Combat simulators have always been very popular, and the Ace Combat franchise has been at the leading edge of providing highly-enjoyable flying combat simulators for a very long time. The latest iteration will have gamers taking to the skies in one of the best Ace Combat games yet – and it’s also the first multi-platform Ace Combat game.
Ace Combat – Assault Horizon is one of the most enjoyable flying games on the market – not because it’s complex, but because it’s so easy to get into. And players aren’t stuck with just one aircraft throughout the game, but actually a wide variety of killing machines.
Besides for the jet fighters, gamers will also get the chance to fire the guns of an AC-130, which rains death from above, and a number of helicopters – which is a first for Ace Combat, as the other titles only featured jet fighters.
The game actually has a plot, but while it’s exciting with many twists and turns, it’s almost forgettable at the same time. Players assume the role of Lieutenant Colonel William Bishop, leader of the Warwolf Squadron, and it’s up to them to stop a rebel insurgent group who are threatening the peace in various Eastern African countries.
But the real magic lies in the flying and dogfighting – and it becomes very hairy at times. The controls will take some getting used to, but once they have been mastered, gamers will be an Ace in no time.
But the flying does become tougher as the enemy planes strengthen, and it could take a couple of minutes just to hunt down the flight leader and take him out from behind. Similar to the HAWX franchise, Ace Combat also implements a special dogfight mode, where the plane actively locks-on to an enemy. The view also changes, which allows for a better view of the situation and makes it slightly easier to engage.
The general flying is taken care of by a combination of simple buttons, and while it’s very easy to get into, it will take some good practice before it will be mastered. Not as complex as HAWX, but there are still a couple of tricks and tips the player will learn throughout the title.
In terms of graphics, Ace Combat has once again gone the extra mile to provide players with the best experience and high-quality graphics. The cockpits are stacked with detailed instruments and working dials, all which provide an overall better game. Although the cockpit and pilot details are fantastic, the ground buildings could have been designed a bit better.
Going hand-in-hand with the graphics is the game’s sound quality. All the planes sound like their real-life counterparts, as do the weapons. There is nothing worse than playing a game and the machinegun or cannon fire does match up, but luckily it’s not the case.
Any player who loved the previous Ace Combat games will know exactly what they are getting themselves into – and it’s great. For those that have never played an Ace Combat game, but love flying combat simulators, there couldn’t be a better place to start.
The controls are easy to learn (there is a short tutorial), the graphics are fantastic and the wide variety of planes make this a must-buy for any war enthusiast. There are slight graphical problems here and there (like texture popping and screen tearing) but an update should rectify those. Other than that, there is really no other reason no to get Ace Combat – Assault Horizon.
Our rating: 8.5/10
Charlie Fripp – Consumer Tech editor
