It’s been almost 10 years since FromSoftware released the last installment in their third-person shooter mecha series: “Armored Core.” On Aug 25, 2023, “Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon” launched worldwide.

“Armored Core VI,” much like its predecessors, is an action-packed mecha third-person shooter with endless customization. Although some elements of the game seem similar to its previous versions, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the current president of FromSoftware, claims in an interview by IGN that he wanted a lot of similarity in his game and that “the essential direction of [Armored Core VI] was to go back and take a good look at the core concept of Armored Core and what made that series special.”

“Armored Core VI” takes place after a new energy source called “coral” was almost completely wiped out of the universe. The player participates as a mercenary for hire that is sent to recover any trace amount of coral that can be found.

Douglas Turner, a sophomore at Sage Creek High School, thinks that “the story is very well put together” and that “it’s really fun connecting all the pieces they give you in the game.”

“Armored Core” features an experience like none other – primarily focusing on the customizability of the player’s armored core, a giant mecha suit. Using in-game credits earned from missions, the player is able to add new weapons to their mecha and change body parts to suit their play-style. 

The missions themselves are simple yet thrilling. Before each one, a short briefing is given to the player to provide them with instructions from a particular company they are getting paid by. These missions can span anywhere from collecting data in battle sites to defeating one big enemy. 

Although the game’s mechanics can prove to be tough at times, which requires a steep learning curve, fights that may seem hard can be beaten based on how well the player’s mecha build can adapt to the scenario.

“The game is overall pretty fun,” said Elliot Haney, a sophomore at Sage Creek. “The controls feel really good and it’s fun to see how scuffed I can make my robot look.”

Overall, “Armored Core VI” is a brand new experience with similar factors. Whether having played the older games or have never heard of it, “Armored Core VI” is a must-play.