How many endings does Armored Core have?
As a long-time Armored Core expert and fanatic, one of my favorite things about the iconic mech combat series is how the developers have integrated endings into the different titles. The number of possible conclusions you can reach ranges from just one to as many as six, depending on the game! As an AC narrative aficionado, I‘ve played and analyzed all of the endings intensively over the years. So let‘s explore this key aspect of the franchise‘s evolution!
The First Era of Single Endings
In the beginning, Armored Core kept it simple story-wise. The original all the way through to Armored Core 4: Answer only had a single ending each. These conclusions were pretty straightforward, usually just showing your player character (an elite Raven mercenary) defeating the final enemy or witnessing the aftermath of the game‘s central conflict.
For example, the first Armored Core has the tried and true ending of your Raven walking away from an exploding base after beating the game‘s corporate antagonist. Clean, but not very memorable. This straightforward style defined the series‘ first era.
The Multiple Endings Revolution Begins
It wasn‘t until Armored Core: For Answer in 2008 that the developers started experimenting with multiple, branching endings. These reacted to choices the player made during key storyline moments. For Answer has 3 distinct conclusions focused on which of the game‘s major factions you align with in the later missions.
If you stick with the heroine Fiona Jarnefeldt‘s forces, you‘ll get the ending where your Raven leaves behind the war-ravaged wastes of the game world. Align with crucially skilled Ravens like Old King, and you remain to rebuild the shattered world. But join the extremist Stinger group, and you‘ll trigger the dramatic ending where they furiously storm the game‘s orbital elevators.
For Answer‘s 3 endings marked a major step forward in reacting to players‘ path through the story. Let‘s look at how future releases continued to build on this idea!
The Fan Favorite: Last Raven‘s 6 Epic Endings
In terms of sheer ending options, Armored Core: Last Raven represents the pinnacle. Last Raven features a branching storyline centered around which missions you take on. Make certain key choices, and you set yourself on the path to one of 6 radically different endings!
Fans have devoted endless analysis to mapping out Last Raven‘s possibilities. I particularly love Ending E, where your character Jack-O joins the mysterious Zodiac corporation as a test pilot for next-gen Ravens. But Ending F is also iconic for its Evangelion-esque conclusion of AI going haywire!
With its retirement from active duty, distinct faction reputations, and optional training missions, Last Raven really leans into the elite Raven fantasy. Choosing allegiance between corporations like Murakumo or Emeraude gives you control over your destiny post-war. That level of narrative impact keeps dedicated Armored Core gamers like myself replaying the title to this day! No wonder fans rank it as one of the best in the series.
What Will Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon‘s Endings Hold?
Now with the long wait finally over and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon on the horizon, the enduring franchise is gearing up to make a next-gen comeback! As an expert on all things Armored Core, I‘m incredibly intrigued by what this reboot‘s ending situation will be like.
Given the positive reaction to branching storylines in installments like For Answer and Last Raven, I anticipate Fires of Rubicon will continue the legacy of multiple endings. Between the title‘s intense cinematic trailer and the long development time, FromSoftware clearly has grand narrative ambitions for Armored Core‘s return.
If I had to guess, I would expect 4-5 endings depending on factors like faction loyalty, which missions players select, and how they customize their Raven. Of course that range of possibilities is purely speculative at this point. But as someone who has analyzed the ins and outs of AC narratives for over a decade, I‘m confident dynamic endings will play a key role!
The moment Fires of Rubicon drops, you‘d better believe I‘ll be charting out all narrative routes from start to finish! And if my long history as an Armored Core expert is any indication, this reboot‘s endings will blow us away as only FromSoftware can! I can‘t wait to experience them firsthand and hear what fellow devoted fans think. Roll on 2023!
