Jock is playing with the boys.

I promised myself I wouldn’t mention Top Gun in this review, but that seems impossible. If I don’t reference the number one 80’s jet-fest what does that leave me with? Iron Eagle is what, and nobody, not even Lou Gosset Jr, wants that mentioned ever again.

Ace Combat 6 is the latest in Namco’s fabulous jets and missiles series. Set in the near future, the game begins with peaceful Emmeria being invaded by the warmongering Estovakians, and before you know it, you’re defending your country. In an F16 Fighting Falcon. At Mach 2. Crikey.

Danger Zone

Fortunately this is no realistic simulation of modern aerial warfare, but instead a carefully constructed arcade version of real life – it looks the part, but is flyable by us mere mortals. The basic controls are easy to pick up, with one stick for aircraft movement and one to move your head about, throttle and brake mapped to the triggers, while the face buttons take care of target selection, radar screen changing, missile and gun firing. There’s also rudder control on the LB and RB bumpers for those that want it.

There’s no need to worry about radar signatures, flaps, control surfaces, blackouts, redouts, collateral damage or flying 3 billion dollars worth of taxpayers money into the sea with Ace Combat. Instead, it’s a simple case of pick a jet, strap some missiles to the wings, and point it at the nearest bad guy. Mucho fun is guaranteed.

With the controls worked out, it’s time to take on some enemy fighters. Initially it’s a case of spot one on your radar, select a missile, wait for a red lock-on box to appear round the target, then fire and forget. If you get really brave you can even go in close for a gun kill, but that’s just showing off this early on. Later on, dogfighting becomes more strenuous, with ace enemy squadrons jinking and weaving out of the way of missiles. For now though, you’re on fire, knocking enemy jets out of the sky like pesky insects, and it feels great. Then, suddenly, it all goes wrong for Emmeria, with an Estovakian secret weapon turning the tide of battle firmly against you and your countrymen…

I won’t mention anymore of the storyline, as I don’t want to spoil it. Namco can do that themselves, with some of the most ridiculously hammy and overblown ‘war is bad and innocent people suffer’ cut-scenes I’ve ever seen. The CGI here is top notch but it grates a little against the main gameplay – you are sending thousands of pilots and soldiers to their graves after all, so the moralising seems a bit silly.

Mighty Wings

Still, the storyline matters little. You’ve got a country to save, and plenty of aircraft to do it with. As you progress, more and more new jets are unlocked for you to ‘purchase’. Don’t the Emmerians have a Defense Budget? Daftness aside, the jets are plentiful and varied, beginning with the default nimble F16 Fighting Falcon, through tankbusting A10 Warthogs, and on to cutting edge tech like the F22 Raptor. There’s plenty of non-American designed aircraft too, with Sukhoi, Dassault and the Eurofighter consortium all getting a look in. There’s even unlockable skins for the craft, should you fancy a new paintjob, as well as downloadable fighters from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Multiple weapons can also be purchased for each jet, adding further ground attack capabilities, enhanced dogfighting ability, or defensive electronic counter-measures.

Absolutely stunning is the easiest and quickest way to describe the visuals. Powder blue skies fade away into a distant sunset, thin streaks of cloud linger above the mountain peaks, rain lashes past your plane as you thunder through the sky, and cityscapes and countryside look simply fantastic as they rush below you. The jets themselves look perfect, with incredible attention to detail – blinking lights, warning stickers and squadron insignia are all present and correct. The lighting in the game is also worthy of note, with sun reflecting off wingtips and canopies, or filtering through cloud cover. The best thing that Ace Combat 6 does graphically however, are the vapour trails. In the middle of a dogfight there are streaks of smoke from missiles, contrails from aircraft pulling heavy Gs, and endless looping ribbons of jet trail. It brings the whole situation to life, and it really does look “next-gen”.

Similarly, the game has some fantastic audio, with authentic warnings and lock-on buzzers and beeps, throaty afterburner notes, and the low thrum of a Vulcan machine gun. Radio chatter is also impressive, if sometimes annoying. All of the pilots and ground assault are in almost constant communication with you, warning you of missiles, enemies on your tail, and prospective threats to the mission or their squad. Keeping on top of these new threats requires the radio chat, so while it can be irritating to be squawked at constantly, it’s necessary to pay attention. No switching it off then!

Take my breath away

Ace Combat 6 is definitely the best in the series. It’s also more difficult than earlier outings. The soaring, spinning dogfighting is still as much fun as ever, as is the ground assault (the number of targets is incredible) and the polish and sheen of the title makes it stand out from the crowd. The more demanding missions will be perfect for series veterans, but newcomers would be advised to tackle the Easy mode first to find their wings. Add in some intense online play (although only a few missions are available), and you’ve got quite a game on your hands. Beautiful, intense, and a joy to play, it’s the game that every kid who grew up watching Tom Cruise chase fake MiGs in his F14 has been waiting for. Altogether now - ‘I feel the need, the need, for speed!’

GAME's Verdict

• Intense, fast-paced, dogfighting action.
• You ARE the hero.
• Skies only look better than this when you look out the window.

• Some infuriatingly tricky later missions.
• The XBLA downloadable content seems a tad pricey.
• Not as many missions as previous games.

Review by: Jock McPastry
Review Published: 29.11.07