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Armored Core VI gameplay showcases intense mech fights, deep customization

A new gameplay video for FromSoftware’s Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is out now, and it highlights the intense combat and detailed mech customization that Digital Trends first got a look at during Summer Game Fest Play Days earlier in the month.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Footage

The gameplay video begins with a mech leaping off a ledge and boosting through the air to get across a large mechanical facility. It then showcases some combat against minor enemies as the player makes their way deeper into the base so we can see some of the tense combat situations players will find themselves in as they boost around, shoot, and sometimes even melee attacks. 

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After a look at a Detective Mode-like ability that allows players to scout ahead and some more combat, the trailer cuts away to highlight Armored Core VI’s deep customization systems. We see the person playing change arm and back “units,” which essentially serve as new weapons. We then see the different kinds of body parts and generators that a mech can be equipped with to make it look and play differently.

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And yes, the video confirms that you can customize the color of your mech.

Mech customization in Armored Core VI.
Bandai Namco Entertainment

After highlighting customization, it’s back to more fighting, which ultimately culminates in a boss fight against a boss that looks a bit like a furnace. It has the remarkable visual design, attack variety, and aggressiveness one would come to expect from a boss in a FromSoftware game, but unfortunately, the player dies and the trailer ends before the boss can be defeated. Still, if you were on the fence about Armored Core VI before, this gameplay footage shows you exactly what to expect.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon launches on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X on August 25.

Tomas Franzese
As a Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
The best weapons in Armored Core 6
A boss fight in Armored Core 6.

Time to load up for your next mission, merc. Your mech is your real character in Armored Core 6, and the different components you attach to it can completely change how it functions. There are different legs, cores, and all types of ways to change up your mech, but the most immediate and important has to be your weapon loadout. These can range from melee weapons and shotguns to massive missile launchers and Gatling guns. Since your mech can hold weapons in both hands and on each shoulder, there's a lot of room to experiment and give yourself options. Still, weapons aren't cheap and credits aren't always easy to come by as a gun for hire, so here are the best weapons in Armored Core 6 to invest in first.
Best Armored Core 6 weapons

Vvvc-774LS Laser Slicer
Let's begin with a melee weapon, which is far more useful in a game with rifles and lasers than you might expect. This is great for cleaving through mobs of smaller enemies thanks to its wide attack range and the fact that each swing counts as two hits. With an attack power of 1,615, that's a lot of damage coming out very fast -- and that's not even considering the ability to charge it up while advancing. It is on the heavier side for its class, and takes a while to "reload," but is a perfect way to get some breathing room if you get swarmed.
VP-60LCS Laser Cannon
If you need an early shoulder-mounted laser weapon, the VP-60LCS is a great one you can pick up in Chapter 1. They do decent damage, but the real usefulness comes in their staggering ability. Their rate of fire is essentially as fast as you can pull the trigger, and without a need to reload, you can rely on them whenever you need to so long as you don't overheat.
DF-GA-08-HU-BEN Gatling Gun
Sometimes we just want to hold down the trigger and make our problems go away. That's what Gatling guns are for, and this one ranks among the best. Each round will obviously do little damage, but with 1,300 rounds to chew through, not much can hold out against its sustained fire. Having one or two of these in your hands to follow up after stunning enemies with a laser weapon results in the perfect combo.
Songbirds Grenade Cannon
You won't have access to heavy explosives like the Songbirds until around midway into the game, but it is a must-buy as soon as you can. As you would expect, these explosives deal a ton of impact damage that has a decent area of effect if you're firing near a group. As a cherry on top, the grenades also inflict a high amount of stagger, so they're quite useful against bosses as well.
BML-G1/P07VTC-12 Vertical Missile Launcher
We couldn't close out a list of best weapons without a missile launcher, could we? For your money, this model is king. This shoulder-mounted weapon of mass destruction houses 12 missiles in its case that are ready to track your targets down, even behind cover and around obstacles. Just lock on to up to a dozen targets and let the missiles do the work from there.

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Even if you love Dark Souls, you’re not ready for FromSoftware’s next game
A combat encounter in Armored Core 6

I’m going to bet that a good chunk of people reading this have never played an Armored Core game. I’d be willing to bet most haven’t even heard of Armored Core, and if they have, it’s simply that “one series FromSoftware made before Dark Souls.” And if you have played Armored Core, you don’t need me to tell you what’s in store for Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon.

I’m talking to everyone else -- the ones who dabbled in Dark Souls, love Bloodborne, and tore through Elden Ring. I can tell you with confidence that you’re not ready for Armored Core VI. No, this isn’t Dark Souls with mechs, and for as much as FromSoftware has iterated on the core design with its now decade hiatus from the series, this is still very much an Armored Core game.

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A boss fight in Armored Core 6.

I don’t envy the position FromSoftware is in with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. It’s the first title since the release of Elden Ring, a monumental, critically acclaimed title considered one of the studio’s best. It’s also reviving a series that hasn’t been seen in a decade for modern platforms and game audiences. On top of those things, because this isn’t a Souls game, a microscope will be on the title as FromSoftware fans scrutinize if it’s as good as other games, while Souls haters will wonder if this is finally a good FromSoftware jumping on point for them.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Trailer

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