Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon | From Software

[NARMAK]

I managed to rejig my set up and settled on dual Ludlows. The close to almost mid range DPS helped stagger the enemies and burst down the shield a lot better on enemies and i added a 10 slot missile launcher with a 3 burst plasma cannon on the left back.

Overall been easier to mince enemies but it helps i've been able to unlock a few upgrades via the OS Tuning by earning chips in the Arena. I think it's fair to say that the games designed to have you struggle a bit on the first go around and once everything is unlocked, you can go ham in New Game Plus albeit not sure if i will have the inclination to do so.

The games pretty solid, but i wish there was a better emphasis on the story unfolding via proper cutscenes. There's stuff there for enemy introductions and a few extra entering or exiting the hanger to Sortie but the main story basically all unfolds through sound bites with a few background animations. There's no physical characters behind the mechs.

It's a bit disappointing because i guess i loved Gundam Wing and having these interestingly voiced actors but you never see them as people. Just a mech.

[Hellraiserfan]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

I just got the game a few days ago and finally got around to downloading the PS5 upgrade. I'm literally towards the end of Chapter 1 on the final mission. I got my ass handed to me way too many times by Sella and then finally managed to hit a rhythm that worked and got past him. Only problem is that immediately after i ran into the bum wipe that is Balteus and this boss is really ticking me off.

I have to say, generally i don't mind whacking away at a boss, whittling the health bar down and dealing with them, but this game has a serious issue in my book. Whilst with regular enemies you can get past it because they're usually weak and get taken out quick enough, for the boss Balteus has an energy shield you need to wipe down first. Then once you manage to get that down you can raise the "stagger" metre he has but when it comes to boss lile enemies, they have a very large pool of health compared to the regular cannon fodder and the issue is that the paltry stagger window you get just isn't long enough to land a meaningful hit.

I have a new single hit energy plasma blade, and i tried to look for the better guns but wasn't too keen on anything in the shop i'd unlocked yet. I did add on a back left missile launcher as well as upgrading the right one to an 8 shot, but you just don't seem to get the damage output high enough. It's really frustrating because the boss whacks you REALLY hard.

It's not going to make me stop playing but it's these sort of artificial boss difficulty spikes which cheese me off a lot. Its why i prefer getting so overpowered that even with all the dodging and weaving machine gun and missiles, it feels like i am not getting trounced and can feel like a hero of the story. I don't understand wanting to get pounded everytime but hey ho, i'm not a masochist i guess

I haven't played it in quite some time because I jumped on the Final Fantasy VII remake. Once I get back into Armored Core I'm definitely going to do what you did building my mech up in the arena. When a game has a big difficulty spike I also like to get to a level of being almost OP to make things a tad fair.

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by Hellraiserfan

I haven't played it in quite some time because I jumped on the Final Fantasy VII remake. Once I get back into Armored Core I'm definitely going to do what you did building my mech up in the arena. When a game has a big difficulty spike I also like to get to a level of being almost OP to make things a tad fair.

I came up against the Decision mission and chose to help the RLF with the tank enemy boss, and oh boy. I would get his health down easy enough to almost 1/3rd on some turns and get absolutely demolished once all the guns, missiles and lasers kept firing continuously for no reason. Sometimes the bosses have weird and random attack speeds they just turn on. I quit and went to go look in the store and decided to upgrade my Ludlows which had served me well to the burst sub machine guns. They're not as rapid firing as the Ludlow, but they do have more damage and stunned the enemy far quicker and it became a lot easier to kill him.

Parts and playstyle are a huge factor in how missions get done.

[NARMAK]

I both love and HATE this game. Whilst i find the mech combat largely satisfying and have found generally a solid build to do well the majority of the game after upgrading, i have got to a mission where a good ol' "Friend" has returned with an even more annoying boss fight and honestly, it's absolutely BS. Even when i was fighting the

[Show spoiler]Ibis robot thing with the massive sword slash things and constant barrage of beams etc. i still felt like i had a fighting chance. This BS Balteus 2.0 with its constant shield on and difficult to actually burst through, it annoys the absolute hell out of me. I got close like ONCE in 20+ attempts right now.. It's fudging AWFUL because the damn game is taking the absolute pee with how it sets up this bosses health, shield and attack patterns

I would genuinely understand if i had the wrong and weakest parts on with no synergy but this boss design is pathetic. Its god damn awful. I literally had him down to a sliver of health once only and that's why i know eventually i can beat him but only if i get lucky. I'm actually sick of trying to zip around the frigging arena as much as i have to as well. I'm literally using all my damn thumbs and this is why i want a fudging BACK BUTTON SONY!!

[NARMAK]

Managed to get past that stupid boss after making a change to one of my guns. Decided to load up on an extremely high damage bazooka for the left back unit, then burst down the shield and stun him with the sub machine guns and rockets before letting loose with a big bazooka shot with a ton of health blitzed timed just right.

Then the very final mission i did i got the boss in one life lol.

Tbh, i like the game and i am trying to unlock the different endings but i read there was a New Game Plus and surprisingly it didn't offer me it at the end of the last mission i did. It just basically restarted the game more or less in terms of available missions but the Arena and OS chips are still all finished and it's a touch annoying. Oh well, time to Google. Ending wise, i think i stand by what i said earlier of wanting a more traditionally unfolding story with characters to actually see. It would definitely have helped elevate the game a lot imo. More work, sure, but definitely something that would have raised it up a notch.

The voice acting generally was great. I just wish we had faces and whatnot to go with it all.

[NARMAK]

I started the New Game Plus but i like how this game handles it by just rolling you into the new game without really jacking up the difficulty. You also get the same missions with a completely new opportunity on how to play them as well as some new missions altogether.

A part of me might have preferred it be a bit more obvious to roll over but i believe that there's 3 main playthroughs you need to get the ending trophies. I have already got one of the endings i felt was right of the two you can first unlock, so don't mind going for the other this time until you unlock the ability for the 3rd.

My new discovery has been how to finally save an AC loadout as well as naming them. The same set up from what i used to finish the games still serving me really well.

[n0tredom]

I recall reading that the PS4 version of this game runs better. Have the supposed issues been fixed yet for the PS5 version? I ask because the PS5 version is going for $30 on Amazon right now whereas the PS4 version is $40.

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by n0tredom

I recall reading that the PS4 version of this game runs better. Have the supposed issues been fixed yet for the PS5 version? I ask because the PS5 version is going for $30 on Amazon right now whereas the PS4 version is $40.

I bought the PS4 version on discount because it has a free PS5 upgrade and i was planning to share it with my brother and i completed it on PS5. I never really noticed any issues myself to stop me playing at all. I used the performance 60fls mode for what it's worth.

Definitely can recommend the game if you're into shooting and agile movement gameplay. Just as a headsup though, it does definitely have a requirement to alter your set up for some bosses and there's going to be a steeper curve with particular bosses but finding the right set up can ease that.

[VictoryAtNight]

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon has officially sold three million copies worldwide in under a year, making it yet another certified hit for FromSoftware.

Armored Core 6 released last year on August 25, and it was already a huge launch for FromSoftware, becoming the second-biggest Steam launch for the developer behind only Elden Ring. Exactly 11 months removed from that massive launch, FromSoftware has announced that Armored Core 6 has sold three million copies around the world.

https://www.gamesradar.com/games/act...n-copies-sold/

[VictoryAtNight]

Playing this again. Actually, just replaying some of the annoying missions. And, getting reacquainted with the controls.

I’m looking at playing this game one more time. Fun…….

[BubblegumMecha]

I think I’m finally going to get this. I was really hyped when it was first announced, but I was too busy when it released.

Is it worth getting the native PS5 version for the fidelity, or should I go with the PS4 version to brute force performance and extend controller compatibility?

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by BubblegumMecha

I think I’m finally going to get this. I was really hyped when it was first announced, but I was too busy when it released.

Is it worth getting the native PS5 version for the fidelity, or should I go with the PS4 version to brute force performance and extend controller compatibility?

I personally bought the PS4 version which gives you a free upgrade to the PS5. So you can have both choices if you do that. Personally i played the PS5 version and i think i used performance mode and had no issues clearing the game but what's most important in helping you to finish a mission can sometimes be changing your set up with specific parts or weapons to get you through a mission. Some missions are a bit more flexible whilst others against specific bosses will require specific set ups to beat.

As you replay the game, the narrative structure begins to change a bit and you can unlock different ways to play the previous missions as well as i think get access to new gear too.

[VictoryAtNight]

Completed the easy ending. I did have difficulty on one of the missions that I complained about, though.

I spent over an hour afterwards tweaking my mech. Apparently, some of my parts weren’t the best for my build. Lots of testing.

[NARMAK]

Originally Posted by VictoryAtNight

Completed the easy ending. I did have difficulty on one of the missions that I complained about, though.

I spent over an hour afterwards tweaking my mech. Apparently, some of my parts weren’t the best for my build. Lots of testing.

For some fights, i think they give you a checkpoint before bosses with the option to change your parts but can't recall if you can only use parts you owned or have to buy. Instead if it didn't i think i had to quit to the main hanger and retry.

I think online guides are helpful to a degree but the simulation arena fights also help you get used to your load outs and you should have a few presets. I think i generally favour a more mobile approach of hit and don't get hit in my gameplay with speed being the main goal but at the expense of general durability so i ended up using YouTube build guides to try and get a sense of high DPS set ups. However on some bosses, speed doesn't help. You need to really hit them where it hurts and had to go with a slightly different weapon load out to stun and cause huge damage with proper timings.

I don't think there's a set slider for difficulty on this game which is why it feels inconsistent at times trying to take on bosses after wrecking through loads of other NPCs but then having some enemies like the spinning wheels absolutely wreck you.

[VictoryAtNight]

Originally Posted by NARMAK

For some fights, i think they give you a checkpoint before bosses with the option to change your parts but can't recall if you can only use parts you owned or have to buy. Instead if it didn't i think i had to quit to the main hanger and retry.

I think online guides are helpful to a degree but the simulation arena fights also help you get used to your load outs and you should have a few presets. I think i generally favour a more mobile approach of hit and don't get hit in my gameplay with speed being the main goal but at the expense of general durability so i ended up using YouTube build guides to try and get a sense of high DPS set ups. However on some bosses, speed doesn't help. You need to really hit them where it hurts and had to go with a slightly different weapon load out to stun and cause huge damage with proper timings.

I don't think there's a set slider for difficulty on this game which is why it feels inconsistent at times trying to take on bosses after wrecking through loads of other NPCs but then having some enemies like the spinning wheels absolutely wreck you.

Agreed!

For me, all of the bosses are easy once you acquire all of the strongest weapons.

Those time based missions that I complain about requires a specific weapon to complete.

[Show spoiler]Laser Shotgun

is my friend. And, being quick!

[SlaughterX]

Bought this on BF from GS for $20. Wish I had came to this thread first because I would have got the PS4 version instead of the PS5 version since it has a free upgrade.

[VictoryAtNight]

Developer FromSoftware just issued an update for its incredibly difficult mech action game Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. This may come as a surprise to players as it’s the first update the game has received this year. Specifically, the last update for the game launched seven months ago, in October 2024. While it isn’t the most exciting patch the game has received since its launch in 2023, it features some worthwhile fixes players will welcome with open arms.

https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/ar...date-may-2025/

I did the update on Friday. It was roughly 7GB.

I tweaked my mech and fought some arena bosses. I decided that I wasn’t in the mood to start another run.