Summary
Spoilers for Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon Ahead
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconbrings the fan-favorite mech series into the future while carrying forward the features that made classic titles such a hit. CompletingArmored Core 6is no easy task, and players are likely to take these decisions very seriously. Those who wish to seeArmored Core 6’s three endingswill need to discern which major decisions impact their progression most. With multiple paths to each ending, which change based on the number of playthroughs, here is howArmored Core 6’s biggest decisions determine its ending.
Beginning in Chapter 3 of their firstArmored Core 6playthrough, fans will be confronted with Missions that feature a distinct “Decision” label. Each Mission will lead the player down a different path, locking its counterpart until the next full playthrough. While fans have the opportunity to explore different paths on each subsequent playthrough, decisions made during the first playthrough are particularly significant. From the second playthrough onward, additional steps are required to obtainArmored Core 6’s “good” ending, with the final, secret ending out of reach until at least the third time through.
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Aligning with Key Figures Determines Armored Core 6’s Ending Paths
Most players will attempt to obtainArmored Core 6’s Good Endingon their first playthrough, and if they align themselves with Ayre during major decisions, they can obtain the “Liberator of Rubicon” ending. Starting in Chapter 3, Ayre will begin to communicate directly with the Pilot, before providing various Decision Missions. Ayre asks the player to save her “brothers and sisters”, later informing them that Coral has profound potential when joined with humanity.
In Chapter 5, players must support the choice to eliminate Carla, which will place them on the endgame path towards the good ending. This ending sees humanity and Coral co-exist, following the destruction of the Xylem. Pursuing this ending on a second playthrough sees players required to make additional choices, such as “Refuse” during Assault the Dam Complex and Prevent Corporate Salvage of New Tech in Chapter 5.
Armored Core 6’s Bad Ending, titled “The Fires of Raven”, is the easiest to obtain, and sees players align themselves withHandler Walterand Carla. Players should choose whatever missions either of these two characters assigns. Specifically, players should select Tunnel Sabotage and Eliminate the Enforcement Squads during Chapter 3, and Intercept the Redguns in Chapter 4. When faced with the same final decisions as in the first playthrough, players should decide not to eliminate Carla, instead choosing to intercept the corporate forces. The Bad Ending sees the Xylem successfully crash into the Convergence, causing a chain reaction that engulfs the entirety of Rubicon in flames, leaving it permanently dead.
Armored Core 6’s Final Ending is Locked Behind Multiple Playthroughs
Armored Core 6’s third and final ending is inaccessible until at least the player’s third playthrough, during which a new contender enters the ring for the rights toRubicon and the Coral. ALLMIND, the AI mercenary liaison met in players' previous playthroughs, becomes a major force following the player’s completion of New Game Plus' exclusive Analysis tasks. ALLMIND will begin to change Mission objectives starting in Chapter 1, aligning with the game’s enemies. In Chapter 3, the AI approaches them directly in order to ensure that the Coral Release program is successful. Should players continue to align with ALLMIND, Chapter 5’s escape sequence will be replaced with a new mission, MIA.
Completing MIA seesArmored Core 6players regain control of the Xylem, by eliminating its parasite modules, before facing off against ALLMIND itself.ALLMIND presents the hardest boss fight inArmored Core 6, taking place across two frantic phases in which every skill is put to the test. With the aid of Ayre, players are able to put a stop to ALLMIND’s master plan, causing the Coral Release to occur and creating a black hole that consumes everyone and everything. Players awake with the other mechs on a distant planet, where Ayre explains that the black hole has disseminated the Coral, as well as the pilots, across the stars.
Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconis available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.
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