What can newcomers expect from Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon in 2023

After many years of anticipation, developer FromSoftware has announced Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. The upcoming mecha game marked the first mainline entry since 2012's Armored Core V for PS3 and Xbox 360. During that time period, FromSoftware released little besides Soulslike. From Dark Souls to Elden Ring, the Japanese publisher has garnered new fans over time.

As such, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon will be a new experience for many modern FromSoft fans. This sci-fi series is vastly different from the studio's current work. So what can players expect from this upcoming mecha game?

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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a treat for sci-fi fans and mech lovers

1) A brand new story

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon gets its name from the fictional planet Rubicon 3 whose events kick off the narrative. A mysterious resource was discovered that could allegedly advance human technology. Instead, it ended up setting the entire solar system ablaze and the planet was sealed off due to contamination threats. Half a century later, a new war breaks out between various intergalactic factions, as the resource resurfaces on the planet.

Taking on the role of a lone mercenary, players breach the planet and find themselves in the crosshairs, caught between the factions' struggles over the resource. Whether or not this will be a sequel to Armored Core V remains to be seen.

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2) Gameplay

Not many details have been revealed on this front by publisher Bandai Namco, but it should be safe to assume it will follow in the footsteps of its predecessors. The series has always been a third-person, action-packed mech game.

Players can customize mechs with different parts, resulting in varied builds that function differently from one another. As such, each of them will also feature different stats depending on the parts used.

Gameplay has traditionally been divided across mission structures, with each location featuring its own objectives, locations, and set pieces. There are various characters to meet, both friendly and antagonistic across varied factions.

Coming to battles, combat is real-time in third-person, and players can expect to be darting around open sandbox environments while dealing damage to the enemy and avoiding their fire. From rapid-firing machine guns to brutal missiles, players will be thrown into various dangerous scenarios.

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3) Expectations

If the trailer for Fires of Rubicon is anything to go by, players can expect one of the best mech action games in a long time. The series has received a mixed reception from fans in the past, with the latest Armored Core V being a step in the right direction to an extent.

But given the series has gone a decade without an entry, fans can't help but wonder what new direction FromSoft will take, now that they have had experience thanks to several games over the years.

It would not be surprising if the game borrowed elements from the studio's acclaimed action games like Sekiro and Elden Ring, but with a sci-fi format. But do fans want another Soulslike but with a futuristic paint job? In the end, the mech genre has seen little spotlight, so as a whole, innovating and expanding upon what made the previous Armored Core entries great is the way to go.

Here's hoping this new entry is to the series what Dark Souls was for Demon's Souls, i.e, be a massive improvement that finally ushers it into mainstream status. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is coming in 2023 for PS4, PS5, XB1, XSX|S, and PC.