Here’s What You Should Do To Prepare For Armored Core 6 As A New Player

FromSoftware pioneered one of the gaming industry’s most beloved genres back in 2009 with the launch of Demon’s Souls. This would go on to expand & take over the landscape with the release of Dark Souls and its sequels. Being the progenitor of the soulslike genre, the studio has gained a gargantuan playerbase over the last decade. But there’s another iconic yet niche series under its belt with an upcoming entry—Armored Core 6.

The Armored Core series is what solidified FromSoftware’s skills as a developer. Going on to become its flagship series, it received numerous installments over the years. Unfortunately, the titles grew stale in several aspects based on old reviews but one point that’s been consistent is its love of mechs and a deep level of customization. This is something that’s reflected in Armored Core 6 as well.

While old reviews may have deemed these games as stale, Armored Core 6 appears to be doing things differently. It’s supported by the knowledge and skills the studio has gained by working on soulsborne games while fusing them with the core of the AC series. This creates a problem for the countless new fans who have never heard of the series but are fans of FromSoftware.

Given the brand-new FromSoftware experience that awaits us on the horizon, here’s what you can do to prepare for Armored Core 6 as a new player.

Get In The Armored Core, Player

Armored Core is a legacy series, having been around since the late nineties. It’s gone through various changes over the years that reviews had claimed to be rather subtle. One thing that has remained the same is the deep level of customization. Plus, high-speed gameplay with other nuances still exists in those games. It’s clear that Armored Core 6 is tweaking certain elements but its foundation appears to be the same.

Considering the value of Sony‘s PlayStation 3 and Microsoft‘s Xbox 360, there’s a fair chance that most of you players out there might have a functional console. By extension of that fact, it may be easier to procure a second-hand PS3 or 360 at a reasonable price. Playing the legacy games such as AC4 and AC5, you can get an idea of what to expect from Armored Core 6.

I understand that this method might not be feasible for everyone out there. But for those who can manage it, they should really consider keeping an open mind and trying those games out. In fact, if you have a functional PlayStation 2 and somehow chance upon an Armored Core title from its golden age, that can also offer you a fair amount of value.

Considering the time gap and how far technology has come, there’s a high probability that you will find it daunting to play these entries. The silver lining here is that you won’t have to play through the entirety of it. Plus, it’s a recommendation, not something that’s necessary to experience Armored Core 6 in its entirety. In fact, AC6 can be a perfect entry point for newcomers due to technological improvements.

Besides, FromSoftware is channeling a decade’s worth of development experience into this game. It’s safe to say that Armored Core 6 is going to reap all of the benefits that its predecessors were unable to. Aspects of this can already be seen in the expansive maps and monstrous bosses that have been revealed.

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That said, there’s another way to get yourself more invested in the Armored Core series. If for some reason you are averse to giving the old games a try, perhaps consider a more visual approach to get yourself accustomed to the upcoming mech fest. And on that note…

Consuming Armored Core 6 Content

The influx of visual data and how you handle it can build your foundation to a degree. Armored Core 6 is being marketed reasonably well and we have a pretty hefty amount of gameplay previews on the internet. People who have played the game at private events, regardless of whether they are new to AC or not, made videos discussing their experience, providing valuable critique from which you can take away something.

Watching the official gameplay previews a few times and paying attention to the flow of Armored Core 6 will allow you to run simulations in your mind until you get the game in your hand. Image training and mental simulations are actual tactics used by athletes to visualize their strategies in any upcoming event. It’s also a way to gain more control over your own faculties.

Furthermore, you can go over mech customization from previous games and get a basic idea of what to expect and what to build once Armored Core 6 hits the shelves. After all, AC6 will have numerous missions on offer, many of which will require you to have an open mind and approach each objective with builds that are the best fit for the job. Plus, that’s a big part of what makes mech games fun to begin with.

Another aspect of Armored Core 6, or the series in particular, is the control scheme. I wasn’t aware of this until a few months ago but back in the day, there was a unique way of holding the controller to play AC games. It mainly reflected the comical idea of earlier Armored Core entries’ complex controls requiring a somewhat out-of-the-box controller setup to play.

While that grip is not something you have to worry about, the point here is to simulate the control scheme of AC6 by observing its gameplay. Technically speaking, you should be able to deduce a general layout of key binds and use that data during simulations. This method will not only increase your knowledge about the series but also build a faux experience bank decreasing the time it takes for you to get used to Armored Core 6.

Learning From A Soulsborne Game

As someone who has spent a decade playing Soulsborne and other soulslike games, I can’t state the importance of mentally preparing yourself for a fundamentally different experience. Getting into Armored Core 6 after all this time with souls, some habits are bound to carry over and cause problems since they won’t fit in the fast-paced action of AC.

Despite this eventuality that you will have to overcome, if you have been away from Soulsborne games for some time, maybe now’s your chance to get back into one and see how FromSoftware has designed its many fights over the years. The reason for this is the influence Soulsborne titles have had on the many bosses in Armored Core 6. 

In addition to the stagger system, AC6 has shown several intense fights featuring larger-than-life enemies. This particular concept of going up against a seemingly insurmountable wall is commonplace in Soulsborne. The element differentiating the two series is combat. In a way, you can say that Armored Core 6 has gameplay similar to Sekiro in terms of speed and versatility.

Revisiting boss encounters in Soulsborne titles to see how the bosses move, telegraph their attacks, and refreshing your memory about FromSoftware’s overall design philosophy is sure to boost your stats before you dive into AC6.

Takeaway

The latest entry in FromSoftware’s iconic mecha franchise is right around the corner. Countless legacy fans along with unfathomable droves of new players are eyeing Armored Core 6 as the next big game to sink their fangs into. Fires of Rubicon will no doubt feel different due to the aforementioned wealth of knowledge gained by the devs but at its core, it appears to be strikingly similar to the old games.

Regardless of any differences and advancements, taking a trip to its golden age and going over videos of the latest entry is how you can do your best to prepare for landfall. 

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon hits the shelves on August 25, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC, and last-gen consoles.