Ready to pilot your mechs once again? Bandai Namco Entertainment released the story trailer for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon in collaboration with FromSoftware on July 20. The highly anticipated mecha action game is set to hit PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on August 25; a global release that promises a nostalgic yet improved Armored Core experience for fans.
Welcome to the high-octane, metal-crunching world of Armored Core. A sci-fi universe where sleek mechs, advanced technology, and explosive battles partner to create an adrenaline-pumping gaming experience like no other.
If you’ve ever dreamed of piloting your customizable giant robot (who hasn’t?), then this beloved game series is the perfect suit for you. But this isn’t your grandpa’s old and forgotten mech game from the past. Bandai Namco is an exciting saga that has evolved and improved itself over the years, leaving behind a franchise of enjoyable games.
Imagine a world where you, the player, take on the role of a pro mercenary, known as a Raven, customizing your deadly mechanical suit to carry out your wildest combat fantasies. That’s Armored Core.
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How Bandai Namco Describes ‘Fires of Rubicon’
In Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon, players are thrown into an exhilarating world of intense 3D landscapes, offering unrestricted freedom of movement and rapid, blistering vehicular warfare.
FromSoftware’s trademark game design ensures that battles are both demanding and unforgettable, complemented by a rewarding progression system and immersive gameplay. Assembling and piloting mighty mechs, players will face off against overpowered bosses, eating up moments of victory as they overcome daunting obstacles and elevate their standing, before moving on to the next mission.
Fires of Rubicon: Gameplay and Plot
Armored Core VI takes players on a ride through mecha-based vehicular combat. Piloting their powerful Armored Cores, gamers can fully customize and upgrade their mechs using different parts to fine-tune their abilities the exact way they like them.
With four weapon slots, strategic firepower choices will become a key element. The arena, now known as the “combat aptitude evaluation program,” returns from previous games, providing players with challenging missions and rewards in the form of credits. Unlike earlier versions, players won’t suffer financial penalties for failure, enabling them to repeatedly attempt missions and conquer challenges.
The Plot
the action unfolds on the distant planet Rubicon 3, where humanity stumbles upon a game-changing energy source called “Coral.” This newfound power was expected to improve their technological prowess, but instead, it unleashed “The Fires of Ibis,” a catastrophic event that ignited the planet and its neighboring star system in flames.
Fast forward 50 years later, humanity has rediscovered Coral and is once again determined to use its potential. Enter the player, as “C4-621,” a.k.a. “Raven,” an augmented human and independent mercenary piloting an Armored Core under the command of an interstellar handler, “Walter.”
Players will take on missions from extraterrestrial mega-corporations and resistance groups, all aiming to control Coral.
Armored Core: Everything to Know
From its debut with the original Armored Core in 1997 to the awaited release of Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon in 2023, the series has graced multiple gaming platforms, including PlayStation, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, and Mobile Phone.
The Armored Core game series has become somewhat of a legend in the gaming world, with an impressive range of storylines spanning 13 main games, seven spin-offs, and three remastered re-releases. Each release is categorized into different “generations” of sequels, kickstarting with every numbered entry.
Not only did the franchise inspire a generation of mech enthusiasts, but it also led to the creation of Daemon X Machina, a video game very similar to Armored Core, produced by Kenichiro Tsukuda, the creative mind behind the Armored Core series.
Daemon X Machina launched for Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows.
The success of Armored Core was enough reason for FromSoftware to shift focus from RPGs to mech game development. This transformation was seen with the release of the multiplayer action game Frame Gride for the Sega Dreamcast in 1999. This was followed by the release of Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit in 2002 and Metal Wolf Chaos in 2004.
