The Raven RepublicAnything and everything Armored Core
When it comes to missile technology, From Software has developed a twisted knack for finding all sorts of creative ways to screw us over. If you’re dodging the four-pronged assault of the Hydra, then you’re either evading Death-From-Above from a Mortar Rocket, or the slow, impending doom (and mushroom cloud) that follows from touching a Titan.
So far, he’s making a damn good job at it. Mattias Häggström Gerdt is a freelance Swedish video game music composer who had a hand at developing music for various video games and music artists (what did you expect from a guy that had Viking war music in his bloodline?). Inspired by various Armored Core OSTs, particularly the synthesized vocals used in most soundtracks, he decided it was high time that a tribute album be made in honor of this unique method of music composition.
You can read his essay on processed vocals in Armored Core soundtracks (Prominent examples include Artifical Sky, Shining. Samples of which can be listened to after the jump) that got him started on this project. If you need a quick memory refresh on what synthesized vocals were like in Armored Core, hit the jump for a quick refresher on Shining form AC:N and Artificial Sky from AC3 as well as a sample of Mattias’ awesome tribute album:
From what we gather, From Software’s Armored Core corporate mascot the self dubbed “Black Torrent” Aaliyah Kawate, will be making an online appearance this coming August 20 Japan time on player matches in Armored Core: For Answer. The Black Torrent will be making an online appearance for all AC fans to basically beat him up, and you can tell everyone that you’ve played an online match with an Armored Core celebrity. Essentially a guy in an Aaliyah helmet and a suit, he’s From’s company representative in recent officially sponsored tournaments, as well as various player meetings over the past few months.
Select matches will probably be broadcast live on Ustream on that day as well. Check out Aaliyah Kawate’s awesome looking AC emblem after the jump:
The Last Raven incarnation of Oracle seems to be a confirmed kit, and a fully painted sample exists as seen above which might make its debut sometime this year.
Another upcoming Armored Core collectible series simply called “Fugitto Mechanicals” is expected to get a 2011 release, whether this compliments the current Variable Infinity series of model kits or a totally new line of models we don’t know as of the moment. You can view some promotional materials after the jump:
Up until a certain point of Armored Core, sniper rifles were something of the neglected child of the rifle family. While they dished out absurd amounts of damage and had incredible range, their small lock boxes and slow firing rate made them nearly useless at medium to close range, which is where most AC fights happen.
So there they sat in the shops, unwanted, unloved, until From Software hit upon two changes that suddenly made it a very, very bad idea to bumrush anybody packing them. The first were left-arm mounts, which allowed users to expand the SR’s miniscule lockbox by synergizing it with the much larger lockbox of handguns in the left hand.
That Kotobukiya tweet we covered the last time might lead to this. The Last Raven version of Oracle, the featured AC back in Armored Core Nexus with a few tweaks, namely a change in legs, core, and a different back mount. Could this be the upcoming AC kit that will soon grace our shelves in the coming months? Stay tuned to find out.
If your memory needs a bit of refreshing on what he’s supposed to look like, click the jump for a short video of the AC in action:
Dioramas for mecha plastic models are pretty common especially with Gundam and other major giant robot franchises, so we were surprised to see an actual existing diorama for Armored Core. As far as we know, this is the first time someone actually made one for our favorite mech shooter, and actually did a good job at it.
The title of this piece is “L’ Agguato 2.0” (The Ambush 2.0) and shows the modeler’s skills in painting miniaturesand some nicely done weathering effects on the set pieces, as well as on the Hogire AC centerpiece all in its 1/72 scale glory. Click on the jump for more pics:
A short cryptic tweet from Kotobukiya may hint of a new upcoming Armored Core model kit that might make its debut on September, possibly during Wonder Festival. The message above has a few keywords that might make it easier for AC fans to decipher, these include “2, and Blue” your speculation is as good as ours, but our guess is a Variable Infinity edition of Armored Core 2’s cover AC Ethermaster as seen after the jump: