Armored Core 4

[Toxicity]

I started a new game and am using the Tellus. I love that thing so much I transferred it to my other game. EN Weapons FTW!!! Before I had never really liked energy weapons, but this thing changed my mind.

[bluemax151]

the mussleshell missle pods for the back and shoulders are the only reason I beat the game. If they can do that for me in their supposed detuned form, the enemy would hate to see what I'd do with them in an older AC game.

I used to get 1 or 2 hit kills by manually aiming the missile pods

[Toxicity]

How can you disable the auto lock thingy? It's a real pain in the arse when you're trying to shoot down a Normal or other primary target and the stupid thing keeps going back to that one random MT out in the distance.

[DeltasTaii]

Hold down the left stick click-in long enough to make the white rectangles moving out into the distance appear, and you get manual aim. It's rather a pain to constantly accidentally turn on...

(incidentally, rockets only have manual aim like this)

[Toxicity]

I know about that, and frankly I'm just no good with that. I like the auto lock on, but I hate how it locks on to anything/everything except what you want to shoot at.

[DeltasTaii]

Well, actually, there is another rather useless targeting method.

If you just click the left stick, you "follow" that specific target, and get a small PiP window of them. Unfortunately, it still breaks away if they aren't in your normal lock-on range, so it's generally pretty pointless except for maybe fighting fortress weapons (which aren't exactly hard to hit under any circumstances). NEXTs are too fast to keep tracked, and Normals tend to die a little too fast for it to be worthwhile, IMO. (if you lose track of it before you killed it, it's probably because you zoomed past it too fast )

[Toxicity]

I just unlocked the Kojima Back Cannons. Wow.....just wow.

[Strike Wing]

My bro got this game for the 360, and I must say I'm impressed with it. And he's beaten it to death. Literally. (NO CHEATS EITHER) >_<

[Toxicity]

It's not that hard if you pick the right AC from the start. I can say without a doubt that if I had picked the Tellus instead of that piece of crap 047AN I would've gone through the game even faster.

[filthbacteria]

wow...and here i used the 047AN all the way through to the end and loved it. i made another mech focused on energy weapons for Next fights later in the game, and that helped. but for regular missions i had no problem using the 047AN, all i did was arm it with an engery rifle, relation missles and the proximity missles along with the sniper rifle. I could hit enemies from far off with the sniper rifle and if anyone came close, the missles wasted them.

[Toxicity]

The 047AN is a good AC, but I just don't care for the weapons it comes with. To me, a sniper rifle should be a one hit kill on whatever target it's designed to take out, and the sniper rifles are from a 1 shot kill.

For sniping, I do much better with a Tellus packing a Hi Laser or Kojima Rifle.

[Xiphas]

I first started with the Salaf. The ability to move around fast comes in helpful, but the weapons it starts with are horrible. Ended up just equipping it with plasma rifle, sword and missiles.

[Toxicity]

Salaf...meh. For melee and hauling arse I prefer using the Aaliyah. I have 2 ACs based around the same core, and the one I've appropriatly named Epyon has nothing but 2 laser swords. The other is my Aaliyah-MK-2, which is the exact same core as the regular 03-Aaliyah, only with better weapons and mobility.

The Aaliyah Generator SUCKS!!!

[Xiphas]

If you equip 2 laser swords on the left and right arms, is it possible to use them at the same time? Btw, tried the Aaliyah, looks great, but I find it hard taking down some of the Nexts in mission mode with melee, like Amazigh.

[DeltasTaii]

I have a couple nice Aaliyah builds with a different generator, but I find that default Aaliyah NEXTs kind of suck because of the crummy generator. You can barely make it up some jumps. Overall, it still has some serious boost management issues compared to other designs, less so if you switch boosters as well.

Melee-wise, there's a few options, and attacks vary with legs. With a blade and a gun, you can actually follow up your swing with a shot right after. Pointless with rapid fire, worthwhile with big guns. With dual laser blades, most legs have either alternating swings if you press one after the other, or a double slash if you press both simultaneously, which has a big pause after. One of the legs has a slightly staggered assymetrical double slash.

[Toxicity]

Towards the end of the game, you'll unlock an FCS designed only for laser sword combat. That doesn't change that fact that I suck with the things, but it still helps. I'm pretty sure you get it from Orleans on hard (if you get an S), because on normal I'm positive you get the MOONLIGHT.

[Strike Wing]

Yeah, my bro got an S ranking and ended up recieveing the "Moonlight."

[DeltasTaii]

As I recall, S-ranks only go towards well...getting S-ranks on PS3, and the SS achievement and additional FRS points on 360. Pretty sure A-ranks are good enough for any score dependant parts, though most just unlock for completing the mission.

[Toxicity]

S-Ranks give you achievements, and I'm a completist when it comes to these games.

[bluemax151]

S ranks almost make you feel like you're number 1