Armored Core 6: Embracing Mech Gaming
I love mech games. I always have, but I’ve found it difficult to join the mecha gaming world I’ve always admired from afar. When I was younger, I was put off by the focus on stats. I enjoy theorycrafting in games I’m already invested in, but I struggle with new genres where I’m expected to learn how to build my characters from the ground up. Armored Core games are no exception, but Armored Core 6 has changed all that.
I’ve always wanted to play an Armored Core game. I love the idea of piloting a big robot, blowing things up, and making cool things with my friends. The only thing that’s held me back is a focus on stats that I struggle to understand until I’ve played the game for a while. Losing a mission because I’ve made the wrong choices can be frustrating, but losing money and being forced to scrap my work is even worse.
Armored Core 6 doesn’t punish players for experimenting, instead rewarding creativity and allowing me to gradually learn about stats through gameplay. Losing a mission still sees you return to the previous checkpoint, but you aren’t penalised financially, so there’s no harm in trying something out that you might not have considered before.
Each time I enter the Garage, I’m presented with descriptions of all of my items, allowing me to make informed decisions about how I want to build my AC. While I’m still learning about what each stat does, the game has given me freedom to make mistakes and learn from them.
Learning about which stats are more important for your playstyle is fun, but rather than simply being a list of numbers, the game rewards experimentation and encourages you to build in ways that make sense.
