Armored Coreis a significant seriesin FromSoftware’s catalog. The franchise solidified the company’s development skills, shifting its usual focus from RPGs to the mech genre. With this said, it’s not shocking that it’s been a big hit over the years.
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The long-awaited release ofArmored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconhas brought many fans back into the series. Revitalizing the mech genre in this modern age, the sixth installment of the iconic Armored Core series has been a massive success and well-exceeded all of our expectations. Because of how masterful it turned out to be, the game has encouraged newcomers (and quite a few fans) to dive back into the previous installments. And, although it’s difficult to choose, which games are the best?
10Armored Core 5
Armored Core 5 is a slower installment in the series. It’s more focused on multiplayer compared to all the other games, alongside having a different gameplay formula all-around. In essence, Armored Core 5 isn’t a bad mech game by any means—but rather, it’s a game that didn’t quite capture the spirit of the series.
This isn’t to say that the game is horrible, however. In fact, Armored Core 5 is an entertaining game that’s worthy of mentioning. It added an intriguing atmosphere and nails down entertaining mech combat. However, if you’re a newcomer, this installment perhaps isn’t the best to start out with.
9Armored Core: Verdict Day
In the Armored Core community,Armored Core: Verdict Daydoesn’t entirely seem to be a fan favorite. The premise sounds amazing overall, but the execution falls a bit short. What makes this a notable game in the series, however, is how it built upon elements from Armored Core 5.
Armored Core: Verdict Day is a great standalone game. Much like Armored Core 5, though, it doesn’t capture the iconic essence of the series. Besides not allowing you to fly around and depend on only wall-climbing, the game focused heavily on multiplayer instead of single-player gameplay. Regardless, it still features amusing gameplay.
8Armored Core
What would the whole series be without the one that started it all? The first Armored Core is a magnificent beginning for the series, and it’s simply a classic overall. It proved to be a worthy contender compared to other games in the genre at the time, presenting a fascinating level of creativity.
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The graphics aren’t the greatest compared to other Armored Core games, but the tone and atmosphere are just as impeccable. It provided engrossing gameplay by offering a huge level of customization, alongside the fantastic amount of weapons to choose from. Throughout it all, it goes without saying that the first Armored Core will always be remembered.
7Armored Core: Nexus
Armored Core: Nexus is a special installment in the series as it introduced a new set of controls. Utilizing dual-analog controls, Nexus takes a bit to get used to if you’re used to the previous entries. The game took the usual mechanics in a different direction, making them a bit more complex than before. An example of this involved a difference in how you’d handle heat and energy.
This new type of gameplay shouldn’t scare you off, as it makes Nexus an interesting entry in the series. Once you get the hang of its steep learning curve, you’ll find that it offers a lot of substance that keeps you hooked.
6Armored Core: Silent Line
As a beautiful expansion to Armored Core 3, this entry is a huge fan-favorite. Armored Core: Silent Line barely touched the game engine from the previous installment, focusing more on adding parts and new opponents to face in the Arena. It also gave you the chance to customize your mech in a variety of ways.
Armored Core: Silent Line continues the story from Armored Core 3, bringing an admired story into a new limelight and awed fans everywhere. Despite this, though, it didn’t achieve the same amount of love as the third installment. However, its blend of missions and difficulty does make it worth playing, as it isone of the hardest gamesin the series.
5Armored Core: Last Raven
While Armored Core: Silent Line is considerably one of the most difficult Armored Core games, Last Raven truly takes the cake for being wonderfully yet frustratingly hard. It combines all the greatest elements from the previous installments, mixing them into one game that focuses heavily on a darker story.
It’s clear from this game that FromSoftware worked hard to improve on previous flaws in the series. Overall, they took out the weakest aspects and built on the most intriguing ones to form the charming game that Last Raven is known as today. At first glance, it might not seem like the best, but it swiftly grows on you the more you play.
4Armored Core 2
Being the first official sequel in the series, Armored Core 2 is a magnificent and essential game to play in the series. It holds a special place in many fans' hearts and improves on everything that made the first Armored Core such a genius and influential game.
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Giving you a thrilling challenge, Armored Core 2 showcases gameplay mechanics that make nearly every battle a heart-pumping adventure. It offered a new sense of difficulty, but not much so in a way that made combat feel impossible. With multiple endings for us to unlock, Armored Core 2 will have you yearning to come back and uncover more about the story.
3Armored Core: For Answer
The majority of fans find that Armored Core: For Answer is one of the greatest expansions in the franchise. Everything about it managed to improve on the small flaws seen in Armored Core 4, polishing up the gameplay and expanding on levels that made everything feel even more open than before.
For Answer helps you create a unique mech suited for your play style. It’s definitely a great entry to start out with if you’re new to the series with how easy it is to jump into. The campaign mode is also nothing to scoff at, featuring an engrossing and fast-paced story that makes you instantly want to replay it.
2Armored Core 6: Fires Of Rubicon
The wait for the sixth installment in the series was utterly worth it. It more than lived up to its expectations, and it’s quickly become worthy of being a memorable installment in the series not even days after release. Although the combat is unsurprisingly difficult, the journey of fighting through the toughest battles is endlessly rewarding.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon is a visually pleasing experience. Of course, much like with other Armored Core games, there are a few tiny issues here and there. But, all the pros outweigh the cons because of how wildly reminiscent it is of the classic Armored Core games. On top of this, the gameplay is empowering and unique.
1Armored Core 3
When looking back through the fantastic line of Armored Core games, Armored Core 3 always seems to be the champion in capturing ourmecha-loving heartsthe most. It captured everything that Armored Core was and achieved to be, and so much more.
Its creative levels and graphical design aren’t the only elements that make Armored Core 3 such a remarkable game in the series. There’s something for everybody to enjoy, which changed its reputation and perspective to even outside players of the series. Providing hours of entertainment with strategic gameplay, Armored Core 3 still stands as the greatest Armored Core game of all time.
