Fires of Rubicon Overview — Welcome to Mechanised Hell

Editor’s Be aware: Bandai Namco Europe supplied a Steam key of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon to IGN India for this evaluation.

Armored Core 6 is the newest recreation from the famend Armored Core sequence by FromSoftware. On this sequence of video games, you often pilot a large robotic go well with, known as a mecha. Mecha is a phrase anime followers know, however even in case you are not into anime, you doubtless have seen mechas like these in Gundam, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Ultraman, or Energy Rangers. Anyway, these colossal robots are often used for preventing in opposition to different colossal robots.

The Armored Core sequence is understood for letting gamers customise their mechas in a complete method. This customisation allows avid gamers to equip their mechas with completely different capabilities. The return of Armored Core sequence 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 newest within the sequence, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, launched about ten years in a while August 25, 2023.

Does Armored Core 6 handle to strike a stability 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 evaluation.

Gameplay mechanics of Armored Core 6

The essential gameplay of Armored Core 6 is easy: you management an enormous mecha known as an Armored Core, and your job is to defeat different mechas and machines. It’d 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 big function in your development. Throughout numerous ranges and in opposition to numerous kinds of enemies, your alternative of weapons and mobility upgrades turns into very important on your success.

Every mecha within the recreation is supplied with two weapons, one on the left hand and one on the precise 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 discuss how your mecha strikes, which is equally vital. You’ll be able to select completely different units of legs on your mecha, every providing distinct benefits, resembling elevated velocity or the flexibility to hover steadily mid-air.

Armored Core 6 offers you the liberty to combine and match numerous components to create completely different mecha configurations fitted 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 deal with 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 fascinating the extra you progress within the recreation. You play as a mercenary who simply wakened on the planet “Rubicon 3”, not realizing how you bought there.

You’re working for Handler Walter, finishing jobs for various teams on the planet. The businesses and locals on Rubicon 3 have interaction in quite a lot 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 if you acquire the mercenary licence of a fallen pilot, Rb23 “Raven” and assume their id. Your important objective is to discover a helpful bounty named Coral. Coral is a mysterious and extremely sought-after useful resource with completely different makes use of. For area corporations, it is an vitality supply to achieve a technological edge. The Rubiconians think about it a divine blessing for his or her planet and religion. Principally, Coral is so necessary that it’s value 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 injury to the planet’s terrain whereas spreading lethal contamination throughout the floor of the planet.

We’ve restricted details about our character within the recreation, and apparently, we do not see another 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 observe a sample: you obtain directions by way of voiceovers from numerous characters, after which you’ll be able to 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 degree 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’ve got performed different FromSoftware video games like Elden Ring, you’ll discover some acquainted rules 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 degree unfolds. So, your focus will probably be on finishing the missions as an alternative of exploration.

Having fast reflexes is, after all, wanted in Armored Core 6, however equipping an appropriate construct is equally necessary. With out the precise mixture of weapons and frames on your Armored Core, victory will be extraordinarily difficult, if not unimaginable. 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’ll be able to put money into shopping for higher components. FromSoftware has executed this method admirably. At instances, you will want to prioritise parts apart from weapons, resembling body and inside components, to reinforce your mobility. This issue may also decide victory extra than simply counting on excessive injury output.

Graphics, visuals, and sound

Armored Core 6 presents a sombre, desolate, and predominantly boring visible environment that brings out emotions of isolation. The sport will immerse you in a world the place human connection is scarce. Actually, this connection is changed by an abundance of battling robots. The metallic exoskeletons surrounding the human pilots distance us from their presence, making it troublesome 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 similar 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 completely different mechanical components of the machine. Armored Core 6 builders showcase their consideration to particulars within the recreation by making certain that your allies and enemies have distinctive mecha configurations. Nevertheless, a detailed examination is usually not attainable due to the gap between you and them.

The restricted variety of cutscenes additionally restricts alternatives to completely admire the range in mecha designs throughout gameplay. This degree 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 small print 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 principle 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 components you’ll be able to choose on your Armored Core mecha not solely influence injury and velocity but in addition defines your whole playstyle and technique. Whenever you encounter difficult ranges, the answer is not nearly enhancing your reflexes. As a substitute, it’s about experimenting with completely different components to search out the precise match for every scenario.

It’s extremely fulfilling to have a robotic and tweak its look to present it that gritty, weathered look with chipped paint and rust. You should use numerous weathering choices for this. There are additionally color units accessible that can help you 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 quite a lot of flexibility within the fight, as you should use all 4 weapons concurrently. This mixture of customisation and tactical pondering makes Armored Core 6 an fulfilling journey as you study the sport and steadily enhance your expertise.

Is Armored Core 6 value your cash?

Should you’re a fan of fast-paced, difficult video games with intensive customisation choices, and you’re keen on large robots, Armored Core 6 is unquestionably value contemplating. Nevertheless, be ready for a excessive degree of issue, 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 present priced at ₹3,599 on Steam in India (although it might see worth reductions sooner or later, because it was accessible for ₹2,499 at launch). Console variations can be found for ₹3,999. For extra info on system necessities and completely different editions, you’ll be able to try this text.