Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation

Namco’s Ace Combat series has been a long time staple in the gaming industry, standing as one of the few flight-sim based games to come out for any system. Now the series is making its debut on next-gen hardware, as Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation hits exclusively for the Xbox 360.

 Already not-too-shabby-looking on the PS2, Ace Combat 6’s gorgeous plane models and effects look dazzling on the Xbox 360, and the controls are easy to grasp for experts and newcomers alike. While the story elements are pretty cheesy and the dialogue is groan-worthy, the kinetic pace and great controls make this a flight-action game that’s worthy of a spin for any Xbox 360 gamer.

The game’s campaign is split into 15 missions that unfold at a decent length for an arcade-style shooter. The missions branch fairly often, with new objectives and new enemies to defeat popping up fairly regularly throughout the missions. Depending on how well you do in the game’s stages, you’ll be able to unlock new features, making the replay value fairly high.

Light on the sim-elements, Ace Combat 6 functions as a story-driven arcade shooter than a full-blown flight-simulator. You won’t have to worry about take-off or landing, and you’ll have copious amounts of missiles at your disposal. However, the storyline itself leaves a lot to be desired, full of campy dialogue and corny back stories that almost take away from the game’s campaign.

However, if you can get beyond the cheese factor in the storyline, there’s a lot to love in Ace Combat 6. The controls are very intuitive and never get unwieldy or too complex, making it a game that any action fan should be able to jump into quickly.

No arcade game would be complete without boss battles, and Ace Combat 6 has some really doosies. You’ll take on huge pseudo-alien behemoths, each requiring specific attack patterns in order to be taken down. Fortunately, you won’t be alone when it comes to taking on enemies on the battlefield. You’ll have wingmen that will watch your back throughout the conflict, and you’ll be able to use a variety of assists from your fellow pilots to keep you alive out there.

The game’s biggest strength is the visuals. The PS2 versions looked pretty good and took advantage of that system’s abilities quite well, but they pale in comparison to the sharp plane models and great explosion effects of this Xbox 360 sequel. The game moves along at a very smooth clip, never slowing down even as the onscreen action gets very hairy.

However, if the graphics had a sore spot, it would have to be the environments. While they generally look great, there is some weirdness when you get really close to the ground. The ground effects get a really flat “Google maps” looking effect that tends to be blurry and pulls you out of the moment a bit.

The sound effects are fairly good, but have their rough patches. The score works nicely for the game, and the sound effects are crisp and sound great. However, the voice acting is pretty cheesy, mostly due to the awful script, but also sounds quite flat. The cut scenes in this game are very skip-able.

Lame story and dialogue aside, Ace Combat 6 is a solid shooter with accessible controls and fast-paced action. The graphics are fantastic, and the production value is very high, making Ace Combat 6 a title that is truly worthy of the Ace Combat franchise.

Gameplay: 8.5
Ace Combat 6 offers arcade-style controls that feel very intuitive and easy for those not raised on complex flight-sims to get their hands on. The game has a great deal of intensity, with action-packed missions keeping you drawn in.

Graphics: 9.0 
The plane models look amazing, and the effects are great. However, the environment has a few issues, as the closer you get to the ground the more it looks 2D and blurry, but generally the game looks great.

Sound: 7.5
The sound effects are pretty good throughout and the score works for the game, but the corny voice acting and lame dialogue bring down the score.

Difficulty: Medium

Concept: 8.0
The game provides great controls and accessible gameplay, even though the storyline is pretty nonsensical.

Multiplayer: 8.5
Ace Combat 6 has a great deal of online modes, including co-op, free-for-all, and siege.

Overall: 8.5
Ace Combat 6 is an accessible and exciting flight combat game with great arcade-style gameplay. While the story elements are pretty cheesy, the game itself is a lot of fun.