The overlap with the Sekiro posture system is purely coincidental! Interview with Mr. Masaru Yamamura, the director of “Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon”

After the media experience session, we had the opportunity to interview the director, Mr. Masaru Yamamura, about various questions regarding “Armored Core IV: Fires of Rubicon” The actual interview is as follows:：

Q: After experiencing the game, I felt that the weight and sense of speed of the ACs were just right. Even during high-speed movement, there was no disorientation. How was the balance achieved between weight, leg equipment, and thrusters to make it feel as it is?

A: Regarding the weight, we believe a significant part of the credit goes to the advancements in hardware, which allowed us to render and present graphics that were not possible over a decade ago. Additionally, the sound design team went to actual mechanical factories to record authentic metal friction and assembly sounds, contributing to the realistic mech combat experience. As for the sense of speed, credit goes to our special effects and animation teams, who designed and portrayed the propulsion sensation, along with the assistance of the sound effects team, all working together to achieve this feeling of speed and weight.

Q: Are there any other mechanics in the game inspired by FROMSOFTWARE games? For example, similar to posture or poise mechanics from Sekiro and Dark Souls.

A: Regarding this question, the “Armored Core” series has always been an action game with gameplay similar to STG (Shoot ’em Up) games. While we did not directly import systems from other games within the same company, as they might not be compatible, we did incorporate elements from recent works in terms of map and combat design, especially the idea of when to anticipate enemy attacks.
As for mechanics similar to poise, it’s purely coincidental. “Armored Core” does not have a parry and counter system. However, in the combat itself, we aimed to achieve a combat with a back-and-forth rhythm kind of rhythm between the player and enemies.

Q: During gameplay, I experienced the importance of the assembly system. Many battles required returning to the hangar to adjust my mech to overcome various challenges. How did the development team adjust and balance these difficulty-related elements while considering new players?

A: The assembly system is one of the core elements of the series, responsible for achieving balance. From gameplay and design perspectives, we believe it still appeals to modern players, as it allows them to customize and create their exclusive ACs, with personalized paint jobs and complete control over it during combat, which can also attract new players.
Additionally, to attracting new players, we made several adjustments to the controls to make them more intuitive and responsive, both in assembly and combat. As a result, players can directly feel the changes each component brings to the battle. Based on our previous experiences, observing enemy movements and adjusting your ACs accordingly is one of the most intuitive and enjoyable aspects of this game. While the game, like the series tradition, has significant impacts on combat from each parameter and equipment, especially the leg equipment, we still aimed to make the decision-making process more intuitive for players, allowing them to choose based on their preferences and find enjoyment in doing so.

Q: During this test, we were able to experience various boss battles. Although I didn’t defeat the final boss of this test, I saw other media playing against a multi-form boss, and the final form had a feeling similar to a giant bullet hell battle. Will these kinds of boss battles appear frequently in the final game?

A: Players will encounter various boss battles in the game, and throughout these fights, they will learn different strategies to deal with the challenging aspects of the game. The final boss in the test represents the end of the adaptation phase and the tutorial journey, or the onboarding process. It’s meant to leave an impression on players and make them understand that the enemies they will face next might be equally difficult, stronger, and relentless. We encourage players to try different mech configurations and attack methods. We hope everyone can look forward to various missions and boss battles in the final release!