Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon fans are planning to forsake bullets in favour of a punch-only playthrough

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Armored Core fans are ready to take on Fires of Rubicon using just their fists

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon
(Image credit: FromSoftware)

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon fans are planning to forsake bullets in favour of a punch-only playthrough.

FromSoftware is known for its punishingly difficult titles, and for as long as the Souls series has existed, players have been finding ways to make the experience even more brutal. We saw one Dark Souls fan beat the entire game using just their feet, while some very skilled Elden Ring players managed to conquer the Lands Between without levelling up once. Now it appears fans are keen to bring that tradition to another of FromSoftware's series, Armored Core, when the long-awaited sixth instalment, Fires of Rubicon, arrives next month.

Over on the Armored Core subreddit, user GreaterLiarbird posted footage of Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon which shows that should you run out of bullets, you can resort to punching with your right arm. As a result, some players are now eager to ditch guns entirely and try a punch-only run. "Eventually, someone will purge all weapons and start punching boss to death," said one player. "It may take a while, but it is possible." Another says, "Barefist challenge run confirmed," while a third comments, "Now I can viably run melee only."

You can punch with the right arm when out of ammo. from r/armoredcore

Given how tough the enemies are and how little damage you do with just your fist, this will certainly be a tough ask. That being said, seeing the ways fans have been able to conquer other FromSoftware games, we wouldn't be surprised if some also manage to pull this off. 

Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon launches on August 25 and is reportedly 50 to 60 hours long, which, if accurate, makes it not only five times longer than the previous game but bigger than all five core games added together. 

In our Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon preview, we found moments of impact in a wider, blander story.

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Anne-Marie Ostler
Anne-Marie Ostler
Freelance Writer

Originally from Ireland, I moved to the UK in 2014 to pursue a Games Journalism and PR degree at Staffordshire University. Following that, I've freelanced for GamesMaster, Games TM, Official PlayStation Magazine and, more recently, Play and GamesRadar+. My love of gaming sprang from successfully defeating that first Goomba in Super Mario Bros on the NES. These days, PlayStation is my jam. When not gaming or writing, I can usually be found scouring the internet for anything Tomb Raider related to add to my out of control memorabilia collection.

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