A whole week of new Ace Combat 6 information

Ace Combat 6: Week of War

It's almost been two weeks since we broke the news that longtime Sony-exclusive Ace Combat had bailed and taken refuge on Xbox 360. We also promised you a ton of new coverage, and said coverage begins now. We've got a weeklong look at Fires of Liberation, the eleventh overall game in the series, which lands exclusively on 360 this fall. If you've never had the pleasure of taking a $30 million joyride, this is the best possible place to start working towards that lofty dream. Each day begins a new topic, so please, click away.

Day 1 - New details, screens of Ace Combat 6

Day 2 - Interview with developers, text and video

Day 3 - Ace retrospective, a look back at the good and bad

Day 4 - The Ace team picks apart the series. Which games work, which don't?

Day 5 - Exclusive hands-on with Ace Combat 6

Day 1: Take on the whole world with our exclusive preview



Day one in our weeklong look at Fires of Liberation begins with an all-encompassing overview of the game's new features. Everything you've come to expect from the series is intact - a huge roster of planes, a creepily huge flying fortress and mission after mission of intense dogfighting action. But this has been the case since the series' debut more than a decade ago. What's new for the 360 version? A whole hell of a lot, actually.

Each of these bustling hot spots is called an "Operation." Each one has its own set of targets and goals, so the game's world, once a fairly barren place, is now littered with anti-aircraft fire and scores of enemy bogies. Cleansing one collection of targets will change the flow of battle in some way - freeing a landing strip, for example, will enable you to land, refuel and re-equip your plane with fresh ammo. Or you can eradicate a set of enemy batteries to lessen the ammo flow to the central assault, making a final victory that much easier. With some missions housing up to six Operations at a time, that's a whole lotta firing going on, with more enemies, more effects and more explosions than you've seen in an air combat game before.




With all these angry SOBs pointing the biggest guns they can find at you, one jet against a hundred won't make much difference. That's why Ace 6 has also brought in the "Allied Support System," a means by which you can call in air strikes and cover fire. Simply point your aircraft at something, click the D-pad and voila, you've just asked your missile-belching entourage to raze anything inside the reticule's radius. It sounds pretty basic, but try to imagine how busy this battlefield is going to be - there's just no way to win without wisely using your buddies' arsenal. Similar commands can be given to your wingmen as well, just like in 2004's Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

After all the gameplay additions, the biggest news for Ace 6 is without a doubt the inclusion of Xbox Live. While the PSP game had four-player local versus matches, this game's going all the way with worldwide deathmatch modes, team versus, even a selection of co-op missions for you and your jet-jockey pals to tackle. Online rankings will be listed in a global and regional scale, so all you Ace fans can finally decide who's the best make-believe pilot in the world. Further details about Live, like Achievements and exactly what these multiplayer modes will be, have not been revealed.


Each of the Ace games gleams with care and quality - Fires of Liberation should be no different, based on what we've seen so far. Check this space tomorrow for a complete interview with the Ace team for more insight on what's sure to be the 360's premier jet-shooter of the year.

This game looks phenomenal!  I've been playing the AC series since the second one and I'm so excited that it's coming to the 360.  I've been waiting for a decent air combat next-gen game, and what better game to come along than Ace Combat 6?

 I need a demo!

Ace Combat on my 360. That's a disturbingly pleasant thought.

My favorite is still 4. (That's the game where you're playing as Mobius 1, fighting the Yellow Squadron, right?) 

Ace Combat on my 360. That's a disturbingly pleasant thought.

My favorite is still 4. (That's the game where you're playing as Mobius 1, fighting the Yellow Squadron, right?)

HupHupOranje

[QUOTE="HupHupOranje"]

Ace Combat on my 360. That's a disturbingly pleasant thought.

My favorite is still 4. (That's the game where you're playing as Mobius 1, fighting the Yellow Squadron, right?)

-ZeRoHouR-

On graphics, it's not as good as I expected it but still on my wanted list.

I will definitely get it on launch date for sure.

Game looks absolutly fantastic. Im also glad that AC6 is coming to the 360 because i was devestated, after swapping my PS2 and a few games, including AC5, for the origional Xbox and some games, only then to find out that AC was not available on that format. Im looking forward to being back in the cockpit of a Tornado, flying in formation over beautfully crafted scenery toawrds objectives that always keep the gameplay exciting. This game is going to be amazing.Jenkins_2005

amen ^__^

Day 2: An exclusive chat with the game's producer and directors
Words: Brett Elston


Being the insatiable Ace Combat fans that we are, Namco saw fit to invite us out to its Japanese headquarters to talk with the newest Ace team. Well, they're not quite new, as many of the members have been involved with series for some time. We spoke with producer Hiroyuki Ichiyanagi, director Natsuki Isaki and sound director Nakanishi Tetsukazu, three men well versed in all things Ace Combat.

Read on for our exclusive interview. You can also click here  to watch it in video format.

Thank you for having us. First, could you give us a little background on the Ace Combat series and how it's grown over the years?
Ichiyanagi: So, basically, we started the series with Ace Combat on the PlayStation One. It was the first system on which 3D graphics were possible, so we were able to produce fighter planes in 3D and have the player feel like they're an ace pilot. So, moving forward, the basic elements and fun factor of the game remain unchanged as we continue to refine the series. The next big turn is when we produced Ace Combat 04 for the PS2. The graphics, sound and other elements of the game drastically improved.

Now that we're on the next generation hardware, we have improvements in graphics again, but the environment and atmosphere have greatly changed, particularly the environment, which has become more alive. There's more of a personal feel and touch to the game.
       

Now that you have all the extra power of a next-gen system, what new features have you added to the game?
Isaki: One new aspect of Ace Combat 6 is the Dynamic Operation System. Basically you have one large battlefield with a large number of allied fighters and ground troops, and the overall mission will be divided into several different operations that will take place on that battlefield.

It's just like in a real war - you'll have helicopter units trying to capture airfields or you might have ground troops assaulting a fort, and your fighters are going to engage the enemy for air superiority, just as in a real battle. We want the players to feel this huge battlefield with huge armies colliding, and that they are a part of this experience.

On this living battlefield, a player's actions will have direct consequences on the mission. So each time you play through, different things will happen depending on your performance.

One other element of this game is the Allied Support System. You have a massive number of allied troops helping in your battle and you can give orders to them. You'll not only have fighter planes at your disposal, but also allied agents, battleships, tank battalions and helicopter units. We feel that by introducing these two new features, we've moved one step closer to creating a live, active, intense conflict where not only is the player participating, but also controlling the outcome.

Do you ever worry that as the wars in your games become more realistic, the in-game violence will turn away people who have been involved in war?
Isaki: The topics we deal with in Ace Combat are realistic, so we have to be careful not to make the events too similar to current world events. At the same time, the story has to be compelling. It's a human drama, with you as an ace pilot at the center. In order to have the suspension of disbelief, events have to feel like they could happen, so inadvertently, some players could feel a particular element is too close to real life, but we never intended for it to be that way. No real events have affected the current plot, either.





The Ace Combat series has always stuck with Sony, yet here we are witnessing a new game premiering on the 360. Why this system, and why not PS3?
Ichiyanagi: One would think they could have produced this game for the PS3 launch, and time the development in that regard, but the team had several projects running, and their timing coincided well with the Xbox 360. Rather than timing it with the launch of a system, they timed it with their own development schedule. The Xbox 360 just made the most sense at this time.

Isaki: Up until now we've always had certain goals we wanted to achieve with each platform. This time around, we were able to meet these goals on next-gen hardware, and we wanted to get the latest Ace Combat into the hands of players as soon as possible. This was a major factor in our decision as well.

What can you tell us about Ace Combat 6 's online support?
Isaki: We're really glad to finally bring an online aspect to the series. However, it's not just simply taking the game as it is and porting it to make an online experience. We're going to have various types of online play available for players, dogfighting, team based and co-op of course, but you'll be able to set rules for everyone to follow. One other thing we have planned is, for those players who are victorious on Xbox Live, various things to celebrate their abilities. We won't go into all that just yet.

We also have plans for various downloadable content, decals and icons to customize their 360, things like that. In addition, we have various stages available for players looking for a more challenging experience. Also, for those who really enjoy looking at the planes, we have something planned for them as well.
       

Head-to-head gameplay isn't that hot in Japan, so is it safe to assume the versus matches are more for a Western audience?
Isaki: You're correct in assuming that it's not as popular in Japan as in the US, so when we included the online feature in Ace Combat 6, it was more for audiences in the US and gaining market share there. However, if it becomes a more popular element in Japanese games, that would great as well.

Of course, the Japanese players in general are very shy, so if you encounter these users online, please be friendly and talk to them. (laughs)

Is it difficult to create a balance between licensed, real-world jets and easy to understand gameplay? How do you create this balance?
Isaki: Basically, when we start development, we do research on the planes, be it online or going to see them at various air shows. We don't think much about how the plane handles, but rather how it looks as it flies, how it looks like it might handle and the characteristics of the plane, and create an image of it that way. Once we have that, we fit it into the game and make sure it translates into a fun, interesting experience.

How will players go about attaining new jets in this game? Each Ace Combat has some slightly different nuance to collecting new planes.
Isaki: The unlock conditions for planes and weapons will be similar to previous installments of the series - as you progress through the stages, you'll be rewarded with new planes for purchase, but there will be some secret jets as well. Players will have to fulfill some sort of condition in certain levels to unlock these jets. There will also be planes available for download on Xbox Live.



There's not much in the way of competition for Ace Combat. Do you find the lack of a direct rival relieving or somewhat stressful, without someone else to constantly stay ahead of?
Isaki: It's good that we don't have any rival products to compete with, but on the other hand, we are our own rivals. With each new game we have to surpass the level of quality we hit before, and also meet the fans' expectations. There's virtually no limit to the bar we have to set for ourselves.

Of course, I personally like flight games, so I greatly welcome a challenger to the series, and I'd like to play that myself, if there were such a game.

It seems like every new Ace game introduces another enemy country or continent, so will Ace 6 follow suit and deliver brand new story elements?
Isaki: The overall story is independent of the other games. However, there are various little hints that we've included that connect with the overall story from Ace Combat 04, and other parts that reference Ace 5 and Zero, so I'm sure fans will enjoy that.

However, the story itself is completely new, so new players can jump right in and enjoy the game as well. You will be flying for the Republic of Emmeria, while the antagonist will be the Federal Republic of Estovakia. Both groups are located on the Anea continent.

How do you get people interested in games where the main stars are jets, not human beings?
Isaki: This is actually one of the most difficult aspects that we face in the development of each installment. You need to have a very interesting and compelling story, but you can't let it get in the way of the player's experience of being a jet pilot. It is something we had a great deal of difficulty dealing with this time as well.
   

The graphics, obviously, have enjoyed a tremendous overhaul, but do you ever worry that people will fly right over the detailed landscapes and mountain ranges without even paying attention? Is it really worth all the extra effort?
Isaki: For the 360, the graphics and mapping for the ground have improved drastically, and we of course like players to realize that, but there are various ways to enjoy the game. Some like to fly at low altitudes and look up close at the finely detailed environments, but for those who like to fly up high, just as much effort has gone into the clouds and skies themselves. We think players will appreciate the enhanced graphics.

This game is all about creating a living battlefield, so how many units will you be able to throw at players at a given time?
Isaki: Of course, all of us are paying fine attention to how many units and how much environmental detail we can have onscreen without the processing power dropping. This time, there's no real change in that aspect, and of course we had to prioritize which units and how many would be going at once. Even with the increased processing power it was still difficult to achieve some of the things we wanted to do.

What about superweapons? Each Ace has one or two huge boss encounters that usually define the whole game.
Isaki: We realize players must have expectation along those lines, especially on next-gen hardware, so we hope to live up to those expectations for the boss characters as well.



So... motion controls sure could be cool if used to pilot a plane. Any thoughts on a Wii or SIXAXIS supported game in the future?
Ichiyanagi: We've thought about using something like this before, but it wouldn't just be taking the Wii controller and using it as a flight stick. It would be something more fundamental that matches the gameplay. We're always thinking of new challenges to try, and one of those might be motion sensing technology.
       

We've played around a bit in the game's c0ckpit view and were overwhelmed by all the gauges and meters. Will players using a standard-definition television be able to discern all this extra detail?
Isaki: These gauges will actually move, and of course there will be more detail in HD, and you'll be able to the movement of each gauge, but it's not like you won't be able to see anything at all in SD. We believe even in SD the game will be quite impressive.

Now that you've jumped platforms, do you feel the need to create something totally new and accessible or is there still a devotion to longtime fans?
Isaki: All the gameplay aspects we thought of were designed with fans in mind. But at the same time, we plan to make it as accessible as possible for those who have never played a game in the series. We realize it's a difficult objective to achieve, but we believe we've made a good effort and both types of players will be pleased.





What's going on with the game's soundtrack? Ace Zero had a bit of Latin guitar going, other games used techno, what's on tap for Fires of Liberation?
Nakanishi: With every game, we have a specific characteristic for the music, and this time is no different. We have something planned, be it instruments or a full song, we have various plans that I can't go into at this time. However, it will be something we haven't tried before.

Looking back a bit, what was with the Puddle of Mudd song in Ace 5? Was it always part of the game or did that just come at some later point?
Nakanishi: The art director and I knew we wanted to have a licensed song but didn't have a concrete idea for one. Even so, around the middle of the development period we decided that song would be good for the game, so it was pretty early on in the cycle when we chose it.
   

With such an obvious love of flying, have you actually been able to get inside and fly around?
Isaki: About the only thing we haven't done is get inside one of the jets and go flying. But we have been to various air shows and taken pictures, touched the planes, been in the c0ckpits and such, we just haven't been flying yet.

Day 3: The Ace team digs into their own series
Words: Brett Elston




You may have noticed that day four of our Ace Combat 6 coverage is a retrospective on the whole series. Seems like the right thing to do, see where the franchise has been, where it's going and what it's brought to the gaming masses over the years, But what do the actual developers think about the series? It's obvious they have a love for jets, missiles and fan service, but are there any ambitions left unfulfilled or projects that didn't quite pan out as planned? To get this point of view, we quizzed the directors of each Ace Combat game that's ever appeared on a console. Now you get to hear what they think.

Air Combat (1995) - Masanori Kato

What are your feelings on the first game in the series?
In the beginning, we were told by the company to create a port of the arcade version of Ace Combat. However, even though the original PlayStation console was the culmination of the best technology available at the time, it still wasn’t powerful enough to match the performance of arcade machines. Not to mention, the team members consisted of 1 naval ship fanatic and 3 others who had no knowledge of airplanes. In the end, we just decided to forget about creating a port and instead made a game from scratch. Now that I look back on the project, it allowed us to return to the basics of being professional creators; making games that are fun from the point of view of the user. It was a project that stimulated me in a very positive way.

What aspects of the game were unique to the series at the time?
I believe the unique aspect of this game is a one-of-a-kind action shooter where anyone can get behind the seat of a jet and experience the cool excitement of an aerial dogfight. Also, the dramatic storyline and the fact that it allows the player to assume the role of the hero are what set it aside from other flight simulations.




Looking back, is there anything you think that could have been done better?
I don’t really consider this a failure, but I think we might have overdone it with the flashy colors. One of the reasons we went overboard with the use of colors was the fact that we didn’t want players to feel this was a game only for hardcore aircraft fanatics when they catch a glimpse of the package or the screenshots. But looking back, we could have taken a different approach and maybe gone with another design direction.

What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
One feature, where the player’s actions and battle tactics will directly affect the outcome of each mission, was something we wanted to include since the beginning. Unfortunately, the data arrangement and framework of the scenario was too difficult for us to make this a reality at the time.

Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
We would have loved to include the replay and landing/take-off features. Actually, we finally got the replay feature working the week after we submitted the game for approval. The landing and take-off feature was up and running just three weeks after. (Even though, we got these features to work, we still needed time to perfect them.) We actually tried to implement both of these features in the game afterwards, but we didn’t make it before the launch. In the end, a copy of Air Combat with the replay and landing/take-off features was something only the development team had.




Ace Combat 2 (1997) - Asahi Higashiyama

What are your feelings on the second game in the series?
I was in charge of controlling the rival aircrafts and the structure of the missions as a planner for Air Combat. At the time, I realized the potential of what 3D technologies could bring to a flight shooter. In the sequel, we put all our efforts into creating something which would establish a new standard in the flight shooter genre. Our team was young, enthusiastic and was willing to try out new ideas and methods.

What aspects of the game were unique to the series at the time?
More so than the brand-new features such as the improved graphics, stronger wingmen aircrafts, landing and replay, I believe the highlight of the sequel is the variety of missions. Through the completion of the missions, the player is able to assume the role of a mercenary soldier in the face of changing outcomes of the aerial battlefield. Also, we had to carefully choose from over 200 ideas gathered by the team to ensure that the player is able to experience a unique and different game play in each of the 30 missions available. Although this is a flight shooter, we had to draw inspiration from bike races, comedies, Yakuza movies and even westerns to ensure that we have a wide range of variety in our concepts.

Looking back, is there anything you think that could have been done better?
Actually, one of the missions in the game was originally supposed to take place in the daytime. However, we felt that it was more dramatic and realistic if a surprise attack came in the midst of darkness, so we decided to change the setting to night. Even though we changed the setting of the scene, we had completely forgotten about the voice! In the end, you can still hear the voice clearly saying, “Move in at 3pm!” By the time we caught this, it was too late for us to re-take the voice or make changes to the stage. As a last resort, we had to quickly make amends by fiddling with the graphics of the sun to make it look like an eclipse. As a result, we later learned from an internet game forum that users thought it was cool how the surprised attack was timed perfectly with the eclipse! Luckily we were able to salvage this and something good was able to come out of this tiny mistake.



What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
In one of the ground target assault missions in the game, we wanted to set a number of missile launchers around the gigantic circular particular accelerator and have these launchers fire at the player in the midst of battle. The idea is to create a stage where the player has to dodge missiles in a 3D environment. However, we didn’t have time to implement the algorithm of the missile’s path. On top of that, the number of missiles that can be fired simultaneously is limited. Also, the system which would allow the player aircraft to see the missiles being shot at them wasn’t established. It wasn’t until after we made Ace Combat 3 that I thought to myself, “So this is how it’s supposed to be done!”

Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
There is a special aerial technique called the ‘Cobra’ that can only be performed by the Franker, an aircraft belonging to the former Soviet Union. We wanted to allow the player to reenact this in the game. Although we were able to recreate this for the enemy aircraft, we were unable to make this happen for the player aircraft due to time. However towards the end of the development phase, someone on the team found a way to do this by imputing some specific commands. At the very last minute, we reconfigured the parameters of the aircraft and were somehow able to make this possible. You can watch the ‘Cobra’ in the opening movie and it was great to see it become a subject of debate amongst some fans on how to re-enact this in the game.






Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (1999) - Hiroyuki Onoda

What are your feelings on Ace Combat 3?
Ace Combat 3 was really about new challenges. Even now, I remember how everyone on the staff poured their heart and soul into creating and integrating mountains of original content. There were times during the production I would honestly stop and ask myself, "Can we really do this?" Despite the hardship, our efforts forged a spirit of challenge that remains with the Ace team to this day. Ace 3 was a fantastic experience because we achieved so many breakthroughs, and at the same time created a lasting impact.

What aspects of Ace Combat 3 were unique to the series?
Ace 3 brought so many new ideas to the series. As far as the gameplay system is concerned, it added branching missions as well as the ability to control the camera. The combination of traditional cell animation and CG used for the story pieces also created quite a stir. The inclusion of neo-futuristic original aircraft and characters, as well as the painstakingly detailed game setting, all lent a cinematic air to the dramatic flight shooting theme; a first for the series.

Now that it's over, is there anything you think could have been done better?
Nothing in particular.




What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
Ace 3 takes place in a futuristic setting, so I remember we had the idea that the body of the aircraft would be covered with a non-metallic outer skin layer material known as a "nano-skin". In order to get this feeling of a skin across to the player, we attempted to create aircraft models without joints or seams on the flaps and variable geometry wings. We had a lot of other ideas on how we could differentiate our aircraft from those of the present, but in the end it was just too much for the hardware. Now that I think of it, we were working really hard to create things people would consider next generation.

Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
No, there were none in particular that I recall.





Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (2001) - Hiroyuki Ichiyanagi

What are your feelings on Ace Combat 04?
I'm really proud that we were able to take the outstanding appeal of the Ace Combat series and turn everything up a notch. Taking on the role of director was a really big responsibility. Everything the team created was top-notch and I was under immense pressure to make sure that all of their hard work didn't go to waste.

What aspects of Ace Combat 04 were unique to the series?
We added lengthier missions where players are given a set amount of ammunition and time. They have to figure out how best to use their resources to gain the highest score. This was the first time such a measure of player skill was seen in the series. Also, we tried to tell the story in such a way that the game didn't lay everything out there to bare, but instead allowed the player to fill in the gaps with their own imagination.

Now that it's over, is there anything you think could have been done better?
I think the points awarded for shooting down enemy aircraft were set too low. It's a lot more difficult and takes a lot more time to shoot down an enemy aircraft rather than a ground target. So, I think players should have been rewarded more generously for taking down air targets.




What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
At the end of Mission 5: Lifeline, the player's rival is in the game. The Yellow Squadron, appears but the player isn't supposed to be good enough to fight them yet. So, we made the Yellow Squadron so strong that no matter how hard a player tried they could never get a hit...or so we thought. As it turns out there are some players out there who are insanely skilled. I remember being totally amazed after reading on the internet some of them managed to actually connect a hit.

Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
I would have liked to have included voices for other languages outside of English. After a while you get used to reading the subtitles, but I think that being able to focus on the game and hear the radio commands in your own language gives the player a better chance to really feel like they are an ace pilot. We were able to include both English and Japanese voices in Ace Combat 5, so hopefully someday we'll be able to include voices for other languages in future games.




Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004) - Kazutoki Kono

What are your feelings on Ace Combat 5?
Ace Combat 5 was the first time I served as director. During Ace 4 I was responsible for the visuals, story and presentation. But as the director of 5, I had to make the final decision on everything, and carry the vision for the entire project. Ace 5 literally broadened my perception of the creative process by leaps and bounds. I approached the project as if it were the last one I would ever do, so I took every idea in my head and tried everything to make them a reality.

What aspects of Ace Combat 5 were unique to the series?
Ace 5 combined the concept of war movies with a grand sense of scale, emotion, drama, the bonds between war comrades and took them all head-on. If Ace 4 was a curveball, Ace 5 was a fastball aimed straight over the plate. I remember telling the staff, "A chance to make a game like this only comes along once or twice in your career," and I truly believe we created a high benchmark for the sty|e of the series.

Now that it's over, is there anything you think could have been done better?
I kept changing and adjusting various areas of the game. Just before the master deadline, I ordered the entire replay specification changed. Of course the producer and staff stopped me before I could follow through. Thinking back now, I probably didn't have my head on straight. That's just not the kind of thing a director should do.




What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
The structured story constrained the player more than we originally thought it would. It's always difficult to strike a balance between gameplay and story, but I think we should have given the player a little more freedom. However, as soon as you do, costs begin to skyrocket, so it's always a difficult decision to make.

Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
We worked right up to the very last day, so we were able to include pretty much everything I can remember. Initially we planned to include both an Arcade and a VS Mode. But in the end we had to make a choice between the two and VS Mode got cut. I really wanted to include both, but it just wasn't possible.



Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006) - Naoto Maeda

What are your feelings on Ace Combat Zero?
Ace Combat Zero was a struggle between maintaining the spirit of the series, while at creating a unique gaming experience. The pressure of having to follow in the footsteps of the extremely well crafted and successful Ace Combat 4 and 5 was enormous. However, we took every idea that was cool and included it in the game, and because of that I think we ended up with something like no other. Zero was also a chance for me to work with and be supported by many extremely talented people.

What aspects of Ace Combat Zero were unique to the series?
Tough dogfights with distinct enemy aces and the ability for the player to decide what type of ace they want to be, defined the Ace Combat Zero experience. The Spanish inspired soundtrack also helped elevate the intensity of the aerial combat. In the end all of Zero's unique characteristics enforce the feeling that the player is the hero, and that's precisely where it succeeds in continuing the Ace legacy.

Now that it's over, is there anything you think could have been done better?
There weren't really any instances where we failed. Actually, the project development schedule was so tight that we couldn't afford to make any mistakes. It was like running full-speed across a hundred foot high tight wire. It goes without saying that it was the experience of the team that got us safely across to the other side.




Are there any features you would like to have included, but couldn't because of time constraints?
I was disappointed that we couldn't include worldwide online gameplay. However, this has been successfully implemented into Ace Combat 6. I know a lot of people have been waiting for this and we’re certain they are going to love what we have for them!

What are some things you tried to do, but didn't quite work out?
Actually I've never told anyone this, but my original idea for the story was something along the lines of an "Ace Combat Saga" which followed a mercenary pilot who had fought his way through both Ace Combat 4 and Ace Combat 5. I couldn't proceed with the project for several reasons, but the idea is still brewing in my head.

Day 4: A look back at the world's premier aerial shooter
Words: Brett Elston



Air Combat (PlayStation - 1995)
You are the team leader of an elite corps of mercenaries - fighter pilots hired to strike where NATO air forces have failed.

It's the summer of 1995. The whole world is eyeballing Sony's PlayStation, a machine that's supposed to somehow topple videogame giants Sega and Nintendo. While Sega digs its own grave with a rocket-powered backhoe, Nintendo sticks to its guns in all the wrong ways, leaving Sony with a free, open road to success. Part of that initial success was, without a doubt, Namco's trio of excellent launch titles - Ridge Racer, Tekken and the original Air Combat.

The first game in the series lacks the polish and shine of the PS2 and even PSP entries, but there's no denying how thrilling the game was back in the day. As far as consoles were concerned, this was the first true realization of jet warfare. You could roam 360 degrees in pursuit of targets. A hangar of 15 custom-painted aircraft was at your disposal (provided you had the cash), each one handling differently and specifically to the plane's real-world design. Taking an A-10 out for a spin shouldn't be the same as an F-22, and here it wasn't. You could feel the tank killer's massive, unstoppable girth barely floating through the air - it was a truly perfect flying experience for the time. Today, not so much. It's aged as poorly as all the other 32- and 64-bit games, so going back to check it out may or may not spin your turbines (actually, it won't). But for flight fans, the mix of arcade fun and just-enough realism would prove potent enough to last for more than a decade.



Sure, there's barely any story and the plot has nothing to do with any of the other games in the series, but the goal here was to prove that (semi) realistic dogfighting was possible on a console. Yeah we know, jets can't hold 50 missiles at a time or even pull off some of the aerial stunts these planes do (cutting out of a loop in the wrong direction, for one), but at the time, this was it.

After the first game, the series was renamed Ace Combat in the US and began its relative, kinda-sorta continuity that players enjoy today. Air Combat was also the name of both arcade games that preceded the PS version - the very first hit arcades in the early '90s and lacked a great many features that its sequel, Air Combat 22 introduced.

Defining moment
There are two missions near the end of the game that really brought the sensation of piloting a winged bullet into your hands. The first has you screaming down a highway and eventually through a red suspension bridge that leads to the enemy. Blasting across this Golden Gate look-alike was something we just couldn’t do on another system at the time. Then, one mission later, you're carving a path through a narrow ravine, unable to ascend beyond the top due to overwhelming SAM fire. So sweet.




Ace Combat 2 (PlayStation - 1997)
The situation is tense and we have no time to lose. The fate of the free world is in your hands.

This is exactly what a sequel should be. Nearly twice as many missions, more jets, wingman control, better graphics, branching paths and multiple endings awaited those who suited up for another bout in the sky. Everything from buildings to lighting to the jets themselves looked and sounded better, and the music was just as exciting as the previous game. As impressive as the first was, Ace Combat 2 was that astounding all over again.

The series' overly involved storyline began to take shape here too. This is the first glimpse at Usea, the battleground for all of Ace Combat 2 and a continent housing the soon-to-be villainous Erusean populace. Across the ocean lies the Osean continent, an area that'll soon be embroiled in war due to aggressive movements from neighboring Yuktobania.



As fans of the series, we're happy to hear about the exploits of a fictional globe and its power-hungry warlords, but sometimes you don't need a history lesson to want to blast jets out of the sky. At least most games jump from one area of the world to the next, rarely visiting the same country or continent twice.

Defining moment
Ace 2, already a game of firsts, introduced one more feature that would stick around for a decade - the Namco-developed super fighter. After playing through once, you can run through the missions again with a host of new aircraft, including the XFA-27, a fabricated jet that outperforms all others. The XFA manages to be futuristic yet attainable, a theme that would continue throughout the entire series.



Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (PlayStation - 2000)

After the great success of part two, Namco saw fit to totally change the way Ace Combat was to be perceived. This one took place far into the future and instead of real world planes, Ace 3 featured make-believe super jets that don't exist. Even piloting the aircraft was something out of a sci-fi book - each pilot was essentially entombed in the plane, surrounded by a solid cockpit interface called COFFIN (Connection for Flight Interface). Basically, the pilot and jet are one unit, able to scan 360 degrees of sky at any time. This ability, to look around the battlefield in any direction, would be carried into future installments. The control and graphics improved again as well, making this look almost as good as the PS2 games that followed.

We were willing to look past the setting and out-there design ideas, but the butchered US release is what made Ace 3 such a disappointment. In Japan, the game shipped with anime cutscenes, an involved storyline, more than 50 missions and several helper characters. For whatever reason, the US release came a year later with no cutscenes, barely 30 missions and most of the storyline removed. Huh? If it weren't for the next game in the series, this could have been the end of Ace Combat.
   

We're not going to go into Ace Combat Advance at all, but it's worth mentioning that it returns to the general timeframe that Ace 3 inhabits. It's easily the weakest, least impressive game in the series (it only briefly touched the hands of key Ace developers) so only the hardcore should bother. And even then... just play Electrosphere again.

Defining moment
It's gotta be the space mission. As if the fanciful aircraft weren't enough, now you get to take one off the whole damn planet. All the games tend to balance realism with sci-fi craziness, but this one was pretty out there. Points for letting us slide back into the atmosphere though - don't get to do that in too many flight games, do you?




Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (PlayStation 2 - 2001)
A world in conflict. An enemy to be reckoned with. An ace pilot ready to take command.

Ace 04 is the most successful and highest rated game in the series. While it's easy to think the game's fortunate release period helped it out (at a time when the PS2 was still getting off the ground), that wouldn't change how flat-out amazing the entire production was. The previous three games had performed well, with visuals and gameplay to match, but 04 made a truly tangible leap in terms of graphics and presentation. Terrain, even from high altitude, looked convincing, not just an assemblage of solid-color polygons shoved together. Real-world sounds from the actual jets made it into the game too, offering a previously unattainable level of realism (aside from the fact the planes could carry 50 missiles or so).

The storyline returned to the world introduced in Ace 2, taking players back to Usea just after a massive asteroid hit the continent. A massive assortment of railguns has since been built to blast asteroids out of the sky before they enter the atmosphere - its name is Stonehenge, and it's already been taken over by the Eruseans. As a silent member of the Mobius Squadron, it's up to you and your team to beat back the Eruseans, reclaim Stonehenge and get your ravaged country back on its feet.
   

As impressive as the revamped aesthetics were, the game's storytelling improved just as much. In between each mission you're treated to flashback, postwar letters that chronicle an orphaned boy's life in an occupied town. These letters, all addressed to you, tell of an enemy pilot named Yellow 13, who the boy befriended while living in the area. Eventually, it's revealed that Yellow 13 is responsible for the boy's parents' death. This after-the-fact, soothingly calm method of delivery made the jet action seem all the more intense and managed to add depth and character to a game where the main stars are supersonic jets, not people.

Defining moment
Off the top of our head, we'd have to say all of it. The sights, the sounds, everything was state of the art when the game launched. It was one of the first PS2 games that made everyone go "are those screens for real?" The cutscenes were just icing on the cake, giving us a reason to care about this war without getting heavy handed or melodramatic. But, if you want to press for an in-game moment that totally kicked ass, how about the final run at Megalith? Death Star trench running at its finest.


Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (PlayStation 2 - 2004)
When your life can be taken in a split second, your commands must be taken even faster.

After the immense success of Ace 04, one would assume the next game in the series would perform admirably. But, for whatever reason, The Unsung War failed to move consumers in the same way its predecessor did. The graphics improved, the plot became even denser and improved wingman controls gave players more control over the battlefield than any other game in the series, yet sales just didn't match up. Perhaps it was due to 04's instant leap in technology that made part five seem like more of the same, but since this point, the series has held its ground, yet gained little.

With the emphasis placed more on teamwork than a solo jet pilot superstar, the characters almost take a more central role than the action. Extensive cinemas tell a Cold War-esque story that's not all that exciting while your co-pilots piss and moan in the middle of intense battles. It definitely felt like Namco wanted Unsung War to add more of everything to 04's plate, but this might have been a case of too much at once. The over-the-top philosophical loading screens didn't help much either.
   

On the other hand, there was perhaps more mission diversification in this game than 04, be it circling a stadium during a president's speech or soaring in between skyscrapers with antibiotic, plague-stopping ammo. An extra arcade mode returned players to the events of Ace Combat 04, giving the action hearted a place to go with fewer lines of dialogue and more heat seeking missiles.

All games in the Ace series feature some kind of oversized, sci-fi super weapon, but Unsung War has two extremely mobile threats to take out. First are the super-submarines that haunt the early bits of the game, and then the Arkbird, a high-flying peace machine called into service for its accurate laser attacks.

Defining moment
Oddly enough, the intro to The Unsung War is perhaps the most memorable aspect of the game (no disrespect to the main campaign, of course). Its talk of "demons" and "ghosts" almost convince you that you're going to have to fly a jet straight into some supernatural realm - until you hear Puddle of Mudd's "Blurry" song kick in. Musical taste aside, the song was a good three years old by the time it appeared in the game, dating this quest before it even began. Funny also because the game's supposed to take place in 2010. They behind the times or what?



Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PlayStation 2 - 2006)
Defend the country of Ustio against an enemy that is smarter, faster and deadlier than any that have come before.

Less than two years after The Unsung War hit shelves, we were treated to yet another dosage of air-to-air action. The short turnaround time and perceived lack of upgrades made Zero one of the least successful titles in the series. We say it's one of the best - roaming packs of rival aces patrol the skies, ready to throw down with pilots and jets that give even the swiftest of players a run for their money. The new Ace Sty|e Gauge made it so your in-game decisions actually affected what happened later on. Each mission had three possible ranks (Soldier, Knight and Mercenary), and whichever rank you achieved would change dialogue, amount of info revealed at the end and bits about the rival pilots themselves.

As far as the story goes, Zero tries to mix the flashbacky tales of 04 with live-action actors and the result is... bizarre. It's cool to hear about these hot shot pilots 10 years after the war's over and done, but live action? Really? At least the performances are averagely acceptable or there'd be even bigger problems.


But even with a trio of possible outcomes and some tough-as-nails dogfights, Zero didn't grab much attention. Maybe it's because it was released so soon after five with a similar subtitle (both are The [insert word] War), or perhaps it was due to the imminent arrival of next-gen systems, who knows. In our humble opinion, if you've gotta check out one Ace before the sixth hits, make it this one. It's mostly like the others, but Zero crams in a good portion of what makes the series fun.

Defining moment
How about three super weapons? A laser-belching tower harasses you early on, then it's another flying fortress patrolled by expert aces, and then the final battle is a laser-mounted jet that can only be damaged through the exhaust ports. You want a tough fight, try that last one.



Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (PSP - 2006)
Take control of the skies

If Ace Zero was too much too soon, then what is there to make of this one, released mere months later? It gets points for being the first true Ace on a handheld, and it brings in new areas of the map for the storyline buffs, but the moderate additions don't affect much of the gameplay. A tactical map livens things up though, providing more ways to get to the end of this rather short mission set. As with most of the games, you can play through again to see different paths, and a few hidden bonuses make for great shout-outs to eagle-eyed fans.

The biggest feature here was ad-hoc multiplayer, the first time more than two at a time could blast each other out of the sky. But it was local only, meaning you had to get four friends with copies of their own to all sit down in the same place. Bluh. That's where Fires of Liberation comes in, with its Xbox Live support.
           

Some of the planes in Ace X have upgradeable parts, so there's a little bit of extra play if you travel down that road. Still, we thrashed the whole game in two hours without buying a single part, so it would seem tweaking your plane is more of a cosmetic fling than a necessity.

Defining moment
Most definitely the multiplayer. The solo game plays just like all the others, minus a second analog stick, so the only innovation you'll find is in a four way deathmatch. That said, the secret battle against Ace Combat 2 vet Scarface is a shocking fanboy moment of joy.

On graphics, it's not as good as I expected it but still on my wanted list.

I will definitely get it on launch date for sure.

idol46

This game looks phenomenal!  I've been playing the AC series since the second one and I'm so excited that it's coming to the 360.  I've been waiting for a decent air combat next-gen game, and what better game to come along than Ace Combat 6?

 I need a demo!

chimichanu

Day 5: An exclusive hands-on report
Words: Brett Elston


After spending the better part of a week describing bits of what makes Ace Combat 6 such an exciting prospect, we feel it's time to share our initial impressions of the almost-complete version Namco provided. This build was about 60% done and needed a little tweaking in the sound and framerate departments, but we're confident the Ace team will have these issues tucked away before the game ships - no other game in the series has gone to stores chuggy or choppy, so we don't expect that to start with Fires of Liberation.

By now you know all about the Dynamic Operation and Allied Support systems, but we're here to tell you how they affect gameplay. Right from the start you're bombarded with bogies, both air and ground. Some kind of skirmish has broken out in a seaside city, and your squadron has to go in and keep the peace. As you and your crew fly in for support, separate forces will clash on the ground, each with their own goals and roles in the battle. So, the moment we saw the "Mission Start" screen, waves of anti-aircraft flak and missiles came blasting from the city. The sheer amount of missile trails alone was enough to make us stop and take notice.

A quick glance around the area with the right analog stick revealed a sickeningly detailed environment, with tufts of clouds floating through the sky and countless vapor trails littering the battlefield. For the first time, it really does seem like there's a war going on, not just an assortment of enemies taking potshots.


This first level threw three Operations our way - so, upon entering the battle, we had three separate scraps to consider. Do we take out a cache of weapons that's supplying the enemy frontline, knock out their HQ or gun down a set of choppers that are raising hell with our landing strip? The order we complete them in can affect the overall outcome, so it's not a throwaway decision (that landing strip might come in handy later, after all).

Just to get a lay of the land, we opted to go for the cache. This is the point where we couldn't believe how many targets there were on the screen. It seemed like there were more things shooting at us in this one level then five average levels of previous Ace games. With all these bogies flashing on the radar, it was pretty damn easy to lose our place. Luckily, the developers thought of this - you can cycle the radar through each Operation's targets, so your desired objectives can stay in site while everything else fades into the background.


But even then we had a hard time taking care of all the targets. There were just so damn many it felt like we were flying forever, battling a seemingly endless supply of bogies. The Allied Support System is designed to alleviate this stress, enabling you to rally troops, ships and planes towards one targeted area, wiping out anything in sight. You have to fill a gauge by bagging enemies before you can use this measure, but given the ample supply of targets, it wasn't too difficult to accomplish.

The next mission we tried featured the A-10 soaring over a frozen, hilly wasteland. The setting sun and snow capped areas look super hot on the 360, so graphics whores will really eat it up. It was during this mission we were told only a set number of Operations must be fulfilled to complete the mission, so it's not like you have to utterly annihilate the enemy to proceed. However, with secret jets so prolific in the series, don't be surprised if you can get some extra goodies by doing so.



Before our session ended, the developers showed us one more area of the game - going up against one of Ace 6's superweapons. If you played the first game or last year's Ace Combat Zero, you'll know what it was we saw - a sun-blocking flying fortress that towers over everything else in the sky. Even better, a group of Batwing-looking jets were escorting the behemoth, plus something that looked like a flying aircraft carrier (think SHIELD Helicarrier).


There's still no footage of Fires of Liberation to be had, but we'll have a look at it before anyone else, so please, keep your eyes peeled for more on the 360's highest-flying jet-sim. Until then, why not take a look at the image viewer and enjoy the rest of our brand-new, exclusive screenshots.