Publisher/Developer: Namco Networks of America
Price: $4.99
Acquired: Review Copy Provided
Verdict: Namco has done a hell of a job bringing the Ace Combat you know and love to the iPhone, they just didn’t bring very much of it. [Editor's Note: A 1.1 update with 3 new missions for free should be available this month]
Pros: Graphics, sound, and gameplay are all spot on
Cons: Only a bite size version of the full game, advanced controls are tricky
I have been a fan of Ace Combat since Air Combat first dropped on the PS1 back in ‘95 and have bought every version released for every console since. Ace Combat 6 is one of only three games I still own for the XBOX360, and Ace Combat X is one of two UMD’s I have for my PSP, and in my opinion, is the best arcade flight sim ever. I know there are more than a few cats out there that feel the same way since the series has sold 10 million to date. So how did Namco do in bringing the revered franchise to the iPhone?
Right up the old exhaust pipe.
They stuck the landing, I must say. Ace Combat Xi (which does not mean ‘11′, this is a mini-sequel to Ace Combat X on PSP) was developed by Project Aces, the team responsible for all console versions. The developers built the game from the ground up and it shows, the graphics are neck and neck with its PSP forefather. Ace Combat Xi sports some of the tightest accelerometer and touch screen controls seen on an iPhone game to date. Featuring an original story exclusive to iPhone, players can again join a fictional nation’s air force (here the ‘Falco Squadron’) and take off towards a make believe neighboring nation’s enemy-infested skies in real world aircraft. The familiar sights and sounds give no doubt that this game is Ace Combat and Namco has made sure that everything you liked about the console version is here, it’s just that there is not that much of it. Some will argue they would have waited another couple of months and bought a longer game for 10 bucks, but I counter that I am glad to have the foundation of an amazing title in my hands now for five.
What's in your hanger?
Namco pushes the graphical capabilities of the iPhone/iPod Touch hardware to the limit, as the game looks incredible on the 3G S. Terrain looks great except when you are close enough to crash into it. Firing your guns over the water shows realistic surface splashes when they hit the ocean. Players can fly through beautiful vistas made from real satellite imaging provided by the Japan Space Imaging Corporation. The game deftly uses the hardware’s accelerometer tilt control to replicate joystick movement, while weapon controls are placed on screen ready to unleash when engaging the enemy fighters. Once you get comfortable with the on screen button layout, the game becomes second nature to play. You can press around the weapon indicators making it much easier to fire a missile or open your cannons by not having to hit a precise small area of the screen. If you get twisted up in flight, you can use the onscreen level indicator, and keep your bearings by always returning the dot to center. Namco has wisely instituted a calibration mode where you can fix your own desired playing angle by holding the phone where you want it and pressing the center icon. You are then shown your targeting display to gauge if you are satisfied with the results. You can even pause the game and recalibrate during a dog-fight, a must for a game that relies so heavily on the tilt controls. My advice is to simply lay the iPhone on a table when you press the icon, this produces good results almost every time. Advance mode features an virtual joystick that acts as a yaw control and has an autopilot button to help you even out, but you can find yourself playing ‘finger-Twister’ in this mode. It is nice that it has been included, and hard core players will want to use it while they play on hard difficulty while rookie pilots can jump right in with novice controls .
This is your flight school.
If you thought this game would be as long as the PSP version, that 5 dollar price tag should have been a definite red flag. If you were thinking that maybe Namco loved you and was packing a full length game into your iPhone for the price of a super sized happy meal, think again. There are only 5 levels and they are short and very easy. There are no boss fights, nor the ability to open up new levels after completing the initial offerings. Namco has instituted the pay-as-you-go model here, where the game engine itself is relatively inexpensive, but they are going to go the micro-transaction route for users to get the full game by spending your way there. Already available for $0.99 cents each are the Su-27, Typhoon, Su-37, Su-47, & S-32 aircraft. I am a proponent of the ‘buy-what-you-like’ system so as to not force the full game on people, and five bucks is really not bad for the quality of the game you get, but know this going in. I estimate that having a full complement of levels and a bustling hanger will wind up costing another $20 bucks, but even at $25 dollars this will still be in range of the PSP version, of which this game is equal quality.
I guess you decided to make war instead.
The five campaign missions are re-playable in Free Mission mode once you clear them. Easy and Normal are available at the outset, Hard mode and a few extra planes kick in after you beat the game on both. For most Ace Combat fans this will take less than 15 minutes on Easy and another 20 on Normal. Options allows you to change the Display settings so you can adjust your HUD viewpoint and change the scale (MPH or metric). You can, as usual, adjust the levels for BGM, Sound Effects, and Voice separately to create your own mix. At launch, you are given a short back-story of the war (text only, those sad oil paintings from the console are absent) and then a goal is set. You are debriefed on the number of air, ground, and sea targets upcoming and how many you must destroy. You start out with 3 planes in your hanger: XR-45, YR-302 Fregata, and XFA-24A Apalis (my personal favorite) and you start off in flight. This is an arcade sim, there are no take-off or landings involved. Each level will require you to down a certain amount of targets before a time limit is reached, but even for the worst players this should not be an issue. On screen indicators let you know where the enemy is both via radar and pointers, and you are free to tackle enemies any way you choose. Guns are somewhat useless in these opening missions and you will find yourself steadying your sights for missile lock regularly.
Visit exotic locales, meet interesting people, and kill them all.
As long as you are cool with the fact that Ace Combat Xi is just a beginning to what looks to be a DLC-driven title, then you won’t be disappointed, the game is amazing and a blast to play – it’s just very, very short. Once a few mission packs come out that you can use your new $.99 cent planes with, I can see more people jumping on board, especially if boss-type enemy craft and terrain with depth is added. As it stands now, this is just a taste of the best dog fighting game available on the iPhone, period.
