Today’s Armored Core VI Fires Of Rubicon shows a comprehensive look at what the latest entry of FromSoftware’s mecha-action game is going to offer gameplay-wise.
While we see bits of gameplay before, this gameplay preview stream shows the full UI, and a bigger chunk of how the mission plays out.
The moment-to-moment gameplay is rather different. Armored Cores, the mecha you’re piloting, is less janky but moves rather floaty. It’s not ridiculously fast as it was in the Armored Core 4 generation of games, and even a tad slower than the Armored Core 3/Nexus generation.
Boosting is still there, but it’s more for you to glide and float at short distances, with Assault Boost giving that big-boost effect this time.
During missions, there are big open spaces where you can roam, and choose to engage enemies on your terms, or eavesdrop in their conversations a bit.
Bosses play a big part in the end of missions, and in one boss fight, the stagger mechanic is seen. Players have limited heals to top up AP (Armor Points, the AC’s health) mid-battle, though it looks to be an instantaneous heal.
There are familiar aspects that are core to the Armored Core experience in AC VI. Missions begin with a briefing. You have a handler, though Handler Walter isn’t what you would say a friendly colleague. And some missions will include allies. As well as enemy ACs.
We didn’t see any end-of-mission breakdown of how much you earn (and have to pay in repairs and other expenses), however.
The way the combat and mission plays out is a bit different to past AC games, and it’s easy to see some semblances of soulslike elements seeping in. FromSoft has single-handedly invented a subgenre of action-RPGs in the past ten years Armored Core went dormant, so it’s rather understandable. At least the souls-y bits don’t overwhelm much of the spirit of AC from the looks of it. But we’ll see what the general feel of piloting an AC will be in this title when we get a hands-on.
Armored Core VI Fires Of Rubicon is releasing on August 25 for the PS4, PS5, PC (Steam), Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Pre-orders for the game, including the Collector’s Edition and Premium Collector’s Edition, is now available in Southeast Asia.