There has always been a certain disappointing dissonance between the fantasy I sought to fulfill with mech games and the actual content provided. I was introduced to the concept of mechs at a very young age when I watched my dad play Mech Warrior, and quickly fell in love with the concept of giant human-piloted robo-armor slinging giant slugs and missiles at each other. Unfortunately, as my taste evolved, games like Mech Warrior and other franchises failed to capture my need for high-octane, explosive mech violence developed by classic anime such as Gurren Lagaan and the many, many versions of Gundam. Even Gundam games didn’t seem to hit the mark for me, and I was beginning to think there was no hope.
Enter Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. I’m disappointed to say that I hadn’t heard of the Armored Core series before the release of this latest title. The last game came out in 2012, a time seemingly full of obscure game releases. After giving the sixth entry in the franchise a try, I can easily say I’ve been missing out.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon perfectly encapsulates the dynamic, explosive battles of classic mech anime. It is a world where machines the size of buildings battle it out with computer-targeted missile launchers and massive energy swords. It tests your ability to keep a cool, quick-thinking mind while under a haze of bullet fire and explosions, sliding across the land and tearing through the skies in intense battles where one wrong move can be the difference between victory and defeat—in classic FromSoft style.
You play as a mercenary mech pilot in Armored Core VI, fighting their way to the war-torn planet of Rubicon. Here, corporations like Arequebus and Balam battle over the incredibly rare and valuable resource known as Coral, with the Rubicon Liberation Front standing up where they can to defend their home planet from the corporate invasion. For you, it’s just a job, as the ALLMIND mercenary liaison organization leases out contract pilots to all of the corporations involved in the conflict. After you’ve dubiously collected your merc license, you can begin taking on missions for the highest bidders, often working for one corp and immediately switching sides on your next contract.
The setting of Rubicon is undeniably awesome, creating an atmosphere as tense and bleak as the game’s subject matter. The fantasy of being a mercenary mech pilot plays really well into the game’s gameplay loop, which is taking on short missions, getting paid, spending your money on upgrading your mech, and heading into more missions. Emphasis on short missions, as most missions in the sortie tab will take you no longer than two to five minutes; this might sound strange, but I can promise you it is a very intense and satisfying five minutes of gameplay. Once you’ve completed a mission, you can immediately launch into another.
In these missions, you’ll use a variety of weapons and mech equipment to destroy objectives and the countless foes that stand between them. Assault rifles, pistols, rocket launchers, missile launchers, energy swords, and shields are just some of the weapons you can bring into battle. All scaled up to giant mech-destroying size, of course, but weapons are only a small part of the upgrades you can make to your mech. Stronger boosters, armor, targeting computers, and energy generators are all essential upgrades you need to make your Armored Core a sophisticated fighting machine. The level of customization is impressively varied, allowing you to play anything from a switch sword-wielding mecha knight to a crab-legged indestructible tank.
The vast amount of customization available is representative of the complexity of the gameplay itself. Far more than just shooting your foes down, you’ll have to time precise dodges, shield blocking, and learn to use your limited but fast refreshing energy resource to take to the sky and keep yourself from becoming another casualty of Rubicon. The hardest and most important thing you’ll have to learn in Armored Core VI is how to properly navigate and utilize the 3D space. Hugging the ground makes you a sitting duck to the many high explosive ordnance used by the enemy and is a quick way to find yourself dead.
Though I struggled specifically in the boss fights, I never felt frustrated or like the game was too hard. The amount going on screen and the quickness of combat can be intimidating at first, but you’ll soon learn that it’s to compensate for the freedom of mobility (and high armor if you build your mech that way) that being an Armored Core pilot affords you. Each death was a learning opportunity, and soon I felt like I had all but mastered many of the mechanics and felt like a true terror on the battlefield. Playing the optional tutorials helps a lot and also rewards you with some free mech parts, which are the coveted treasure of this game.
As it stands, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is my game of the year, competing incredibly well with the list of other great titles we’ve had come out so far. It’s a game with straightforward, rewarding progression, which is earned through fundamentally fun and exciting gameplay. If you’re a fan of mecha anime or giant robots in general, I recommend you give this game a try because I’m absolutely loving it; and I haven’t even tried multiplayer yet.
Oh, and it has good keyboard controls, something I’d never thought I’d say about a FromSoft game.
The Final Word
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon pairs its fast-paced, exciting, and downright fun gameplay with incredibly rewarding progression and a staggering amount of player customization. Its quick but thrilling missions are paired with challenging FromSoft-style boss fights that will test your knowledge of the game’s easy-to-learn, hard-to-master mechanics in fun and exciting ways. More than that, it beautifully delivers on the fantasy of being a mech pilot with its gritty world and excellent mech control and fighting, creating an immersive game that feels as good as it plays.
10
Try Hard Guides was provided with a PC review copy of this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles in the Game Reviews section of our website! Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is available on Xbox, Steam, and PlayStation.