New Generation Conflict

Lore & Background

Contrary to the idea of a unified 'New Generation' era spanning the entire franchise, the Armored Core saga is defined by its fractured timeline. The early entries (AC1 and AC2) depict a world where corporate warfare dominates a specific continent. Following this, the series rebooted into the 'Next' continuity starting with Armored Core 3, introducing entirely different factions, lore, and settings distinct from the original. Subsequently, the franchise split again: Armored Core 4 and For Answer established a third, separate universe focused on global nations and Kojima particle energy, while Armored Core 6 created yet another isolated reality. There is no single historical period where 'new generation' pilots across all games challenged an established order; rather, each continuity tells its own story of conflict, technological advancement, and the rise of skilled mercenaries within their isolated realities.

In Their Own Story

The source does not provide any narrative details about a 'New Generation Conflict' story. The only story elements described are from the original Armored Core (1997), which takes place after a cataclysmic war known as the 'Great Destruction' forces humanity underground for fifty years. In that game, the two largest corporations, Chrome and Murakumo Millennium, constantly battle each other for supremacy, providing opportunities for mercenaries called Ravens. The player is a Raven who pilots an Armored Core (AC) and takes missions from the corporations until both break apart and fall. The final mission, requested by Ravens' Nest, is implied to be a trap to kill the player, involving destroying two Nine-Ball units (piloted by the top-ranking Raven Hustler-One, revealed to be an AI) and destroying the Nest system core.

Reader's Guide

The source does not provide a guide for a 'New Generation Conflict.' The only gameplay guidance from the source concerns the original Armored Core (1997): players choose missions to engage enemies and earn credits. Within missions, the player navigates levels built on different kinds of terrain, ranging from desert bases to space stations. Levels are extremely open, forcing the player to look around for enemies that can appear from all directions. Primary weapon types available are guns, rocket launchers, lasers, missiles, and swords, which can be customized based on player purchases. Ammunition and repair costs are deducted from mission rewards, and mission failure still penalizes the player with these deductions. As the player progresses through missions, pay increases, but choosing specific missions can lock others down, creating a branching path through the story that can be noticeably different on subsequent play sessions.

Did You Know?

• The original Armored Core (1997) was the first installment in the series and introduced elements like corporatocracies and mech robots known as 'Armored Cores'.
• The game's robot designs were created by renowned mecha designer Shōji Kawamori, who proposed the concept of 'armored cores'—a system where modularity revolved around changes to a core block containing the cockpit, engine, and joint connectors.
• Armored Core was re-released on the PlayStation Store for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 on March 18, 2025, included with a PS Plus Premium subscription.
• The game's final mission involves destroying two Nine-Ball units piloted by the top-ranking Raven Hustler-One, who is revealed to be an AI.
• Reviewers praised the depth of customization, with Game Revolution's Nebojsa Radakovic writing that 'a ballpark figure for possible combinations is in the very high millions.'