Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon looks like a sped-up Elden Ring

Earlier than the success of Elden Ring and constructing a near-ubiquitous popularity for crafting darkish fantasy worlds, FromSoftware made the Armored Core video games. This motion mech sequence paired third-person shooter mechanics with an emphasis on customizing mechs to swimsuit the participant’s fight wants. Over time, the sequence has pale into the annals of FromSoftware’s historical past, however that can change quickly.

This summer time, FromSoftware will return to its roots and launch Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon. As a part of a hands-off preview at Summer time Sport Fest, producer Yasunori Ogura confirmed Polygon extra of the sport. In the course of the demo, we bought to see FromSoftware’s new mechs in motion, extra of the sport’s machine customization choices, and study extra in regards to the developer’s imaginative and prescient for the sport. What we noticed was a slick motion fight recreation that pairs the agile mobility of mechs with the precision of a typical FromSoftware recreation.

Armored Core 6 is a mech motion recreation that blends third-person capturing with close-range fight. Whereas Ogura has beforehand asserted this recreation is not going to simply be Elden Ring with mechs, it’s going to convey the studio’s attribute emphasis on overcoming robust fight. In his presentation, Ogura articulated three points key to the sport: 3D stage design with a way of scale; meeting in battle design (customizing mechs); and experiencing a way of accomplishment via overcoming difficulties.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

“Our intention is to create a brand new mech motion by the present FromSoftware, which mixes the elemental fan side of the [Armored Core] sequence with the design philosophy of current FromSoftware video games,” Ogura mentioned by way of a translator.

The producer confirmed a mission that duties gamers with capturing a facility known as Grid 086. Earlier than hopping into the world, the mission began with a quick overview of the map and goal. As the extent began, we had been greeted with a vista of a towering and sprawling manufacturing unit facility peppered with enemy machines. Ultimately, the digicam settled on the mech the participant pilots.

Though the mech can wheel round, the faster option to navigate is through the use of its jetpacks. The huge hole between the mission’s start line and a looming construction closed shortly because the mech glided alongside the jagged industrial terrain, soared throughout gaps, and used a vertical catapult to fling it up via the air. Ogura described this enhance mechanic as being “core” to the motion of the sport, each for fight and traversal. The primary struggle began, and we noticed the participant use these similar jetpacks to sprint facet to facet and up and right down to keep away from assaults, and to shift between shut and mid-range fight fluidly.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

Gamers defeat enemies by drawing upon an arsenal of close- and mid-range weapons like multi-lock missiles, close-range vitality swords, spray bullets, and extra. A easy barrage of bullets is perhaps sufficient to take down a small enemy, however stronger opponents have influence gauges which require the participant to construct up injury and stagger them, offering a good bigger window to wreck.

The builders say they need Armored Core 6 to be a difficult recreation, and gamers could have numerous instruments at their disposal to beat its challenges. One option to take care of a tough enemy might be utilizing a search operate to scan it and formulate a plan. Nonetheless, figuring out the place an adversary lies may not provide the edge you’ll want to win. When the participant dies and returns to a checkpoint, a menu pops up providing the choice to tweak their mech to their liking.

“Gamers want to consider which weapon to make use of to intention to stagger the enemy, and which weapon to wreck it with. Meeting is a spot the place they’ll get pleasure from experimenting with their very own distinctive coordinated results,” Ogura mentioned.

Picture: FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

Ogura added that gamers will have the ability to select components for the mechs’ legs and arms, in addition to inner components that affect weapons and energy. A complete of 4 weapons may be outfitted on every hand and shoulder, however Ogura targeted on the legs particularly, saying that “the traits of the leg components differ enormously relying on the sort, and it adjustments motion within the recreation dramatically.”

Because the demonstrator progressed via the extent, we noticed fight in each cavernous open areas and tightly packed rooms lined in mangled and twisted equipment. Ultimately, the participant accomplished the mission by combating a large “sensible cleaner,” which primarily regarded like an enormous lava Roomba of loss of life.

Armored Core 6 Fires of Rubicon is scheduled for launch on Aug. 25 and can come to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Home windows PC (by way of Steam), Xbox One, and Xbox Sequence X.