With thanks to the folks at Bandai Namco and FromSoftware, we’re bringing you our full Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon review. As ever, you can find our full video review just below, or keep reading for the extended written review. Armored Core VI is out now, and if you’re a fan of mech titles and you’re after a challenge, it’s worth a look.
The Basics – What is Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon About?
Available on: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Price: $49.99 (PC), £54.99 (Xbox), £59.99 (PlayStation)
Type: Mech-based Action-RPG
Download: 60.3GB (PC), 52.4GB (Xbox Series X)
Armored Core VI: Fired of Rubicon has been an awful long time coming. It’s been over ten years since the last franchise title, Armored Core V, released onto PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. With it being even more than a generation since the last one released, seeing the mech title return to the scene is very welcome.
As you may anticipate, you’ll work as a fledgling mercenary pilot, battling your way through future city scapes. Armored Core VI brings some expansive levels awash with enemies both small and (increasingly) large. With FromSoftware’s mech and action pedigree, they’ve managed to bring Armored Core’s gameplay into the here and now.
This includes a HUD which reflects older titles, managing to echo previous entries, while bringing performance up to date with omni-directional battles. With enemies surrounding you, and larger-than-life bosses on your tail, Armored Core is definitely a challenge. If you’re up for it though, it can provide really satisfying gameplay.
You’ll move through 58 possible missions, with additional training exercises, NPC Arena and the multiplayer Nest. From most of these missions you’ll unlock new weapons and loadout options (or, at least, unlock the opportunity to purchase them with in-game currency). This allows players to really customise their mech to suit their play style.
It’s important to remember, though, that you’ll likely need to change this up, depending on level bosses. Each one does manage to feel different, and you will need to consider strategies carefully in order to beat them. The same is true for the Nest multiplayer, where you’ll go up against human opponents. Players will need to get to Chapter 3 before this unlocks (which is an odd design choice and a little frustrating) but multiplayer battles have been fun overall.
In addition to all this, Armored Core VI comes with an in-depth paint and decal customisation area. This will let you change up your mech’s design, as well as adding your own touch with personalised decals.
Is Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Safe for Children?
Rating: Mostly Harmless.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is rated by PEGI at 12 and above and by the ESRB as T for Teen. These ratings are based on inherent violence within mech combat, as well as some bad language within the title. For our micro-bandits, we’ve been quite happy to play this one in front of them, as the violence depicted is almost exclusively robot on robot.
While there are a number of explosions, there’s not much in the way of blood at all, and bad language within the title is far from prolific. Overall, with all this in mind, it’s one which we’re rating as Mostly Harmless.
Is Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Accessible?
Rating:Hardcore.
Armored Core VI is a tough title, which doesn’t provide a way to change difficulty for the game. In addition, there are not many accessibility options, other than the ability to remap controller buttons as needed. As such, even for the standard gamer (if such a thing exists) Armored Core VI is a tough slog which does not pull any punches. We’re rating it as Hardcore, and it’s only one for those looking for a fast-paced challenge.
The Run Down – Our Five-Point Rating for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Gameplay – 4: This iteration of the franchise is well built, and we’ve been impressed at how it’s managed to keep the spirit of previous titles while building on gameplay and scale. While lower-level enemies can get repetitive, the large-scale bosses provide an enjoyable challenge and an intuitive control system makes it easy to pick up, if not to master.
Visuals – 4: Graphics here are pretty solid, and especially when up close and personal with your mech things are looking nice. Buildings in the title can feel a little cookie cutter, and landscapes don’t offer much sense of scale which is a bit of a drawback.
Audio – 5: Soundtrack is great here, and voice acting is also pretty good. Effects in game are well implemented, and overall the sound pulls together nicely with some hard-hitting background music complimenting combat well.
Narrative – 3: The narrative itself in Armored Core VI is actually pretty enjoyable, but you’ll get almost all of it from disembodied radio messages between missions. This does make it feel a little drab, and it can drag slightly which is a shame.
Replay – 4: There are a lot of elements at play for replay. Firstly, the title does bring a relatively limited multiplayer, allowing you to duke it out against friends or random enemies. The good mix of mech build options also allows you to attack missions in different ways, without feeling too constricted by level objectives. There’s also a New Game Plus option after completing the title, and overall replay scores pretty well for us here.
The Verdict – Is Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon Worth It?
Pixel Bandits Mechcellent Level for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a respectable 8 / 10. While it’s not totally hooked us, Armored Core VI does provide some solid, fast-paced gameplay. It’s certainly one to look at only if you are after a challenge, as large-scale enemies and lack of difficulty options do make it tricky.
If that’s your kind of thing, however, this one should be popular with long-term fans of the franchise. Armored Core VI manages to pay homage to previous titles, while providing a modern, fresh take which controls well, and delivers a slick mech combat experience.
As ever, to provide this review and common-sense parent’s guide, we received free copies of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon from the folks at FromSoftware.
