Armored Core

Armored Core is a mech simulation video game developed by FromSoftware and first released for the PlayStation in 1997. The game places the player in the role of a mercenary pilot affiliated with the Raven's Nest, an organization that brokers dangerous and well-paying missions. At its core, Armored Core is a vehicle customization game: players assemble their own giant robot, an Armored Core unit, from a vast array of parts including head, core, arms, legs, generators, boosters, and an extensive selection of weapons. Each part affects the mech's speed, armor, energy consumption, and combat capabilities, and the player must manage weight and energy constraints. Missions range from destroying targets and protecting assets to hunting rival pilots, and the game's economy system charges the player for ammunition expended and damage sustained during missions, adding a strategic layer to loadout decisions. The game also features a visual customization suite with paint and logo editors. A two-player split-screen versus mode is included. Armored Core spawned multiple expansion discs on the PlayStation (Project Phantasma, Master of Arena) and a series of sequels on the PlayStation 2 that built upon its deep mech-building and arena combat foundations.