Ace Combat Lite

User Rating: 6 | Tom Clancy's HAWX PS3
By Logan906 | Review Date:
I am a huge fan of the Ace Combat series, played, and still have AC 4, 5 and Zero from my PS2 days and still play them on the PS3. When AC6 didn't make it to the PS3, I was disappointed. When I saw the first release news for HAWX, I was hopeful that I would have a great modern air combat game to play that took full advantage of the PS3 system.

Then I played the demo. Not impressed. I mean, all the little things were missing. When I'm in cockpit view, why does it feel like I'm looking out of my car window? Where's the HUD? Where's the detail on the cockpit canopy like in the seat of the F4 or F14 or any other jet in Ace Combat? Ok, well it's a demo, maybe that stuff will be in the real game.

Got the real game. Still no canopy detail, no HUD, the instrument cluster looks uninspired and who is that guy in the window in the top right corner? It that me, my wingman? Why do I need to see that? Where are the different skins for the planes? There was no feeling of speed in a fast jet or lack of that feeling of speed in a slower one. Everything felt the same. In Ace Combat, you could feel the difference between the A10 and the F16, not here. Combine that with no takeoff or landing options, no mid air refueling and it's like they copied all the basic gameplay from Ace Combat and left out all of the details that made Ace Combat great. Details. The little things are what matter. I know that canopy detail and different skins and the feeling of speed may not add to the core action of the game, but it adds to me feeling like I'm part of the game, like I'm in a real fighter jet. Would COD4 have been great if the shotgun and the M4 sounded and shot exactly the same? No. Details.

As far as the gameplay goes, graphics, and story, it's a solid game. Well, everything except the assistance off mode. I don't even get that, what is that nonsense? With the weird camera angle, I felt like I was back in the 80's playing Zaxxon again. Haven't spent too much time on Multiplayer yet, so I won't comment on that.

Unfortunately, the omission of the little things make this a game that could have been great, and possibly even raised the bar on Ace Combat by taking everything they gave us and improving on it. Instead, they fell short and set the bar even lower by removing all the little things that made Ace Combat great.

If you are an Ace Combat fan, you will be disappointed.

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