual-wielding features of AC 3 and Silent Line finally become viable within combat. As usual, the newer engine means even sharper graphics, tighter movement, and more intense fights. Nexus also introduces reworks that change the game. Overheating suddenly becomes a major mechanic here, forcing new considerations with your builds that hark back to the ingenuity of how the first Armored Core did it.

Nexus finds itself on this part of the list simply because the games above it are truly special. The last of a previous generation, it still suffers some of the holdbacks of its predecessors, with a few underwhelming missions sprinkled in here and there. All round, Nexus manages to do everything suitably well to be a good game in the series. But it just barely falls short of top-five-greatness.

5. Armored Core 4

Armored Core 4 is the first game in the series that was directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, and it shows. In this game, the Armored Cores and their Raven pilots are gone, replaced by larger, more powerful mechs called NEXTs, piloted by Links.

AC 4 continues to recognise the narrative and tone of the series, and it has some great worldbuilding reminiscent of the early days of the series. It’s main strength is its gameplay though.

NEXTs aren’t just stronger, but faster. Movement is overhauled in this title. With infinite flight now easier to achieve, a dedicated button for side boosting, and even a quick turn manoeuvre, the speed of combat allows for a revolution in the combat intensity. There are more parts than ever, more strategies and tactics to try, and it all results in one of the most polished gameplay experiences to date.

While this is all brilliant, the story of AC 4 just falls short of some of the best in the series, earning it this spot.

4. Armored Core 6

This is the entry that has the potential to switch spots the most on this list, of course. At the time of writing, AC 6: Fires of Rubicon, has not yet released. From what we’ve seen so far though, it has the potential to be the magnum opus of the series.

The game is gorgeous, it’s packed with colour and variety. The enemy design is great, and the gameplay we’ve seen showcases not just fast combat, but varied combat. AC 6 looks to embrace a massive arsenal of features from the series’ past and realise their full potential here.

The premise for AC 6 is intriguing, and while it could prove a misreading, there seems like some fantastic potential for a true return to form following the AC 5 era.

Of course, a major standout from the features and trailers has been the bosses. This game comes off the heels of Elden Ring’s success, and the completion of the Dark Souls trilogy. From Software’s boss battle mastery is sharper than it’s ever been. If balanced well against AC’s patented strategising and build-crafting to win battles, it could be a formula for a true masterpiece.

Everything we’ve seen indicates amazing potential for this title, but since we haven’t yet reached the Armored Core 6 release date, we can’t in good conscience put it in the top three just yet.

3. Armored Core: Master of Arena

AC: Master of Arena is the pinnacle of the oldest generation of AC games, encompassing everything that made the series great to begin with.

Master of Arena, as the name suggests, is the title that introduced the Arena mode feature to the franchise. It was a fun, dynamic new way to play the game. Here though, it was integrated in a way that hasn’t truly been seen since.

In Master of Arena, you balance your climb through the ranks to take down the champion Nine Ball against your obligations to your sponsor, who keeps you up and running. In return for fulfilling missions for them, you get credits and new parts to improve your mech. When not seeing to their needs, you fight through the arena, battling a vast array of different opponents. This balance gives AC: Master of Arena one of the best paced narratives in the franchise’s history, all while building meaningfully on the combat of the two preceding titles.

The final encounter with Nine Ball takes plenty of turns too, with story and gameplay seeing twists that mutate the end of the game into a fiery encounter of intense, gritty action and intrigue.

The only thing that holds Master of Arena back at all is being a product of its time. The controls are still poor, and movement isn’t great. Despite this early-year awkwardness and jank though, the game manages to stand out as one of the best in the series.

2. Armored Core: For Answer

For Answer was the title that followed AC 4, and it’s effectively that game, with even more refined gameplay, and a better narrative.

For Answer is fast, brutal, and one of the toughest in the series. You’ve got plenty of parts to work with, and will need plenty of them in order to find winning strategies. New Game Plus modes create new missions and scenarios, perfect mission scores unlock rare new NEXT parts, and gameplay is smooth and satisfying all around. This is all punctuated by an amazing soundtrack that shows incredible range and reinforces the many different tones and themes of the series.

To top it all off, For Answer has one of the most engaging stories in the franchise’s history. You’re a mercenary caught in a war over a post-apocalypse Earth. The surface is very nearly dead, and most of humanity now reside in Cradles. These massive airships that soar through the skies, but pollute the world below. One side wants to maintain these Cradles, even though there’s a risk that the atmosphere itself will soon succumb to pollution, poisoning these airships too. The other side – the rebels, want to land the Cradles, and use their power sources to fuel anti-satellite batteries, blowing a path through the Assault Cells and space junk in orbit and opening an escape path to the stars. A third group – led by a terrorist, just want to see humanity burn. Play through enough times, and you can experience all of these endings.

There is little indeed that For Answer does not have. In our books though, it is just barely beaten out for the top spot.

1. Armored Core: Last Raven

Armored Core: Last Raven is perhaps the best that the series has seen so far. While its successor, Nine Breaker was at the bottom of this list, Last Raven poetically takes the top. It’s been called ‘the hardest game FromSoftware have ever made’, and it certainly shows. But what gives Last Raven this spot is that it masters every element which makes the Armored Core series so good to begin with.

The narrative is the embodiment of every theme AC strives for. Following the apocalypse at the end of Nexus, a war between the emergent megacorporation Alliance and the rebel group Vertex rocks the world. Vertex announce their final attack will begin in 24 hours. Thus starts the clock on a fast, brutal, and tense race to save the world.

Each mission, the timer ticks down by an hour, and the tension rises. But you won’t be taking on every mission before it hits zero. In Last Raven, you can choose time and again from different selections of different missions, unlocking different paths and new endings.

The gameplay strategy here is exceptional. You’ll not only be faced with highly challenging missions, but with a wide variety of different opponents. They push players to adapt more than ever before, trying totally new builds, and redesigning their approaches from the ground up. There’s a lot to engage with in this game, and all of it is enticing.

For hitting the mark on everything that makes the series special, Armored Core: Last Raven is our pick for the best Armored Core game to date.

What’s the best Armored Core game for beginners?

If you’re new to the series, we’d actually suggest saving Last Raven until you’re a little bit more familiar with these games and how they work. Our recommendation for new players is to begin your journey with one of the following games:

• Armored Core 3/Silent Line: These ones are a good choice if you want to experience the older generations. Their controls and movement are a little more polished than their predecessors, and their gameplay a little more forgiving. They also both have good stories.
• Armored Core 6: Although not out yet, the integration of modern From Soft development practices likely means that AC 6 will be one of the smoothest games in the series, making it fairly easy to pick up for new players.
• Armored Core: Master of Arena: This game is an all-round excellent experience, so will serve as a good introduction to the series. It’s a bit more fiddly than AC 3 and Silent Line though, so might not suit everybody for a first experience.
• Armored Core: For Answer: For Answer is the perfect culmination of the later generation of AC games. It’s a little more modern, so more accessible, while staying true to the roots of the series.

That covers our picks for the Armored Core games ranked. It remains to be seen if Armored Core 6 has enough thrilling boss battles, polished game mechanics and narrative grit to dethrone any of the top three. Between the return of old features like primal and assault armor, and new ideas like build sharing, it certainly stands a chance.

How many Armored Core games are there?

There are 16 Armored Core titles in total, including Armored Core 6.

What’s the longest Armored Core game?

The longest Armored Core game varies depending on player, but it’s probably Armored Core 2: Another Age. This title has 100 mandatory missions to complete.

Where can I play Armored Core 1?

Armored Core 1 originally came out on the PlayStation One. To play it, you’ll either need to own a PS1 and a physical copy of the game, or use an emulator.