Armored Core VI: 5 Reveals You Might’ve Missed

FromSoftware have made mecha fans quite happy in recent months with the reveal of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, the next installment of the 26 year old franchise. Now, a new gameplay trailer has revealed a bevy of details on gameplay and how the next-generation of Armored Core is retaining some classic features while also borrowing a bit from the Souls series. Here are some of the bigger details we’ve glimpsed in the most recent trailer that you might have missed.

 

1. Dodge Thrusters Make a Return

Maneuverability was always a huge pillar in how Armored Core played, but mobility got out of control in Armored Core 4 where the breakneck speed made it difficult to figure out what was going on. Players were always spamming their boosters for momentum and moving at nigh-on lightspeed around the environment, making it hard to exactly see what was going on. Now in Armored Core VI, the overall feel of speed and momentum has been brought back down to a slower, more methodical level where it more feels like Armored Core 3 rather than For Answer.

Players can still dodge around and avoid enemies with a quick burst of speed from their Boosters, but it doesn’t look like it feeds into momentum and speed. Instead it serves as a quick way to avoid a close call without having to totally reposition yourself mid-fight against your target. Think more like Sekiro, where you could have these moments of “hitbox porn” as you’re avoiding fatal blows by inches.

 

2. Multiple Functions On ACs

The most intriguing detail in the gameplay appears about halfway into the trailer where a quadruped AC stops before attacking a group of unaware enemies and a huge wave of orange energy erupts from the mech, revealing the positions of all the enemies through solid obstacles like buildings and walls. The AC then leaps into the air with its legs spread out and thrusters allow it to hover in mid-air, raining bullets and missiles from above.

There’s definitely a lot more features ACs will have this time around such as scanning modes, or different functions for legs beyond just carrying capacity and maneuverability. Even tank tread legs have received a major glow-up, with a clip showing a tank-type AC plowing through enemies like an unstoppable football player, causing tons of damage, meaning players now have tons of high-speed options beyond just choosing lightweight bipedal legs. Head part choices could also be more crucial than ever with unique features locked to specific models such as advanced radar and scanning modes.

 

3. Out of Ammo? No Problem.

In previous Armored Core games, if you had guns on both hand slots or weapon arms and ran out of ammunition, that usually signaled a swift end for you. In Armored Core VI though, it seems like there may still be options to go out swinging if your guns happen to be on their last few rounds. In one clip, a lightweight bipedal AC runs past an enemy and pulls a quick 180-degree turn, shoots the mech in the back, and charges straight at the target. But instead of using a laser blade or melee weapon, the AC leaps into the air and does a flying kick that destroys the target. Previous interviews with FromSoftware staff have indicated that they want players to have many options during a fight, and it seems like that includes being able to still fight back despite a lack of ammo.

It’s unknown if these sort of melee attacks are finishers or they can be done at any time to stagger a target of similar size as your AC, but your choice of leg type could also play a major role in this as well. Going back to the tank legs, this same kick move could translate into a bum-rush move for heavyweights where they use the whole AC as a battering ram against a target.

 

4. The Way of the (Laser) Blade

Coming off of a game all about sword fighting and perfecting the parry technique, director Masaru Yamamura has been looking at ways to make melee combat in Armored Core more interesting that just a swish and stab. Laser blades and parry blades, or piledrivers, have been in Armored Core since the beginning, but the depth of their mechanics have been all but incredibly shallow. Armored Core VI looks to finally bring some depth to melee combat. Both solid ammunition and laser melee weapons show up in both trailers for Armored Core VI and their mechanics look quite deep.

Multiple times in the trailer, laser blades are shown off, utilizing more than just the classic swipe attack that series veterans will no doubt remember. The trailer shows hints of multiple laser blade types including the classic style, a twin-blade not unlike something straight out of Star Wars, and even a grappling type that can impale an opponent like a gigantic spear.

Laser blade only builds were possible back in the day of previous Armored Core titles, but it was like watching someone take on a bet at the local bar. Now it looks like a laser blade build will be something worth pursuing with all the new and fancy moves, though it will likely require a lot of prowess to master blade combat in a game filled with cannons, miniguns, and missiles.

 

5. The Past Borrows From The Future

Along with sticking to their guns on Armored Core’s own design philosophies, director Masaru Yamamura brings up in recent interviews mentions of a Stagger system. Similar in vein to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which Yamamura designed the combat systems for, Armored Core VI will incorporate a staggering mechanic where keeping up aggression on a target leads to breaking their guard or posture. Both ranged and melee weapons will contribute to Stagger damage, which will undoubtedly add a lot of ebb and flow to the combat of Armored Core VI.

Before, most fights were all about positioning and just circle-strafing your targets, unloading a hail of weapon fire until it was over. Now with the inclusion of a Stagger mechanic that works from range and melee, there will be a real strategy to maintain distance and make sure you’re not stunlocked into defeat.

Much more has yet to be revealed in greater detail about Armored Core VI, but we don’t have much longer to wait for the solid answers. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon will be out on August 25, 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X & S.

READ MORE: What Would A New Armored Core Game Have To Do?