Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Review

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon‘s initial complexity reminded me of the time when FromSoftware’s game’s felt daunting, a sensation I’ve not had since 2009.

This is my first Armored Core game, a series stretching back to 1997 and its last game being released a decade ago. Knowing the pedigree and influence of FromSoftware’s recent catalog, I naturally assumed there was no better time to hop in.

Unsurprisingly, the surface level of Armored Core VI was tutorialized in a friendly way. I was taught the basics of shooting, boosting, and maintaining my hulking mech’s health. And over the next couple hours as the layers peeled away, I was worried about drowning in a sea of customization. Do I prioritize armor to survive longer? Should I be light as a feather to better dodge a blitz of missiles and lasers?

It had been some time since victory in one of FromSoftware’s boss fights felt so easy yet so weirdly unattainable. What was I doing wrong? The loadout I had used throughout the first chapter just wasn’t cutting it. The boss, Juggernaut, was more or less a bulldozer with an impenetrable front shield. Doing anything aside from negligible damage meant attacking its exposed rear. But halfway through the fight my AI companion leaves, meaning the Juggernaut capable of turning on a dime constantly has a bead on me.

Okay, so I wasn’t mobile enough to rapidly dodge around its backside. So I quit the mission and went to the shop and spent my limited funds on lighter legs and a smaller frame. Less weight meant better maneuverability, right? At least that’s what I think the blue numbers in the assembly screen meant. But a lighter mech still wasn’t fast enough and the plasma weapon with a damaging area of effect seemed to do nothing. Alright, well, let’s try the suggested build from the prior tutorial mission that emphasized close combat and jumping really high. That one didn’t work either.

Stupidly, I realized I was thinking far too hard about getting directly behind the Juggernaut when a slightly indirect approach was also sufficient. Instead of worrying about all this weight nonsense, I could buy a missile launcher that shot vertically rather than horizontally. A vertical trajectory meant that the missiles would splash on top of the Juggernaut, closer to where its sensitive bits were, building up its stun. With that new approach–and some legs to help me jump really high and land some pot shots–I beat the Juggernaut.

But I had to rewire my brain in other ways as well. Years ago I was that snotty guy who frustratingly pulled the plug on their PlayStation 3 when the words “You Died” appeared on screen in hopes that the auto-save wouldn’t stick. When dying mid-mission or during a boss in Armored Core VI I kept choosing to restart the whole mission rather than reloading at a checkpoint. Call it pride. Call it fear of missing out on bonus cash.

You see, I’ve heard of the punishing legacy of Armored Core games. A series where players have to fund their own ventures. While a successful mission–called a sortie here–rewards a base level of cash, costs to repair the mech–called an AC–and resupply ammunition can scrape away at earnings. Months before Armored Core VI released, I watched a series retrospective on YouTube with the creator commenting on how steeply in debt players can become with multiple failed missions, progressing only by the skin of their teeth with limited ammo.

Perhaps I didn’t want to become trapped in a punishment cycle like that with a genre I’m vastly unfamiliar with. My first recollection of a mech/armor game was some MechWarrior title on PC back in the 90s that was far too complicated for my patience. Yeah, I’ve hopped in suits of armor before and had a blast but I can honestly say the name Armored Core had not crossed my path until I actually looked into FromSoftware in the PlayStation 3 days.

Thankfully, Armored Core VI‘s initial growing pains subsided and I was allowed to enjoy the traditional difficulty I had come to expect, feeling almost at home.

With over a dozen main games in the Armored Core series, players may expect that the sixth numbered entry may have an inaccessible story. But the premise is efficiently succinct. Taking place in a distant solar system on the planet Rubicon 3, corporations fight for control of a substance called Coral. Though capable of exponentially advancing human technology, Coral also caused a cataclysmic event called the Fires of Ibis that torched Rubicon 3 and nearby planets in its solar system. Where Coral was thought to have been erased from the planet, its presence has suddenly been detected 50 years later. Players take on the role of an AC pilot hoping to profit from the embattled corporations.

Much of Armored Core VI‘s narrative is expanded in pre-mission briefings and communications chatter during combat. When all hell is breaking loose and players are trying to avoid a salvo of attacks, its slightly difficult to grasp what is being communicated and its impact on the narrative. But honestly, that’s okay. To call Armored Core VI‘s story lackluster would be unfair as the game features a handful of strange twists and engaging characters that act as more than just droll mercenaries.

While not nearly as nebulous and heady as some players may expect, there are lore bits to the world meant to expand its flavor. But I found that FromSoftware packs an inspiring punch with its environmental design, which should surprise no one. The futuristic floating monoliths on Rubicon 3 speak volumes while a variety of levels play with the concept of a universe so reliant on hard metal constructs placed in diverse biomes.

This is all to say there is very little friction between the player and the action taking place on screen. No need to pause mid-flight to listen to a villainous diatribe and hardly any instances of text boxes that need to be digested.

Armored Core VI‘s biggest boundary to the action is in the assembly of an AC. Until dropping into the mission, players aren’t really going to know what they are in for, meaning that their current build can be woefully unprepared or optimally efficient. Expect to spend a good chunk of time browsing the shop and reading up on what parts are capable of. Players can equip a weapon per AC arm and one weapon or piece of equipment on both shoulders. The head, arms, legs, torso, AI chip, booster, reactor, and core can also be changed.

Agonizing over what to buy and what to avoid shouldn’t be a problem as players can sell back any purchased parts for market value, ensuring they won’t be led to financial ruin. Better yet, this allows optimal experimentation with all variety of builds and weapons. The option to test out a piece of equipment or loadout in the Assembly menu is a wonderful blessing that should delight those wishing to min/max damage output. It can be frustrating that new parts can’t be purchased at checkpoints mid-mission but it’s possible the option might be included in a future patch.

While no weapon ever encroaches on bizarre, I was delighted in how far FromSoftware stretched its militaristic sci-fi legs. Weapons are grounded in the reality of this universe but feel distantly practical from our own technological means. And because there are so many options in terms of what an AC is capable of, players should not feel that their imagination will be stymied. There are restrictions in place, such as weight and energy limits. Don’t expect to wield dual grenade launchers and multiple shoulder-mounted cannons on scrawny legs and arms. And while it may be cool to hover around on quad legs or spew out hell on tank treads, there are obvious limits to those builds as well.

Numerous missions are available to players across multiple chapters. Many consist of infiltrating an area and killing everything in sight. But their quick time frames mean there isn’t much downtime to the meat of the Armored Core VI. Because the initial run of a mission doesn’t take away cash, the ability to restart from checkpoints is fantastic and prevents players from becoming too exhausted from the trek to grueling boss fights.

Armored Core VI wants you to stay in the action constantly and that’s a genuinely rewarding process. Feel empowered at making small mobs of robots and drones explode with one shot. And then go toe-to-mechanical-toe with an opposing AC equipped with mostly intelligent AI that presents a challenge. FromSoftware also has the opportunity to get a bit crazy with boss encounters, despite not being able to use magic and other outlandish means. Expect challenging setpieces that act as a visual and aural spectacle and watch these encounters be in contention for the developer’s best.

Initially Armored Core VI may not appear to have as long a tail as other games but the incentive to continue playing is there. Achieving an S-Rank in missions is going to be a Herculean task and will require a massive amount of skill and proper customization for the scenario. And don’t forget there’s FromSoftware-standard New Game Plus and multiple endings! There’s an arena where players can fight against AI-controlled ACs and get rewarded with skill chips and blueprints.

A multiplayer mode featuring 1v1 and 3v3 fights lets players show off their ACs and their skills. Having a competitive multiplayer mode in a FromSoftware game that doesn’t have a bit of obfuscation is a surprise and one that is going to have a dedicated community. Your mileage may vary on whether or not it is a mode you will do more than dabble in. Of course, the game’s extensive aesthetic customization options from paint jobs to decals might be incentive enough to show off for a few moments against other players. It’s just disappointing that there is no dedicated cooperative mode to blast away at challenging tasks and bosses with friends; something I’m sure many players will miss.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is undoubtedly a departure amid FromSoftware’s recent output. But the developer once again proves they are up for nearly any task, including reinvigorating a dormant series that was known for its challenge. The fast-paced action and depth of customization in players’ ACs allows for diverse gameplay and intense boss fights that test any type of loadout. Pushing past the initial daunting hours and numerous mechanics serve to reveal a focused, engaging game with deep combat that few studios are capable of matching.