From Software returns to its roots with Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. When it was announced, I was confused about how much of a Soul’s identity the primarily action-based game would have. Now, thanks to a 13-minute gameplay preview and hands-on impressions from other sites, we have some much-needed answers about the upcoming mech combat game.
5. The Story
The narrative of Armored Core was never its main focus. Instead, it was an excuse to get in mechs and blow things up. However, here is the basic setup: Armored Core is set in an apocalyptic world where corporations hire contractors to use mech suits and fight over resources. In Armored Core 6, according to the Bandai Namco site, a new resource was found on Rubicon 3. Originally thought to advance human technological achievement, it became unstable and engulfed the planet and its surrounding stars in flames.
Half a century later and the resource appeared once again on Rubicon 3. Consumed by the advantages of owning such a resource, companies are determined to get it for themselves. That’s where you come in. Your character is tasked with entering Rubicon 3, fighting off opposing contractors, and finding the resource.
By watching the story trailer, I can make some inferences about the tone and theme of the game. The trailer is melancholic. A group of mechs sacrifices themselves to accomplish a mission, showcasing a forced dedication to their job. As we see in the trailer, death does not stop their servitude. With that said, the story in Armored Core is presented mostly through com communication, so it will be interesting to see if will hit on these themes or serve as a simple framing for the missions.
4. Combat and Mission Structure
IGN’s hands-on preview marvels at how easy the game is to control. On the surface, it looks complicated as your mech dashes in every direction and fires several weapons simultaneously. Thankfully, though, it plays like any other third-person shooter. You have four weapons: one for each arm and each shoulder. The left and right bumpers and triggers fire the weapons, each correlating with the placement on the screen. Suddenly, thanks to the intuitive design, having multiple weapons isn’t complicated. It’s natural.
The rest of the controls should come naturally to any avid video game player. On PlayStation, the X button jumps, the square dashes, and the stick boosts (or sprints). So the controls are easy to use, but the combat looks chaotic as you dash to dodge missiles, jump to get behind an enemy and fire an onslaught of weapons. In terms of systems, Armored Core utilizes a staggered system, which works like many games of its ilk: diminish the enemy’s stagger meter to make them more vulnerable to attacks.
Armored Core has an undefined number of chapters, each including multiple main and side missions. The missions take place in a distinct setting with vertical opportunities for exploration and maneuvering. They vary in length and possibility as each player can accomplish their objective differently. Additionally, some missions take a minute while others feature much larger, wide-open settings.
3. Customization
Customization, as detailed in Skill Up’s preview, is one of the key parts of Armored Core 6. Every mech can have a distinct functionality, which determines your approach to the missions. You also have detailed control over the look of your mech. Sport a dark grey color scheme that matches the world, or cover it in a rainbow. On top of this, you can change the mech’s maneuverability. For example, you could replace the legs with a tank or give it four legs and run around like a spider. The choice is up to you.
The weapons all have unique functionality like missiles that shoot at an arc and others that shoot straight ahead. The customization affects the stats of the mech, which look to be a deep and complicated RPG system. This is nice for those who love to get detailed with making an optimum build, but the number of descriptions and stats intimidate me.
2. Boss Battles
Unlike other From Software games, Armored Cores gives players a power fantasy, according to Skill Up’s preview, where they can plow through grunts on the battlefield. The difficulty spikes during the boss fights: usually the final obstacle of a main mission. From the previews, the bosses look insane. There is a tank with a gauntlet of weaponry mounted on top like a mini-castle and a flying machine with spheres rotating around it. The machine fires an intimating barrage of missiles at you, which looks like something straight out of a bullet hell game or Returnal. Lastly, there is a giant four-legged mech, the size of a mountain, that fires a powerful laser beam. The boss battle will require quick timing and skill, honing in on the palm-sweaty difficulty we know from Dark Souls.
1. Multiplayer
From Software wants Armored Core 6 to be primarily campaign-focused. However, they still have an online mode planned for the hardcore fans. Game director Masaru Yamamura confirmed that the game will offer a simple online multiplayer Pvp mode. He said it won’t have any “bells and whistles,” which probably means it will be a 3v3 deathmatch scenario – the team with the most kills win. Players can use their customized mechs and see how they fare against real players. So, essentially, it will be a fun, uncomplicated addition to the main campaign, but it won’t be the game’s main focus. Also, it’s important to note that there won’t be a co-op mode, at least at launch.
Armored Core 6 launches on August 25, 2023, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC.
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