Let’s find out together, in this dedicated review, what are the strengths and weaknesses of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, the new iteration of the FromSoftware franchise recently arrived on PC and console
When we think of FromSoftware, we often mistakenly stop at everything that has been produced in the field of third-person action RPGs. From the Souls series, to Bloodborne, to move on to the atypical Sekiro and encroach on the colossal Elden Ring, it is undeniable that the company has staked everything on what it seems to be doing very well: create complex worlds, interconnected and linked by a unique character who moves in them, living them and intersecting with them. However, this is not an apology of the action-rpg à la From, but the review of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. If you hadn’t already read the title to enter this article it would be a real twist!
Unbreakable | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
The Armored Core series fits transversely to the Souls trend, together with that large sphere of experimental products that FromSoftware has already launched on the market a long time ago (does anyone remember King’s Field or Ninja Blade?), perhaps not all very successful, but which however they showed the potential of an eclectic and decidedly visionary team. The new chapter, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, recently arrived on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | Stafter being announced to great acclaim during The Game Awards 2022.
The Armored Core series has always put customization at the center: all the big robot fanatics, therefore, anxiously awaited the announcement of this project, which had been matured for years, which was led by none other than Masaru Yamamura, lead designer of Sekiro, thus abandoning the guide imposed for years by Hidetaka Miyazaki. And that will have important repercussions, but more on that shortly. Let’s go into the review of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.
High Pressure | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Although there is the number six in the title, this new iteration narratively starts from scratch, creating a new universe, albeit always guided by the same themes as always: megacorporations and big companies fighting each other in a annihilated, gloomy and gray world. Our protagonist will be gradually assigned missions by the Supervisor, Walter, in the construction of a great plot, enriched by subplots and intrigues of various kinds, very complex and articulated, but not necessarily fragmented as that of any Souls can be.
Let’s be clear, if you don’t carefully follow every minute and every detail you will hardly have a complete picture of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. To symbolize this, it is enough for you to know that to obtain the true ending of the story you will necessarily have to complete the campaign three times, taking different choices and paths. And this too is a concept that we will take up again in the following lines.
Isentropic Flow | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Broadly speaking, just to let you test the basics, the game is set on Rubicon 3, a planet destroyed by the same energy source, the Coral, which had made humanity evolve and dominate. Our task, that of the protagonist and Walter, will be infiltrate the planet and end the civil war for control of the Coral, obviously wallowing among the aforementioned megacorporations, billionaire companies and bands of mercenaries of various kinds. In short, a continuous joy.
To be able to slip into this labyrinth of intrigue, we will necessarily have to resort to our Armored Core. The mecha we all would like because, simply put, completely customizable in any of its aspects, both purely aesthetic and performance. From the weapons that can be held to those placed on the shoulders, from the shell to the head to the thrusters, each component of the AC can be customized to your liking, after purchasing or obtaining a replacement.
Verification | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
And it is precisely inside the Armored Core that we will throw ourselves into the fray, in a long series of missions, preceded by a short briefing that will serve to give us all the details on the matter, which can be selected from the central game hub. It is therefore not an open-world or open-map video game, as FromSoftware has accustomed us in the last ten years, but Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon it adopts a particularly “old” gaming model, no less functional for this, but certainly angular from some points of view.
One of the main ones is definitely that feeling of repetitiveness to which the game will inevitably lead. Already the fact of having to repeat a mission numerous times to obtain the maximum degree of evaluation or, even better, having to complete the campaign three times, already makes it more than evident what the intent of the developers was: to push enthusiasts to grind. However, although it is true that completing the missions leads to obtaining money and components of various kinds, novices or in any case those who would like to play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon exclusively for the story will find themselves slightly hindered by a decidedly ancient mold, albeit still enjoyable.
Nest | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
However, it must be said that, pad in hand, Armored Core VI is definitely fun. Starting from the innate possibility of creating the mecha we want, whether it is quick and fast or a tank with devastating power, the various missions will present you with different options for completing the objectives (we have found at least three for each). You can decide to equip your Mecha with exclusively ranged weapons, or take advantage of the devastating melee laser blades. You can approach every single enemy head on, or try to go around them and hit them from behind. The choice is yours and yours alone.
After an initial run-in phase of the commands, why let’s admit that if you are not a big fan of the series and have not played it recently, the Armored Core commands are not exactly very fluid, regaining control of our AC has been more fun every time. The addition of the stagger bar, visible above the HP of the enemies (and of our protagonist) is something of Sekiriana memory that we really appreciated, especially in a fast and frenetic gameplay like that of Armored Core VI, in which in two seconds it is possible to end up with HP halved if not reset.
Clockwork Hostility | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
This is because, although we have never been faced with insurmountable or particularly frustrating difficulty peaks, Armored Core VI is definitely not an easy game. The bosses, especially those at the end of the level (all of particularly… important dimensions), they can easily knock you down with two well-aimed blows and without you even being able to notice what is happening. In this context, the mobility of your AC and consequently its agility seems to be particularly important, but sometimes not even so essential: if you want to tank, you just need to know how to do it.
Checkpoints are not many and are completely absent in the fastest missions (most can be completed in a matter of minutes, but there are some with larger maps and more objectives), but we have not found a particularly annoying defect. Every death in Armored Core VI taught us something important and it was never unfairbut always due to our error, carelessness or a need to update and improve our AC.
Coral Guardian | Review Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
We were able to play Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on Microsoft’s mid-generation console, Xbox Series S, with results in this case comparable to its older sister Series X. In the dozens of hours spent on Rubicon 3 we have not had any particular incidents with the frame rate. In short, except in some rather confusing situations between explosions and stray bullets, the title remained solid and stable, without hesitations that could affect our gaming experience.
We have noticed some repetitiveness in the maps, both outdoor and indoor, all quite similar to each other in setting and biome. A pity because with the technical care that FromSoftware has had for the individual Mechas, we expected a little more on this front as well. Despite this, the level design remains particularly inspired, as one might expect from the company that created the first Dark Souls twelve years ago, a master in this sense.
We haven’t experienced the multiplayer sector very much, we admit it, because we focused mainly on the campaign. We can however admit that 1v1 mode is especially fun, technical and difficult to match from 3v3, rather confusing in some situations. The feeling of constant danger that confronts an unknown adversary far surpasses any of the gargantuan bosses in the main campaign.
Echoes of Choral
In short, we close this review of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon trying to figure out, together with you, who to recommend it to. Surely to the fans of the franchise, who will be faced with exactly what they wanted: fully customizable mechas, gameplay as fast and frenetic as it is technical, a constant and balanced level challenge and a complex, adult and mature narrative. On the other hand, novices could be faced with a title that is a bit complex from some points of view and, from others, a little too old, almost angular. We place ourselves in the middle: despite some flaws that acted as a barrier, we had fun and were passionate, and that’s enough.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is currently available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X | S. Let us know what you think in the comments below, we at techgameworld.com will continue to keep you updated with all the videogame and tech-themed news, guides and reviews!
Plus points
- Solid and fun gameplay…
- FromSoftware branded level design
- A joy for robot fans
- The mechas are made in an incredible way
Points against
- … but sometimes with a too retro taste
- Long repetitive
- Little variety in settings