Armored Core 6 certainly hasn’t gone for a simple layout when it comes to their HUD. It is the flight simulator of Souls-like games and can have you scratching your head somewhat at all the numbers and dials. Nobody can be expected to understand everything immediately. In fact, when I started, I just watched the pretty colors and listened to the roar of the guns. You can tell a lot by simple animal instinct. However, when something called ACS Anomaly kept popping up on my screen, I started to pay attention and needed to find out what it may mean in Armored Core 6.
What does ACS mean in Armored Core 6?
When fighting the monstrous enemies in Armored Core 6, you will surely be aware of their stagger bar. Building this up with hard-hitting weapons like Shotguns and Handguns will render your opponent momentarily very vulnerable. Stagger knocks enemies down for a brief moment, giving you time to reload, attack for more damage, or wipe the sweat out of your eyes.
However, you are not immune to the dreaded stagger effect or ACS damage. Your stagger bar will slowly build up at the bottom of the screen. It is the yellow bar just above your stamina gauge. As it reaches the maximum level, you will receive stagger. Unless you make a hasty retreat, you’re going to get staggered and suffer the same fate as your enemies in Armored Core 6. Stagger grounds your ACS for a brief time.
Screenshot by PC Invasion
ACS Anomaly
ACS Anomaly is a further risk for stagger in Armored Core 6. Certain weapons, such as fire and plasma, will build up the heat in your Armored Core. This excessive heat will cause it to malfunction. You will notice the ACS Anomaly bar in your AC slowly building when being hit by heat weapons. When this fills, you will instantly be staggered, whether your main stagger bar is at 0 or not.
There isn’t much way to avoid that apart from improving your mech to help with AC Anomaly resistance. You will notice certain gauges when putting together your AC that lists both Attitude Recovery and Attitude Stability. Get these two higher to reduce the effect of both stagger and ACS Anomaly.
