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Posted By AngryJoe about 1 year, 7 months ago
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Angry Review,
FULL METAL CARNAGE!
Broketober is now in full swing! Angry Joe takes a look at a title that may be flying under the radar, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon! Can it outfly its competition? Find out!
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So, watching the video, and from other videos I’ve seen, this game is giving me a very strong “Area 88″ (at least the OVA) impression. I’m definitely interested in this game, and I hope that future games in the series keep this sort of “gruesome air combat” tone (which the old Area 88 OVA had in spades), while possibly adding in some of the more gonzo elements (like aerial fortresses).
Just want to say, as a gamer, you owe it to yourself to go find a cheap copy of AC5 for the PS2 and to play through all of it. It never gets old taking out one of the gargantuan prototype weapons/vehicles or flying into a certain tunnel complex I won’t specify. I just can’t recommend it enough for someone who even remotely enjoys these types of games.
by the way, Joe, please, play/review Driver: San Francisco. it’s funny, well written (i know, right, a _driving_ game) and awesome.
funky 70s music, high-speed driving, crazy stunts and well-made controls with 3 options: keyboard+mouse. gamepads and wheels. devs idea of “shifting” into any car at will is handy and, for good or bad, it’s a kind of idea that’s for one game use only.
for me it even was the only truly enjoyable game on PC for last 6-12 months along with Witcher 2. and that’s from a guy who hates racing games, even something like Flatout.
another classic PS1 title is back and not in half-assed “Driv3r” way. don’t miss it, people.
uh, Flight Arcades ARE NOT Flight Simulators.
you know what is flight simulator ? it a thing where all the controls and characteristics of some aircraft are, well, simulated. including entire cabins, all the aspects of flights and flight protocols. you know, the shit you can use for flight training.
you are sensible guy, Joe, how do you mess it up again and again for years ?
about the game: i wiiish they would release a PC versions. i’m not going to buy PS beyond the first one and i miss badass AC action
but Namco has been Sony’s bitch for years, so it’s not happening.
Just need a Crimson Skies video game, and I’ll be set. It’s been awhile since we’ve had one. Maybe after the next Mech Warrior finally comes out, Crimson Skies will get the third game it deserves.
To everyone who has seen my posts concerning flight stick support, I sent an e-mail to Namco asking about that. I got the reply today and got a rather interesting response.
I quote from Namco:
“Ace Combat: Assault Horizon does not fully support the use of flight stick peripherals, however we can confirm that you can use the ACE-EDGE Flight Stick (that came bundled with the limited edition Ace Combat 6 bundle) during the fighter jet missions in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. The other missions in the game are still playable with the flight stick (the helicopter and gunner missions), but are not fully supported.”
Strange that when I tried it, mine didn’t work. Could be a hardware issue on my end, need to check for that, but its nice to know there is at least one kind of support for those who enjoy jet games.
Man, never noticed that Joe’s straight up representin the Netherlands with his Name font!
Wow….I think the last flight simulator game I played was Comanche: Maximum Overkill on the PC. Flight simulator games sure got upgraded a lot. Pretty graphics and innovative modes, even if not everyone liked using the modes.
The gameplay you showed is almost like watching a movie. its so shiinyyyy……
Just wanted to say, about Battle Field 3…. I will never buy that game. I much prefer FPS’s on the PC vs the console. The game play is better, the graphics are better and the community is way more mature.
The problem is what EA has in the EULA for Origins, the client you have to run to play BF3 on the PC. So yeah. They won’t be taking my money any time soon
Wrong article? Though, I agree that needing to keep a browser running is pretty ridiculous considering the resources this game will require on max settings…
Flight sims are not my thing
Could never get back into the series after it became “real.” I miss things like a literal flying fortress and SHUMP styled bosses.
Ace Combat series is and always will be shooter. There is no simulation in it. After all to be simulator it would have to actually reflect actual flying that no means is easy. Instead Ace Combat is all about flashy air combat were only thing you need to worry about are enemies. I would compare it to Afterburner as it has more common with that than with games like Falcon 4 or IL-2 Sturmovik that are actual simulators.
Hohoho, could this be Freespace 2′s successor? Or has Ace Combat at least been trying its best to become the next revolutionary flight simulator series sequel after sequel?
In any case, glad you’re reviewing different things other than the “stuff your so called hardcore fans want you to review that other reviewers have praised yet aren’t satisfied until they hear YOU praise the games”. I honestly don’t get their logic. On the one hand it’s cool that they value your opinion over other reviewers’, on the other hand it disturbs me how much they (the more hardcore fans I mean) sound like slave drivers.
Review what you want to review because you consider it interesting to let others know about your discoveries. End rant.
I played the demo version of this game , and as a long time casual AC fan (I played most of them except AC1 , AC0 , AC6 , and none of the the portable games) , I really liked it.
The DFM is a great touch to add some intensity to the aerial combat , while the chopper missions were a nice addition to the series , despite the clunky controls.
sure , the wingman system is absent , but I didn’t miss it that much.
and I gotta agree with Joe about the awesome soundtrack , which was made by the fine people of the Namco Sound Team , who are very talented when it comes to high quality video game soundtrack.
I haven’t bought the game yet , but I’m willing to do that sometime in a couple of months.
Anyway , great review , Joe , and I’m glad you liked your first Ace Combat game. ^^
I am sorry Joe I got half way through this review and I had to stop. As a long time fan of the AC series I am having to quote Spoony and yell BETRAYAL!
Firstly the DFM gets old and fast, sorry but it really gets like that. The first few really exhilarating scripted ones are fine, and it makes the boss battles a bit more bearable (as a lot of AC boss fights where frustrating to say the least). However you end up using it for 90% of the dogfights, which made it tiring and dull. Also you had no idea if it was over, still going on and you could enter or exit it at funny angles leading to unwanted crashes. I could also state on how pointless the bombing or ground attack version is given that you can only use each attack run once, and again it’s dull on top of making things too easy.
The story sucks hard, it’s a dull mix of CoD4, black hawk down and any other dull military FPS game. The characters are very hollow (which is saying something), and even the villains are dull moustache twirlers that are just out for genocidal revenge. The later being a very stark contrast to the antagonists in the previous games who you could sympathise with. The only up shot of the story is that it has dialog written by a native English speaker, and not translated so it at least feels a lot less clunky and forced.
Also as picked up on already no wingman controls, and the rest of your fight felt like no help at times, previous games had wingman controls so why where they not included this time around ? Also no plane purchase (meaning you could get all the best planes on your first play through), and hardly any mission briefings, cutscenes before maybe but nothing that explained what I was going up against. After the second mission I decided that it was best to stuff choosing my own plane and going with the default choice, as I never really knew if the mission was to be air to air, air to ground or mixed.
All the negative stuff said however, I did enjoy the new helicopter missions and the bomber flight, it’s just a shame that there are only three of these missions in total.
“Baby’s first Ace Combat” I’ve called this game because that’s how I feel about this entry to the franchise. If your new you will enjoy it, but if you’ve played any of the previous games you won’t.
Fine post!
AC:AH = BETRAYAL!
No way this game is a betrayal. I think that’s become a throwaway term now to describe any game that isn’t exactly like the last.
First, all the same mechanics from the previous Ace Combat are there (controls and flight mechanics, not counting wingman controls). Outside of DFM, it plays exactly the same as previous installments. Second, only about 10% of the dogfights are you forced to use it. You only have to use it for target leads, and a few other choice encounters. If you’re using it for 90%, then you’re only doing it because it really is the best way to take down enemy fighters. Even when an enemy’s tailing you, you can escape without going into DFM. Same with attack runs. I’d say about half of them, you’re not forced to use them, you can just take out ground targets the old fashioned way. Either way, I’d hardly call adding a mechanic (that you’re not even forced to use most of the time) on top of already existing ones a betrayal.
The story’s okay. Yeah, it’s got cliche Russians. Personally, I think it might have been better against the Chinese or something. Really though, I think the worst Ace Combat story has to go to 6. However, AH’s existing story could have explored the character relationships a little more, and I think the climax came to soon. I think they could have drawn that coup out a bit longer and developed it. I was actually kind of surprised that the antagonist was a complete dick. Not every antagonist of an Ace Combat game has to be a sympathetic one. That was a refreshing change of pace for me, that the guy who wants to shoot me down actually has a seething hatred of me.
I do agree that wingman controls should have been included. They could have easily been controlled with the D-Pad like in previous games. Another feature I was sad to see missing was the buying and selling of planes. One huge thing that would make this game even more awesome is if you could assign planes and roles to your wingmen and other flights. If you have a ground attack mission and don’t feel like bombing, maybe you could equip another flight or two some attack fighters and assign them the mission of taking out ground objectives. In return, you’d better cover them from fighters.
Anyway, those are my two cents. Betrayal, this game is not. It’s the same Ace Combat, just with an added mechanic and a different story. Sorry that the game is not exactly like the previous games, it wasn’t supposed to be from the beginning. I’m a fan of the whole series. I’m not so much a purist though that every game has to play exactly the same.
One other positive thing about DFM I have to add is that it essentially makes every enemy plane in the sky a threat. Past Ace Combat games had these planes meander about as missile fodder, only offering a challenge when you’re vastly outnumbered. More often than not, you could ignore these planes as long as you move along at high speed, shaking them with a few basic maneuvers. Now with DFM, a single plane that would have otherwise been missile fodder can now force me to disengage from my current target and address it. This is especially true in Ace difficulty (where your plane doesn’t self-repair) when underestimating a single one of these enemy planes on my tail could prove disastrous. If you’re not paying attention to every blip in the sky, it could bite you in the ass.
That was a kick ass review joe! I am legitimately excited to play this game. The soundtrack of the game sounds really epic and bad ass too. I plan on buying this game some time soon! I look forward to the next great review!
I like how you go “This is your flight simulator.. This is your flight simulator on drugs” and the one on drugs is a lot cooler, and looks way more fun.
Loving this show.
What you said in the beginning is wrong. NOBODY should buy Battlefield 3. One would have to be retarded to buy a game that requires you to install invasive spyware to play it. (of course I only refer to the PC version, since consoles are for children) FUCK EA and the horse they rode in on.
Funny how there are people who are either idiots or pro-spyware and eager to prove it by voting down my comment.
Try googling “EA Origin Spyware” and find out for yourself. If you are lucky, there will be a popping sound as your heads are removed from your asses.
I think it’s more your superior than thou attitude and rampant idiocy that are causing the down votes more than your actual opinion. Calling people retards who don’t agree with you and saying that only children play consoles; those would be your problem.
It’s possible to state your opinion – and a legitimate one at that regarding Origin – without coming off like an idiot…that’s why you got down voted.
I voted him down because his avatar picture makes him look like a douche-bag… or a pedophile… or a pedophile douche-bag. Whatever he said must have been really bad for people to vote him down for reasons BESIDES his picture.
I haven’t played Battlefield 3, nor will I, because it simply doesn’t interest me, but you make yourself out to be a total asshole when you say that the people who down-voted you must be pro-spyware, even though that’s probably the single stupidest accusation ever.
What do you expect, coming out, sounding like a douche about everything? Slamming people for not having the same opinion as you, slamming console players, and you expect everyone to just happily agree with you? What are you on?
Hey Joe ignore the constant bashing your getting from reviewing unknown games…I appreciate that you don’t always review the popular games that will obviously earn high scores…I understand that everyone wants to know your opinion on the main stream games but in the end will be watching Joe praise the popular games (if he enjoys them of course)…I personally don’t enjoy jet simulation games but I have many friends who do, so Ill make sure they watch this excellent review…Thanks Joe for not leaving out the unpopular games that deserve our attention
Great job as always, joe!
First, you avatar is all kinds of badass because it’s from one of my favorite Nintendo DS games, Super Robot Taisen OG Endless Saga.
Second, Agreed Joe’s review was right on the money. Great game that redefines the flight genre.
Third, I want the sequel to Super Robot Taisen localized so bad.
Great review and nice work on the usage of Hot Shots. I was hoping for Top Gun though, but that’s cool.
You do know all that was from his Hawx 2 review, right?
It doesn’t matter how many times I see it, that scene of you blasting the “I’m on a boat” boat will never cease to be hilarious.
While I’m not a fan of flight sims, this does look like a strong game. I don’t plan on getting it myself, but I will recommend it to a friend who likes flight sims
What was that metal song in the intro part? I was really liking it lol
This looks really interesting actually. I’m not a big jet gamer, but this looks really exciting.
I don’t care how good this game looks. No stick support, no purchase. It makes no sense why it was left out of the main game when it was supported in the demo.
Great review Joe! This is also my first step into the Ace Combat world and was blown away. I found that I needed to change the controls over to Original in order to get the flying right, as the Optimised flight controls were too arcade-ish. The Optimised flight controls in DFM left the AI assisted flight doing a lot of impossible yawing to keep up with the enemy plane while flying level and was both jarring and awkward. Also, while you’re supposed to have a full wing of jets in your flight, you can’t give them any commands, such as “Clear my six” or “Take my target”, which frustrated me several times. Also, is it just me or do Wolf 3 and 4 have the same voice?
Great points that I missed in the review! Wingman controls were missing.
And let’s not forget the D-Pad was not utilised at all. It would be great to have a cap-lock function where you kept the target centred on your view WITHOUT having to hold down Y or triangle.
Project Sylpheed would be a good pointer on how to use the D-Pad for wingmen controls.
The previous entry’s used the D-Pad for wingman commands, and I have no idea why they removed it in this one. More so as my Wingman didn’t seem to do ANYTHING during the missions.
On the mission where you had to defend the airbase I really would have liked it if my wingman had kept my tail clear while I took care of the advancing ground forces. Sadly logic in this series has now died for the sake of repetitive Michael Bay explosions.
I’m glad to see some innovation in a series which was formerly getting stale, within a genre that was formerly getting stale. Remember how CoD4 revolutionized the FPS? Hopefully Assault Horizon will be the CoD4 of the flight combat game, thanks to this DFM. Gotta say too, the soundtrack is rockin’ – makes the game sound mighty epic.
Looks pretty good; I really liked the on the ground interaction storytelling, reminds me a little bit of Wing Commander.
I did cringe though everytime you said ‘simulator’.
True, it can’t be called a simulator, but at the same time it can’t be called an arcade game because it has a lot of simulation in it. In my opinion this game sits perfectly in the middle of simulation and arcade.
Or as Joe put it at the beginning of the clip, a simulator on drugs.
This game has simulation in it like CoD simulates war. I suppose it depends on how closely you would define ‘simulating’ I mean sure.. you have a jet.. and it’s flying.. and you engage targets with weapons. Past a description that generic? No. I don’t see how this game removes itself from arcade action. You say it’s in the middle… what things are being accurately simulated, and which things are being relegated to action? No realistic stalling, damage, handling, weapon systems, radar..? Joe talked about the mission where you run out of fuel – I’m guessing it’s a cool one off thing that happens for dramatic effect – it certainly looked pretty neat. I’d bet money though you aren’t flying around in ordinary missions when your onboard computer starts chirping ‘BINGO fuel’ at you and you have to RTB.
I’m not complaining – I love arcade games, and that’s exactly what this is.
Yeah, you raise a fair point. I retract my statement.
I dont agree on everything you mentioned, but stil a great review. Keep it up!
I’m all ears on why you didnt enjoy it. I would be an interesting read.
Well since you said you haven’t played the other Ace Combats, you wouldn’t have noticed some of the minor changes to the format.
First and foremost the took out jet purchases, they just kinda appear now. I personally didn’t like the mid-mission cut scenes, thought they were a distraction.
I saw the story plot coming a mile away, so nothing special there.
As I stated above my biggest complaint is the pulling of flight stick support. AC6 had a stick, I still have it and every flight game since has supported it until now. It was even supported in the demo which is why I’m making a big deal for this.
Personally I’d give AC:AH a 7/10. 6 if I wanted to take a point off for the stick pull, but I don’t do that.