 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: |   |
Beyond the campaign, AC6’s multiplayer modes add hours to the game’s replay value. All aircraft are accessible while in this mode. However, only special weapons purchased in the single player can be used during multiplayer. There are four battle types to choose from: Team, Royale, Siege and Co-Op. Team Battle is like team deathmatch. Two groups of players engage in aerial dogfights. At the end of the match, the team with the most points wins. Battle Royal is free-for-all deathmatch, It’s essentially the same as Team Battle. The player with the most points at the mission’s end wins. Siege battle has two teams: attacker and defender. For the attacker to win, they must completely destroy the defender’s base. This includes any defenses, structures, vehicles, ships, etc. Finally, Co-Op battle brings gamers together to accomplish missions together in a vs CPU match. I especially enjoyed the idea of Siege Battle. Many aircraft, like the A-10 or Tornado, are much better suited to ground attack roles. Siege Battle allows pilots who favor air interdiction (a form of ground assault for the uninitiated) over dog fighting. In these team battles, the value of support aircraft also comes around. Planes equipped with electronic countermeasures and similar support equipment can give a decisive advantage to one team. Why? Because unlike earlier Ace Combat games chaff and flares are not available to pilots in AC6. Onboard chaff and flares have been replaced with ESM (Electronic Support Measures). If you don’t have it, enemies can target your aircraft much easier and it also becomes more difficult to target enemy aircraft. For this reason, gamers playing online with friends might want to strategize about who should equip what. Sometimes it’s not always the player with the biggest missile that wins.
Ace Combat 6 is near perfect but I did have some qualms with it. Most of my issues are with multiplayer, the biggest annoyance being you can’t quit a mission once it starts. Sure, you can turn off your Xbox or return to the dashboard, but leaving out such a basic option is unheard of. Next is the lack of community support for the Siege and Co-Op modes. Most of the battles I found online were either Team Battle of Battle Royal. My last qualm is with downloadable content. Live Marketplace options for AC6 are just repainted aircraft to date (completely new aircraft are available but there are more repaints than new aircraft), although several new stages and maps are due out next week (each sold separately). They have no unique characteristics or special abilities so, to me, that seems totally worthless. I can only imagine die-hard fans would shell out up to 400 gamer points for each aircraft. However, one good thing to note is that with each aircraft pack comes at least one free plane.
I’ve left talk about AC6’s graphics and music for last because everyone already knows how incredible this game looks. The advertisements aren’t a lie. It really is difficult to discern game from reality when talking about AC6. Each aircraft is brilliantly detailed and the surrounding environments are great too. Oceans shimmer when light hits the waves and canopies reflect the light. I only wish there was time to appreciate the view. Ace Combat 6’s fast-paced combat keeps you from gazing too long. If you try and take it all in, you’ll be nothing more than ash burning in the atmosphere. And if you’ve got surround sound, you’re in for another treat. Ace Combat 6 has excellent effects. I’m especially fond of the radio chatter, which sounds distorted. Even in multiplayer, when communicating with other players, it gives the effect that you’re really listening to combat communications. The soundtrack’s great too. Some songs bring out feelings of Emmerian patriotism while others sound like edgy rock from Top Gun.
Bottom Line:
There’s a lot to talk about with AC6. I’ve tried my best to condense the experience into this review, but it’s really a game that can’t be described in so few words. Chances are Ace Combat fans already own this game. And if you’re a flight sim enthusiast, I highly recommend this game. Other gamers who aren’t into flight sims – check AC6 out. Give it a chance. It’s not complicated like some of the other simulators I’ve played in the past: Ace Combat 6 is aerial combat for the uninitiated as well. That’s not too say it’s easy, and gamers will find it a worthwhile challenge. You won’t be disappointed when you’re flying with the angels in Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.
| Pros: | Cons: | Final Score: |
|---|---|---|
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| 8.5 |
Posted: 2008-03-04 15:19:01 PST