Editor’s Be aware: Bandai Namco Europe offered a Steam key of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon to IGN India for this overview.
Armored Core 6 is the newest recreation from the famend Armored Core collection by FromSoftware. On this collection of video games, you often pilot an enormous robotic swimsuit, known as a mecha. Mecha is a phrase anime followers know, however even in case you are not into anime, you probably have seen mechas like these in Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ultraman, or Energy Rangers. Anyway, these colossal robots are often used for combating in opposition to different colossal robots.
The Armored Core collection is understood for letting gamers customise their mechas in a complete method. This customisation permits players to equip their mechas with totally different capabilities. The return of Armored Core collection was extensively celebrated throughout the gaming group. For context, the final Armored Core title, Armored Core V launched again in 2012 with its growth, Armored Core: Verdict Day, launching in 2013. The most recent within the collection, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, launched about ten years afterward August 25, 2023.
Does Armored Core 6 handle to strike a steadiness between nostalgia, innovation, and enjoyable? Let’s learn how the sport explores this world of mechanised fits, and why it deserves your consideration and cash on this overview.
Gameplay mechanics of Armored Core 6
The fundamental gameplay of Armored Core 6 is simple: you management a giant mecha known as an Armored Core, and your job is to defeat different mechas and machines. It would sound simple, however Armored Core 6 gives a wealthy and complex gameplay expertise throughout fight. The sport additionally gives a deep customisation system that performs a major position in your development. Throughout numerous ranges and in opposition to various forms of enemies, your selection of weapons and mobility upgrades turns into very important in your success.
Every mecha within the recreation is supplied with two weapons, one on the left hand and one on the suitable hand. Moreover, there are two slots on the mecha’s again designed for missile launchers. That is the core of your fight capabilities. Now, let’s speak about how your mecha strikes, which is equally vital. You’ll be able to select totally different units of legs in your mecha, every providing distinct benefits, reminiscent of elevated velocity or the power to hover steadily mid-air.
Armored Core 6 offers you the liberty to combine and match numerous elements to create totally different mecha configurations suited to numerous duties. For instance, if the mission consists of close-quarter fight, it is good to equip a melee weapon in your left hand and an assault rifle in your proper. Nevertheless, in case you are going up in opposition to flying adversaries, a bazooka, or different long-range weapons can successfully care for them. It’s all about tweaking your mecha till you reach reaching the subsequent stage of the story.
Armored Core 6: Story and setting
The story of Armored Core 6 doesn’t look like the first focus at first. However, it does have a story that will get surprisingly deep and attention-grabbing the extra you progress within the recreation. You play as a mercenary who simply awoke on the planet “Rubicon 3”, not realizing how you bought there.
You might be working for Handler Walter, finishing jobs for various teams on the planet. The businesses and locals on Rubicon 3 have interaction in loads of politically-motivated actions for his or her profit. Walter instructs you to stay to your duties and never become involved in these actions.
Your journey begins whenever you receive the mercenary licence of a fallen pilot, Rb23 “Raven” and assume their id. Your principal aim is to discover a beneficial bounty named Coral. Coral is a mysterious and extremely sought-after useful resource with totally different makes use of. For house firms, it is an vitality supply to achieve a technological edge. The Rubiconians take into account it a divine blessing for his or her planet and religion. Principally, Coral is so essential that it’s price killing for.
As you discover the cruel, gray panorama, you’ll rapidly discover that a good portion of the planet is abandoned. This vacancy is a results of a earlier catastrophic occasion often called the “Fires of Ibis.” Throughout this incident, an unlimited expanse of Coral erupted in flames, inflicting irreversible harm to the planet’s terrain whereas spreading lethal contamination throughout the floor of the planet.
We’ve got restricted details about our character within the recreation, and apparently, we do not see every other characters. As a substitute, we solely encounter different mechas within the recreation. The protagonist is working for Walter in trade for details about their life previous to awakening above Rubicon. The missions comply with a sample: you obtain directions by voiceovers from numerous characters, after which you possibly can select to customize your mecha or use pre-made configurations earlier than heading into the mission.
One factor we do find out about our character is that they have been concerned in “human augmentation.” In easy phrases, this surgical process boosts your skills as a mecha pilot, however not all pilots have the identical stage of augmentation. A few of them have extra superior modifications performed, however human augmentation comes with its personal dangers, typically psychological in nature.
Fight and technique
Armored Core 6 is arduous. When you have performed different FromSoftware video games like Elden Ring, you will see some acquainted ideas at play. The important thing idea is to watch the behaviour and sample of your enemy after which regulate your technique accordingly. The sport is structured round missions, and your exploration is confined to the mission space, the place every stage unfolds. So, your focus shall be on finishing the missions as an alternative of exploration.
Having fast reflexes is, after all, wanted in Armored Core 6, however equipping an acceptable construct is equally essential. With out the suitable mixture of weapons and frames in your Armored Core, victory will be extraordinarily difficult, if not unattainable. The sport doesn’t have a conventional levelling-up system. As a substitute, the extra you play, the more cash you earn, the extra you possibly can spend money on shopping for higher elements. FromSoftware has executed this method admirably. At instances, you will want to prioritise elements apart from weapons, reminiscent of body and inside elements, to reinforce your mobility. This issue also can decide victory extra than simply counting on excessive harm output.
Graphics, visuals, and sound
Armored Core 6 presents a sombre, desolate, and predominantly uninteresting visible environment that brings out emotions of isolation. The sport will immerse you in a world the place human connection is scarce. In reality, this connection is changed by an abundance of battling robots. The metallic exoskeletons surrounding the human pilots distance us from their presence, making it tough to type any emotional attachment.
Whereas it might not rank as probably the most visually beautiful recreation, Armored Core 6 efficiently captures the suitable aesthetic and ambiance wanted for this mechanised world. On the identical time, the degrees themselves can begin feeling a bit repetitive, with recurring themes of desolation and brutalist landscapes.
The Armored Core mechas are impressively detailed and the graphics spotlight all of the totally different mechanical elements of the machine. Armored Core 6 builders showcase their consideration to particulars within the recreation by guaranteeing that your allies and enemies have distinctive mecha configurations. Nevertheless, a detailed examination is commonly not doable due to the space between you and them.
The restricted variety of cutscenes additionally restricts alternatives to completely admire the range in mecha designs throughout gameplay. This stage of element isn’t just restricted to mechas, and it extends to ships and different robotic entities within the recreation. Nevertheless, one can use the built-in photograph mode of Armored Core 6 to seize the main points of the mechas and different robotic entities.
Past graphics and visuals, FromSoftware has additionally used the soundtrack to successfully plunge you into the unfriendly and unfamiliar world of the sport. Whether or not it’s the theme of the primary menu or the catchy storage music that welcomes you again after intense battles, Armored Core 6’s music is on level.
Mecha customisation
As we outlined earlier than, customisation is essential in Armored Core 6. The number of elements you possibly can choose in your Armored Core mecha not solely affect harm and velocity but additionally defines your total playstyle and technique. Whenever you encounter difficult ranges, the answer is not nearly enhancing your reflexes. As a substitute, it’s about experimenting with totally different elements to search out the suitable match for every state of affairs.
It’s extremely gratifying to have a robotic and tweak its look to provide it that gritty, weathered look with chipped paint and rust. You need to use numerous weathering choices for this. There are additionally color units out there that assist you to give a theme to the look of your mecha. This function helps you save effort and time in fine-tuning each single half. You’ll be able to even make one arm look extra battered than the opposite. As an example, in my setup, the left arm is extra worn as a result of it’s used for melee assaults.
Armored Core 6 encourages you to remain conscious of your enemies and the circumstances you face. This pushes you to strategise on learn how to overcome obstacles. The sport gives loads of flexibility within the fight, as you should utilize all 4 weapons concurrently. This mixture of customisation and tactical pondering makes Armored Core 6 an gratifying journey as you study the sport and steadily enhance your expertise.
Is Armored Core 6 price your cash?
In case you’re a fan of fast-paced, difficult video games with in depth customisation choices, and you’re keen on big robots, Armored Core 6 is certainly price contemplating. Nevertheless, be ready for a excessive stage of problem, and a conventional mecha recreation with out main improvements. Unlocking alternate endings after finishing the marketing campaign additionally requires a number of playthroughs.
Armored Core 6 is at the moment priced at ₹3,599 on Steam in India (although it might see value reductions sooner or later, because it was out there for ₹2,499 at launch). Console variations can be found for ₹3,999. For extra data on system necessities and totally different editions, you possibly can take a look at this text.
The awful, desolate world of Armored Core 6 is yet one more demonstration of the abilities of FromSoftware in crafting a difficult and gratifying recreation. Whereas some ranges could really feel a bit repetitive, the sport isn’t in need of being enjoyable due to the stable gameplay. Armored Core 6 is intense and gritty, the place customisation is not only a facet function. As a substitute, it’s on the “core” that shapes your playstyle and technique within the quest for victories. The sport encourages you to outsmart your enemies whereas rewarding adaptability and strategic pondering. The story can get a bit uninteresting at instances, and the educational curve might not be for everybody, however in case you are up for the problem and benefit from the complexities of mechanised warfare, this recreation will give you a satisfying journey.