Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is scheduled to be the next major title from Fromsoft, the studio behind the legendary Dark Souls franchise. Many fans of the studio have speculated on what Armored Core 6's gameplay would be like.
Armored Core is Fromsoft's first-ever IP, and the series can be dated back to the Playstation 1 era of gaming. The IP has had its own identity, not even remotely close to what Dark Souls is like. However, it seems that Fromsoft's hard work on the Souls titles, including the more recent Elden Ring, has rubbed off on the new Armored Core game in more ways than one.
How Souls"-like" is Armored Core 6?
The biggest takeaway is the core gameplay itself. Unlike in previous Armored Core games, you'll be managing an Estus Flask-like consumable to maintain your health in Armored Core 6. The game also features a hard lock-on system for targeting akin to Dark Souls. Anyone who has played an Armored Core game in the past knows that a hard lock-on is a departure from the soft lock-on system of the old. Recent gameplay does still show a soft lock-on in addition to the newer system, however.
There seems to be some sort of stagger system similar to From's Sekiro involved with Armored Core 6. Recent gameplay showed hostiles being staggered and taking more damage during the staggered time. In Sekiro, a stagger meant delivering a brutal execution. Armored Core 6, however, seems much more hands-on with the execution, only increasing a staggered enemy's damage taken instead of the cinematic death blow.
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I've been a long-time Armored Core fan for years, but I can say that I am pleased From is taking the sauce from their wildly successful Soul titles for the new game. A new challenge is ahead, and I'm all in on piloting a mech for it.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is set to release August 25 on PC, XBOX One, Xbox Series X|S, PS4, and PS5.
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