The Armored Core franchise has been dormant for a decade now, with the last installment Armored Core 5 releasing way back in 2012. In fact, many players found themselves completely unaware that the mech combat series was created by the same studio that made Elden Ring and became famous for its iconic Dark Souls series. With that connection now firmly established, players may be wondering what similarities Elden Ring and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon will have, and there is one commonality that is almost guaranteed.
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FromSoftware’s Moonlight Greatsword
This probable common element between Elden Ring and Armored Core 6 is none other than the Moonlight Greatsword. For players that don’t know, the Moonlight Greatsword, or some version of it, has appeared in almost every single FromSoftware game to date (with the exception of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice). It first appeared as the Moonlight Sword in King’s Field, FromSoftware’s very first title back in 1994. Most players probably recognize it as the Moonlight Greatsword from the original Dark Souls, but it was also in Demon’s Souls (and the PS5 Demon’s Souls remake from Bluepoint Games) as the Large Sword of Moonlight.
The Moonlight Greatsword returns in both Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3, and even makes an appearance in Bloodborne as the Holy Moonlight Sword. It also appears in several lesser-known, ancillary FromSoftware games such as Evergrace and Ninja Blade. Naturally, this sword made its way into Elden Ring as well, and players may be surprised to know that it has also appeared in previous Armored Core titles as well, leading many to suspect that it will return in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon.
Elden Ring’s Darkmoon Greatsword
In Elden Ring, players are able to use the Darkmoon Greatsword, this installment’s version of the iconic weapon. As though its appearance wasn’t enough to show the reference, its unique weapon art is literally called “Moonlight Greatsword.” This weapon is a powerful Greatsword that scales with Strength, Dexterity, and Intellect. It deals both physical and magic damage and its weapon art further increases its magic attack power and imbues it with frost, also making heavy attacks fire a blade of magical energy akin to the Moonlight Greatsword’s attacks from previous games.
Getting this iconic weapon is no easy task, as players have to progress fairly far into Ranni’s questline. Its weapon description drives the legendary nature of the sword home by stating it was “bestowed by a Carian queen upon her spouse to honor long-standing tradition.” This long-standing tradition is of course the way that the sword appears in so many FromSoftware games.
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Moonlight Greatsword in the Armored Core franchise
Unsurprisingly, most mechs in the Armored Core franchise don’t run around using greatswords when there are gatling guns and laser rifles they could be using instead. That said, laser blades are a staple of both the mecha genre and the Armored Core franchise, and that is where this series manages to fit in the Moonlight Greatsword archetype. Every single Armored Core title in the franchise has a special laser blade weapon called MOONLIGHT, and they tend to be powerhouses when compared to other weapons of the same type. MOONLIGHT first appeared in the original Armored Core as LS-99-MOONLIGHT, featuring a large and distinct blue blade and the ability to fire blade waves.
These MOONLIGHT weapons in Armored Core are usually the most powerful laser blades in the game, boasting high attack power, great range, and wider and more devastating blade waves than other laser blades. Just like in Elden Ring, they tend to be fairly difficult to acquire, either only being found in late-game missions, being very expensive to purchase, or requiring players to complete certain challenges. Even in games where the MOONLIGHT laser blade doesn’t have the highest attack power, it usually wins out over other laser blades thanks to its large blade size and impressive range.
Will Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon Carry On The Moonlight Greatsword Tradition?
The question remains whether or not Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon will continue the tradition that started with King’s Field and is still going strong after Elden Ring’s Darkmoon Greatsword. FromSoftware has shown that it isn’t afraid to deviate and make a game without the Moonlight Greatsword, as the weapon does not show up in any form in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but it still seems fairly likely that players will be able to attain some kind of MOONLIGHT laser blade in Armored Core 6.
If it follows the trend from previous games, it will be no easy feat to gain access to the MOONLIGHT laser blade, but the reward will be well worth the trouble. The weapon will likely boast high attack power and unbeatable range just like in previous installments, and should keep its trademark ability to fire waves of energy with just a swing of the sword. It’s true that Elden Ring and Armored Core are two very different games that take place in two very different worlds, but the Moonlight Greatsword is poised to tie these two unlikely worlds together.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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