Fires of Rubicon Evaluation — 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 evaluate.

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

The Armored Core sequence is thought for letting gamers customise their mechas in a complete method. This customisation allows players to equip their mechas with totally different capabilities. The return of Armored Core sequence was broadly celebrated throughout the gaming neighborhood. For context, the final Armored Core title, Armored Core V launched again in 2012 with its enlargement, Armored Core: Verdict Day, launching in 2013. The most recent within the sequence, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, launched about ten years afterward August 25, 2023.

Does Armored Core 6 handle to strike a stability between nostalgia, innovation, and enjoyable? Let’s learn the way the sport explores this world of mechanised fits, and why it deserves your consideration and cash on this evaluate.

Gameplay mechanics of Armored Core 6

The fundamental gameplay of Armored Core 6 is simple: you management an enormous mecha known as an Armored Core, and your job is to defeat different mechas and machines. It would sound straightforward, however Armored Core 6 gives a wealthy and complex gameplay expertise throughout fight. The sport additionally supplies a deep customisation system that performs a major function in your development. Throughout numerous ranges and in opposition to various forms of enemies, your alternative of weapons and mobility upgrades turns into important to your success.

Every mecha within the sport is supplied with two weapons, one on the left hand and one on the best 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 speak about how your mecha strikes, which is equally important. You’ll be able to select totally different units of legs to your mecha, every providing distinct benefits, comparable to elevated pace or the power to hover steadily mid-air.

Armored Core 6 provides you the liberty to combine and match numerous components to create totally different mecha configurations suited to numerous duties. For instance, if the mission consists of close-quarter fight, it is sensible to equip a melee weapon in your left hand and an assault rifle in your proper. Nonetheless, if you’re going up in opposition to flying adversaries, a bazooka, or different long-range weapons can successfully handle them. It’s all about tweaking your mecha till you achieve reaching the following 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 attention-grabbing the extra you progress within the sport. You play as a mercenary who simply awoke on the planet “Rubicon 3”, not figuring out how you bought there.

You might be working for Handler Walter, finishing jobs for various teams on the planet. The businesses and locals on Rubicon 3 have interaction in a number 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 whenever you get hold of the mercenary licence of a fallen pilot, Rb23 “Raven” and assume their identification. Your foremost purpose is to discover a priceless bounty named Coral. Coral is a mysterious and extremely sought-after useful resource with totally different makes use of. For house firms, it is an vitality supply to achieve a technological edge. The Rubiconians contemplate it a divine blessing for his or her planet and religion. Mainly, Coral is so necessary that it’s price killing for.

As you discover the tough, 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 referred to as the “Fires of Ibis.” Throughout this incident, an unlimited expanse of Coral erupted in flames, inflicting irreversible harm to the planet’s terrain whereas spreading lethal contamination throughout the floor of the planet.

We’ve restricted details about our character within the sport, and curiously, we do not see another characters. As a substitute, we solely encounter different mechas within the sport. The protagonist is working for Walter in change for details about their life previous to awakening above Rubicon. The missions comply with a sample: you obtain directions by way of voiceovers from numerous characters, after which you may select to customize your mecha or use pre-made configurations earlier than heading into the mission.

One factor we do learn about our character is that they had 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 finished, however human augmentation comes with its personal dangers, usually psychological in nature.

Fight and technique

Armored Core 6 is tough. If in case you have performed different FromSoftware video games like Elden Ring, you can find some acquainted ideas at play. The important thing idea is to watch the behaviour and sample of your enemy after which alter 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 shall be on finishing the missions as a substitute of exploration.

Having fast reflexes is, in fact, wanted in Armored Core 6, however equipping an acceptable construct is equally necessary. With out the best mixture of weapons and frames to your Armored Core, victory will be extraordinarily difficult, if not not possible. 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 may put money into shopping for higher components. FromSoftware has executed this method admirably. At occasions, you’ll need to prioritise parts aside from weapons, comparable to body and internal components, to reinforce your mobility. This issue can even decide victory extra than simply counting on excessive harm output.

Graphics, visuals, and sound

Armored Core 6 presents a sombre, desolate, and predominantly uninteresting visible environment that brings out emotions of isolation. The sport will immerse you in a world the place human connection is scarce. The truth is, this connection is changed by an abundance of battling robots. The metallic exoskeletons surrounding the human pilots distance us from their presence, making it tough to type any emotional attachment.

Whereas it could not rank as essentially the most visually gorgeous sport, 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 totally different mechanical components of the machine. Armored Core 6 builders showcase their consideration to particulars within the sport by making certain that your allies and enemies have distinctive mecha configurations. Nonetheless, an in depth examination is commonly not doable due to the space between you and them.

The restricted variety of cutscenes additionally restricts alternatives to completely respect 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 sport. Nonetheless, one can use the built-in photograph mode of Armored Core 6 to seize the main points 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 primary 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 may choose to your Armored Core mecha not solely affect harm and pace but additionally defines your complete playstyle and technique. If you encounter difficult ranges, the answer is not nearly enhancing your reflexes. As a substitute, it’s about experimenting with totally different components to seek out the best match for every state of affairs.

It’s extremely satisfying 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 will let you give a theme to the look of your mecha. This characteristic 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. For 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 overcome obstacles. The sport gives a number 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 satisfying journey as you study the sport and steadily enhance your expertise.

Is Armored Core 6 price your cash?

When you’re a fan of fast-paced, difficult video games with intensive customisation choices, and you like big robots, Armored Core 6 is unquestionably price contemplating. Nonetheless, be ready for a excessive degree of issue, and a conventional mecha sport with out main improvements. Unlocking alternate endings after finishing the marketing campaign additionally requires a number of playthroughs.

Armored Core 6 is presently priced at ₹3,599 on Steam in India (although it could see value reductions sooner or later, because it was accessible for ₹2,499 at launch). Console variations can be found for ₹3,999. For extra data on system necessities and totally different editions, you may try this text.