Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon – PS5 Version, Reviewed on PS5 – Action, Sci-Fi, Mech-Based Shooter
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon brings a fresh new story into the long-running action combat series. I have not played any previous entry, however that did not detract in any way or stop enjoyment of this excellent game. The fast-paced shooting is combined with smooth Mech movement and explosive weapons that devastate your opponents as well as the surrounding environments.
Story:
While there have been many Armored Core games, this installment features a new story and setting, making it easy to get into for players new to the series. The story basics feature a future with humanity having conquered space travel and settling on multiple new planets. When a new energy source Coral is discovered on borderland planet Rubicon 3, technology is advanced before catastrophe occurs, setting fire to the planet and surrounding planets. 50 years after cataclysm, there are detections of Coral once again on the Rubicon planet, with multiple parties looking to command the substance’s power and capitalize on its potential.
This sets up conflict over the world and its resources, with corporations and mercenaries descending planetwide. It becomes clear that the opportunities the planet offers will be chased, despite any cost to inhabitants, or the mercenaries themselves.
The player’s point of view begins at this point, with their character having illegally taken a “license” of a dead mercenary Raven. You and your mech are pitted into the world of corporate battle between multiple large conglomerates, the colonial government and black-market parties. Will anyone succeed with their goals, or will Rubicon pay the price?
Gameplay:
The gameplay is designed around third-person mech missions that mainly focus on combat. Your opponents will typically be other mechs, whether similar in size to your own vehicle, or sometimes muuuuch much larger. Some are quick to dispose of, and others take multiple tactics and/or learning exploits to take down. There are defenses to avoid as well, like tracking turrets and the like. Enemy types continue to evolve as the game proceeds, and combat is always a blast.
Replaying missions can be key for bonus experience or resources, or simply to find things you may have missed. Despite the replays, the game most always feels fresh, and making sure to discover all the additional objectives and get bonuses for completion.
Mechs behave according to their customization, which is a huge factor in the game. This allows for constant experimentation, and caters to multiple gameplay styles as well. There are countless guns, mech parts, defensive items, and more to unlock. These all have their own energy requirements, and affect your mech’s movement abilities directly. Building a newer, better, faster, stronger mech is always fun, and balancing out everything is a challenge.
Re-doing your mech will be key in passing later missions and/or defeating certain bosses. There are so many possibilities however, that it leads to virtually unlimited freedom in player strategies to develop. Players that love speed can focus on lighter weapons and bigger engine boosts, while tank players can literally develop a high-powered, yet slower moving tank mech. Flying and dodging was fun for me, so I kept my mech more agile, especially since it allowed for a devastating melee attack when I got in close. That being said, speed usually means less durability, so I would die faster at times than when I tried other beefier builds.
The difficulty in the game can spike at times, as any bosses require you to learn your own mech’s ins-and-outs, as well as develop new tactics. That being said, missions are always nice and short, so replaying the older missions for more credits to buy more parts was not time consuming, and was always nice to practice my moves with. Then you could easily return to the boss, feeling better about your moves and chances.
Controls are easy to learn, and the movement of the mech is smooth and natural. Blasting up into the sky to fly around and pummel the mechs below with large cannons was just as fun as sliding around on the ground, dodging incoming missiles and delivering death slashes with your energy sword, or pelting enemies with a gatling gun.
Mechs can’t “have it all” so finding the right balance of weapons, durability, speed and flight was always fun, and testing a new rig build never got old. Mechs can handle arm and shoulder weapons, so up to four types of guns can be used, or multiple types of multiple guns if you feel like setting both hands/shoulders up the same way. All guns and melee weapons and shields behave differently, and there are a multitude of other mech power-ups and bonuses to unlock and use as well. Again, finding the right combination will always be key in advancing through some of the game’s harder levels.
It should be noted also, that after the story has been beaten once, a replay (New Game+) will actually feature some mission tweaks that allow for unlocking of entirely different missions, paths and endings. This gives the player many reasons to come back for more.
I believe there is a multi-player online 1v1 or 3v3 element also, but I never took off into those arenas.
Graphics:
The game’s presentation of mechs, explosions and mission settings all look great. The detail on the mechs is unending, especially with all the customization options (that also include color, decals and more). Settings vary from building-full cities to harsh wintry landscapes. Weather and particle effects add constant motion to the backgrounds, and the gunplay allows for different attack types to play out.
Blasting through a building and crumbling it to pieces during a fight really makes you feel like a powerful mech, and fast-paced bot fights are reflected with unique designs and smooth graphical representations. At times this game can look outright gorgeous, and the only times it looks “ugly” is when it is supposed to as you are in a murky dilapidated zone.
Fun-level:
Between the fluid action combat and the endless customization, there is tons of fun to be had. I have not played many mech type games in my time, but this one was thoroughly engaging in all aspects. The story puts you at odds with your own morals, and the gameplay is fun all-around. There is some player choice in the story also, as well as just the mech customization.
For those that have never experienced a FromSoftware published game (now famous for Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Elden Ring), know that there are sometimes some fairly tough spots that require you to fully learn how to play the game and utilize all available mechanics. This game is no different, however it is not as punishing as some of the “Souls” games out there that they have published. The challenge feels about right, and felling some monster bosses and gliding through dangerous missions is quite rewarding.
Downloadable Content (DLC) Review:
There have been no official DLC announcements.
Final Score: 8.5
DLC Score: N/A