f13.net forums - Ace Combat 6 - Namco Bandai

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April 26, 2024, 02:06:35 AM

we're back, baby

The last time I played Ace Combat (4) was on a PS 2 while cowering in a bunker in the middle of Iraq. (I wasn't actually cowering, but that makes it sound more interesting than it really was). Ace Combat 6 is little more an updated version of Ace Combat 4, with god-awful cut scenes added. The new graphics are awesome, with great detail used for terrain and jet models.

For the first hour or so I had a lot of fun blowing stuff up, and trying out the different jets and special weapons (which I think is new for v6) .. but after awhile, it's really just a grind to go through and kill 20 tanks, then 20 enemy fighters, then 20 more tanks, then 20 boats, then 20 more tanks, then 20 pillboxes (takes 2 missile hits to blow up), then 20 more enemy fighters, then 20 more tanks.

As you make your way through the missions it does get a bit more interesting (mobile sam units with mobile radar units hiding behind hills) with different objectives that you have to completed at various times. IE: As your ground troops make it to a certain area, you have to make sure the bad guys there are dead before your ground troops get slaughtered.

Another new feature (from v4) is the ability to call in allied support. Basically, you can say 'hey guys, cover me and keep the enemy fighters off my back while I do some bombing' or ' hey guys, I want all of you to shoot your missile at this one guy'. (But once you figure that out, you can get them to target multiple things at once and have them all attack different targets).

Verdict: If you liked a previous version of Ace Combat, pick it up. But, rent it or buy it used so you can return it when you are done in a week.

Update:

I got to play online for a few hours during the holidays, so here's a quick update. My verdict stays the same, get it if you liked previous ones. Dog fighting other players can be pretty fun (for an hour or so) but it's very shallow and gets old. (I may be asking for a bit much, but what I really want is two teams with their own objectives - whichever team completes their objective (and prevents the other team from not completing their object) wins. That way you would actually have a use for non-dog fighting airplanes. I want to drive an A10 into the heart of enemy territory while my wingmen keep the bad guys off my back). Also, the lobby sucks.

Dog fighting is fun though a bit frustrating at times. It seems to be lacking something to make it exciting and not just another round of flying in circles.

I was about to ask how the online is.

I would buy that game alone for the online play if it was even remotely fun.

It didn't come with a free online trial code, but I think I have one left over from R6:Las Vegas. If I get a chance to play it online I'll update this.

As I've had the game from launch, I can say....

You'll have some very frustrating and unfair online matches. Maybe I was just grouped with bad people or something, but I got slaughtered a lot. Maybe because I hadn't yet grinded up the "cool' weapons and shit. Seems like it could be fun though.

I hadn't played an Ace Combat game since 1 or 2, so I was coming into the game pretty fresh.

I was looking forward to this, but after playing the demo, I'll pass. I'm looking for a little bit more "sim" to my sims. There really doesn't seem to be any kind of flight model, and I'm not exactly a flightsim stickler for reality, so ordinarily a simplistic flight model wouldn't bother me. This is just way too fucking unrealistic, though.

Yeah, it's totally not a sim at all, it's an arcade game where your plane looks very realistic.

Just in case you weren't sure it was an arcade game, every Ace Combat game (at least the ones I played) end in a Death Star Trench Run(tm) where you fly into some huge monstrosity of a doomsday weapon and shoot all your missiles at the power core. Using the force.

I like the Ace Combat games, except for the Death Star Trench Run(tm) parts. They do a really good job of puffing up your ego, too. "Holy crap, it's Player One! Bug out! Run! He'll kill us all!"

I love Ace Combat, and it better come on the PS3 eventually. It's probably the closest thing around to Wing Commander these days.

Best not to associate it with sims... And not a straight up arcade type game either (say, like Afterburner or Blazing Angels). The dogfighting is way more involved than the latter, and it takes you quicker to the action (without a mess of details) than the former. The formula is perfect for me, and I never tire of it -- I just wish I could play a shiny version of it like the one on the XBox.

I used to love me some Ace Combat. I never got into the last few on PS2 though, and the 360 demo version really didn't pull me in. I really liked the slower-paced missions such as when you flew the A-10 though. Might give the demo some more time in the next weeks.

Updated with my online experience.