Is Armored Core 6 Harder Than Elden Ring?

One thing we gamers can’t resist is comparing games from a development studio to their other titles. The conversation around FromSoftware in particular is often which game is more difficult. With the release of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, it certainly hasn’t changed. Players ran into a wall of a challenge from the very first mission when they faced the PCA Heavy Combat Helicopter! Is Armored Core 6 more difficult than their previously released and very challenging game Elden Ring, though? Here’s what I think.

Is Armored Core 6 More Challenging than Elden Ring?

First of all, it’s not as easy to compare these two games directly as it is for something like Dark Souls 3 and Elden Ring. Those games share a core DNA crafted over many years. They have a ton of similarities in playstyle, mechanics and setting. Armored Core 6 is a totally different game. As a mech based third person shooter, it very much departs from the FromSoftware games we’re used to playing. That being said, they’ve found plenty of ways to keep it nice and tough. It’s a game that relies on managing movement and other resources. Wait, that actually does sound pretty similar to Elden Ring. Hmm.

The big difference is in the verticality of Armored Core 6. You’ll be flying up and dodging up, down, left, and right. No simple dodge rolling here, and you’ll have to manage your boost meter much like you manage your stamina meter in Elden Ring. The boss fights are pretty on par for both games. They both have very tough first boss encounters that really push players to have to try hard to figure out and beat the mechanics. That aforementioned Helicopter really gave me a run for my money until I figured out flying up to slash it was the most effective method. The “grunt” enemies are much more dangerous in Elden Ring than Armored Core 6, though. Most enemies can feel dangerous and could kill you at any moment in Elden Ring. In Armored Core 6, you’ll feel like a real badass flying around and easily blasting enemies to bits.

Elden Ring also has more RPG elements. You have to consider carefully how you build your character. Resources are also very limited and restricted, gating you from power spiking. Armored Core 6 doesn’t have those considerations in the same way. You can simply grind missions for money and use those funds to buy more powerful weapons and parts. It’s much easier to get a powerful build going. Plus, after dying, you have the ability to go and tweak a loadout to find what works. All of that makes Armored Core 6 easier than Elden Ring.

Both games are very challenging in their own right. Overall, Elden Ring is the more challenging of the two titles. There are just a lot more factors and mechanics you have to worry about in a Soulslike game. Armored Core 6 has some absolutely frustrating bosses to take down, but the rest of the gameplay is certainly easier than Elden Ring.

KEEP READING: Can You Turn Down the Difficulty in Armored Core 6?