dmase said:
Well looks like the gameplay will be good at least. The story, world, and characters will be churned out bullshit though. Whatever ever happened to good silent protagonists?
The Critic said:
From what I've seen of the game, It appears that the "realism" lies in character development and story progression, not in the over-arching plot, and certainly not in the gameplay. That's probably for the best. I like semi-arcade-y flight games that allow me to have tons of missiles, bombs and unlimited gun ammuntion. If the story is a bit more character-focused than some other flight games (which this appears to be), then that helps, too.
Since this guy is the story-writter, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that when he mentions "realism" he's talking about only what he wrote, not about the gameplay or similar areas.
Also, a bit off-topic, but does anyone else think that this game actually looks kind of cool with that "Dogfight" close-in mode?
Having played the game (rented it from Redbox, returned it on the second night after a campaign playthrough) I enjoyed the voicing and characterizations, though I never developed an attachment to them quite like I did in AC:5. Honestly, I enjoyed the story; it was short and cliched, but very well-told nonetheless. Also, the music was excellent, really accentuating plot and gameplay. To sum up the game in a word: Cinematic.
Beyond that, as others have said, don't expect anything like realism in the gameplay. Mind you, that isn't what most people seek in an Ace Combat game, but this entry takes it to ridiculous levels. Gameplay was indeed fast-paced, far more than in previous titles, but I have some major complaints about some of the mechanics. First off, previous games have given you large missile loadouts, but Assault Horizon gives you twice as many, so many that I never faced any shortage whatsoever (and I'm one to spam my missiles). Dogfight Mode removes much call for piloting skill, as the plane auto-pilots (often through set-piece city or canyon engagements) while you just keep your target centered (and in many cases, watch missile after missile hit it until you reach the part of the script where it is actually vulnerable). And while the bombing runs of Air-to-Surface Mode were sometimes fun, one particular mission fills your screen with distracting (and inexplicable) special effects everytime you hit a ground target (how did you get oil on me from 500 ft away?!), and there are a lot of ground targets. And lastly, it seems painfully short compared to AC:4, AC:5, and AC:X (don't own an X-Box, so can't speak for AC:6).
It isn't a bad game, per se, just a big shock to long-time fans of the series. Considering it only takes a day or two to beat, a rental is recommended before buying.
