Finished my initial playthrough a couple weeks ago, but wanted to sit with it and continue a bit more before logging since it's true ending is unlocked after 3 playthroughs. I may yet get to that third playthrough, we'll see.
In the meantime, I really enjoyed my time with this. I hadn't played an Armored Core thoroughly since the PS2 and had only dabbled in Armored Core 4 a bit on PS3. Coming to VI I was practically fresh-faced to the series, but knew what I wanted most was a game more divorced from what From has been doing since Demon's Souls and I'd say it mostly succeeds there. It is clearly inspired in parts by their more contemporary titles, but is a definite departure which makes sense as it's directed by Masaru Yamamura, the lead designer of anomaly title Sekiro. I think this was for the best as it allows a different experimentation from what we're used to.
The game has a satisfying, challenging, and deceptively simple but addictive hook of a loop: build your machine of destruction and take it as far as it goes. If you hit a wall, then recuperate and build an even more efficient death machine that fits the job better. My personal favorite build was quick reverse-jointed legs with a pulse handgun in my left hand, a pulse shotgun in my right, the PILE-BUNKER always at the ready on my left shoulder, and some type of missile on my right. Pulse weapons quickly eat away at their impact meter while I dash all around, staggering them before lunging toward them, switching my left hand to the bunker, and delivering a massive chunk of damage to their impacted state.
Rinse and repeat for ~25 hours, add in some jaw-dropping setpieces and an unparalleled scale, and you've got Armored Core VI which is a pretty damn good game.
In the meantime, I really enjoyed my time with this. I hadn't played an Armored Core thoroughly since the PS2 and had only dabbled in Armored Core 4 a bit on PS3. Coming to VI I was practically fresh-faced to the series, but knew what I wanted most was a game more divorced from what From has been doing since Demon's Souls and I'd say it mostly succeeds there. It is clearly inspired in parts by their more contemporary titles, but is a definite departure which makes sense as it's directed by Masaru Yamamura, the lead designer of anomaly title Sekiro. I think this was for the best as it allows a different experimentation from what we're used to.
The game has a satisfying, challenging, and deceptively simple but addictive hook of a loop: build your machine of destruction and take it as far as it goes. If you hit a wall, then recuperate and build an even more efficient death machine that fits the job better. My personal favorite build was quick reverse-jointed legs with a pulse handgun in my left hand, a pulse shotgun in my right, the PILE-BUNKER always at the ready on my left shoulder, and some type of missile on my right. Pulse weapons quickly eat away at their impact meter while I dash all around, staggering them before lunging toward them, switching my left hand to the bunker, and delivering a massive chunk of damage to their impacted state.
Rinse and repeat for ~25 hours, add in some jaw-dropping setpieces and an unparalleled scale, and you've got Armored Core VI which is a pretty damn good game.