FromSoftware's fantasy action roleplaying souls-like Elden Ring was one of 2022's major hits so when they finally unveiled the long rumoured Amored Core VI at The Game Awards in December with a trailer and a 2023 release date, that was huge.

Great trailer but no info. Until Now. At the Tapei Game Show producer Yasunori Ogura gave an interview (video - transcript).

Twice in the past week we've mentioned Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon as a waiting in the wings title which could have other developers nervous about announcing their release dates.

We have extracted what we think are the most salient points from the interview for you.

The most characteristic element of the series is how it allows you to piece together parts to create your own custom mech, which you then use in the action part of the game. Players can use various different cores, heads, and weapons, combining these parts together with complete freedom, to create their very own mech with which to complete the game’s missions. That process lies at the core of the series.

This time, we have put a number of new measures in place to help make assembly and customization more intuitive and logical than it has been in the past.

The game is set on a planet known as Rubicon 3, and the story begins with the discovery of a mysterious new material there. The overarching backbone of the game’s story features the struggle for control of this material between various corporations and organizations. The player character is an independent mercenary working amid these fires of conflict, and it is the task of the player to carry out a series of missions amid that backdrop.

In this game, as always, we have striven to create a game that poses a stiff challenge for our players, and I’m confident we have achieved that. Our approach to the issue of difficulty level in Armored Core VI is slightly different to other titles, in that the most distinctive feature of the Armored Core series is the combination of parts to customize the player’s mech. As this lies at the title’s core, it is really the adjustment of these parts that is the key to overcoming difficulties within the game.

Boss battles in FromSoftware games often require close observation of enemy movements, to catch that little tell so you know just when to attack, and how best to make your move. That’s certainly the case again in this title, so I am confident that our users will find the boss battles extremely enjoyable.

As focus has been pleased on producing the most dynamic action possible, we have restricted story mode gameplay to single-player only, but as an online element, we are also planning the implementation of battles in an online arena.

This title features so-called emblems, as was the case in prior series titles, which are like logos of sorts that you can use to mark your mech. For some time now, players have had the ability to freely create their own emblem, and from the previous title, these can be exchanged online with other players. This will be implemented this time as well, which means that in addition to the parameters of mechs that you can customize, the visual elements as well, in terms of coloring and weathering and the like, can also be freely customized, allowing you to truly create a unique mech that is all yours in performance and appearance.

While we haven't played any of the previous Armored Core games he promises that storywise this isn't a continuation so new players can just jump right in.

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon will release on PC (Steam), Xbox One and X|S, PS4 and PS5 in 2023.

[ Main Image: Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon. Credit: Bandai Namco via Steam. ]

References

Bandai Namco Entertainment South East Asia (February 3, 2023). BNE FUN LIVE 2023 – ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON Special. YouTube.

Romano, Sal (February 3, 2023). Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon producer Yasunori Ogura talks mech action at Taipei Game Show 2023. Gematsu.

Steam. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. (viewed February 5, 2023)