The Aesthetics of Armored Core 4 (and for Answer)

This video is about the aesthetics and art design of the 4th Gen series of Armored Core. I thought it was a fun topic to talk about, and I hope you at least find it interesting. I have more plans for future videos soon.
Credits: Floating Cubes • 4K FREE VJ FOOTAGE FLY...

[@silentchief2240]

This video was a good practice for me when it comes to script writing. I notice that in my videos my scripts end up repeating words or could have used words that would fit better with whatever I'm talking about. So this video isn't the best thing I've made, but it certainly helped me pin point some flaws in my video making. Hope you enjoy it regardless!

[@zacharybrogden3038]

Take a brake from games that have become corporate and sterile, by going back and playing a game about corporate overlords. That line is so on point for AC.

[@silentchief2240]

REAL lol

[@snakebot4986]

Fun fact, AC4/FA/Demon/Dark souls use the same engine

[@thatoneguyyouthinkshouldbe2431]

I haven’t done any research beyond hearsay but arnt they still using that engine which they’ve have been upgrading thought the years

[@snakebot4986]

@@thatoneguyyouthinkshouldbe2431 yeah i think so

[@laserduck6149]

Joshua you need to link the fire

[@ulric8445]

@@thatoneguyyouthinkshouldbe2431yup

[@user-fb4vl9mh5j]

Fun fact, AC6/Elden Ring/ use the same engine

[@metalwolfzx]

3:18 I never really thought about how this place looked visually, and that's mainly due to getting constantly mauled by four/five enemy Nexts.....

[@snakebot4986]

A lot of 4/FA was really inspired by the ongoing Iraq War and I feel that goes for a lot of 7th generation games. Another interesting anecdote is that a lot of Miyazaki's tropes and charms come form those 2 games.

[@therandomlaniusedward2140]

That explains why NEXTs are basically super-fighter plane on legs, as well as kojima particles similar to nuclear stuff. (Thank God depleted Uranium isn't as harmful as Kojima particles)

[@TheWendo101]

I love the idea of tackling these games from an artistic perspective a lot of fromsoft nerds really can’t get their heads out of mechanical analysis

[@stryker5055]

"Very odd and clunky movement" "Awful customization with nothing to customize your mech with." Did we play the same game? Looks like you took a page out of the G4 review.

[@TR-qf2gt]

i think he's referring to AC4 on its own and not ACfA??? since AC4 just felt incomplete in comparison to ACfA

[@stryker5055]

I disagree with that sentiment, while I get that AC4 has less parts than ACFA, it's a generation starter game, and you still have plenty of options between weight classes. Not to mention tuning, and stabilizers. ​@@TR-qf2gt

[@stryker5055]

@@TR-qf2gt I still disagree with that sentiment.

[@acezero8132]

AC6 has far less than even AC4 though, even after unlocking everything... and as far as the "clunky movement", it's more like the camera is just a tad bit slow and the AC often goes off screen (mostly light-mid builds), so players feel disconnected with the AC's movements, I guess? Personally I think the controls were fine, then enhanced even further in FA

[@firstername]

i had to pause the video on that for a moment like "huh???" like i didn't just spend 30 hours in the garage alone

[@joandas5247]

amazing video man, i would love to see more video essays from you about the armored core universe, there are some many things to talk about

[@bombomos]

Gen 4 is my favorite too. Its just amazing

[@gabrieleduardoronlezama7757]

Great vid. I love AC4a mech designs and also was pleasently surprised to see they went for sets of parts that match each other to form a series, compared to what the designs were before, sore of an amalgamation. You can still amalgamate but the sets are really appealing to me

[@tintinjoestar2894]

Where did you find the image of the Aaliyah standing in the flower field ?

[@Attaxalotl]

Artbook, probably

[@tintinjoestar2894]

​@@Attaxalotldo you have a link ?

[@Attaxalotl]

@@tintinjoestar2894 nope, sorry m8 You can type "AC4A Artbook" into Google though.

[@thealliedpowers]

the youtube video for Kota Hoshino's "Bells" has it as the thumbnail also, so you can google that and find the thumbnail as the image. but also listen to the song

[@Shadowgamer51005]

If I had a nickel for every time a relatively unknown game with the initials AC that fell into obscurity after a not so well received entry to the franchise only to fall dormant till a new entry came out that made it even more popular than it was, I would have to nickels which isn’t a lot but it’s weird that it happened twice

[@GabrielPhelanLucas]

Great video! I'd like to see more commentary on the other entries aesthetics, especially 5th Gen since it has an interesting contrast between the dumpy squat shit-mechs you pilot and the almost alien and organic designs and behaviour of the AI mechs; Namely the flying squids(Ammons) and the dinosaur Scavengers(it's theme is literally called mech dinosaur haha) spawned from the Towers. Which i wish could explore in-game given how mysterious they are presented as. They very much remind me of the similar towers in Panzer Dragoon.

[@zorain2354]

V/VD ACs could go faster as AC4 (not FA) next with the right parts

[@somechinesedude5466]

Agility =/= horsepower FA is the fastest could be, AC6 is the most agile, but AC5th gen is more flexible than 4th

[@SilverGlint]

Great stuff Chief, there is indeed a lot to say about how the different generations approach their designs, and indeed most concept art or guide books released for these games show you exactly how they arrived at the final product, one way or the other. I personally love all of them almost equally but i would still have to choose Gen 3's motif as the one that sticks out the most. Funny that you made the Nier comparison because Gen 4 does indeed feel a lot like it, lots of sand and weird structures on both of them, weird pseudo science magic particles etc.

[@osakanone]

Fun fact: 4th gen is a retelling of the French and Russian revolution. You can't unsee this and now most of the NEXT, AC names etc will make more sense. Also the Pax Economica was a real thing that was proposed and rejected. Enjoy.

[@TheSkyyIsAwesome]

Make a video

[@kanseidorifto2430]

Gotta say the coolest stuff besides the obviousness of FromSoftware's trademark on their games is most visibly the art aesthetic. Really cool that somone actually made a video on it, since I've been trying to figure out just what exactly made AC 4th gen games to be... so like that. Very fascinating

[@saint.1422]

finally someone did a video on this, game always felt esoteric to me, especially the larger maps

[@bogan3249]

oh yes

[@frostcodm7555]

It wants to paint the consequences of war. Gritty, brutal, and demoralizing it's taking to perspective of how we humans could utterly destroy ourselves and the world we live in.

[@rhin]

nice video

[@snakebot4986]

Someone should do a lore video on AC4. Just AC4I feel like this game has the most vague plot in the series.

[@dunbar_]

As ThorHighHeels put it; *Sophistifuture*

[@alxsblv6164]

Any tips to stop AC5 from crashing?

[@silentchief2240]

I honestly don't know. I've looked at every reddit thread I could find talking about getting it to run smoothly and it just refuses to run. You could join the Armored Core discord server they might have something that fixes it

[@thomasleonard8550]

Great video, pointed out some things my dumb butt couldn't put my finger on despite playing 4A for well over a decade... and as for the lack of customization and counky movement? That was a joke right? Ive played practically every AC gen and the fourth gen games have got to be the smoothest in terms of AC control, even compared to VI. Tho i think AC1 is better than VI so what ever lmao

[@silentchief2240]

I could have been a little less harsh on AC4's movement and customization, but 4A is an improvement in almost every capacity. That's kinda what I meant

[@thomasleonard8550]

@@silentchief2240 ah yeah, compared to 4A, 4 is a bit lacking due to ironing out and practically double the parts

[@val1703]

Play some AC4 multiplayer.