Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for PlayStation 2 Reviews by Gamers

Fans of aerial warfare have always turned to the Ace Combat series. Since the mid 90s, no other console game has offered anything quite like it. Sure, PC flight nuts are quick to note that Namco's series isn't really a flight simulation. And, for the most part, they'd be right. But if you ever found yourself craving aerial glory and didn't have a PC gaming rig, then Ace Combat offered a mean dish of sky-based action.





And it looks as though there's plenty of fuel left. Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is the sixth game in the series. With so many titles under the same label, certain issues invariably pop up. Non-fans, for instance, can't tell the difference between Ace Combat 4 and Ace Combat 5. From a visual standpoint, even fans may have a hard time distinguishing between the two. In terms of design and advancement, Namco has slowly evolved the series as opposed to offering something entirely new with each installment.





It's no different with Zero. Like its predecessors, it enhances the core experience without offering a massive shift in design. That's a good and bad thing. Fans obviously don't want the formula messed with too much, while those looking to suit up for the first time may be waiting for that one change or enhancement to get them airborne. And while Zero does in fact boast a slew of new elements, none of them carry the kind of weight to change the direction of console flight games. Instead, Zero takes the evolution route once again. Meaning, of course, that it plays like a cross between flight simulation and arcade game.





You'll notice slight modifications to the engine, but overall, the game plays the same. At least when dealing with actual flight mechanics. Would-be pilots need to master a list of combat maneuvers to survive any encounter, from the first mission to the last. If you can't bank, roll and tear your way through a swarm of missiles, you're as good as dead. Learning how to dogfight effectively, regardless of weather conditions and number of opponents (and allies), will decide whether you fly home or wind up buried in a crater. And, honestly, virtual pilots simply wouldn't have it any other way.





Mastering the sky only solves half your problems, though, as Zero forces you to deal with an array of ground forces. Depending on the mission and terrain, you'll need to maneuver through clouds of anti-aircraft fire and ground-to-air missiles. Certain weapons, like laser towers, wouldn't look out of place in a science fiction movie. Regardless of the weapon, though, there's little hope for anyone who can't deal with a mixture of ground and air targets. There's just no way. In other words, success hinges on your skills as a lethal multitasker, and truthfully, it always has.





Apart from wicked-cool combat, it's story that helps differentiate the Ace Combat series from other console flight games. Zero is no different. It never feels like you're flying a pointless string of missions for no other reason than to blow stuff up. Instead, you take to the skies for a cause. And surprisingly, it actually feels like your accomplishments matter in the game world. There's a genuine sense of momentum and urgency as you and your allies work to liberate nations and help stop a global threat. In terms of actual narrative, it won't win any writing awards. And the dialogue is characteristically corny, but it works nonetheless and serves to propel an engaging tale of modern warfare.





Fortunately, Namco did more than just offer a compelling story. It added a bevy of improvements, helping Zero feel decidedly fresh -- even unique among its predecessors. Chief among these improvements deals with multiplayer. Specifically, the fact that Zero actually has multiplayer. It's been one of those requested features and now it's actually here. And it's just about everything fans could want. Through seven available stages, you can basically choose whatever type of combat situation you want. You can opt for a simple one-on-one dogfight scenario just as easily as a cooperative raid against an enemy installation.





It's only two-player, and the game only includes the option for split-screen play, but it's so fun you probably won't care. There's little else more satisfying than tearing through the skies with a live wingman, and Zero simply nails this in its multiplayer mode. What's more, the variety of available scenarios offers something for everyone. Although it's a safe bet one of the stages, in which each live player leads a squadron of AI-controlled planes into battle against the other, will probably wind up as the all-time favorite. In short, it's just what flight flans have wanted to see in an Ace Combat title. Now, if only you could fly against live pilots on the other side of the country…





Developers didn't stop with the addition of multiplayer. They also included rival aces -- predators of the sky that appear mid-mission and greatly affect the flow of a given battle. You'll face several of these squadrons throughout the course of the game. Each of them uses tricked-out fighters with unique coloring and insignias. And you'll know when they've entered your air space since they each have their own intro sequence. Talk about intimidation. And yes, they know how to fly. Ace Combat has always been a difficult series, but damn this takes things to a different level altogether. You can easily spend 20-30 minutes completing a set of objectives, then the following 10 minutes just trying to shoot down a pair of aces.





This addition comes as a blessing and a curse. On the upside, it's downright exciting squaring off against a band of killers. These aces show up when you least expect it, and usually it makes you damn nervous. Which brings up the negative. Since they're so hard to defeat, it really sucks blasting through a lengthy, complicated mission only to die at the hand of an ace. Sure, there's nothing wrong with a little challenge, but when you're forced to replay a 30-minute mission a few times, you'll crave a checkpoint system or some other kind of assistance. Oh, and as improved as AI is in Zero, both on the allied and enemy fronts, your teammates just don't cut it against aces. In most circumstances they wind up feeling useless.





Apart from adding rival aces and multiplayer, not to mention improving AI across the board, Namco also added variety to the missions you'll fly. There's really not much you can do with a flight sim, though, given that most missions usually involve shooting or protecting things. But Zero does a fine job of at least mixing up the scenarios so things feel fresh.





You'll find yourself shooting down ground targets to protect parachuting troops in one mission, then you'll be weaving through laser fire in another trying to destroy a communications array. One mission has you liberating a small country by clearing enemy forces from a string of bridges. As you take more and more bridges, you'll hear riotous crowds in your cockpit headset from those you've liberated. Little things like that go a long way to enhance the illusion that you're actually working toward some grand goal.









©2006-04-21, IGN Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved