Armored Core 6 difficulty settings would open up FromSoftware‘s mech game to more people. But that’s not always how that studio’s titles work. Here’s how Armored Core 6 handles difficulty.
What are the Armored Core 6 difficulty settings?
Armored Core 6 does not have traditional difficulty settings. There’s no easy, medium, or hard modes that players can pick for each mission or from the main menu. Armored Core 6 has just one difficulty setting that everyone experiences, which is exactly like the studio’s other notoriously difficult games like Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring.
FromSoftware is also aiming to keep the level of difficulty from those other games within Armored Core 6. Director Masaru Yamamura told Sportskeeda before launch that players “can expect a similar level of challenge and satisfaction that you’ve come to expect from our games.” He went on saying that the team “wanted Armored Core bosses to resemble those powerful and cathartic moments of gameplay where you finally break through, you understand, and break through to get that feeling of achievement.”
And while there are no difficulty settings, players are just going to have to adjust to lessen the load. However, that’s a big part of this experience. Going back to the drawing board and reconfiguring your mech is a key way of getting past a tough encounter in Armored Core 6. You can’t swap on the fly, either, so you’ll have to quit out (or struggle through to the end of the mission) to change your mech.
This makes it quite different from the studio’s other soulslike games that are more open and give players more opportunities to change out their gear and reassess their loadout. Armored Core 6 is a more linear and mission-based affair that locks you into your loadout, which makes customizing that gear more crucial.
Armored Core 6 Difficulty Settings FAQ
A: No, Armored Core 6 does not have traditional difficulty settings like easy, medium, or hard. The game provides a singular difficulty experience for all players, similar to other FromSoftware titles such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
A: Director Masaru Yamamura has stated that players can anticipate a challenge level consistent with other FromSoftware games. The goal is for players to experience powerful and cathartic moments during gameplay, especially when overcoming challenging bosses. These moments are designed to offer a sense of achievement once players understand and break through the game’s challenges.
A: One of the key ways to manage the game’s challenges is by reconfiguring your mech to better handle tough encounters. Unlike other FromSoftware titles where gear can be swapped more freely, Armored Core 6 requires players to commit to a loadout for each mission. This means you can’t change equipment on the fly and might need to exit a mission (or persevere till its end) to adjust your mech’s configuration. This system emphasizes the importance of carefully customizing your gear before starting a mission.
