Elder ring studio FromSoftware transforms from demigods into giant mechs Armored Core VIand warning fans not to expect the cult-classic sci-fi franchise to disappear all “Soulsborne” on it. Instead of, a new IGN interview of FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki and game director Masaru Yamamura indicate that the latest sequel will remain authentic to what players love about the series, including a heavy emphasis on mech customization.
Armored Core VI by far had the best trailer at The Game Awards 2022. Although there was news about FromSoftware’s latest game leaked a while agofans lost their minds to the crunchy metal, apocalyptic vibes and haunting synth soundtrack when the game was finally revealed properly. The trailer looked anime-as-hell, and the mechs, explosions, and world all looked incredible compared to the last game in the series a decade ago.
But it wasn’t a gameplay trailer and didn’t give a clear idea of what to expect from the first new Armored core game since the PS3 era. Shall Armored Core VI go de Elder ring route in the open world? Will it feature one Dark souls RPG progression system, or Bloodbornetell stories in style? Not quite. “We didn’t make a conscious effort to focus it on more Soulsborne-esque gameplay,” said Miyazaki. “Let me make that clear first.”
Instead of, Armored Core VI will focus on the Bread and Butter: Assembling Mechs series. Players can switch everything from legs to rocket launchers, prioritizing one type of speed boost over another, to design their own personal death machine. In battle, meanwhile, players are rewarded for aggressive playstyles that try to keep enemies on their heels. “Tough and intense combat is still a major focus,” but customization and mech moves are still the foundation.
Here’s what else we learned Armored Core VI from IGNinterview:
- The story is divided into missions
- Customize your gear between missions
- Earn money from missions to buy better gear for your mech
- There will be a versus mode, but multiplayer isn’t the focus
- Brand new setting and story unrelated to previous games
- Boss fights with violent machines are the “highlight of the game”
The interview acknowledges that some aspects of Soulsborne games are really just FromSoftware’s general branding, including stories told through mystery and lore and apocalyptic worlds full of challenging enemies. So while Armored Core VI is very much a mech fighter, nor is the studio pretending that the next incarnation will feel like a dramatic shift in direction from its more recent hits.
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Part of the reason fans of the series are so excited Armored core to come back apart from tinkering with mech heads is to see how FromSoftware, which has since expanded and matured Dark souls has effectively become its own genre, uses its new resources and experience to tackle a long-dormant series.
Debuted in 1997 on the original PlayStation, releases in the Armored core series slowed down to a trickle in the PS3 era. 2006 Armored Core IV was a mixed bag held back by sterile images, while the one from 2012 Armored Core V were better still too esoteric for the mainstream audience at the time. In the years since, FromSoftware’s capabilities have grown, but so has what’s possible on game consoles, with the series now skipping an entire console generation. Player tastes have also changed, possibly laying the groundwork for Armored core‘s return in a big, big way.
