Armored Core 6 hands-on preview impressions and more from Los Angeles & Germany events. We got to play the first 11 missions and try out different cores.

Armored Core 6: Hands-On Preview for the Mech Enthusiast

Recently, we had the exciting opportunity to travel to Los Angeles for an in-person, hands-on experience with Armored Core 6, courtesy of FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. The highlight of the event was getting the chance to pilot a real-life Mech, which was undeniably cool. In this video, we’ll be sharing our impressions from the event and discussing what we think about Armored Core 6 so far, as well as what players can expect when the game releases on August 25th.

Before delving into the details, it’s worth mentioning that all the gameplay footage you’ll see in this video is our own captured gameplay from the event. This is not the same footage that has been shown in other Armored Core 6 videos; it’s specifically from our playthrough with our red Mech adorned with the Fextralife logo.

Missions of Rubicon

One aspect we want to touch upon is the game’s length based on the content we played. During the event, we were able to experience the first 11 missions of the full game, although we’re only allowed to showcase about half of those missions here. It took us just under three hours to complete these 11 missions, which was intriguing given that we were told the game would be around 50 to 60 hours long. This suggests that players can expect over 100 missions in total, although the later missions may be longer, slowing down the mission count progress.

The missions involve various tasks like taking out enemy Mechs, destroying enemy batteries, and acting as a wingman for other Mechs.

The dialogue we’ve encountered so far is well-executed, with characters feeling authentic and fitting the style of the game. Nonetheless, there were instances where the dialogues seemed overly lengthy, which could be a bit of a drawback, especially for newcomers eager to dive into combat. However, players do have the option to skip these dialogues, but we chose to listen to them to get a better understanding of the game’s background story and Armored Core 6 in general.

While the early dialogues in the game might be a bit lengthy but as you progress it becomes less of an issue. Each mission starts with a debriefing on your objectives, and then you load into the mission, which typically follows a format of starting in an open outdoor area and then moving to an indoor space with less verticality. Once the mission is completed, you return to the base for a debrief and possible foreshadowing of what’s to come in the overall story. Sometimes the story bits are told through cutscenes that tie together the game’s overarching plot nicely. 

Fast-Paced Mech Fighting

The combat is the game’s main focus, and the controls feel smooth and responsive, making it enjoyable to pilot the Mech even at high speeds. Mastering the game’s mechanics will take time, but skilled players will be able to perform incredible maneuvers and look very impressive in combat. This may even be more so than the Souls games, Armored Core 6 players will eventually be able to do even more cool and impressive things in this game. Not only will you be zooming around killing everything, but you’re going to look like an absolute badass while doing it.

Melee attacks are particularly powerful in the game, as they can stagger enemies and leave them vulnerable for a short time, making it easier to deal heavy damage. Your mech will actually be pulled forward into a melee attack animation. 

I also found that using a bazooka on my right-hand weapon made it so that after I did this melee combo, I could just fire that bazooka point-blank into the enemy before they could move. This often completely filled up their stagger gauge if they were close, and then I could repeat the melee attack and keep repeating this pattern. I used this strategy to defeat the final boss on Mission 11, and it allowed me to beat it on my first try. I was hyper-aggressive with melee and my bazooka, staggering the boss and unloading my rockets into it repeatedly.

This will definitely be everyone’s style in the game. I found that this particular approach worked well for me, but players will be able to express themselves very much since there is tons of build potential. 

Armored Core 6 Mech Customization

Let’s talk about Mech customization in Armored Core 6. At the beginning of the game, you’ll spend time customizing your Mech, experimenting with different legs, arms, weapons, and cores to find a setup that works for you. However, there are a lot of stats on these weapons that might be confusing for new players.

Understanding these stats becomes more important as the difficulty increases, helping you optimize your Mech setup. While it’s not necessary to understand everything from the start, delving into the customization options and understanding the stats will benefit you as you progress.

The Mech customization is a nostalgic and enjoyable aspect, and players can experiment with different weapon sets and configurations to find effective combinations. Players will spend a lot of time tinkering with their mechs, especially since the systems are extremely flexible. While it seemed like there were some distinctly better weapons than others, it will probably change later on in the game as more options open up. 

A substantial portion of the game revolves around customizing your Mech and engaging in pre and post-mission dialogues. However, as you fine-tune your Mech and get more familiar with the game mechanics, the tinkering aspect is likely to diminish, and the bulk of your playtime will consist of completing missions back-to-back, immersing you deeper into the gameplay.

Passing Visuals

Regarding Armored Core 6’s graphics, they are serviceable but not outstanding. Since the game is made for last-gen and current-gen consoles, it lacks the visual appeal that you might expect from a Mech game. As the industry advances with modern engines like Unreal Engine 5,

FromSoftware’s engine is starting to show its age. Despite this, the game runs smoothly, with no bugs or glitches, which is typical of FromSoftware’s games.

Armored Core 6 Preview: Final Thoughts

In conclusion, I enjoyed my time playing Armored Core 6, especially since I love Mech games. The controls feel familiar for those who have played FromSoftware’s other titles. However, I believe many players who are fans of FromSoftware’s other games, such as Elden Ring or Dark Souls, might be reluctant to switch immediately to Armored Core 6. The timing of its release might impact its initial player base. It is up against some heavy hitters, such as Baldur’s Gate 3, Starfield, Lies of P, or even Lords of the Fallen. Overall, the game is enjoyable, but its competition with other popular titles might affect its initial reception.

Be sure to check out the Armored Core 6 Wiki for more information on the game!