Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is the 12th flight combat simulator in the franchise, and unlike many of the previous games, it plays out in real-world places.
By beautifully re-creating cities and environments, Namco brings a strong narrative and a Modern Warfare-like feel to a flight genre, creating an intense gaming experience.
The game features an array of aircraft types, which adds to the longevity. The player can control the weapons of a bomber; manoeuvre a helicopter to quickly assault ground combatants; and even pilot a fighter jet.
But despite the variety, the gameplay hardly changes. The ability to counterattack and the selection of weapons don't stave off the repetitiveness of the gameplay. Clearing out multiple enemies one at a time becomes boring very quickly.
In summary:
Pros: Strong narrative, great manoeuvrability, nice variety of aircraft types to manoeuvre, Dogfight Mode
Cons: Combat gets old very quickly
Score: 5/10
Achievement difficulty: 4/10
Price: R529
Contact: BT Games - www.btgames.co.za
Dogfight Mode - a mode that allows the player to automatically follow enemy fighters - does provide some reprieve from the boredom. Once players get close enough to an enemy fighter, pressing the bumpers gets them into Dogfight Mode, and then it becomes a matter of sticking to their sharp turns, waiting for their weapons to lock on, and firing. When the player hits an enemy, the ensuing carnage, including a pilot being flung out of the debris, is strangely satisfying.
In summary
Unfortunately, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is more bad than good. The graphics are brilliant, the narrative is quite intensive, but the missions are too long, and combat is repetitive. Even though it's one of the better flight combat simulators I've played, a lack of variety in the gameplay spoils a potentially great game.
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