Namco Bandai’s Xbox 360-exclusive Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation brings together the intensity of large scale aerial warfare with extensive squadron command and photorealistic graphics to offer the most power-packed, realistic experience to date in the renowned Ace Combat franchise. Feel the G’s as Ace Combat soars into the next generation of gaming.
System: Xbox 360
Genre: Arcade / Flight-Simulation
Release dates: October 23rd 2007 (USA), November 23rd 2007 (EURO), December 13th 2007 (AUS)
Players: single player, 2-player co-op, 2-16 online multiplayer
Developer: Namco Bandai
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Origin: Japan
The Arcade flight-sim game starts as a massive enemy swarms over the city, shattering the peace. Amidst the chaos a pilot takes to the skies. Against countless enemies and cannon fire, he heads into the fray. A full scale war unfolds against a backdrop of breathtaking vistas. Detailed cities and sweeping landscapes reach out as far as the eye can see. Experience the roar of acceleration as you carve through swarms of enemy pilots, twisting missile trails and shattering explosions. Strap yourself in for the next evolution in Ace Combat.
Experience expansive and dynamic battlefields full of enemies and allies clashing against each other. Call into action aerial, naval and ground ally units with the innovative Allied Support System, freely tackle missions in any order to cripple different aspects of the enemy’s fleet through the Dynamic Operations System and take the fight online for the first time through Xbox Live.
Watch the Ace Combat 6 launch trailer.
So what are the main features of Ace Combat 6?
* Online for the first time, via Xbox Live, players can experience Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation on a massive worldwide scale as it features an in-depth multi-player online experience that includes a variety of action-packed online modes.
* Players fight alongside fighter planes, gun ships, attack helicopters, tanks, naval fleets, heavy bombers, and electronic warfare vessels in the ultimate Ace Combat showdown.
* The Dynamic Operation System provides for massive battles unfolding on a “living battlefield,” as up to six independent land, sea or air conflicts can break out at any time at multiple locations as allies and enemies clash in real-time throughout the 20 single player missions.
* Players can experience the realism of war when battlefields come alive with engagingly authentic audio and visual effects: thundering explosions, dense vapor trails of air to air missiles, piercing machine gun fire, booming anti-aircraft artillery fire, mid-air explosions, gigantic columns of black smoke and more.
* Players can prove their supremacy on a global scale as they pilot highly detailed, authentic aircraft such as the F-15 E Strike Eagle and the F-22 Raptor online via Xbox Live. For an all out worldwide battle for the sky, players can choose from a variety of different online modes including the 16-player Battle Royale (death match), Team Battle (team death match style), and Siege Battle (two team: attackers VS defenders) game modes. Or they can team up with friends to play Co-Op Battle for up to four players, where all players combine strategy and skill to work together to take on computer-controlled adversaries. Online rankings are calculated globally with high-ranking players being granted honorable titles on a global scale, adding fuel to the fires of furious competition.
Watch an Ace Combat 6 multiplayer gameplay video.
Now let’s see how much fun Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation is on a scale from 1 to 10?
FUN FACTOR – 8.0
While the main campaign’s storyline is just there to give you an excuse to pilot your airplanes (although it gets better halfway through). The full-on aerial confrontations and dogfights that follow are amazing fun and realistic to play though thanks to the various weapons, range of airplanes, squadron support, and easy control methods (that still take skill to master in effectively dodging missile fire). Online multiplayer takes those battles and amps up the crazy-factor by testing your piloting skills against up to 16 other players.
It’s vital you choose your tactical path carefully in the game’s massive scale battlefields. The game looks simply amazing, very realistic sceneries, that are combined with a real authentic feel during the huge chaotic battles that make this game a lot of fun to play. Definitely the next-generation flight-action sim to own right now.
Graphics – 9.0
The scenery, the airplanes, the explosions and other weapon effects look gobsmacking beautiful! You WILL feel like you’re watching yourself pilot an airplane assault that’s recorded and shown on real-life TV. While the HUD has the same presentation flight sim games had ten years ago, it does what it’s supposed to do and gives you all the info you need during the high-octane battles. You can even replay each mission to view your actions with a more cinematic view. Throughout the game as you look in awe at the stunning landscapes that your airplane speeds by, the framerate always stays steady, quite an accomplishment with so many hectic battles.
Audio – 7.5
All the suitable airplane and explosion sound effects are present to wonderful effect, they add the skies with action-filled weapons thunder, although I could do without the radar’s annoying beeping that stays on during the more hectic battles where many missiles buzz around. The voice acting dialog during cut scenes and radio chatter is terribly cliche, next time I’d like Namco Bandai to hire Tom Cruise and make him spout some classic Top Gun lines! The orchestral soundtrack is great though and really adds to the epic feel of the battles.
Ingenuity – 8.5
If you’ve ever played an Arcade flying game before, this will be pick up and play. If you’ve never played a flight-action game before, then Ace Combat 6 will still be a breeze to play with it’s very straightforward controls, that one go through the tutorial mode will explain. It ends up delivering a totally immersive experience.
Oh and if you live in America, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation doesn’t ship with just a standard $59.99 priced edition there. But also with an exclusive limited edition Ace Combat 6 Ace-Edge Flightstick Bundle priced at $149.99 (that includes a custom-made Ace Combat 6 Xbox 360 faceplate as well). The Flightstick promises to give an even more intensive experience by putting the player right there in the cockpit as they face the action-packed aerial combat scenarios.
Replay Value – 8.0
Expect to play through the main campaign in 3 to 8 hours depending on your skills and difficulty level you choose. You’ll be able to unlock secrets as you finish the game and after the first playthrough an Expert Mode is unlocked. There are also medals to earn, and you can spend the points you earn on missions to buy new airplanes and weapons. Most of the replay value comes from the crazy-busy online multiplayer modes and because you can play through stand-alone co-op missions as well, which is aces! There are also additional multiplayer maps and new Ace Combat 6 paint schemes for certain planes available as both free and paid download via Xbox Live Marketplace.