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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon follows up Elden Ring in August

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FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment revealed when we can expect Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon to release at the end of a new trailer. After getting a first look at some of the game’s bombastic mecha fights, we learned that Armored Core VI will come out on August 25.

Before Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls became popular and increased FromSoftware’s notoriety exponentially, Armored Core was the series the Japanese developer was best known for. This series of intense mecha shooters haven’t seen a new entry since September 2013, though. That’s why it was a nice surprise to see Armored Core VI announced at The Game Awards last year. It not only revived a long-dormant series but provided a nice change of pace for FromSoftware after it had perfected the Souls formula with Elden Ring.

ARMORED CORE VI FIRES OF RUBICON — Gameplay Trailer

As for the gameplay trailer, it begins with a massive rocket making planetfall by the command of a “Handler Walter”. After that, we see some environmental shots of many of the levels players will be able to explore before hearing that augmented human C4-621, presumably the player, has awakened. The trailer is a non-stop action fest after that, as we see mecha boosting around levels fighting each other with powerful gunfire, rockets, and other weaponry from the ground and air. It certainly looks nothing like Elden Ring, but that makes us all the more excited.

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A press release following the trailer also revealed more information about the game’s story. It takes place on a planet called Rubicon 3, where an energy source called Coral was discovered but ultimately caused a planet-wide catastrophe. Armored Core VI takes place almost fifty years after that and follows a mercenary in the middle of corporations and resistance groups fighting over what remains of Coral.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon will be released for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on August 25.

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Tomas Franzese
Tomas Franzese
Gaming Staff Writer
Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
The best OS Tuning upgrades in Armored Core 6
A mech carrying things overlooks a destroyed world in Armored Core 6's reveal trailer.

As much as you're a pilot in Armored Core 6, you're just as much a mechanic. Almost every mission will have you back in the garage swapping out parts, buying new ones, replacing weapons, and customizing your mech for the task at hand. This is quite different from typical FromSoftware games due to the fact that you can't actually improve any weapon or mech part, but that doesn't mean the only way to get better is to buy new parts. OS Tuning upgrades play a major part in your build by giving you a wide range of advantages at the cost of OS Tuning chips you earn from the Arena. These come in passive and active types, and you can unlock and keep all the passives active at once, but will need to pick and choose between active ones. Here are the most powerful OS upgrades you should spend your chips on in Armored Core 6.
Best OS upgrades

Quick Turn
Do yourself a massive favor and significantly improve your quality of life in Armored Core 6 by unlocking Quick Turn. This maneuver lets you snap your mech to either side, or completely flip around, without having to manually rotate around slowly. The only slight trouble is that it is awkward to pull off since the input is using your left analog stick to point in whichever direction you want to turn and you need to press the boost button, which can occasionally send you blasting off when you didn't intend to.
Repair Kits
If you're a FromSoft fan, Repair Kits are your Estus Flasks in Armored Core 6. Unlike the Estus, however, you can never get more than three of them at a time. The only upgrade you can apply to them is with this OS one that buffs how many Armored Points (AP) each one restores by 500 for each level you upgrade it. Once you get tankier mechs, upgrading your kits to max will be almost mandatory to make them at all useful, unless you're so good you just never need to heal.
Assault Armor
Do you find yourself getting swarmed and annoyed at how hard it is to get those little pests off of you? Assault Armor is your "get off me" move that creates a small blast surrounding your mech that deals damage and stagger on anything that's too close for comfort. You don't hurt yourself using it, and each upgrade you invest in lets you use it more times per mission.
Explosive Weapons
Missiles, grenades, and anything that goes boom is probably a key part of your arsenal already. These are already the weapons with the highest damage potential in the game, so why not make them even more powerful? The Explosive Weapons upgrade isn't going to make your weapons too overpowered, with each upgrade only giving you a 3% damage increase, but that can add up fast once you get to the max rank.
Direct Hit Modifier
Similar to Sekiro, staggering enemies in Armored Core 6 is a major mechanic for the flow of combat that lets you get in a lot of damage quickly and without danger. You need to make the most of these opportunities whenever you create them, especially on bosses, so Direct Hit Modifier is an easy upgrade to recommend as it will increase the damage you do to a staggered enemy by 5% per upgrade.

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The best gear in Armored Core 6
A mech flies towards an icy facility in Armored Core 6.

If you're a mecha fan, odds are you're looking forward to customizing every inch of your hulking Armored Core (AC) mecha in Armored Core 6. Just like in a Souls game, what gear you outfit your mech with determines everything about how you play, including your movement speed, optimal ranges, defense, and more. You'll be expected to tweak and update your AC constantly to handle new situations and missions. Still, there are a few builds that you can gravitate toward for more broad use to overpower and overcome any task at hand reliably. Because Armored Core 6 doesn't do upgrades in the traditional sense, such as earning XP and gradually increasing in power, it all comes down to your gear. If you want to overpower your opponents with sheer force, here are some of the best builds you can make in Armored Core 6.
Best early game build

During chapter 1, and in general for Armored Core 6, having the maximum amount of Armor Points (AP) is your top priority. Enemies and bosses are brutal right from the jump, and since you'll still be finding your footing in how to fully control your AC, being able to survive long enough to learn the game and mission is key. Here's a solid build to save up for:

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The best weapons in Armored Core 6
A boss fight in Armored Core 6.

Time to load up for your next mission, merc. Your mech is your real character in Armored Core 6, and the different components you attach to it can completely change how it functions. There are different legs, cores, and all types of ways to change up your mech, but the most immediate and important has to be your weapon loadout. These can range from melee weapons and shotguns to massive missile launchers and Gatling guns. Since your mech can hold weapons in both hands and on each shoulder, there's a lot of room to experiment and give yourself options. Still, weapons aren't cheap and credits aren't always easy to come by as a gun for hire, so here are the best weapons in Armored Core 6 to invest in first.
Best Armored Core 6 weapons

Vvvc-774LS Laser Slicer
Let's begin with a melee weapon, which is far more useful in a game with rifles and lasers than you might expect. This is great for cleaving through mobs of smaller enemies thanks to its wide attack range and the fact that each swing counts as two hits. With an attack power of 1,615, that's a lot of damage coming out very fast -- and that's not even considering the ability to charge it up while advancing. It is on the heavier side for its class, and takes a while to "reload," but is a perfect way to get some breathing room if you get swarmed.
VP-60LCS Laser Cannon
If you need an early shoulder-mounted laser weapon, the VP-60LCS is a great one you can pick up in Chapter 1. They do decent damage, but the real usefulness comes in their staggering ability. Their rate of fire is essentially as fast as you can pull the trigger, and without a need to reload, you can rely on them whenever you need to so long as you don't overheat.
DF-GA-08-HU-BEN Gatling Gun
Sometimes we just want to hold down the trigger and make our problems go away. That's what Gatling guns are for, and this one ranks among the best. Each round will obviously do little damage, but with 1,300 rounds to chew through, not much can hold out against its sustained fire. Having one or two of these in your hands to follow up after stunning enemies with a laser weapon results in the perfect combo.
Songbirds Grenade Cannon
You won't have access to heavy explosives like the Songbirds until around midway into the game, but it is a must-buy as soon as you can. As you would expect, these explosives deal a ton of impact damage that has a decent area of effect if you're firing near a group. As a cherry on top, the grenades also inflict a high amount of stagger, so they're quite useful against bosses as well.
BML-G1/P07VTC-12 Vertical Missile Launcher
We couldn't close out a list of best weapons without a missile launcher, could we? For your money, this model is king. This shoulder-mounted weapon of mass destruction houses 12 missiles in its case that are ready to track your targets down, even behind cover and around obstacles. Just lock on to up to a dozen targets and let the missiles do the work from there.

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