Bandai Namco has revealed the latest trailer for FromSoftware’s next game Armored Core VI Fires Of Rubicon. With this trailer release, it comes with more interviews by several outlets, revealing more details on the upcoming mecha action game, and a sequel fans have been waiting for almost a decade.
Early Development
Pre-production and conception of ACVI began in 2017, with prototyping works beginning in 2018. A small core team, members of which includes Hidetaka Miyazaki, worked on scoping as well as game and map designs. Full development is then handed to game director Masaru Yamamura.
Not Making A New Armored Core Wasn’t An Option
Speaking to Xbox Wire, producer Yasunori Ogura says:
“We’ve been cultivating a number of development staff both new and old throughout our experience with recent titles in recent years and there were many members of that staff, including Miyazaki and myself, who wanted to make a new Armored Core game for a long time.
“So it really wasn’t a question of if, it was always a question of when – and not making a new Armored Core game really wasn’t an option.”
The pace of development is attributed to FromSoft working on multiple projects. From 2017 to today, FromSoft released Dark Souls: Remastered, Deracine, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Elden Ring.
Assembly System
The customisation aspect of Armored Core is referred to as the Assembly System in ACVI. Players can mix and match various parts for their mecha, the titular Armored Core (or AC).
There are four weapon slots: right arm, left arm and two shoulder-mounted weapons.
The PlayStation Blog confirms custom paint jobs and liveries are available to customise your AC. Previously FromSoft also confirmed custom emblems are back as well.
Not Just About Parameters Going Up And Down
The Assembly System is complex as an AC game should be, but it should have more tangible feedback than seeing numbers going up and down.
“The main thing we focused on in AC6 was to make sure that this customization element is not just about the parameters going up and down and numerical values,” said game director Masaru Yamamura. “We want to reflect these changes in customization in the way the game and action feel as much as possible.”
New Leg Abilities?
An example of this is how the legs of an AC have some unique abilities associated with it. The tank legs can do drift turns, as seen in the gameplay trailer. The shot before the tank legs appear is one of a reverse-joint leg, which can be seen clawing on an enemy after the AC approaches them head-on after being stunned. The quad-legs seem to let ACs hover in mid-air for a period of time as well.
More Melee Weapons
Expect to see “more idiosyncratic weapons” for the AC’s left-hand slot, usually used for melee weapons. Laser blades and pile bunkers have been seen in the previous two trailers. Expect to see a cluster bomb thrower, a chainsaw or pulse blade and lances as options.
Assault Boost And Stagger
AC VI adds a new way to close the gap between long-range and short-range combat: Assualt Boost. With a push of a button, you can close in the distance when in combat.
It’s confirmed again that ACs can get staggered, like a posture system from Sekiro. An AC will stagger from taking continuous hits or taking a big hit. Various factors play in how much you can inflict stagger so there is a possibility to make a build centered around staggering.
Ingenuity And Creativity
FromSoft’s games always seem like it’s from Another Age for not having selectable difficulty options, and development on this part has been Silent (Line). But FromSoft’s go-to (For) Answer to such questions this time is that they hope players “will enjoy using their ingenuity and creativity” in tackling the odds.
Either from learning enemy attack patterns, to building mechas around the problem in the Assembly System. It’s still far away until Verdict Day when we will be the judge if the claim holds up. But FromSoft is sticking to their guns with this stance, as seen in their previous games.
(I’m so, so sorry for the shoehorned puns)
Mission Variety
ACVI will be missions-based, like past AC games. Missions can range from defeating smaller threats in large numbers to focusing on a boss fight.
Bosses can be huge machines, or in the form of other ACs.
Side objectives are there as well which includes data collection and scanning wreckage for new info or new AC parts.
Exploration will be a thing in ACVI, which is new for the series.
The Arena, PvP
The Arena, where you enter one-on-one duels against other ACs, is back. And like past AC games, the ACs encountered in the arena may appear during missions.
ACVI is strictly a single-player game (after ACV and AC Verdict Day’s multiplayer-focused gameplay didn’t caught on, that’s understandable). But it was previously confirmed that multiplayer PvP will be coming.
Multiple Endings
ACVI will have multiple endings, and new paths will open up in the next playthroughs.
Several past AC games, like Armored Core Last Raven and Armored Core For Answer feature this, and it’s nice to see it return.
Armored Core VI will be out on August 25 for the PS4, PS5, PC (Steam), Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S.
Sources: Xbox Wire, PlayStation Blog