FromSoftware is one of the most popular and revered game companies in the world. It has developed 37 games in its 37-year history, starting with the King’s Field trilogy, the company’s first-ever series, which was released between 1994 and 1996.
Armored Core came into existence shortly after, in 1997, spawning a new series that became the company’s most popular until the breakout success of Demon’s Souls in 2009, followed by the Dark Souls series in 2011. Their success led to other soulslikes, including Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and smash-hit Elden Ring.
Due to how popular the new genre became, Armored Core was put on the back burner. Other than Armored Core V and Armored Core: Verdict Day, which were released in 2012 and 2013 respectively, there hasn’t been a title since.
But that is changing with Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon on multiple platforms.
If you’re a diehard Dark Souls fan who is interested in dabbling in the Armored Core universe but has no idea what to expect, let’s take a look at everything you need to know, including all the similarities and differences.
What do Armored Core and Dark Souls have in common?
Armored Core and Dark Souls don’t have a lot in common, but Armored Core does have some qualities that Dark Souls fans would be familiar with, including challenging gameplay, rich lore, and world-building.
Armored Core has an intense and demanding combat system that, while different from the Dark Souls games in terms of nuances and pacing, still revolves around strategy, skill, and perseverance. You’ll need to learn enemy patterns and identify their weaknesses, as well as manage resources like energy.
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Armored Core also has a deep and intricate lore that unravels itself as you make your way through its immersive world, which is a Dark Souls staple. It’s a little more narrative-focused than Dark Souls, but the depth and breadth are the same.
What is different about Armored Core compared to Dark Souls?
Armored Core and Dark Souls are fundamentally different from each other in many ways. The genre and gameplay are drastically different, and so is the setting and narrative. Let’s take a look at why.
Genre and Gameplay
Armored Core is a mecha-based third-person shooter combat title in which players pilot highly customizable mechs known as Armored Cores. It has a linear, mission-based storyline, and heavily revolves around customization.
Dark Souls, on the other hand, is a fantasy-based action role-playing melee combat title in which players control a human-like character as they navigate and explore a labyrinth-like interconnected world.
The biggest takeaway here is Armored Core isn’t a soulslike. It doesn’t have any of the core features that define the Dark Souls series and other soulslike titles, like bonfire checkpoints, flasks, and soul collection and retrieval, nor does it have an interconnected world with unlockable shortcuts.
Setting and Narrative
Previous Armored Core titles were set in a distant future where a cataclysmic event forced most people on Earth to live underground as two large corporations battled to rule the populace, and the world.
Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is a little different. It’s set in a future where mankind has managed to colonize other parts of space, including a planet called Rubicon 3 that has a rare and highly sought-after substance known as Coral in abundance.
Based on this brief description alone, you can early tell it’s a stark contrast to the dark, interconnected medieval fantasy world plagued by the undead curse and the cycle of linking the fire in Dark Souls.
Despite the differences between them, if you’re a fan of Dark Souls because of how challenging and rewarding it is and are willing to head into Armored Core with an open mind, I believe you’ll enjoy it. It ticks all the right boxes, just in a different way.
