Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon First Look: Fast-paced battles with customizable mechanics

amored Core, one of the longest running mech battle series ever, hasn’t been seen in over a decade. Now, developer FromSoftware, is flying high from Elden ring And Evil spirits Glory, it’s back to the mechs, with what it says is a redesigned and reimagined take on robots battle. The last time I played a mechanical game on a massive scale was a Konami game Enders District Space opera – and that was in 2003. I think it’s time for a real mechanical gaming boom.

In a hands-off demo at Summer Game Fest, I saw roughly 15 minutes of Armored Core VI A game, it is set in an early icy stage filled with circular factory structures and tightly packed warehouses. These dense environments immediately demonstrate how modern consoles can elevate FromSoftware’s latest game mechanic.

Since the mechanic can move in all three planes, expect to see plenty of levels and architecture that take advantage of this. ACVI You’ll be able to go anywhere in a level, producer Yasunori Ogura noted, by flying “as far as your boost system allows”. He teased that many of the missions offer multiple paths and ways to achieve your goals. In the Snow level I saw, it said the player could fly to the top of a building to make their way to a base, or (and what I’ve seen) you could just dash, guns blazing, to the main entrance.

In the heart .. or in the middle Armored Core VI It is your mechanical gear. Besides components that affect power levels, defense, and speed, you can attach weapons with four slots: one in each arm and two in the back, like the multi-lock missiles. Arm weapons can range from rifles and machine guns to lightsaber blades and more.

Like anyone played Alternating current The game can attest that your mechanical design choices will be crucial. You’ll be able to create a lighter, agile mech that can float in the air longer, avoid attacks, and possibly not deal as much damage. Or you can go heavy duty, where you create a slower-moving robot with a combination of ranged attacks and powerful melee weapons. You’ll also need to balance the power requirements of the mechanics against the power generator component.

While you can expect a degree of exploration as you fly around these massive environments, the game will be mission-based, just like its predecessors. Each stage begins with a brief about your mission, some backstory and an outline of what you need to achieve. If you’re here for the story, Armored Core VI The film is set on the distant planet Rubicon 3. The planet is home to a new source of energy, one so powerful and volatile that it caused a cataclysmic event in the past that “engulfed the entire star system in flames”.

If you were expecting a Souls-like approach to the Armored Core series, you’ll likely be disappointed, taking away from both the hands-off presentation you saw and the comments from FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki. In an interview with IGNHe said the studio will stick to what makes the Armored Core series “special”, which he believes is the breadth and depth of mechanical customization. but like Evil spirits and others, major battles against more capable mechs can be highlights.

During the hands-off demo, the player dodged around a powerful molten-steel mech, cementing above it to reveal a weak spot. You’ll be able to attack enemies to do more damage, another dynamic you’ll need to pay attention to when choosing your mech combination.

The fire mech quickly outsmarted the player in the demo, but that means they can make some tweaks and changes to their mech, retooling it specifically to take down that boss. In this case, they swapped out more agile stems and a shotgun capable of doing more significant stun damage. The new Armored Core game is long overdue. Hopefully it will be worth the wait.

Armored Core VI will be released on August 25th on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and S, Xbox One, and PC.

Catch up on all the news from Summer Game Fest here!