 Review By: David Pulgar |
Developer: | Namco Bandai |
| Publisher: | Namco Bandai | |
| Genre: | Flight Action | |
| ESRB: | Teen | |
| # Of Players: | 1-4 (16 online) | |
| Online Play: | Yes | |
| Accessories: | Xbox Live (online play), Ace Combat 6 ACE-EDGE Flightstick | |
| Buy Now: |   |
Ace Combat 6 (AC6) has taught me one thing - I’m a horrible pilot. However, my inability to maneuver a multi-million dollar jet didn’t diminish the fun I had during this beautifully crafted game. If anything, my shortcomings fueled the desire for success. Even if it’s been years since you’ve piloted a flight sim, AC6 gives players (old and new) the ability to jump into combat without feeling like a total noob.
My first stop on AC6’s menu was training. I liked the direct approach the developers took here. Select an exercise. Get briefed in flight. Execute the instructor’s commands. Training is straightforward and simple. It’s just what I needed to acquaint myself with AC6 before embarking on the single-player campaign. I’ll note that not all training missions are available at the game’s start. As players progress in the single-player campaign, more training missions become available, explaining AC6’s more complex mechanics. The game assumes no previous experience but don’t worry Ace Combat veterans, you won’t have to attend flight school. Seasoned Ace Combat gamers can bypass training and jump strait to campaign or online missions.
For a flight sim, AC6 has a fantastic story. It starts slow, but patience is rewarded by an intricate storyline complete with well-developed characters you can identify with. At first, gamers will be subjected to cheesy dialog and fragmented points of view showing the plotline from too many different angles. However, as the missions progress the constant switching between viewpoints stops and the plot stabilizes. Without revealing too much, Ace Combat 6 is all about the Estovakian invasion of Gracemaria. Estovakia, once a prosperous nation, was devastated by a meteor strike. In ruins, the army seized control of the country and turned it into a military state. Estovakian soldiers bare a great resemblance to old USSR. But don’t think you’ll be flying against MIGs all the time. The Estovakians use the same planes you do (F-14s, F-18s, F-16s, etc.). And in some cases they have access to even more advanced technology than you. I’ll say it in one word: NIMBUS. You’ll learn to hate that name, but ssshhh…spoils the surprise if I say any more.
It’s obvious Estovakia is the antagonist in AC6. Gamers play an Emmerian pilot. At the campaign’s start, Estovakia attacks Gracemaria, Emmeria’s capitol, and forces the air force, army and its people into exile. But the Emmerian military won’t be gone for long. Immediately after Estovakia’s surprise assault, a plan is already underway to take back Gracemaria. It’s here where players become Garuda One, an “Angel” who defeats Estovakian forces fight after fight. Each passing mission pulls Garuda One deeper into the story as enemies hatefully utter Garuda’s name while pirate radio broadcasts from Emmerian resistance fighters brag about Garuda’s exploits. I like how this indirectly brings players into the otherwise detached storyline, which follows the lives of several people on both sides of the conflict. Cut scenes play out like a movie between each mission. Seeing each scene is a nice reward after shooting Estovakian aircraft from the sky.
Posted: 2008-03-04 15:19:01 PST