Chapter 908 Armored Core.
28 September 1998 - Saturday
Tetsuya Takahashi is one of the top engineers at Triangle Soft of Japan, known for his strong technical foundation and creative instincts. He often works directly under Hironobu Sakaguchi, learning from one of the most respected minds in the Japanese RPG scene. Tetsuya isn't just a skilled developer—he's also a passionate player. His love for JRPGs runs deep, both in how he plays and how he builds them. Among all companies, ZAGE holds a special place in his heart. Not only does he admire their games, but he also deeply enjoys the anime and shows they produce. To him, ZAGE represents the perfect harmony between storytelling, design, and innovation.
Born in 1975, Tetsuya is now 24 years old—a young man, but already recognized as a major talent in the industry. He has an intense fascination with giant robots, a passion rooted in his childhood love for classics like Mazinger Z. More recently, he's become obsessed with ZAGE's own creations, such as the long-running ZAGE Gundam series and their collaboration on Transformers. These shows, which combine exhilarating battles with rich world-building, highlight ZAGE's unmatched ability to bring mechanical giants to life in vivid, emotionally gripping ways.
Every time Tetsuya receives his paycheck, there's a ritual he follows without fail. The first thing he does is visit his favorite stores to purchase either a new Gunpla model or a rare Transformers toy. His apartment is lined with shelves of mecha figures, testaments to his lifelong devotion. Deep down, he dreams of the day he'll be able to design his own mecha-themed JRPG—something that fuses his personal inspirations with his growing expertise. But for now, he's already over the moon with excitement. Why? Because he's just gotten his hands on one of ZAGE's most anticipated recent releases—Armored Core, a game that promises everything he loves: robots, customization, and heart-pounding combat. It's a dream come true, and he can hardly wait to dive in.
He grinned widely while walking back from the ZAGE official store, clutching the newly purchased copy of Armored Core like it was a sacred relic. "Hehehe... finally, this thing's out!" he muttered under his breath, the excitement almost too much to contain. For weeks, he had been obsessively rewatching every teaser and trailer, poring over every frame that showed off the robot battles, customizations, and explosive gameplay. Nothing excited him more than the idea of piloting a mechanized war machine in fast-paced combat, and now the moment had finally arrived. Without wasting another second, he practically sprinted back to his apartment, heart racing with anticipation. As soon as he got inside, he kicked off his shoes, tossed his bag aside, and powered on his ZEPS 3 console.
Eagerly, he opened the Armored Core game box. Inside, just as he expected, were all the usual goodies: the game disc itself, a thick, glossy game manual filled with artwork and lore, and the latest edition of ZEPS 3 WOW!—a mini-booklet showcasing current and upcoming titles for the system. But what caught his attention most was the black-and-silver Z-Card tucked neatly inside the case. On its shiny surface was a small note hinting at a hidden Zabo-man easter egg. That alone was enough to send a chill of excitement down his spine. Without further ado, he inserted the disc and was instantly greeted by the iconic startup sound—"ZAGEE!"—followed by the sharp, logo of Team IZAN appearing on screen.
After a brief but stylish intro, the game's title screen loaded up. Two primary options stared back at him: "Start Game" and "Online Battle Mode." Tetsuya's face lit up with a grin as he selected "Start Game," eager to jump into the campaign. A prompt appeared, asking him to name his pilot. Without hesitation, he typed in "Tetsu." Within seconds, another message flashed: "This is your trial to become a Raven."
And just like that, the gameplay began. The screen faded into a training arena, and the tutorial mission started to unfold in real-time, introducing him to the basics of being a mech pilot.
Then it happened—the gameplay started. The screen came alive with the image of a heavily-armored mecha that instantly reminded Tetsuya of a green Zaku from Gundam, only more modern and brutal in design. The machine had a rugged military look, with reinforced plating, glowing sensors, and the unmistakable war robot mechanical aesthetic. Mounted on each of its shoulders were twin missile launchers, primed and ready for combat. In its left hand, it wielded a large, gleaming energy sword that pulsed faintly with power, and in its right, it carried a heavy sub-machine gun that looked like it could shred through steel. Tetsuya's eyes widened in awe—the sheer level of detail on the mech was staggering.
Then the control prompts appeared on the screen, guiding him through the interface with a smooth tutorial overlay:
L1: Left Weapon Attack
L2: Left Shoulder Weapon Attack
R1: Right Weapon Attack
R2: Right Shoulder Weapon Attack
Circle (〇): Boost Dodge (quick directional dash)
Square (□): Boost Straight (forward thrust burst)
Triangle (△): Use Item or Activate Special Module
X (✕): Jump or Sustained Flight Boost
R3: Lock-On Target
D-Pad Left/Right: Scroll through item or weapon slots
D-Pad Up: Toggle HUD Display
D-Pad Down: Activate Scanner Mode
Left Analog Stick: Movement and Strafe Controls
The layout was intuitive yet deep—clearly designed to offer a wide range of motion and strategy while in combat. The tutorial voiceover explained each input in a smooth, synthetic voice, while the screen demonstrated them in real-time. From fluid movement to rapid fire, evasive dodging, vertical takeoff, and shoulder-weapon deployment, everything looked fast and responsive.
Almost immediately, he was taken aback by how smooth and responsive the controls were. The transition from cutscene to gameplay felt seamless, and everything moved with such fluidity that he couldn't help but let out a small gasp. The visuals were incredibly crisp, with the mecha model displaying amazing detail—every bolt, panel, and glowing thruster shimmered with polish. The enemy AI in the tutorial mission reacted quickly, forcing him to dodge, strafe, and fire with precision. As he blasted through targets, Tetsu found himself completely immersed, instinctively testing every control until he had them down. By the end of the tutorial, he had already fallen in love with the combat system.
Once the mission wrapped up, the screen transitioned to the hangar—an expansive Robot Garage filled with humming machinery, mechanical arms, and a huge mech station platform at the center. The interface opened up, revealing a wealth of customization menus. Tetsu's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Oh my god! Look at this!" he shouted, bouncing slightly in his seat. The customization options were staggering: you could swap the upper body frame, head, legs, arms—each with its own stats that affected your mech's mobility, defense, power consumption, and weight limit. It wasn't just cosmetic; every part affected how the robot would function in combat. There were dozens of weapon types to choose from—machine guns, bazookas, energy blades, missile pods, even experimental tech locked behind progression. Boosters, stabilizers, sensor arrays—it was all here. The depth of choice gave the impression that no two players' builds would ever be the same.
Though most components were still locked due to Tetsu being a beginner with zero in-game currency, he could already envision the kind of loadout he wanted to build toward. The possibilities were endless, and that made him giddy with anticipation. This was more than just a game to him—it was a mecha sandbox, a dream playground that blended engineering strategy with arcade action. He leaned back and whispered with a grin, "I'm gonna lose weeks to this..."
"HEHEHE, let's roll out!" Tetsu shouted with excitement as he launched into the first official mission. This wasn't just another tutorial or training simulation—this was the real deal. The mission took place in what looked like a high-security military base, complete with massive hangars, fortified walls, defense turrets, and scattered debris from previous battles. The lighting was atmospheric, with shadows from floodlights casting across the metal surfaces, and the distant hum of machinery added a layer of immersion that made Tetsu feel like he was truly stepping into the world.
As the enemy AC appeared on-screen, a sleek but dangerous-looking machine equipped with high-powered weaponry, Tetsu grinned and leaned forward. The battle began with a sudden burst of missiles and bullets flying across the screen. It was fast, explosive, and beautifully fluid. The frame rate held steady as he dodged between obstacles, counterattacked with his sub-machine gun, and launched his shoulder missiles with surgical precision. The environment added tension and excitement—barrels exploded from stray shots, alarms blared in the distance, and sparks flew from damaged structures. The sense of scale and chaos elevated the entire experience.
Tetsuya felt goosebumps rise across his arms. Every moment of the fight was thrilling, and when he finally defeated the enemy AC in a burst of flame and falling debris, the mission results screen popped up. "Rank: A." He let out a victorious laugh and pumped his fist. It felt earned.
Without missing a beat, he jumped straight into the next mission. This time, it was an escort operation where Raven had to protect a large cargo vehicle moving slowly through hostile territory. Unlike the previous mission's one-on-one intensity, this scenario introduced wave after wave of fast-moving enemy drones and light AC units that relentlessly attacked the cargo. Tetsu had to balance offense with defense, shooting down threats while staying close to the cargo's path. It was nerve-wracking—the enemies were more aggressive and coordinated, flanking him from multiple angles and forcing him to react quickly.
By the end of the mission, the cargo vehicle was barely intact, sparks flying from its hull and alarms screaming as it limped toward the final checkpoint. But somehow, despite the odds, Tetsu pulled through. The results screen appeared once again. "Rank: B." He let out a sigh of relief, rubbing his temples with a shaky laugh. "Damn… that was intense."
Tetsu laughed with excitement, practically vibrating with energy as he finally unlocked enough in-game credits to purchase his first set of new weapons. He didn't hesitate—immediately opting for a pair of massive twin bazookas to mount on his left and right shoulders. Just the thought of wielding such firepower thrilled him, and when he equipped them and saw the updated mech loadout in the hangar, he couldn't stop grinning. The added bulk of the launchers gave his AC a new, intimidating silhouette. "Now we're talking!" he said out loud, practically bouncing in his seat.
He dove straight into the next set of missions, unleashing the destructive force of his new arsenal. Every explosion, every devastating shot that took down enemy units in a single blast, made him feel more powerful than ever. Time began to melt away. He was so completely immersed that it wasn't until he glanced at the clock and blinked in disbelief that he realized how long he'd been playing.
"I... I've played for six hours already?!" he gasped. But he wasn't tired—far from it. In those six hours, he had experienced a whirlwind of exhilarating combat, intricate build experimentation, and countless mech customizations. He tried swapping out arms for better recoil resistance, added lightweight legs to increase agility, and tinkered with energy output to support more advanced tech. Each new configuration felt like a fresh game entirely. The freedom and depth of the customization system were beyond anything he'd expected, even in his wildest dream.
This game wasn't just living up to his expectations—it was smashing through them like one of his bazooka rounds. The level of detail, strategy, and player choice embedded in Armored Core's design made it a dream come true for anyone who ever fantasized about piloting a giant robot.
And Tetsu wasn't the only one who felt that way. Across the gaming community, word was spreading fast. Players everywhere were being caught off guard by how good Armored Core truly was. The combat was electrifying, the customization shockingly deep, and the overall polish undeniable. It wasn't long before the game began climbing sales charts, forum discussions exploded with mech build recommendations, and Armored Core began cementing itself as a breakout hit for ZAGE's fall lineup.
To be continue
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