Glossing over the truth that “armoured” is spelt incorrectly, what we’ve got here’s a FromSoftware sport, which for a very long time in my gaming life has been a seal of high quality. I’ve waxed lyrical many occasions about how a lot I cherished Elden Ring and the Darkish Souls video games. Hell, I even purchased a PS4 to play Bloodbourne. However till now I’ve by no means performed any of the earlier Armored Core video games.
Fortunately, the story doesn’t appear to rely on in-depth information of the sequence, and I used to be capable of dive straight in and shoot issues with the sixth installment, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Is that this a FromSoftware hit or a uncommon miss? Effectively, strap in your AC, and I’ll inform you!
A bit little bit of story to begin with. We’re 621, an augmented human with a fried mind. We’re strapped into our Armored Core, and despatched right down to Rubicon by our handler, Walter. We now have to discover a legitimate ID chip from a wrecked AC as quickly as we land, after which proceed to get to work as an unbiased contractor, taking varied soiled jobs for cash that common AC pilots don’t need to contact.
And from there, the world is the mollusc of your alternative, as new missions observe on from accomplished missions. We get to make pals and enemies alongside the best way, all in hope of constructing waves in direction of one of many three endings. Nevertheless, as all the time, no spoilers right here!
Presentation sensible and Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is splendid. It isn’t an open world sport like many others, and as a substitute runs a mission space that’s set in stone; it’s actually inconceivable to go outdoors of it as pink limitations seem and block your means. Maybe that isn’t so superb when operating in your life from a boss, however hey ho!
The mission areas may be fairly giant, or they are often tights arenas the place large bosses seem, however both means they give the impression of being the half. Stomping (or rolling, or sliding, you get the image) in your Armored Core is a tremendous feeling, and the degrees are actually three dimensional – the enemies can seem and shoot from actually wherever, so preserving your head on a swivel, trying up and down and behind and sideways, all of sudden, quickly turns into second nature.
Each enemy that you simply spot will seem in your HUD with a reticle round it, and staying locked and taking pictures whereas dodging in three dimensions is what makes this sport look so breathtaking. The sheer quantity of ordinance being thrown round, particularly by a number of the larger bosses, is each other degree, however even then Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon has by no means stuttered or slowed down as soon as in all my time enjoying. Prime marks exit to the builders.
The sound is all superb as nicely. There are absolutely voiced conversations with the varied events who contact you, and correctly brutal sounding weapons and impacts as you battle. All in all, it’s all nothing lower than I’d count on from FromSoftware.
Now, how concerning the gameplay, how does that work? Briefly, brilliantly. The normal FromSoftware cycle of “battle, win, get higher gear, battle some extra” is completely realised right here. In truth, the 2 sides of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon complement one another completely; the fight and the Armored Core growth aspect.
Let’s take a look at the fight aspect of issues first. As we settle for missions, they’ve varied totally different standards that we’ve got to meet. An ideal instance is a mission referred to as Operation Wallclimber, the place we’ve got to make our means up a wall to the highest, after which take out an enormous armoured boss on the high. As soon as we obtain this, one of many subsequent missions we are able to tackle is gathering intel on how the boss was defeated for the opposite aspect, the place we’ve got to observe the route we took to the highest, and scan and retrieve logs from destroyed AC’s alongside the best way. And we’re doing that whereas taking out enemies who have been our allies a number of moments in the past. If that sounds complicated, welcome to Armored Core!
The principle factor that takes some getting used to is that of the fight methods. Dashing and dodging upwards or downwards is equally as legitimate as aspect to aspect. Once I began the sport I used to be in my Darks Souls mindset – lock on and strafe till a gap introduced itself, then assault. Nevertheless, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon can accomplish that way more. The dodge transfer sees you firing the AC’s boosters and sliding sideways, however you’ll be able to bounce and hover and even fly a brief means, relying on the gear you could have geared up. Boosting into the air, slipping sideways after which touchdown an enormous power sword swipe on a boss weak spot is a tremendous feeling.
The large present items are undeniably spectacular, however the smaller enemies can seem in such numbers as to trigger you issues earlier than you even attain the boss, so keep in your toes. The sheer number of sorts of weapons is wonderful, and making an attempt all of them out, discovering a loadout that fits, is nice enjoyable. Not each loadout can be finest for each mission, nevertheless, and studying to be adaptable and changing into aware of all of the weapon archetypes pays dividends in the long term.
After which we get to the a part of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon that takes place within the AC hanger, resting between missions. There’s a store the place we are able to purchase new components for the AC; from legs and arms by to OS upgrades and new weapons. Every mission we full sees us take house a good chunk of foreign money, which is then spent on new gear. And as sure milestones are hit, new gadgets are added to the store; staying as upgraded as potential is normally a good suggestion. In fact, there’s additionally the prospect to utilise components as a way to assemble an Armored Core to a particular specification – and that is the place the sport actually begins to open up.
Every little bit of an Armored Core may be modified and altered, with mixing and matching totally different components offering good outcomes. Legs or caterpillar tracks? Which arms does sir require? Head? Core? And so forth and on, proper right down to totally different boosters and mills which may be swapped round.
There are additionally factors the place weapons may be hooked up to your rig, each palms and each shoulders. Hand-held weapons are typically alongside the vary of ordinary weapons, in as far as they’re scaled as much as go well with an enormous mech. Shotguns, assault rifles, even pistols and swords can be utilized in both hand, and twin wielding is all the time a very good plan. A favorite combo is a quick firing weapon like an assault rifle within the left hand, and an enormous bazooka in the appropriate.
On the shoulders, the vast majority of methods are sorts of rocket launcher, being both simple lock-on ones, or perhaps a battery that fires upwards, hitting foes behind cowl. Perhaps you’d desire a protect that may block a sure variety of hits, or maybe an unlimited laser cannon? All this and extra is feasible, and there should be hundreds of mixtures to check out. Oh, and when you are there, why not paint your AC? The paint system is fairly cool, permitting the prospect to slap emblems on rigs.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is an outstanding sport. In truth, there’s hardly a factor to complain about. Granted there are some issue spikes, however they’ll usually be addressed by respeccing your system ultimately, as every enemy does appear to have a weak spot. Studying from errors is an effective solution to deal with issues right here.
And so what this implies is that Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is one other FromSoftware triumph that’s exhausting to fault. And that’s with out even mentioning the PvP area or the VR coaching sections. However then, I don’t receives a commission by the phrase…
