*Ahem*
Linear rifle good.
Game good.
Fwoom fwoom pew pew chutchutchutchuuuuuuu vwreeeeeeee PEEEEEEW fwoom fwoom ZWWEEEEEE ZWWEEEEEE BADOW
This has been a dramatic recreation of fighting with a linear rifle, missiles, and a pulse blade.
I also tried shotgun out. It seems effective, but
so sweaty. So much effort has to be put in to get it to pay off. A suitable pairing for a pulse blade-focused AC, though. I imagine you'll get more ease-of-use mileage out of going machine gun / pulse blade. But after the dark times where the first order optimal solution for ACs, uh... 2, Another Age, 3, Silent Line, Nexus, Ninebreaker, Last Raven, 4, and For Answer was "equip a machine gun and an extra ammo unit," I refuse to use rapid-fire weapons.
Imagine, an Armored Core that isn't sacrificing playability in service of mechanical distinction while
also having some of the most distinct-feeling weapons in the franchise this far. Imagine, if you will, an Armored Core that has
multiple safety nets to catch you in case you brought an ill-suited armament for a mission. Honestly just putting in
punching was enough, but there are also AC5-esque restock points, and melee
finally feels as fun to use as it is rewarding (it used to be rewarding but miserable to use). Used to be that I had to seriously consider whether the drop off in effectiveness was worth the safety net of having an energy blade
just in case. Now I can't imagine sacrificing my pulse blade for
anything. I'd sooner go Bazooka/Blade than Gun/Bazooka. And shields! Wow! I think they look bulky and stupid, but I'm happy to see them present in such a comprehensible form.
There's a lot to be said for how the game uses the training mode (with free part rewards) as an excuse to put you in control of a wide variety of ACs and weapons. That's the core, er, primary fun of Armored Core, but it's something you previously had to discover and seek out of your own volition. I've finished multiple training missions and went "I have to equip
that right now."
And the simplicity! Head, Body, Arms, Legs, Thruster, Fire Control System, Generator, and one (1) Extension part. That's it! I was SO worried we were gonna go back to the complexity of late AC3/AC4-era customization, but nope! AC6 takes and refines the playability improvements from AC4 and AC5 and goes "hey, actually there was nothing wrong with the AC Assembly from AC1 and 2 though."
I hope I can get an extension or option or shoulder part that gives me a
down boost lmao. For the first time ever in the franchise I've though "Oh no! I can't boost
down!"
Obligatory photo mode:
"Snake, we need pictures of [the Armored Core] from the left, right, and center."
Linear Rifle charged shot~