Everything You Need to Know About Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon

10 years after the last entry in the series, Armored Core is back. With FromSoftware coming off the back of the award-winning Elden Ring, what can we expect and why should old and new fans alike be excited for Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon?

This is Armored Core

Let's start with the obvious, what on Earth is Armored Core? Armored Core takes its name from the “Armored Core” or AC, the name for the mechs the player pilots in the series. In the AC universe, these mecha are divided into generations, with each generation bringing some new technological advancement and more powerful ACs. It seems likely that we will be seeing the next generation of mechs in Armored Core VI. You’ll go out on missions (not an open-world) to earn money, unlock parts and build up your standing with corporations and among other pilots. Each pilot funds and builds their own AC, giving the player a ridiculous amount of build customisation options. Once you have chosen all the separate components for your AC, you can tune it; opting for insane speed, durability or energy-intensive fighting and dodging.

Exciting Times

This will be the first time seeing Armored Core on PC. The previous game, Armored Core V: Verdict Day was released before Dark Souls II, back in 2013. Since then technology and the studio have taken massive leaps forward. With years more experience, bringing back the franchise with a small but dedicated fanbase and AAA levels of expertise and budget, things are looking up.

Universe & Story

"Dream and hope as they might, the NEXT pilots know that those who dare take on giants rarely live to tell the tale."

Armored Core shares many themes with its soulsborne counterparts. Staples of FromSoftware games like a dark tone and an apocalyptic dystopian world. The series left off with humanity venturing into space, leaving behind a dying and ruined Earth for new horizons under the guidance of their corporate overlords. You can expect to be a mercenary, hired by corporations who build destructive AC units. You’ll likely inevitably become embroiled in their politics as they seek to buy your attention and loyalty. Corporate-funded armies and drones secure the power of wealthy corporations, but nothing compares to a well-tuned AC with a skilled pilot and the highest-ranking pilots often find themselves in the employ of one corporation or another.

Iconic

“Target verified, commencing hostilities!”

Armored Core is arguably one of the most iconic mecha-game series, first being released in 1997, with 23 games and spin-offs to its name. A soft reboot in Armored Core 4 upped the pace of its combat and it’s currently unknown just what direction the new game will take the latest game’s combat. For those of you unfamiliar with Armored Core or coming from the Souls games, combat is fast and frantic. When two ACs meet, the quality of your mech, your fighting styles, your reaction speed and skill clash in blinding and spectacular fashion.

The pilot reacts to a series of movements and actions rather than waiting for the perfect time to dodge one big attack. It is no less satisfying when you defeat an impossible opponent. Just ask anyone who struggled against the infamous Nine-ball or evasive White Glint.

Terminology

"The test is over. From this moment on, you are... a Raven!"

You may be confused if you peruse any of the Armored Core forums or Reddit. Pilots and mechs have been referred to with a variety of different terms over the course of the series, from Raven or Lynx for pilots, and AC or NEXT for the mechs you pilot. To add to the confusion there are also in-universe terms for unpiloted drone mechs, known as “normals” and other mechanical fodder that you will scythe your way through on missions. There is no way of knowing for sure how they will be referred to in Armored Core VI yet.

For those who may be confused, Armored Core is not a soulslike and is its own distinct franchise. However, as a FromSoftware game there are shared aspects such as themes and intense boss fights. Don’t let this dissuade you from keeping an eye on this sci-fi action game.

I count myself among the fans of Armored Core and I cannot wait to see what they can do with this beloved series that has fallen by the wayside for a decade. Even if you aren’t a mech fan, or have been entrenched in fantasy for so long that you daren’t poke your head above the parapets, check out Armored Core VI. ACs moving with blinding speed through a hail of bullets, launching swarms of missiles and slicing through opponents with a glowing Kojima blade of plasma is undeniably cool.

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon is set to release in 2023.