As part of our Armored Core 6 preview, 12DOVE attended a behind-closed-doors presentation by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco led by producer Yasunori Ogura, who summed up the design principles behind the game and at the heart of the studio.
It was a rare look into the black box that is FromSoftware, and while the information in the presentation wasn't groundbreaking, I found the wording interesting and wanted to share it. Here's FromSoftware's action game philosophy going into Armored Core 6:
- "Smoothness of controls, reaction to input and actions, and mech-likeness."
- "Expansive and dynamic maps filled with situations that grant a sense of progression."
- "Originality and ingenuity in challenging action battle design."
The feel of a mech is obviously unique to Armored Core, which predates the dark fantasy RPGs FromSoftware is now known for, but these principles are generally transferable between the studio's projects.
This helps illustrate what FromSoftware has been saying for months: the Souls games, including Elden Ring, aren't hard because they're Souls games, but because they're FromSoftware games. That's just how they like it. Likewise, Armored Core 6 is not a Soulslike, but it is like the Souls games in some ways simply because they share common DNA – like this design philosophy.
Ogura also discussed the core design pillars of Armored Core 6 specifically, namely:
- "Massive and 3D level design"
- "A tactical combat system further expanded by parts assembly"
- "The satisfaction of overcoming challenging situations and earning hard-won victories"
The mission showcased in our hands-off demo generally reflected all three of these points. We saw a sizable factory level with multiple routes and intense verticality; ranged and melee combat augmented by different mech parts with clear effects; and some mini and final bosses capping off big encounters.
Ogura also repeatedly stressed that Armored Core 6 seeks to modernize the Armored Core formula by leveraging the knowledge and experience amassed through the studio's aforementioned fantasy RPGs. It's a "mech-action" game first and foremost, but folding in elements from various Souls games – most notably Sekiro – was a conscious decision.
Now that the big shows are out of the way, we know a lot more about these new games 2023.
