What Games Are Like Armored Core VI?

Mech-action games have always existed in a niche genre of gaming. The genre has some incredibly passionate fans, but it is a genre that has been largely neglected by developers for the last 10 years. Fortunately, the last few years have seen a couple of mech-action reemerge and spark interest in the long-dormant genre again. One of the biggest games that piqued gamers’ interest in the genre has undoubtedly been FromSoftware’s Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. While the studio might be much more known for the Dark Souls games and Elden Ring, Armored Core was once FromSoftware’s primary series.

Naturally, FromSoft’s return to the mech-action genre has brought many new players to the series. This has sparked a ton of new interest in the genre, and it has proven that it still has a place in modern gaming. Of course, FromSoft’s trademark unforgiving gameplay and obtuse design are featured prominently in Armored Core VI. Unfortunately, that might prove daunting or difficult for new players to the genre. It makes the game a barrier to entry into the genre, but there are other options. If you are a player who wants to get into the mech-action genre but found Armored Core too daunting, difficult, or obtuse, then Daemon X Machina is the perfect game for you.

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Daemon X Machina Offers Is a Great Armored Core Alternative

Armored Core VI has been the major topic of discussion in regard to the mech-action genre, but it was not the first game to bring back that style of gameplay. Daemon X Machina was released on Nintendo Switch back in 2019. It was not the first game to bring back mech-action, but it was the first time in a while that fans had seen a mech-action from a major studio and publisher. Beyond the fact that it sparked new interest in the genre, it also had Kenichiro Tsukuda producing the game, who served as producer of the Armored Core series prior. Naturally, it brought many aspects of Armored Core‘s design, and it created a game that almost felt like a spiritual successor to Armored Core, albeit, much more approachable.

Like many FromSoftware games, there is a steep learning curve new players face when hopping into Armored Core for the first time. Armored Core VI has a tutorial, but it hardly covers everything new players need to know about key elements of the game. Of course, the other barrier to entry is Armored Core‘s difficulty, which is another FromSoftware staple. While Armored Core is easier than games like Dark Souls or Elden Ring, its hands-off tutorial can lead to difficult areas players may not know how to overcome. Daemon X Machina‘s tutorial is not a vast improvement on Armored Core‘s. However, Daemon X Machina has clearer customization options and, frankly, lower difficulty.

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Daemon X Machina Is a Perfect Introduction to the Mech-Action Genre

The biggest draw of mech-action games is the verticality players are allowed in combat and the sheer amount of customization options for mechs. Daemon X Machina understands this and allows players to create a mech that is truly unique to them. On top of that, it combines that customization with mech combat straight out of an anime. It may not be as intricate as Armored Core, but Daemon X Machina‘s customization allows players to create a mech that feels wholly unique to them. This also allows players to create a build that fits their playstyle. This customization extends to visuals as well. Players can openly customize the look of their mech as well as the weapons equipped to it. Kenichiro Tsukuda, Ken Awata, Jun’ichi Wada, and the Daemon X Machina team created a game that carried over the core philosophies of Armored Core (no pun intended).

Daemon X Machina differs from Armored Core in one key way: it has a lower difficulty. While some people may lament the easier difficulty found in Daemon X Machina, it lowers the barrier to entry for many new players. It is important to remember that Daemon X Machina came out several years prior to Armored Core VI and, in many ways, pioneered the return of the mech-action genre and the Armored Core series. Due to this, the developers likely wanted to make it as accessible as possible for new players. The lowered difficulty means that players can create and customize the mech build that they want and stick to a playstyle rather than constantly learning new playstyles to meet new difficulty spikes. That is not to say the game is particularly easy, but it doesn’t force players to immediately learn the intricacies of the customization. It gives players the freedom to make their own mech and playstyle and experiment at their own pace.

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Armored Core Owes A Lot to Daemon X Machina

As stated, Daemon X Machina paved the way for the return of the mech-action genre. The argument could be made that Daemon X Machina is responsible for the renewed interest in the genre which paved the way for Armored Core to return. That being said, Daemon X Machina is not without flaws. Most enemies won’t give players too much trouble, and the bosses are not much more difficult either. While it may have a more cohesive story than Armored Core VI, it isn’t much better. Despite its flaws, however, Daemon X Machina is still a fantastic option for anyone looking to jump into the genre, and it is a viable Armored Core alternative.

Beyond being an alternative to Armored Core, Daemon X Machina is a fantastic mech-action game on Switch. It would make an excellent game to go to for anyone who has recently finished Armored Core VI or a new player to the genre. The game was well-reviewed by most gaming outlets, and it even has a sequel on the way in the form of Titanic Scion. For anyone who is curious about the mech-action genre or looking for more games in that genre, Daemon X Machina is a great game that provides players with intense mech action and deep customization that players will love.