Armored Core 5 will hit North America on March 20, and Europe on March 23, Namco Bandai has announced. The mech action game is being developed by From Software for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, and is the newest numbered entry to the series since 2007. The announcement also gave word that GameStop pre-orders will get the "Heavy Assault Pack," which includes additional weapons and parts for use in online multiplayer.

The game promises large-scale online battles, a new atmosphere, and mechs that are built to add a layer of strategy. You'll have to take geography into account when planning your attacks, and customize your personal Armored Core with unlockable parts. The Operator mode puts one player in the lead to supply teammates with more knowledge of the enemy.

"A quick trigger finger and razor-sharp reflexes won't always turn the tide of battle in Armored Core 5," said Namco Bandai VP of marketing Carlson Choi. "The Operator adds a new layer of strategy orchestrating his team of Armored Cores to victory by finding the enemy's weakness."