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Holy crap, this game requires a total physical effort, and Iím not talking about motion
control. My knuckles were in pain when I was done playing this game. Thatís how tight
I was gripping the controller. My back hurt for two hours. Thatís because it remained
at a 90 degree angle for the duration. Talk about flight stress on the old trapezius.
This game is like an adrenaline shot right into the heart, only the results are a lot
better than having a needle in your chest.
No offense to you, Uma, or your otherwise delightful chest.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the latest game in Namco Bandaiís long-running air combat
series, a franchise that has been conspicuously absent on consoles for quite some time. Itís
also a game that completely embodies that adrenalized, high-octane spirit so many other
flight games only flirt with.
From cockpit to tail, Assault Horizon is a full-powered death machine with only two recognized
speedsóexhilaration and desecration. And full-speed domination.
Longtime Ace Combat fans will notice the terrain looks familiar, which actually is unfamiliar
for this particular series. Unlike past Ace Combat console games, Assault Horizon uses
real-world locations. So youíre soaring over cities like Paris and Miami, with realistic
cityscapes acting as the carpet for the ornate hallways of exhilaration Assault Horizon creates.
I was just in Miami a few weeks ago, and it looks a lot like this. Didnít notice the
explosions, though.
Of course, in those hallways of exhilarationóman, how poeticóscenery is only a portion of what
makes Assault Horizon so...exhilarating. Itís the combination of the stunning landscapes
and the stunning flying that makes this game so much fun.
And really, that flying is comprised of simple gameplay. The controls are very basic, creating
no boundaries for less-experienced players to overcome. You can jump into Assault Horizon
very quickly, and the game keeps things simple. You have machine guns and lock-on missiles,
you can speed up and brake...itís far from a simulation game, opting instead for fast-paced,
arcade-like gameplay.
Of course, this is not technically a proper Ace Combat game. Itís actually a spin-off
to the main series, and with that come a few interesting differences. Perhaps most notably,
the game has a dog fight system that allows for really intense flight sequences. You can
lock onto nearby targets to initiate a dog fight, at which point the camera pulls in
and a fatal game of cat-and-mouse begins.
The neat part is when the enemy tries to lose you by flying close to the ground. Your movement
becomes on-rails for a moment, and the game leads you through awesome action sequences.
Youíre dodging falling towers, youíre twisting into explosions...those stunts are automatic,
but you do have to manage the combat, so you do still feel like youíre in charge. Theyíre
just a perfect fit for what this game is trying to do.
Assault Horizon also mixes things up by throwing in helicopter missions, which work pretty
well. If there any problems with the missions, itís not a lack of diversityóitís that
they tend to drag on a bit too long. But thereís also funóif standardómultiplayer for online
fiends, as well.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon isnít going to win any awards. To speak in film terms, this
isnít some Oscar nominee or anything, but rather, itís a fun summertime blockbuster.
Itís the kind of game you play with friends, a bucket of popcorn and a smile on your face.