Using manual controls is far more troublesome and takes a lot of time and practice to master, not only because manipulating a sophisticated robotic leviathan is as tough as it sounds, but because each core class and weapon brings a singular challenge of its own. Keeping track of energy usage, cooling, ammo, and armor points is enormously complicated, and we wouldn't be surprised to learn that someone out there has broken his PSP in frustration once entering the regular league. You need to be conscious of where each weapon is equipped, watch all of your meters, and use the environment to your advantage. This is no run-and-gun shooter, and it will take quite some time for newcomers to get familiar with the control scheme, let alone absorb the subtle differences between a CR-WBW98G grenade launcher and a CR-WBW98LX one. Manual action will leave many players annoyed and perplexed - and we can't say we blame them, particularly when you work so hard on your mech, just to discover that getting behind the proverbial wheel is so unsatisfying.

Either way you take it, its the impressive artificial intelligence and constant refashioning that will thrill longtime fans and alleviate the unwieldy button coordination required for true action. The most difficult of matches require a lot of trial and error, and you'll need to closely watch your opponent to determine which weapons and actions add up to victory. Lest you think the AI mode sounds like a comparative walk in the park, think again: you might spend a half hour tweaking a droid, only to watch him collapse in a steaming hunk of cogs and levers at the hands of his adversary. For better or worse, From Software has closely adhered to their familiar formula, yet Armored Core's appearance on a handheld breathes new life into the old standby, and makes us wonder if this is the platform best suited for this particular brand of virtual engineering after all.


It's the inherent overtone of steely gargantuan masses that makes this iteration work so well. The mechs look sharp and colossal even on the smallish screen - and reverberating explosions and mechanical groans round things out. The maps themselves are varied, although they don't offer the same level of detail that the robots do. It's worth noting that the loading times that plague other PAP titles also make an appearance here, although not nearly to the crippling extent as, say, The Sims 2. In the game proper, the matches run smoothly with nary a frame rate jitter, accompanied by a decent and occasionally repetitive techno-rock soundtrack.

If you grow tired or simply just overwhelmed with the pitch perfect AI, you can battle it out with another player to see how your droids stack up to your buddy's. You can also exchange bots and emblems in this manner too, and it's a worthwhile diversion from hours spent in your virtual garage. In fact, Armored Core Formula Front - Extreme Battle is a fine detour from the standard PSP fare, and while it won't likely win over any converts thanks to a simple gameplay structure and highly complicated game mechanics, it will please admirers of the long-running series. These diminutive mechs pack a strong punch.