Armored Core 6 Fires Of Rubicon Torrent is an action game developed and published by FromSoftware. If there’s a single domain where Armored Core 6 could have reaped the benefits of enhanced modernization, it’s unquestionably in its narrative presentation. The five-chapter campaign unfolds predominantly through radio dialogues, PowerPoint-style mission briefings, and combat banter that proves exceedingly challenging to focus on while battling for survival on the mining planet of Rubicon.
Compounding the issue is our protagonist’s lack of depth, a mere pawn executing orders without a distinctive personality, fighting on behalf of corporations, resistance factions, arms dealers, or the mysterious Walter and his personal motives.
Consequently, despite an intriguing backdrop and premise laden with hints of hidden agendas and dubious loyalties, establishing a genuine connection with the narrative proves elusive, confined to a superficial level. This is regrettable, given that one of the central concepts in Armored Core 6 involves a diverging storyline where players make decisions regarding the factions they align with on missions, a facet that failed to resonate with me.
The various components of your mech each carry their own weight, defensive attributes, AP (health), and what’s referred to as Attitude Stability, influencing how susceptible you are to consecutive hits. Components with elevated defensive statistics naturally bear greater weight, necessitating sturdier yet slower leg parts, while hefty weapons demand larger, more robust arm components.
But that’s not all! Certain weapons consume a substantial amount of energy, requiring generators with ample EN (energy) capacities to even equip them. However, striking a balance becomes crucial, as this may impact energy regeneration during missions, intensifying the challenge. Before delving into these decisions, it’s imperative to consider the anticipated combat range, allowing optimization of internal components for that role, and the considerations continue to expand.
Mission failures are an integral part of the experience and are likely to occur frequently. Thankfully, the checkpoint system is generously designed, offering an opportunity to reevaluate your mech’s configuration after each demise. This constant process enables reflection on past mistakes and devising strategies for improvement.
Achieving success, whether through a simple weapon swap or a more drastic overhaul involving a change in my AC archetype, consistently provided a sense of gratification. Nevertheless, a desire lingers for the ability to access the shop upon death. If lacking the necessary equipment to overcome an obstacle, one must exit the mission, make the purchase, and then restart from the beginning.
While Armored Core 6 Fires Of Rubicon Torrent refrains from revolutionizing the bipedal legs of the mech action genre, it adeptly updates, refines, and polishes them to a compelling sheen. Each mission becomes a gratifying combat puzzle, thanks to exceptional design, intense boss encounters, an extensive array of weapons and components influencing mech performance, and a combat system that makes intricate mechanics accessible. Despite the narrative’s dull delivery through mission briefings and radio dialogues, this installment remains a welcome resurgence of a classic mecha series.
Related Game:
Armored Core 6 Fires Of Rubicon PC/System Requirements
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K | Intel Core i5-8400
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650, 4 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 60 GB available space