Armored Core 6 needs an easy mode, but not just for the reasons you think

It’s a bit old-fashioned these days, but yes, I’m one of those people who thinks Armored core 6 should have easy mode. Shock horror, I know, but sue me because I think difficulty is relative and we should be prepared for it. But advocating for an easy mode that allows more people to complete the game isn’t actually the argument I’m making today. The reason Armored Core 6 should have an easy mode in my opinion is so that more people can enjoy the beautiful environment.

FromSoftware games are often praised for the gameplay that their works have offered over the last decade and a half, more specifically the Soulslike combat that originated in Demon’s Souls. I love fighting giant dragons in Dark Souls and eldritch horrors in Bloodborne, but what fascinates me most about FromSoft’s games are the environments themselves.

Sure, it’s the nature of Armored Core 6’s design that the entire game is level-based, and it doesn’t have the same interconnected rooms as the Dark Souls games. However, that doesn’t mean the levels aren’t worth exploring. In fact, you’re destined to do so, as there are secrets scattered throughout the various levels – if you look closely, you’ll even come across the classic Moonlight Greatsword.

Even if there were no additional lore and new attachments to discover for your ‘Mech, I would still want to casually explore these rooms. I don’t necessarily need to turn Armored Core into a true walking simulator, but an easy mode would mean I don’t have to worry about getting killed in just three seconds and can spend some time enjoying the sights.

Because there really are some beautiful sights to enjoy. There’s an area towards the end of the game that really reminds me of the copied city from Nier Automata, which I immediately fell in love with as a space, and the final boss stage in the game. The first ending is honestly pretty stunning.

The problem is that if you don’t include an easy mode in your game, it just means fewer people will see all the hard work that goes into the game. And there’s no arguing that people don’t enjoy checking out a game’s environments – noclip, a website that lets you literally move through various game maps (including Dark Souls), is proof of that. Not to mention YouTube channels like BoundaryBreak that show corners of games we were never meant to see.

Obviously there are people who want to see as much of a game as possible, and yes, I understand that FromSoftware’s games aren’t for everyone. But everyone deserves the opportunity to see as much as they want, as easily as they want. Imagine telling someone that they don’t deserve the joy of being on Elden Ring’s Siofra River or experiencing the depths of Dark Souls’ Blight Town? Both are interesting in part because of their hostility, but the former is perhaps one of the most beautiful locations in any game ever, and the latter is just fun as you try to find safe ways to jump into each level.

Ultimately, you can fight your way through the game with the right build, so it’s not entirely impossible to see the entire game without an easy mode, which is an equally valid way to play the game. But sometimes it’s a Monday and you’re tired from a long day at work and you just want a little bit of interactivity that lights up a part of your brain that says, “Oh, that’s pretty.”