Speechless. That's the best way I can most accurately describe the first several minutes of my playthrough of Armored Core VI, the newest entry in FromSoftware's now ever-growing video game lineup. Speechless, punctuated by incredible bursts of excitement, whether that be following a narrative revelation or elation after slicing a nasty boss to pieces with my trusty laser sword. 

This is where Armored Core shines brightest, in its incredible gameplay loop that pits players into the cockpit of a Gundam-style mech. You'd think it would be hard to tell a provocative story when there's so little (if any at all) real human interaction, but Fires of Rubicon gifts its players some of the most entrancing encounters in FromSoftware's history, all compounded with a spellbinding soundtrack and the all-too-familiar build variety inherent in the developer's many previous experiences.

Welcome to Rubicon. Your stay won't be in vain, but it will be filled with some tough battles. Gear up as we take a good long look into the gritty, awe-inspiring world of Armored Core VI.

The Core Narrative 

Before even delving into the tale underlying Armored Core VI, one must first look back at its hype cycle. For the most part, fans were gifted only small bits and teasers, all of which mainly pointed to a planet-wide disaster that stemmed from the planet's major resource, coral. The Fires of Ibis, this aptly-named catastrophe, paints (both literally and figuratively) an interesting introductory look into the world of Rubicon. 

You play as a mercenary simply named Human C4-621, itself a perfect rendition of the lost humanity placating the narrative of ACVI. Your arrival on Rubicon is met with immediate retaliation from a high-powered satellite, which then places you in a cramped enclosure with half your health, or AP, depleted. 

It's apt that this introductory setpiece is somewhat identical to that of Sekiro, given the combat director of that game, Masaru Yamamura, took up the reins as game director on ACVI. You can see much of his design philosophies seeping into the core of Armored Core, most plainly in the newly introduced stamina bar, which is now called AC strain. 

This very concept, and plenty more, are what punctuate the next several missions as you gain a license to operate on Rubicon, which is aptly gifted the callsign of Raven. While ACIV bears no real continuation from previous games in the series, several concepts still remain, making it all the more engaging for longtime AC fans. 

The story eventually sees you taking on a guest in your mind (the best way I can describe it). This offers you, the player, two very different perspectives in the form of your handler, Walter, and this voice, which stems from Coral contact, called Ayre. From this first encounter, you are then thrust into an arena against one of the fiercest enemies you've faced yet: Balteus. 

While the game is structured with linear missions, there are two different routes you can take for completion (and a super secret third rendition in New Game++). One thing I found a bit dissatisfying is that there are no real faces to names. It's obviously a me thing and makes sense given the type of game and world design that is inherent in Armored Core, but it would be kind of cool to see, especially after defeating certain ACs, faces in contempt and anger within their respective cockpits. 

That's a super minor gripe, but I do think it would help less invested players get into the story a bit more. And, given that most of the story is told through mission briefs, which are easily skipped for those who want to dive straight into the action, it can be easy to fall into the trap of not ever knowing what's going on. Thus, I feel, that delivering the story through expert dialogue during missions could have helped those who are somewhat new to the series. 

Rubicon FM Radio 

Like most AC games, Armored Core VI has astoundingly good music to accompany players along their quest through Rubicon. This not only includes the primary missions and boss battles, but also the menu screens, main landing page, and Arena matches, the last of which by far is home to my favorite tunes. 

Lead composer Kota Hoshina, who also worked on Elden Ring, Sekiro, and plenty more games in the developer's wheelhouse (namely AC3, AC4: for Answer, and ACV), leveraged synth-wave and electronic sounds to capture a darker, more Blade Runner-esque tone for the sixth outing. A YouTube video by Brad Wooten delves into the Westernization of Armored Core VI, highlighting how the music of Rubicon takes key elements from well-established Western films, and with the game now out, this inspiration proves to be a clear winner. 

Although Hoshina himself is a lead member and vocalist, previous AC entries typically had their music composed by FromSoftware's in-house band FreQuency. These tunes were often more rock and punk-inspired, feeling more akin to the anime roots of the mech genre. While I would have liked to hear a bit more of that grungy FreQuency from AC's past, this new direction gives ACVI an identity all its own while fueling the story with impeccable beats of action. 

And it doesn't stop at the music either, as even the game's sound design is utterly top-class. Specific game mechanics, whether they be incoming missiles, enemy lock-on, bullets ricocheting off targets, or even energy depletion, all offer incredibly varied and memorable sounds behind them. These will help you to identify actions needed without having to constantly look at the HUD as you speed with lightning-fast reflexes across the screen. 

It's yet another testament to FromSoft's continued commitment to detail, even in something as seemingly trivial as random sound effects. 

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Unending Customization

From the moment the parts shop opens up to you, the lengths to which one can go in making an AC all their own is truly remarkable. Whether it be double shotguns, melee-focused, or the simple assault rifle and grenade launcher approach, there are tons of different ways players can approach combat in missions. 

But even well beyond that, as the name suggests, players will be able to customize and tune their AC, as well. This includes arms, legs, head, chest, boosters, control systems, and generators. That means that one player's experience can be vastly different from the next, added once more to the fact that OS tuning gifts players even more variety in the type of general upgrades and defense systems their AC can wield. 

For me, playing on both PlayStation and PC, I had to go about the game in two different approaches. For the PS playthrough, I chose a jumpy, swift dual-shotgun approach, using the energy blade you get from the beginning of the game in tandem with the songbird missile launcher for increased damage. I would later swap out the sword with old Moonlight, as I cannot get enough of this blade. 

For my PC playthrough, I went more bulky. I picked the single-shot weapon that also had a burst function when the trigger was held, a bazooka, a plasma missile launcher, and a homing missile. This build focused more on mid to long-range action, taking on combat with a bit more strategy over the close-range blazing of my PS shotgun AC. 

It just goes to show how much of a difference two players will have in their ACVI runs, and the ability to save different builds and even share them with friends (albeit only on the same platform) is so awesome. And the coloration potential that FromSoft gifted this game cannot be left unsaid, it's truly remarkable just how far the end-user can go in customizing their mech to their liking. 

Lightning Fast Gameplay 

There was, as is typically the case, some discourse surrounding the graphical fidelity of ACVI upon its review embargo. Overall though, I think people tend to mix graphics with art direction, as this game is more situated in an environment that has been long decimated by, as the literal title suggests, a fiery Coral explosion. While there can be some upgrades in the graphics department, I think overall this experience is such an eye-opener.  

Weapons, most notably melee, have incredible colors and vibrancy. Different bosses have their own unique looks. Different parts of the map also have their own feeling and weather, giving players this feeling of continuous movement across Rubicon in a linear fashion. The looks are there, you just have to feel for them. 

And the gameplay speaks volumes. It's hard to put this game down. Even with missions being extremely varied in length, including the seemingly never-ending Arena matches (my personal favorite), there's always something to occupy your time. Trust me, AC design alone next to the emblem creator will be where most of that played time resides. 

In all seriousness, the action is where ACVI shines brightest. Evading enemy fire, whittling their stamina bar down, and moving in for a swift melee strike, it all feels incredibly fluid and vastly different from previous AC games. Weapons feel heavy and gritty, with flight also being quite easy to maneuver. It takes a while to get used to the energy gauge and the varied sound effects, but once you have most of the game down, it becomes almost second nature. 

And like most FromSoft experiences, there is a difficulty curve. I beat the game this past Sunday and am now blasting my way through a second playthrough. I do wish enemies were beefed up like they are in the Souls series following an NG cycle, but still, it's quite enjoyable obliterating Balteus with ease on your second run. 

This is where AC games in general, and VI most of all, are at their most exciting. New game Plus in the AC series isn't just a way to revisit missions in a new way, but to unlock even more exciting bits of the narrative. You'll also find somewhat new encounters and be able to zip through enemies like butter - what's better than that?

With nearly 50 hours clocked all in across both my PS and PC saves, it's hard for me not to recommend ACVI. There's very little for me to complain about, aside from maybe the camera being once again FromSoft's most annoying boss to date. Hard lock-on definitely helps, but as per Vaati's recent video, soft-lock seems the better approach given the amount of ammo wasted on missed shots in the former. 

Given all of its merits and the exciting return of a series dormant since 2013, Armored Core VI is a delightful mech action experience, one that really puts you inside of the cockpit and makes you the bearer of Rubicon's future. From astounding gameplay bits, bosses that brought a twinkle to my eye, and a soundtrack littered with bangers from start to finish, ACVI proves that the mech genre doesn't have to be as niche as it is, as almost anyone can pick this up and find loads of enjoyment out of every bit and bolt. 

Tech Times gives Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon a 9/10. 

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