You are Maverick
Top Gun might not have been an Oscar worthy film. However, there is one thing no young child can ever say they did not do: think they were the coolest person in the world when they heard “Highway to the Danger Zone.” Throughout life, people have always wanted to be a pilot flying at break neck speeds saving those who need to be saved. Really, it should come as no surprise that people love flight simulator games. In addition to that less than shocking revelation, it is equally no surprise that the franchise Ace Combat has been at the forefront of console flight simulators for several years. Can Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation lock them in further or make it seem like it might be time to hang up our aviator glasses and leather bomber jacket?
Just like Top Gun, the anthem movie for all future flyers, the story in Ace Combat is fairly weak and maybe even a bit confusing. Clocking in at around to six hours for a completion time for all Air Force aviators and throw in some impending deaths and failed missions, and you are looking at some impressive longevity in playing the game. With 15 missions to glide through the clouds in, you can search out a few various surprises. Several of the missions you are sent on will have sub-objectives for you to achieve. Sometimes up to six of these missions can be accomplished during the first run, but mostly you’ll want to attempt these in another run through. In fact, you’ll have to play through the missions once more to fully unlock the truly beautiful gameplay. The missions do a wonderful job making you feel like you have some kind of value in the war going on around you, whether it be giving it your all in the skies or providing aerial support for the ground forces below. I’ve never really got into the actual missions of a flight simulator more than I have with this game.
This is aided mostly by the controls. The controls of a flight simulator have come a long way to avoid the constant yearning for a flight stick to control the navigation of your favorite aircraft. Another area that Ace Combat 6 excels at is the various planes that you can pilot, including the F-15 Strike Eagle and F22 Raptor. While at first I was a little intimidated by how differently the planes would handle in accordance I have to admit that not once did I feel the controls were vastly different or horrendous to adjust to. It would have been nice to have greater ease functionality with the various planes, but I appreciate the lengths taken to authenticate that play.
The single player mode is fun enough and will keep you playing for a bit, but the co-op missions you play will make you wish for some downloadable content in the near future for you and some friends. Co-op may be very similar to the regular missions, except for the one little feature of penalizations for having a friend fresh out of aviation school. To clarify, when on your own and you die, you spawn and continue the mission as is more or less, but when accompanied by friends, your death will shave off some precious time in order to complete your mission. While it may not be perfect, it certainly is heading along the trails of making harmonious co-op gameplay in future installments.
The online gameplay is solid enough, but there were too many parts that left me wondering, “What the….” One of these things is being able to call for aide to other members of your squad even though it is a free for all match. Then, of course, nearly everyone seems to be on the Alpha Squad. In other forms of online play this works well, but here it seems to miss the mark more often than not. Another gripe I have with the online is the lobby itself. You have the option of Team Battle 1 or Team Battle 2, but you are never given a decent explanation for what separates them.
Since I am on grievances of the game, there is another that bugs me in every flight simulator game: the feeling of never being prepared. Before your missions, you can select how you approach the battle ahead. However, there are several instances where an objective will arise that you are not prepared for. While this is something that I should already be used to by now, it is something that I wish had already been corrected in the genre. As I said, it is a small thing and doesn’t really take away from the game; just be prepared for anything.
The graphics are where authentication really starts slapping you in the face with next-gen greatness. I cannot praise the beauty of this game. Believing commercials that brag about photorealism is difficult, but Ace Combat 6 delivers on the promise, especially in regards to the aircraft. However, the voice acting and abysmal cutscenes will make a friend of mine go into horrendous flashbacks of “Downtown.” I found myself not caring about the cutscenes because of the dribble I heard through my speakers more and more. Thankfully, the jet engines represented their models nicely.
Hands down, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation is the best console flight simulator to date. This may not have been a hard achievement, but it is nice to say that there is finally an aerial combat game worth racing to the store to pick up. If you are new to the genre, this may be a bit too much for you to begin with. Having said that, if this doesn’t grip you then you may never travel the highway into the danger zone.
Features:
RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.5 Graphics
The realistic beauty of this game is amazing. 3.8 Control
Spot on controls really capture what it must feel like to be in a real dog-fight. 3.0 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
The dialogue is sometimes forced and really hinders the rest of the sounds. 4.0 Play Value
The online play here is were the replayabilty really excels. Missions are great but the bread and butter are online. 4.0 Overall Rating – Great
Not an average. See Rating legend above for a final score breakdown.