Unleashing the Ultimate Armored Core 6 Challenge: Dev Insights Revealed
Armored Core 6's director shares insights on challenge runs in the highly anticipated game, encouraging players to create unique experiences Discover an exciting method to test your skills and overcome obstacles in this thrilling new installment
Highlights
FromSoftware acknowledges the potential difficulty of challenge runs and understands how they can integrate with the mechanics of the game.The director of Armored Core 6 suggests that a playthrough with the "target assist off" could present a similar level of difficulty as starting a Souls game at level 1.
The community has a reputation for creating self-imposed challenge runs, and it will be fascinating to witness the challenges that arise with the release of Armored Core 6. It has been disclosed that an Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon "Target Assist Off" run could potentially be just as challenging as a level 1 run in Souls titles. Challenge Runs are arguably among the most exceptional content that emerges from Soulslike games, and it will be wonderful to observe this tradition carry on in Armored Core 6.
Soulslike games are notorious for their extreme difficulty, whether it's the early titles like Demon's Souls and Dark Souls or more recent ones like Elden Ring. However, the gaming community takes it upon themselves to make these games even more challenging by setting up self-imposed challenge runs. Examples include completing the game using unconventional controller setups (such as a dance pad or drum set), finishing the entire game at level one, or completing the game without taking any hits. During a recent interview with Game Rant, Masaru Yamamura, the director of Armored Core 6, discussed these challenge runs and how they could be implemented in the upcoming title.
Yamamura clarifies that challenge runs are an incidental aspect of the game and not something that FromSoftware would ever force upon players. The game itself is just the game, and how players choose to approach it is entirely up to them. However, this doesn't mean that FromSoftware is unaware of how these challenge runs can be integrated into the game. Yamamura suggests that playing Armored Core 6 without any target assist could be compared to a level 1 challenge run in a Souls game. This is because every mechanic in the game becomes fully manual:
They must simultaneously wield all four weapons, boost in every direction, refrain from targeting a specific enemy, and manually control everything. That could definitely be an enjoyable challenge!
Managing the multitude of elements in Armored Core 6 is undoubtedly a daunting task, but there may be bold individuals willing to take on the challenge. Alternatively, Armored Core 6 players might discover various methods to increase the difficulty of each playthrough. The exact approach is yet to be determined, but it will be fascinating to witness the community's innovations upon the game's release.
Presently, the pinnacle challenge appears to be a 'SoulsBorneKiroRing' run, wherein players must complete Demon's Souls, the three Dark Souls games, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring in succession without sustaining any damage. A single minor mistake would result in starting over from the beginning with Demon's Souls. Many players perceive these challenges as too overwhelming to attempt, yet they offer endless entertainment. Without a doubt, the community will discover new and inventive ways to intensify the gameplay experience.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon releases August 25 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
