Written by John Edward Betancourt There's been many a game I've played in my day and for the most part our strong sense of nostalgia has brought back some of my favorites over the years. The entire Mortal Kombat trilogy is on my Xbox, I can enjoy Lucasarts' The Dig thanks to Steam, but some games seem to be lost forever.
One such game that I miss playing because well, the technology is no longer available to play it is one of my all time favorites, the awesome and epic, Star Trek: The Next Generation - 'A Final Unity'. Released in 1995 by Spectrum Holobyte, this game was a celebration of one of the hottest shows on television. One thing that made this game instantly awesome was the fact that the original cast came aboard to reprise their roles. At the time, this was a huge deal and it made an already promising game that much more enriching. But it goes beyond top notch performances from the cast, the game played out perfectly like an episode of the show complete with (at the time) cutting edge cinematic cut scenes and well, the story was engrossing. It revolved around the hunt for the mysterious Unity Device, created by an ancient race known as the Chodak. This device was something of great power, able to control all of time and space. So naturally, with a plot like that, the stakes were high in this game, leading to plenty of action and adventure and some impressive space battles, which leads to one of the other enjoyable aspects of the game, the amount of freedom you had to control the Enterprise. You could set up the game to do everything for you, or you could manually set a course, plot your transporter coordinates, hand pick the away team, and take Worf's station in battle. The only complaint I guess I have about this game, was that you never quite had the chance to explore the ship outside of a video tutorial and that's a shame. It would have been so cool to wander the halls of this majestic ship, but it's not something that will upset you. After all the adventure is either on the bridge or on a planet and that alone is engrossing enough to make you okay with the fact you don't get to poke around Main Engineering. Either way, this is another incredible game from an incredible era and I do hope someone (looking at you, Steam) resurrects it soon.
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Written by John Edward Betancourt A Happy Ninth Anniversary to ‘Star Trek Online’  I’ve come to learn through the years that anniversaries hold different meanings for people. Some see them as supremely negative since they remind a person of something sorrowful that happened in their lives, while others revel in celebrating them since they bring about wonderful memories and personally…I’m good with both good and bad anniversaries, simply due to the fact that they represent important milestones in my life, period and anniversaries are on my mind today because the Ninth Anniversary of Star Trek Online is upon us.
Of course, I’m sure you’re wondering why exactly I would compare this game to personal memories that can bring a smile to one’s face or a tear to one’s eye and we will get to that in a moment. Because first and foremost, we need to celebrate this game’s anniversary and talk about the fact that a nine-year anniversary for a game is quite the incredible feat in this day and age. For these days, games come and go, and we are constantly hearing about the next hot one that is taking the world by storm, but this one…this one keeps on chugging and that’s due in large part to the fact that it offers something so much more for its players. Because this is a game that offers up a wonderful community for those who log on by allowing for players to share in adventures by way of the fleets that they can join, and while I’ve not taken part in that myself, I’ve seen what fleets can offer in game. For on several occasions I’ve seen members of a respective fleet meeting up at Earth Spacedock to make plans, and I’ve seen them all working together in combat to vanquish a foe, and heck, I’ve even run into friends I know in real life at ESD myself and chatted it up before heading out on a mission. And I know precisely what you’re thinking, that something in that vein is pretty standard stuff for an MMO/RPG and I’m silly for thinking it’s special, but hear me out for a moment, because it connects to the biggest reason why this game is so successful; the fact that it is the only real immersive Star Trek experience out there. Which matters because teamwork and unity are all principles of this saga, as is working together toward a common goal and that immersion is why I’ve been dedicated to playing and writing about this game for years now, because it is quite literally, a dream come true. Because those of us who grew up watching the shows and the movies and wanted nothing more than to sit in that chair and travel through the stars get to do that now, and we get to be part of a magnificent universe that continues to grow and it’s just magical to be a part of a community that loves the saga as much as I do, and to immerse myself in a universe that was limited to my imagination growing up. Plus, there is a supremely personal reason why this game has deeper meaning for me as well, because the first year that I really started playing it, was a tough year personally for me, and it was quite helpful mentally, to just log on and lose myself into a galaxy full of hope and positivity, because sometimes you need to escape from the madness of the world and well, if this blog has been a touch too mushy and gooey for your liking than I apologize, but I stand by all my nerdy ramblings. Because any game that can accomplish the feats we just discussed for nine years running, deserves that kind of fawning. So, on that note, here’s to the Ninth Anniversary of Star Trek Online, and here’s to many more, and I cannot thank the people behind the scenes enough for giving every player out there, a chance to step into a future we’ve all been waiting for… Written by John Edward Betancourt A Return to Task Force Operations  One thing that a lot of people don’t know about me, is that I am actually quite the naval history buff. I love learning about the history of ships that have served, and of course, about all the battles they’ve fought in because naval combat is downright fascinating. It’s simply a violent form of art since so much thought and care goes into how these giant vessels battle one another on the water and my love of this style of combat and everything that goes into it, extends far beyond the real world and into the science fiction realm as well.
Because I’ve seen some beautiful and stunning battles in space throughout the years, the kind that were clearly influenced by our own world and our own naval history and that’s also why I’m such a fan of Star Trek Online. For the combat in this particular game, allows for the user to either go the quick route and put together a powerful arsenal, the kind the that will quite literally rip an opponent to shreds, or allow for the player to take their time in combat, and work out a little strategy to defeating their opponents and by now I’m sure you’ve figured out, that the latter option is where my mind tends to thrive. There’s just something supremely satisfying about being able to carefully take your time to defeat your opponent and look for weaknesses in their shields or their attack style and while I know Trek stands for more than just mere combat and conflict, it’s hard to not dive bow first into battle infested waters and scheme your way to explosive victory. So, as I continue to explore this game and all it has to offer, I realized it was high time to dig deeper into what kinds of combat situations are available in this game and that prompted me to return to the world of Task Force Operations, where combat is king. Now, I’ve spoken about TFO briefly before in The Admiral’s Log, specifically how it’s entertaining to me since I’m not required to join a fleet temporarily and that there’s no need to coordinate an attack in multiplayer fashion and having that freedom actually made round two of TFO quite liberating and downright fun because once the mission got underway, I was able to assess the situation and formulate my own combat strategy and man, that made for some satisfying combat to say the least, since I was able to strike where needed, intercept incoming light vessels before they could cause any harm and face off against incredible odds in Borg themed missions. However, what truly made me enjoy TFO this time around, was the temporary addition of The Battle of the Binary Stars from Star Trek: Discovery, wherein I was placed in a ‘simulation’ of this all-important battle, and even given an early 23rd Century vessel to fit in properly. And man, it was just cool to re-live Federation history and take part in one of the bloodiest battles of the Klingon/Federation War and do my part to have a little more success than Starfleet did the first time around and this was truly a mission that required strategy and patience to accomplish the goals the game outlines for you. If anything, these TFO missions are starting to become quite addicting, and I’m already planning to dive into more in the weeks to come, because they truly satisfy a need in my mind since they allow for the player to enjoy whatever style of combat suits them best and I really am hoping that the creators of the game, add new historical TFO missions to the game down the line. Because let’s be honest, who wouldn’t want to take part in the Battle of Wolf 359? Or the First and Second Battle of Chin’toka? Or help Captain Sisko punch the Defiant through enemy lines to complete Operation: Return? In the meantime however, I’ll simply delight myself with more battles against the Borg, or take part in combat laden rescue missions because this part of the game really is a blast to say the least and it will do a fine job of keeping me busy for the next couple of weeks until ‘Mirror of Discovery’ arrives on consoles… Written by John Edward Betancourt Journey’s End: |
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The first game in the series released on the Playstation console in 1995. Despite being titled Ace Combat in Japan, it was called Air Combat in North America. Previously released as an arcade game, it introduced many of the gameplay aspects that would become pillars of the series, from the roster of aircraft spanning many countries and plane generations to the objectives of the missions themselves. Although it lacked the special weapons and more detailed controls of later games, it did set the groundwork for the unique playstyle of the series with the quick, flashy lightness of an arcade game mixed with the control and precision of a simulator. Fun Fact: a mobile version of this was developed in 2005 for the ‘Namco Service,’ game distribution service. This was only available in Japan, however, and vanished alongside the Namco Service in 2006.
Ace Combat 2, other than incrementing the graphics and environments in the ways typically expected of a sequel, also introduced some new staple features to the series. The plot was more closely tied to the player character and their supporting wingmen, who were given more personality than the generic helper plane from the first game. It was the first game to introduce futuristic fictional aircraft, and we’ve seen at least one sci-fi-like fictional plane as an available unlock in all of the main entries since. Ace Combat 2 is also the first game of the series to introduce ‘Ace Pilots,’ these specially named enemy aircraft, usually one per level, are far more deadly and dangerous than typical enemies and sometimes hidden in out of the way places. Finding and shooting them down will unlock their special unique paint job for the plane they were flying.
This entry in the series also sees the introduction of Usea, a fictional continent in the Ace Combat universe, which would return in later games. The next two main entries would both be set on this continent, and it would eventually be one of many in the Ace Combat fictional world of Strangereal. This world is really just Earth with its landmasses rearranged and new political entities drawn onto them. These countries and the natural laws of Strangereal are grounded in the real world, providing Strangereal with a comfortable framework of familiarity through which players can immerse themselves in the wartime machinations of fictional nations. The countries of Strangereal are based on real world nations and some, like Sapin or the Union of Yuktobanian Republics, bear close cosmetic resemblances to real-world entities. However, most Strangereal nations are a mixture of cultural, military, social and economic histories from a variety of real-world countries.
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere remains, to this day, distinct from the rest of the numbered entries in the franchise.
Ace Combat 3 is a bit of a break from the otherwise natural progression from the original to Ace Combat 4. While the 1st, 2nd, and 4th games present a natural progression of a game series, with each entry bringing bigger environments, more aircraft, better graphics, and more polish and detail, Electrosphere does this while also taking a great narrative deviation, and more firmly drawing on elements of other Japanese media. Sticking with Strangereal and the Usean continent from the 2nd game, 3 jumps far forward in time to present a cyberpunk-inspired corporate future, where two dominant companies are about to go to war, a future version of the United Nations is doing its best to mitigate the conflict, and a terrorist organization attempting to force the human race forward into some new form, supposedly free of human flesh and desires. The plot and setting took great inspiration from popular works like Ghost in the Shell, and even worked with Production I.G., the animation studio responsible for famous sci-fi works like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, FLCL, and End of Evangelion.
One of the many unique features of Ace Combat 3 is its branching story, driven by player choice. Depending on which of the four organizations the player swears allegiance to, what missions they undertake, and which objectives they complete, players can access five different endings. Upon completion of all endings, it is revealed the player is an Artificial Intelligence in a simulation being run by a scientist to determine possible outcomes of a choice he is considering. To help facilitate this, Ace Combat 3 allows the player to fail certain missions or objectives but still continue to the next mission, as the consequences of your actions play out in the story.
In keeping with its futuristic setting and sci-fi inspirations, Electrosphere has many more fictional aircraft than other games in the series, some of which are simply futuristic imaginings of present-day planes (the F-22 Raptor is extrapolated into the F-22C Raptor II, for example,) while others are completely new original designs. One level even takes place in space, with physics changing appropriately to accommodate the zero-gravity of the environment.
Ace Combat 3 is still infamous among fans for its Localization debacle: partway through the localization process, localization efforts were cancelled, resulting in only a partial experience being sold outside of Japan, with different and fewer missions and a watered-down story. Electrosphere would sell worse than either of its predecessors, especially internationally. Whether this is due to how steeped in Japanese media culture the story and world were or to the abrupt cancellation of localization efforts for all versions outside Japan is unclear, but it was perhaps these lukewarm sales that nudged developer Project Aces to return to a more modern setting and more general appeal with subsequent entries. To this day, Ace Combat 3 localization efforts are ongoing by fans, in an attempt to finally bring the full story experience to English-language fans, and to make the full story available outside Japan. The Head of Project Aces has said that completing the localization of Electrosphere and releasing it would be more difficult than re-releasing the entire next three games combined, so Electrosphere is unlikely to see the light of day again, unless fan efforts bear fruit. It is a testament to uniqueness and influence of Electrosphere that fans continue their efforts to this day, devoted and unwavering.
Ace Combat 2, other than incrementing the graphics and environments in the ways typically expected of a sequel, also introduced some new staple features to the series. The plot was more closely tied to the player character and their supporting wingmen, who were given more personality than the generic helper plane from the first game. It was the first game to introduce futuristic fictional aircraft, and we’ve seen at least one sci-fi-like fictional plane as an available unlock in all of the main entries since. Ace Combat 2 is also the first game of the series to introduce ‘Ace Pilots,’ these specially named enemy aircraft, usually one per level, are far more deadly and dangerous than typical enemies and sometimes hidden in out of the way places. Finding and shooting them down will unlock their special unique paint job for the plane they were flying.
This entry in the series also sees the introduction of Usea, a fictional continent in the Ace Combat universe, which would return in later games. The next two main entries would both be set on this continent, and it would eventually be one of many in the Ace Combat fictional world of Strangereal. This world is really just Earth with its landmasses rearranged and new political entities drawn onto them. These countries and the natural laws of Strangereal are grounded in the real world, providing Strangereal with a comfortable framework of familiarity through which players can immerse themselves in the wartime machinations of fictional nations. The countries of Strangereal are based on real world nations and some, like Sapin or the Union of Yuktobanian Republics, bear close cosmetic resemblances to real-world entities. However, most Strangereal nations are a mixture of cultural, military, social and economic histories from a variety of real-world countries.
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere remains, to this day, distinct from the rest of the numbered entries in the franchise.
Ace Combat 3 is a bit of a break from the otherwise natural progression from the original to Ace Combat 4. While the 1st, 2nd, and 4th games present a natural progression of a game series, with each entry bringing bigger environments, more aircraft, better graphics, and more polish and detail, Electrosphere does this while also taking a great narrative deviation, and more firmly drawing on elements of other Japanese media. Sticking with Strangereal and the Usean continent from the 2nd game, 3 jumps far forward in time to present a cyberpunk-inspired corporate future, where two dominant companies are about to go to war, a future version of the United Nations is doing its best to mitigate the conflict, and a terrorist organization attempting to force the human race forward into some new form, supposedly free of human flesh and desires. The plot and setting took great inspiration from popular works like Ghost in the Shell, and even worked with Production I.G., the animation studio responsible for famous sci-fi works like Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, FLCL, and End of Evangelion.
One of the many unique features of Ace Combat 3 is its branching story, driven by player choice. Depending on which of the four organizations the player swears allegiance to, what missions they undertake, and which objectives they complete, players can access five different endings. Upon completion of all endings, it is revealed the player is an Artificial Intelligence in a simulation being run by a scientist to determine possible outcomes of a choice he is considering. To help facilitate this, Ace Combat 3 allows the player to fail certain missions or objectives but still continue to the next mission, as the consequences of your actions play out in the story.
In keeping with its futuristic setting and sci-fi inspirations, Electrosphere has many more fictional aircraft than other games in the series, some of which are simply futuristic imaginings of present-day planes (the F-22 Raptor is extrapolated into the F-22C Raptor II, for example,) while others are completely new original designs. One level even takes place in space, with physics changing appropriately to accommodate the zero-gravity of the environment.
Ace Combat 3 is still infamous among fans for its Localization debacle: partway through the localization process, localization efforts were cancelled, resulting in only a partial experience being sold outside of Japan, with different and fewer missions and a watered-down story. Electrosphere would sell worse than either of its predecessors, especially internationally. Whether this is due to how steeped in Japanese media culture the story and world were or to the abrupt cancellation of localization efforts for all versions outside Japan is unclear, but it was perhaps these lukewarm sales that nudged developer Project Aces to return to a more modern setting and more general appeal with subsequent entries. To this day, Ace Combat 3 localization efforts are ongoing by fans, in an attempt to finally bring the full story experience to English-language fans, and to make the full story available outside Japan. The Head of Project Aces has said that completing the localization of Electrosphere and releasing it would be more difficult than re-releasing the entire next three games combined, so Electrosphere is unlikely to see the light of day again, unless fan efforts bear fruit. It is a testament to uniqueness and influence of Electrosphere that fans continue their efforts to this day, devoted and unwavering.
The Holy Trinity:
Ace Combat 4, Ace Combat 5, and Ace Combat Zero
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With Ace Combat 4, (stylized as Ace Combat 04) the franchise moved onto the next generation of consoles. Releasing on the Playstation 2 in November 2001 in North American, and subtitled ‘Shattered Skies,’ (but subtitled in Europe as ‘Distant Thunder,’) Ace Combat 04 is the first of what is often referred to by fans as the ‘Holy Trinity’ of Ace Combat games: the three considered by many to be the best of the series. The new hardware of the PS2 made possible a major graphical improvement that leaves us with aircraft models that still look good today, and the large, target-filled maps and magnificent soundtrack enhanced and expanded the core Ace Combat gameplay experience into the standard by which other entries of the console generation would be judged. The huge, sprawling levels filled with multitudes of enemies created a grand sense of scale for the combat. However, specific squadron wingmen did not appear in this entry, and the ability to give wingman commands vanished with them. Ace Combat 4 is also the first game to feature a Return Line which can be crossed during missions to return to an airbase or aircraft carrier. Successfully landing and taking off from these will repair damage to your plane and refill your weapons. This new mechanic helped facilitate longer missions on larger maps filled with a greater-than-usual number of enemy targets.
The story, set once again on the continent of Usea, revolved around the country of Erusea, on the western coast, invading all its neighboring nations and attempting to conquer the entire continent. It also introduced us to ‘The Ulysses Event,’ a major world-altering event which took place in Strangereal when a massive asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere, breaking apart as it did so and causing major destruction in several parts of the globe. In addition to creating scenic craters which litter our games’ levels, the Ulysses Disaster also acts as a catalyst for many political events, some of which would lead to the wars we participate in over the coming games. In the case of Ace Combat 4, the countries of Usea built a circular network of railguns designed to shoot asteroids out of the sky called Stonehenge. Erusea, recognizing its potential as an anti-aircraft weapon, took control of Stonehenge and used it to achieve air superiority over the mainland continent, and press that advantage to assist their land conquest. Much of the story revolves around Stonehenge and Erusea’s elite Yellow Squadron, who defend the railguns.
The main story of Ace Combat 4 actually splits its focus. While the player fights their way through the war, tracking the allied nations defense and eventual liberation of the continent, between missions are interludes telling the story of a boy living in an occupied city. These beautiful, artistic interludes inject a note of perspective and humanity into the war, as events unfold in the boy’s life as a direct result of the player character’s actions in the war. As the story progresses, the player and the ‘Storyteller Boy’ begin to merge, moving closer and closer until the game’s climax. Ultimately, Ace Combat 4’s huge levels, wide selection of aircraft and weaponry, touching story, and captivating soundtrack combined to make a standout game which catapulted the franchise onto the PS2.
Ace Combat 5 followed only three years after 04, releasing in October 2004. Like its predecessor, it had different titles for North America and Europe: The Unsung War and Squadron Leader, respectively. It branched out from the standard continent of Usea to deal with one of the larger nations in Strangereal: Osea. Casting Osea as a rough analogue to the United States, a nation called the Union of Yuktobanian Republics as a rough analogue to the Soviet Union, and the country of Belka as a rough analogue to Germany, (albeit still taking place in the present day,) the opening cinematic tells a tale of the two superpowers of Yuktobania and Osea (along with several allied nations,) crushing Belka’s last great attempt to conquer the world. The game begins fifteen years after this war, as strange military events and a series of mysterious attacks set Osea and Yuktobania on the path to war against each other. Unlike Ace Combat 4, the story of Ace Combat 5 takes place centered around the player character and their squadron of allies, who fly with you into combat once again as wingmen and wingmen commands make their return to the series. In keeping with the series’ themes, no fewer than three different superweapons appear throughout the campaign.
Although the gameplay was very similar to 04, it added interesting new flourishes like first-person storytelling (including a moment when you eject from your aircraft,) and aircraft restrictions for certain missions. (Missions that see you launch from an aircraft carrier limit you to using only the carrier-capable aircraft in your inventory, for example.) And, of course, the return of Wingmen and Wingmen commands, as mentioned earlier. In addition to fleshing out your squadron-mates as the main characters of the story, Ace Combat 5 gave you a way to interact with them, albeit a limited one. Throughout missions, the player receives yes/no questions, and get to answer them with the same buttons used to give wingman commands (or stay silent, if preferred.) Your responses elicit different responses from the other characters, providing flavor, story snippets, and character background. Ace Combat 5 also had two points where your mission path would diverge - your response to a particular question determining your next one or two missions. Additionally, there was one new wrinkle to purchasing new aircraft: having enough money could purchase base aircraft, with their variants (each equipped with different special weapons) only unlocked by getting enough points with the base aircraft. In this way, you had to get to know a plane thoroughly before you were allowed to fly all its different versions. Ace Combat 5 also came with a bonus Arcade Mode that let you play as Mobius 1, the player character from Ace Combat 04, as they cleaned up the last remnant Erusian holdouts from that game’s war.
Ace Combat 5 is considered by many to be the peak of the franchise - its centrally focused and plot-twisty story, the variety of missions, the in-mission storytelling, and the broader world it built and characters it introduced have given it a lasting place in many players hearts, and the worldbuilding especially has let Ace Combat 5 leave fingerprints on many subsequent titles.
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War was the final PS2 entry and brought the ‘Holy Trinity’ to completion. In keeping with its out-of-order number, the game’s plot acts as a tie-in prequel to the Ace Combat 5, (for a specific example, the music during Zero’s climactic battle uses lyrics from 5’s climax, and reprises many of the same musical themes,) although Zero’s story stands on its own if you’re unfamiliar with the other game.
New to Ace Combat Zero, however, was a gameplay mechanic called The Ace Style Gauge. This was intertwined with another new mechanic: optional targets. During missions, you would encounter optional targets - storage buildings, disarmed or disabled enemy vehicles, or ancillary facilities. Rather than appearing red like enemies or green like allies, these were displayed in yellow. Destroying them earned you more points, (and therefore more money with which to buy new weapons and aircraft,) but would also influence your standing on the Ace Style Gauge. Sparing optional targets would slide you towards the honorable ranking of ‘Knight,’ who upheld noble standards of honorable warfare and flight. Destroying them would push you towards the ruthless ‘Mercenary,’ who would do anything for a greater payout and a more fearsome legend. Balancing the two would label you a ‘Soldier,’ who could read the tide of battle and respond as necessary to changing situations.
The Ace Style Gauge wasn’t just for flavor, however. Throughout the story of Ace Combat Zero, certain missions would see you encountering particularly tough enemy ‘Ace Squadrons,’ with unique emblems, paint jobs, and who were much tougher than other enemies in the level. While some of these Ace Squadrons were set in stone, others were determined by your position on the Ace Style Gauge. These characters will all fly different planes, use different weapons, and use different tactics against you. Further, the story is told through a series of interviews as a reporter speaks to people who encountered the player character during the war. Which Ace Squadrons you fly against determines which survivors the reporter speaks to, which determines what cutscenes you see, what story information you learn, and how you are remembered by history. Unlike Ace Combat 3, where your player choices determined the outcome of the story, in Zero the main story events remain the same, and instead the people you encounter and the postwar lives they lead are determined by your actions on the battlefield. The Ace Style Gauge and selectable story are less about rewriting history than they are about forging your own legend; the focus shifted from the global stage to the postwar roles of the actors who carried out a war.
One of the largest changes was the inclusion of different ‘Operations’ for certain missions. Several story missions were part of larger, multi-stage military operations, and players have the option to select which section of the mission they will undertake. In one mission, for example, where the larger military goal is to help a new aircraft carrier safely transit a canal, there are three Operations to select: destroying enemy forces guarding the canal, cripple the enemy naval force waiting to ambush your allies on the far side of the canal, or stay with the carrier itself, protecting it from any remaining enemy forces after the other two operations have completed. Selecting one of these operations effectively means there are three optional levels on the same map, each with their own challenges and optional targets and therefore allowing for a measure of replayability. There was real aesthetic consistency, too: if you select the third option to escort the carrier, for example, you will see the wreckage and destroyed remains of the other two operations: fires and damage along the canal, and sunken enemy ships on the far side. These options helped to spice up multiple playthroughs, (which you are also encouraged to do in order to change your Ace Style Gauge, meet all the enemy Ace Squadrons, and see all the stories,) and they would return in a more smoothly-integrated way in Ace Combat 6.
While The Belkan War’s focus on player choice and individual characters may have meant the larger war story was less visible, (not helped by the addition of a deeply-woven and far-reaching conspiracy, the remnants of which were driving the plot of Ace Combat 5,) many players appreciated the tighter focus and emphasis on player choice, and the new features proved that Project Aces was not running out of steam or ideas, but could forge ahead strongly with new Ace Combat content and was not going to let the games get stale.
Overall, the Holy Trinity of Ace Combat 04, Ace Combat 5, and Ace Combat Zero represents the pinnacle of the series for many fans. Unfortunately, whatever bright future was planned had to be delayed. As we will see, some behind-the-scenes issues would mean stepping off this successful path and onto some shaky footing, but Project Aces’ determination, flexibility, and mindfulness would manage to carry the Ace Combat Franchise through the storm, and have it come out with some important lessons learned and even some fun new additions.
The story, set once again on the continent of Usea, revolved around the country of Erusea, on the western coast, invading all its neighboring nations and attempting to conquer the entire continent. It also introduced us to ‘The Ulysses Event,’ a major world-altering event which took place in Strangereal when a massive asteroid entered Earth’s atmosphere, breaking apart as it did so and causing major destruction in several parts of the globe. In addition to creating scenic craters which litter our games’ levels, the Ulysses Disaster also acts as a catalyst for many political events, some of which would lead to the wars we participate in over the coming games. In the case of Ace Combat 4, the countries of Usea built a circular network of railguns designed to shoot asteroids out of the sky called Stonehenge. Erusea, recognizing its potential as an anti-aircraft weapon, took control of Stonehenge and used it to achieve air superiority over the mainland continent, and press that advantage to assist their land conquest. Much of the story revolves around Stonehenge and Erusea’s elite Yellow Squadron, who defend the railguns.
The main story of Ace Combat 4 actually splits its focus. While the player fights their way through the war, tracking the allied nations defense and eventual liberation of the continent, between missions are interludes telling the story of a boy living in an occupied city. These beautiful, artistic interludes inject a note of perspective and humanity into the war, as events unfold in the boy’s life as a direct result of the player character’s actions in the war. As the story progresses, the player and the ‘Storyteller Boy’ begin to merge, moving closer and closer until the game’s climax. Ultimately, Ace Combat 4’s huge levels, wide selection of aircraft and weaponry, touching story, and captivating soundtrack combined to make a standout game which catapulted the franchise onto the PS2.
Ace Combat 5 followed only three years after 04, releasing in October 2004. Like its predecessor, it had different titles for North America and Europe: The Unsung War and Squadron Leader, respectively. It branched out from the standard continent of Usea to deal with one of the larger nations in Strangereal: Osea. Casting Osea as a rough analogue to the United States, a nation called the Union of Yuktobanian Republics as a rough analogue to the Soviet Union, and the country of Belka as a rough analogue to Germany, (albeit still taking place in the present day,) the opening cinematic tells a tale of the two superpowers of Yuktobania and Osea (along with several allied nations,) crushing Belka’s last great attempt to conquer the world. The game begins fifteen years after this war, as strange military events and a series of mysterious attacks set Osea and Yuktobania on the path to war against each other. Unlike Ace Combat 4, the story of Ace Combat 5 takes place centered around the player character and their squadron of allies, who fly with you into combat once again as wingmen and wingmen commands make their return to the series. In keeping with the series’ themes, no fewer than three different superweapons appear throughout the campaign.
Although the gameplay was very similar to 04, it added interesting new flourishes like first-person storytelling (including a moment when you eject from your aircraft,) and aircraft restrictions for certain missions. (Missions that see you launch from an aircraft carrier limit you to using only the carrier-capable aircraft in your inventory, for example.) And, of course, the return of Wingmen and Wingmen commands, as mentioned earlier. In addition to fleshing out your squadron-mates as the main characters of the story, Ace Combat 5 gave you a way to interact with them, albeit a limited one. Throughout missions, the player receives yes/no questions, and get to answer them with the same buttons used to give wingman commands (or stay silent, if preferred.) Your responses elicit different responses from the other characters, providing flavor, story snippets, and character background. Ace Combat 5 also had two points where your mission path would diverge - your response to a particular question determining your next one or two missions. Additionally, there was one new wrinkle to purchasing new aircraft: having enough money could purchase base aircraft, with their variants (each equipped with different special weapons) only unlocked by getting enough points with the base aircraft. In this way, you had to get to know a plane thoroughly before you were allowed to fly all its different versions. Ace Combat 5 also came with a bonus Arcade Mode that let you play as Mobius 1, the player character from Ace Combat 04, as they cleaned up the last remnant Erusian holdouts from that game’s war.
Ace Combat 5 is considered by many to be the peak of the franchise - its centrally focused and plot-twisty story, the variety of missions, the in-mission storytelling, and the broader world it built and characters it introduced have given it a lasting place in many players hearts, and the worldbuilding especially has let Ace Combat 5 leave fingerprints on many subsequent titles.
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War was the final PS2 entry and brought the ‘Holy Trinity’ to completion. In keeping with its out-of-order number, the game’s plot acts as a tie-in prequel to the Ace Combat 5, (for a specific example, the music during Zero’s climactic battle uses lyrics from 5’s climax, and reprises many of the same musical themes,) although Zero’s story stands on its own if you’re unfamiliar with the other game.
New to Ace Combat Zero, however, was a gameplay mechanic called The Ace Style Gauge. This was intertwined with another new mechanic: optional targets. During missions, you would encounter optional targets - storage buildings, disarmed or disabled enemy vehicles, or ancillary facilities. Rather than appearing red like enemies or green like allies, these were displayed in yellow. Destroying them earned you more points, (and therefore more money with which to buy new weapons and aircraft,) but would also influence your standing on the Ace Style Gauge. Sparing optional targets would slide you towards the honorable ranking of ‘Knight,’ who upheld noble standards of honorable warfare and flight. Destroying them would push you towards the ruthless ‘Mercenary,’ who would do anything for a greater payout and a more fearsome legend. Balancing the two would label you a ‘Soldier,’ who could read the tide of battle and respond as necessary to changing situations.
The Ace Style Gauge wasn’t just for flavor, however. Throughout the story of Ace Combat Zero, certain missions would see you encountering particularly tough enemy ‘Ace Squadrons,’ with unique emblems, paint jobs, and who were much tougher than other enemies in the level. While some of these Ace Squadrons were set in stone, others were determined by your position on the Ace Style Gauge. These characters will all fly different planes, use different weapons, and use different tactics against you. Further, the story is told through a series of interviews as a reporter speaks to people who encountered the player character during the war. Which Ace Squadrons you fly against determines which survivors the reporter speaks to, which determines what cutscenes you see, what story information you learn, and how you are remembered by history. Unlike Ace Combat 3, where your player choices determined the outcome of the story, in Zero the main story events remain the same, and instead the people you encounter and the postwar lives they lead are determined by your actions on the battlefield. The Ace Style Gauge and selectable story are less about rewriting history than they are about forging your own legend; the focus shifted from the global stage to the postwar roles of the actors who carried out a war.
One of the largest changes was the inclusion of different ‘Operations’ for certain missions. Several story missions were part of larger, multi-stage military operations, and players have the option to select which section of the mission they will undertake. In one mission, for example, where the larger military goal is to help a new aircraft carrier safely transit a canal, there are three Operations to select: destroying enemy forces guarding the canal, cripple the enemy naval force waiting to ambush your allies on the far side of the canal, or stay with the carrier itself, protecting it from any remaining enemy forces after the other two operations have completed. Selecting one of these operations effectively means there are three optional levels on the same map, each with their own challenges and optional targets and therefore allowing for a measure of replayability. There was real aesthetic consistency, too: if you select the third option to escort the carrier, for example, you will see the wreckage and destroyed remains of the other two operations: fires and damage along the canal, and sunken enemy ships on the far side. These options helped to spice up multiple playthroughs, (which you are also encouraged to do in order to change your Ace Style Gauge, meet all the enemy Ace Squadrons, and see all the stories,) and they would return in a more smoothly-integrated way in Ace Combat 6.
While The Belkan War’s focus on player choice and individual characters may have meant the larger war story was less visible, (not helped by the addition of a deeply-woven and far-reaching conspiracy, the remnants of which were driving the plot of Ace Combat 5,) many players appreciated the tighter focus and emphasis on player choice, and the new features proved that Project Aces was not running out of steam or ideas, but could forge ahead strongly with new Ace Combat content and was not going to let the games get stale.
Overall, the Holy Trinity of Ace Combat 04, Ace Combat 5, and Ace Combat Zero represents the pinnacle of the series for many fans. Unfortunately, whatever bright future was planned had to be delayed. As we will see, some behind-the-scenes issues would mean stepping off this successful path and onto some shaky footing, but Project Aces’ determination, flexibility, and mindfulness would manage to carry the Ace Combat Franchise through the storm, and have it come out with some important lessons learned and even some fun new additions.
Adrift Amongst the Clouds:
Ace Combat 6, Assault Horizon, and Infinity
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Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation - The Red-Headed Stepchild
For its lifespan, the Ace Combat franchise has been a major moneymaker in its homeland of Japan. After three games on the PS2, it was clearly time for Ace Combat to move onto the next generation of consoles. Meanwhile, over at Microsoft, their Xbox and Xbox 360 weren’t able to crack into the Japanese market as strongly as Microsoft wanted - struggling against the home-field advantage of Sony and Nintendo. In an effort to bolster their sales, Microsoft successfully courted Ace Combat’s publisher Bandai Namco to make Ace Combat 6 release only on Xbox 360. This would prove to be devastating to the Ace Combat franchise; very few fans (who had been anticipating the thus-far Playstation Exclusive series to release on the PS3) were swayed to purchase an entirely new console for one game, and the 360’s struggles in Japan needed more than one popular title to fix them. In the end, the 360 couldn’t recover its lost ground in Japan, and Ace Combat 6 performed much more poorly than the previous titles, shaking Bandai Namco’s faith in the franchise and bringing Ace Combat its own fight: one for survival.
Despite its placement on a different console limiting access for many fans and the circumstances surrounding it causing great setbacks for the franchise, Fires of Liberation is still looked upon fondly by many of those who’ve played it, as its gameplay was representative of evolutions and improvements on many aspects of the franchise. Although the number of aircraft was fewer than usual, the graphics were worthy of the improved hardware, and the large battle maps were filled with more individual units than ever before, each tank and plane and truck acting independently and realistically. The player had the ability to direct not only their own wingman, but whole allied units in combat, including fighter squadrons, ground units, and naval warships. The Operations of Ace Combat Zero returned, but rather than each one being its own level, many missions were now filled with different operations scattered across the battlespace, each one to be completed at will as the war continued all around you. Resupply was also enhanced; for the first time the player didn’t need to leave the level to land at a base or carrier and restock their ammunition. Airstrips within the levels, if captured or held by allied ground forces, allowed the player to land, resupply, and takeoff all without leaving the level and even while taking enemy fire. These new features combined with the large, unit-filled maps greatly improved the feeling of being part of an expansive battle and contributing to a larger, united effort. Ace Combat 6 also introduced multiplayer to the franchise, both co-op and competitive modes, and these were generally well-received.
Fires of Liberation’s greatest single failing is generally agreed to be the story, often considered less sensible and less engaging than those of previous entries. This is certainly in part due to the structure: the main thrust is about a nation being invaded and fighting to reclaim its homeland and drive out the invaders, but the presentation involves several different sets of characters who begin their stories unrelated to each other and eventually see their tales interwoven. This took the basic idea of Ace Combat 04’s storytelling and expanded it to encompass five different groups of characters, rather than two. Unfortunately, stuffing so much plot development in the limited between-mission storytelling space left many aspects truncated or otherwise rushed along so they could all come together in time for the finale. Without sufficient room to breathe, the story felt less fleshed-out and less emotionally impactful than the more focused stories of previous games. Gameplay-wise, however, Ace Combat 6 is another solid entry in the series, standing firm as a contributor of new ideas and new spins on old ideas. Fires of Liberation may have jumped ship to play for another team, but at its core it is still very much Ace Combat.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - The Black Sheep of the Family
After the misstep of Fires of Liberation and the resultant sales hit, the next major title in the Ace Combat series wouldn’t be released for 4 years, until 2011. When it finally did come, it took the form of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. Deciding to forego the pitfalls of exclusivity, Assault Horizon would be multiplatform, releasing on both the PS3 and Xbox 360, and even be released on PC. However, this was not another numbered entry in the main series, but was actually a spinoff, taking a major departure from the core of the Ace Combat franchise to play with new ideas and gameplay elements.
As such, Assault Horizon’s gameplay and setting both differ quite drastically from Ace Combat tradition. Rather than taking place in the usual fictional realm of Strangereal, it takes place on Earth in the real world, involving NATO, nationalist separatists, terrorists, and a Tom Clancy-worthy supervillain plot. It also contains a couple of on-rails shooting segments where the player takes control of a door-gunner in a Blackhawk helicopter, and even has several missions where you fly an Apache Attack Helicopter. The biggest and most impactful new feature, however, was undoubtedly a new gameplay mechanic introduced for fighter-jet missions called ‘Dog-Fight Mode,’ in which your plane is largely piloted for you in pursuit of one or more enemy aircraft. The player retains control over the weapons and to fine-tune their aim, while the plane’s speed and direction are handled automatically. The loss of control of your aircraft presented by Dog-Fight Mode (abbreviated DFM,) and with missions designed around using it very frequently, was discomforting and disappointing to many long-time fans who were more used to needing to learn to control throttle, altitude, direction, and weapons all at once; to many it felt like a watered-down experience, an ‘Ace Combat Lite.’ Had Assault Horizon followed on the heels of a more successful title than Ace Combat 6, it might have fared better. Ace Combat 6 had already been hurt by being unavailable to many fans of the series, and while Assault Horizon has many merits and is by no means a bad game, it was certainly a disappointment to many fans who had waited since Ace Combat Zero in 2006 to play another Ace Combat game, only to receive a spinoff instead of a full sequel.
Despite the mixed reaction from the fanbase, Assault Horizon fared well as a whole, and its multiplatform availability and relatively large marketing campaign have turned it into the entry point for many new fans who were then inspired to explore the broader franchise. On its own merits Assault Horizon is certainly fun - the voice acting is excellent, the graphics were the best in the series, and lots of new technology had gone into making the action more detailed and spectacular than ever before. DFM would work to highlight this action, watching as missiles launched from aircraft, zooming in on the gun port as bullets blazed, and showing off all the little bits and pieces ripping off of enemy aircraft as you chewed them apart, metal and hydraulic fluids zooming past your plane or splattering on the screen. Assault Horizon may have been jarringly different from a gameplay perspective, but as a cinematic experience it remains unrivaled. It also maintained the series high standard for original music, and tracks from the Assault Horizon soundtrack are fondly remembered and even found their way into subsequent games in the series. Additionally, it retained and enhanced the multiplayer introduced in Fires of Liberation, adding a couple of popular new game modes. Perhaps most importantly, Assault Horizon served to show that, even after the missteps of Ace Combat 6, there was still plenty of interest in the series, plenty of fans eagerly awaiting subsequent games, and that the franchise had both the creativity to experiment and the potential to expand and reach out to new players.
Ace Combat: Infinity - Signs of Life and a Show of Faith
The next Ace Combat game to come to consoles would be unique, a mixture of experimentation and preparation, a request for support and a love and thank-you letter all in one. Ace Combat: Infinity was a competitive co-op free-to-play online multiplayer game. Although it included a small single-player campaign, those missions served largely as an introduction to the multiplayer mechanics. Now two teams of up to four pilots each would be unleashed upon a map filled with enemies, and the team with the highest score at the end would be the winner. After each round, players were awarded ‘research’ and money; research was used to unlock new planes, weapons, and upgrades, and money was used to purchase those things after they were unlocked. Playing was based on a Fuel system, where it cost 1 Fuel to play 1 mission. Fuel was drip-fed to players over time or could be purchased for real-world money. Fuel could also be earned in random loot drops or for completing in-game challenges. Although this semi-pay-to-play system limited total play-time, it was still possible to get several hours of play-time a day without using a cent of real money. There were, of course, also plenty of cosmetics for purchase, both with in-game currency and real money.
Although Infinity showed that the Ace Combat franchise was still alive, even after the reception for Assault Horizon, the money-based system frustrated some players, as did the multiplayer focus and the ‘watered-down’ nature of the game (although post-release content would greatly increase the number of missions, aircraft, and other features.) Some detractors felt Infinity was a grab for money. In reality, Ace Combat: Infinity was a call for help from the developers, asking the fans to show support and provide financial backing and incentive to revive the series. After the sidetracks of Fires of Liberation and Assault Horizon, Infinity proved not only that there were still large numbers of interested fans, but that they were still willing to spend money on the franchise. In return, Project Aces made Infinity into a sort of Greatest-Hits of the franchise, taking all the best moments and fan-favorite aircraft and missions from every previous entry, and remaking them in glorious high-definition for Infinity. They came with better textures, more detailed animations, levels packed to the brim with enemies and allies, the most popular songs from all the prior soundtracks, and all of it even better than our nostalgia remembered. Ace Combat: Infinity was a show of faith, from both players and developers: ‘Show us you are still interested,’ they said, ‘and we’ll show you are not forgotten, we’ll show that we know what you like. And we’ll give it to you.’
And the support came. Infinity was popular enough and made enough money that it not only grew to a multi-year lifespan and almost doubled in size through post-launch content additions, but it helped Project Aces earn the greenlight to make another main entry in the series: Ace Combat 7. Finally, after over a decade, Ace Combat would have another core title.
For its lifespan, the Ace Combat franchise has been a major moneymaker in its homeland of Japan. After three games on the PS2, it was clearly time for Ace Combat to move onto the next generation of consoles. Meanwhile, over at Microsoft, their Xbox and Xbox 360 weren’t able to crack into the Japanese market as strongly as Microsoft wanted - struggling against the home-field advantage of Sony and Nintendo. In an effort to bolster their sales, Microsoft successfully courted Ace Combat’s publisher Bandai Namco to make Ace Combat 6 release only on Xbox 360. This would prove to be devastating to the Ace Combat franchise; very few fans (who had been anticipating the thus-far Playstation Exclusive series to release on the PS3) were swayed to purchase an entirely new console for one game, and the 360’s struggles in Japan needed more than one popular title to fix them. In the end, the 360 couldn’t recover its lost ground in Japan, and Ace Combat 6 performed much more poorly than the previous titles, shaking Bandai Namco’s faith in the franchise and bringing Ace Combat its own fight: one for survival.
Despite its placement on a different console limiting access for many fans and the circumstances surrounding it causing great setbacks for the franchise, Fires of Liberation is still looked upon fondly by many of those who’ve played it, as its gameplay was representative of evolutions and improvements on many aspects of the franchise. Although the number of aircraft was fewer than usual, the graphics were worthy of the improved hardware, and the large battle maps were filled with more individual units than ever before, each tank and plane and truck acting independently and realistically. The player had the ability to direct not only their own wingman, but whole allied units in combat, including fighter squadrons, ground units, and naval warships. The Operations of Ace Combat Zero returned, but rather than each one being its own level, many missions were now filled with different operations scattered across the battlespace, each one to be completed at will as the war continued all around you. Resupply was also enhanced; for the first time the player didn’t need to leave the level to land at a base or carrier and restock their ammunition. Airstrips within the levels, if captured or held by allied ground forces, allowed the player to land, resupply, and takeoff all without leaving the level and even while taking enemy fire. These new features combined with the large, unit-filled maps greatly improved the feeling of being part of an expansive battle and contributing to a larger, united effort. Ace Combat 6 also introduced multiplayer to the franchise, both co-op and competitive modes, and these were generally well-received.
Fires of Liberation’s greatest single failing is generally agreed to be the story, often considered less sensible and less engaging than those of previous entries. This is certainly in part due to the structure: the main thrust is about a nation being invaded and fighting to reclaim its homeland and drive out the invaders, but the presentation involves several different sets of characters who begin their stories unrelated to each other and eventually see their tales interwoven. This took the basic idea of Ace Combat 04’s storytelling and expanded it to encompass five different groups of characters, rather than two. Unfortunately, stuffing so much plot development in the limited between-mission storytelling space left many aspects truncated or otherwise rushed along so they could all come together in time for the finale. Without sufficient room to breathe, the story felt less fleshed-out and less emotionally impactful than the more focused stories of previous games. Gameplay-wise, however, Ace Combat 6 is another solid entry in the series, standing firm as a contributor of new ideas and new spins on old ideas. Fires of Liberation may have jumped ship to play for another team, but at its core it is still very much Ace Combat.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - The Black Sheep of the Family
After the misstep of Fires of Liberation and the resultant sales hit, the next major title in the Ace Combat series wouldn’t be released for 4 years, until 2011. When it finally did come, it took the form of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. Deciding to forego the pitfalls of exclusivity, Assault Horizon would be multiplatform, releasing on both the PS3 and Xbox 360, and even be released on PC. However, this was not another numbered entry in the main series, but was actually a spinoff, taking a major departure from the core of the Ace Combat franchise to play with new ideas and gameplay elements.
As such, Assault Horizon’s gameplay and setting both differ quite drastically from Ace Combat tradition. Rather than taking place in the usual fictional realm of Strangereal, it takes place on Earth in the real world, involving NATO, nationalist separatists, terrorists, and a Tom Clancy-worthy supervillain plot. It also contains a couple of on-rails shooting segments where the player takes control of a door-gunner in a Blackhawk helicopter, and even has several missions where you fly an Apache Attack Helicopter. The biggest and most impactful new feature, however, was undoubtedly a new gameplay mechanic introduced for fighter-jet missions called ‘Dog-Fight Mode,’ in which your plane is largely piloted for you in pursuit of one or more enemy aircraft. The player retains control over the weapons and to fine-tune their aim, while the plane’s speed and direction are handled automatically. The loss of control of your aircraft presented by Dog-Fight Mode (abbreviated DFM,) and with missions designed around using it very frequently, was discomforting and disappointing to many long-time fans who were more used to needing to learn to control throttle, altitude, direction, and weapons all at once; to many it felt like a watered-down experience, an ‘Ace Combat Lite.’ Had Assault Horizon followed on the heels of a more successful title than Ace Combat 6, it might have fared better. Ace Combat 6 had already been hurt by being unavailable to many fans of the series, and while Assault Horizon has many merits and is by no means a bad game, it was certainly a disappointment to many fans who had waited since Ace Combat Zero in 2006 to play another Ace Combat game, only to receive a spinoff instead of a full sequel.
Despite the mixed reaction from the fanbase, Assault Horizon fared well as a whole, and its multiplatform availability and relatively large marketing campaign have turned it into the entry point for many new fans who were then inspired to explore the broader franchise. On its own merits Assault Horizon is certainly fun - the voice acting is excellent, the graphics were the best in the series, and lots of new technology had gone into making the action more detailed and spectacular than ever before. DFM would work to highlight this action, watching as missiles launched from aircraft, zooming in on the gun port as bullets blazed, and showing off all the little bits and pieces ripping off of enemy aircraft as you chewed them apart, metal and hydraulic fluids zooming past your plane or splattering on the screen. Assault Horizon may have been jarringly different from a gameplay perspective, but as a cinematic experience it remains unrivaled. It also maintained the series high standard for original music, and tracks from the Assault Horizon soundtrack are fondly remembered and even found their way into subsequent games in the series. Additionally, it retained and enhanced the multiplayer introduced in Fires of Liberation, adding a couple of popular new game modes. Perhaps most importantly, Assault Horizon served to show that, even after the missteps of Ace Combat 6, there was still plenty of interest in the series, plenty of fans eagerly awaiting subsequent games, and that the franchise had both the creativity to experiment and the potential to expand and reach out to new players.
Ace Combat: Infinity - Signs of Life and a Show of Faith
The next Ace Combat game to come to consoles would be unique, a mixture of experimentation and preparation, a request for support and a love and thank-you letter all in one. Ace Combat: Infinity was a competitive co-op free-to-play online multiplayer game. Although it included a small single-player campaign, those missions served largely as an introduction to the multiplayer mechanics. Now two teams of up to four pilots each would be unleashed upon a map filled with enemies, and the team with the highest score at the end would be the winner. After each round, players were awarded ‘research’ and money; research was used to unlock new planes, weapons, and upgrades, and money was used to purchase those things after they were unlocked. Playing was based on a Fuel system, where it cost 1 Fuel to play 1 mission. Fuel was drip-fed to players over time or could be purchased for real-world money. Fuel could also be earned in random loot drops or for completing in-game challenges. Although this semi-pay-to-play system limited total play-time, it was still possible to get several hours of play-time a day without using a cent of real money. There were, of course, also plenty of cosmetics for purchase, both with in-game currency and real money.
Although Infinity showed that the Ace Combat franchise was still alive, even after the reception for Assault Horizon, the money-based system frustrated some players, as did the multiplayer focus and the ‘watered-down’ nature of the game (although post-release content would greatly increase the number of missions, aircraft, and other features.) Some detractors felt Infinity was a grab for money. In reality, Ace Combat: Infinity was a call for help from the developers, asking the fans to show support and provide financial backing and incentive to revive the series. After the sidetracks of Fires of Liberation and Assault Horizon, Infinity proved not only that there were still large numbers of interested fans, but that they were still willing to spend money on the franchise. In return, Project Aces made Infinity into a sort of Greatest-Hits of the franchise, taking all the best moments and fan-favorite aircraft and missions from every previous entry, and remaking them in glorious high-definition for Infinity. They came with better textures, more detailed animations, levels packed to the brim with enemies and allies, the most popular songs from all the prior soundtracks, and all of it even better than our nostalgia remembered. Ace Combat: Infinity was a show of faith, from both players and developers: ‘Show us you are still interested,’ they said, ‘and we’ll show you are not forgotten, we’ll show that we know what you like. And we’ll give it to you.’
And the support came. Infinity was popular enough and made enough money that it not only grew to a multi-year lifespan and almost doubled in size through post-launch content additions, but it helped Project Aces earn the greenlight to make another main entry in the series: Ace Combat 7. Finally, after over a decade, Ace Combat would have another core title.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown - Beyond Infinity
Now, finally, in January 2019, the Ace Combat franchise returns to full life with its first numbered entry since 2007. And, early indications seem to show it as a glorious return to form, with a full story campaign which returns to the Strangereal setting and features countries from previous games. Specifically, Erusea, the antagonist nation from Ace Combat 04, and Osea, the protagonist nation from Ace Combat 5, are going to war, and what story hints and small pieces we’ve seen from trailer and press announcements are hinting at deeper connections to prior titles. All in all, Ace Combat fans are very excited to return to Strangereal and have a new story to experience. Ace Combat 7 will also have multiplayer, no doubt utilizing elements from Infinity and from the multiplayer parts of Ace Combat 6 and Assault Horizon. I, for one, am indescribably excited to take to the skies once again, and I hope I’ve inspired some of you to come join me, or at least given you some insight into this venerable franchise.
Written by John Edward Betancourt
Exploring the Beta Quadrant – Part I:
The Down Side to Deep Space Travel
Well hello again my fellow geeks and nerds and Trekkers (or Trekkies, if you prefer) and a Happy New Year to all of you! I must admit, that I’ve missed each and every one of you during my brief break when it comes to The Admiral’s Log, but…the hiatus has come to a close and I have some wonderful new stories about my travels in deep space to share with all of you. Now, to refresh everyone since it’s been a hot light year since we last talked, when I closed out this blog in 2018, I made mention of my plan to basically explore the entire galaxy in Star Trek Online, because why not? And that’s really what I’ve spent the last few weeks doing, seeing all the sights in the Milky Way Galaxy.
However, before the Galactica set out on such a lengthy venture, I made sure to visit Earth to see all that Earth Spacedock had to offer and to see San Francisco one more time. Because the plan was to visit every inch of the Beta Quadrant before we ever returned to Earth, so it was important to enjoy the creature comforts of home before seeing nothing but the void of space and once I felt ready to go, it was off to the stars once again and well, I won’t lie. I just kind of stared at the galactic map for a bit because, where does one start when it comes to an adventure this grand? So, I simply took a queue from Captain James T. Kirk and told my helmsman to set a course for a second star to the right and stay that course straight on until morn…
Actually, I kid, because that would have been silly since it would have put us on course for Vulcan, which while cool…wouldn’t have been much of a deep space mission. So instead, we set course for the Ponor Sector and the plan was simple, we go left to right on the map, moving through every single star system in the respective sector until we eventually clear the map and well at first, this was an outright blast. I mean, this was it, I was finally seeing the galaxy on my terms, just traveling through the wonder of space, seeing what the galaxy had to offer, which included some sobering sights, since our travels took us to the remains of Romulus and Remus, which were destroyed by the Hobus Supernova, and I suppose seeing the devastation and hearing the silence of that system, should have served as a harbinger of things to come.
Because, the further we traveled into the depths of the Beta Quadrant, the less we saw of civilization, and the systems on the map, were spread pretty thin, which is when an interesting reality settled into my mind when it comes to this game. Because for the most part, there’s a real safety and security net present in the game, in regard to the fact that we can call Starfleet on a moment’s notice or find a Starbase or a friendly world with ease. But when you choose to remove yourself from that, the safety net fades and you truly feel isolated and alone and one comes to realize that space is a lonely place indeed, one that features a lot of emptiness over anything else and there were times that point was hammered home.
For more often than not, the ship was surrounded by nothing, just the faint light of a star and we visited star systems that featured zero signs of life and well, I won’t lie, this was bit disheartening at first, and I honestly wondered how in the heck Jim Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise were able to spend five years in deep space and keep it together because the void truly can get to you. And yes, I fully understand that this is a game, and not real. But a good story helps you to experience a feeling, and that’s precisely what this first leg of our journey did, it evoked a sense of isolation and loneliness and I thought it was quite cool to find this in a game about a universe filled with hope.
Because it served as a fine reminder that the Federation has it better than some civilizations, and that the job of a Starfleet officer is to inspire hope in others and well, that lesson came about as we began to run into worlds in need of dire help and that’s when the wonder quickly crept back into the game, and that will be where our story goes in the next chapter of this grand voyage through the galaxy. But in the meantime, I think it was incredible to be able to find a story such as this in a game this expansive and well, enduring a little sour before discovering my fair share of sweet, has me quite excited to see what other surprises await me in the other quadrants of the galaxy. Until next time.
However, before the Galactica set out on such a lengthy venture, I made sure to visit Earth to see all that Earth Spacedock had to offer and to see San Francisco one more time. Because the plan was to visit every inch of the Beta Quadrant before we ever returned to Earth, so it was important to enjoy the creature comforts of home before seeing nothing but the void of space and once I felt ready to go, it was off to the stars once again and well, I won’t lie. I just kind of stared at the galactic map for a bit because, where does one start when it comes to an adventure this grand? So, I simply took a queue from Captain James T. Kirk and told my helmsman to set a course for a second star to the right and stay that course straight on until morn…
Actually, I kid, because that would have been silly since it would have put us on course for Vulcan, which while cool…wouldn’t have been much of a deep space mission. So instead, we set course for the Ponor Sector and the plan was simple, we go left to right on the map, moving through every single star system in the respective sector until we eventually clear the map and well at first, this was an outright blast. I mean, this was it, I was finally seeing the galaxy on my terms, just traveling through the wonder of space, seeing what the galaxy had to offer, which included some sobering sights, since our travels took us to the remains of Romulus and Remus, which were destroyed by the Hobus Supernova, and I suppose seeing the devastation and hearing the silence of that system, should have served as a harbinger of things to come.
Because, the further we traveled into the depths of the Beta Quadrant, the less we saw of civilization, and the systems on the map, were spread pretty thin, which is when an interesting reality settled into my mind when it comes to this game. Because for the most part, there’s a real safety and security net present in the game, in regard to the fact that we can call Starfleet on a moment’s notice or find a Starbase or a friendly world with ease. But when you choose to remove yourself from that, the safety net fades and you truly feel isolated and alone and one comes to realize that space is a lonely place indeed, one that features a lot of emptiness over anything else and there were times that point was hammered home.
For more often than not, the ship was surrounded by nothing, just the faint light of a star and we visited star systems that featured zero signs of life and well, I won’t lie, this was bit disheartening at first, and I honestly wondered how in the heck Jim Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise were able to spend five years in deep space and keep it together because the void truly can get to you. And yes, I fully understand that this is a game, and not real. But a good story helps you to experience a feeling, and that’s precisely what this first leg of our journey did, it evoked a sense of isolation and loneliness and I thought it was quite cool to find this in a game about a universe filled with hope.
Because it served as a fine reminder that the Federation has it better than some civilizations, and that the job of a Starfleet officer is to inspire hope in others and well, that lesson came about as we began to run into worlds in need of dire help and that’s when the wonder quickly crept back into the game, and that will be where our story goes in the next chapter of this grand voyage through the galaxy. But in the meantime, I think it was incredible to be able to find a story such as this in a game this expansive and well, enduring a little sour before discovering my fair share of sweet, has me quite excited to see what other surprises await me in the other quadrants of the galaxy. Until next time.
Written by John Edward Betancourt
A Look Ahead, and a Thank You
If there’s one thing I’ve learned through the years, it’s that, you never quite know how things are going to turn out. And that’s a lesson I’ve come to realize applies to every aspect of my life, including creative writing and gaming quite frankly. Because with video games, you really don’t know whether or not you’re going to enjoy a particular title until you dive into it and see if it meets your needs and it’s similar with writing, since sometimes you don’t know how a particular story is going to be received, especially when it’s something you’ve never done before as a writer and all of this applies to my ramblings on this fine Friday for one reason and one reason alone; because of how far this blog has come.
You see, I don’t open up all that much on the digital page, and anything personal I pour into my creative writing is done in crafty and subtle fashion and well, I’ve set thrusters on full when it comes to geeking out here in The Admiral’s Log and I didn’t know how that was going to go. But this particular nerdy venture has been well received, and I’ve been blown away by said reception and the positive feedback that’s been sent my way when it comes to my geeky ramblings, to the point where I need to take a moment and express my gratitude to each and every one of you out there for taking the time to visit this blog and read whatever I’ve poured onto the page, I really do appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
But, before this gets too mushy, it’s best we return to the task at hand, talking ‘bout that Star Trek Online, which ironically is a game I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to love as much as I do since only a handful of Trek themed games have ever blown me away. But, two years after I first logged on, I’ve experienced wonders, all of them chronicled here, and I’ve come to realize that I’ve actually arrived at quite the crossroads in STO. For you see, there’s no missions left to go on, no multiplayer adventures left to explore. In this moment, I’ve done just about everything one can do in this game, which means there are going to have to be some changes when it comes to this blog in 2019.
Now, I am fully aware of how that sounds like an ominous farewell, but it’s not. Because as I was warping around the galaxy to finish an Endeavor Mission and my usual patrol, it dawned on me that there is a great opportunity sitting before me now in that…I can create my own story from here on out. Sure, there will be new ‘Age of Discovery’ missions arriving in a month or two, and I’m sure new seasons awaiting us down the line. But in the here and the now, while I wait for those things to drop into the game, I can do something I’ve never done before and straight up explore the galaxy at my own pace and do exactly what James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise did two centuries ago and venture to strange new worlds.
If anything, it would be a waste to simply wait for new missions when the creators of this game took the time to literally build the entire galaxy in 2410 and it should be incredible to see what wonders await out there, which brings me to the slight changes that will come to this blog in 2019, in that, I’ll be posting a little less frequently in the new year. Because in order for me to tell a brand-new story, I need a little bit of time to live the adventure. However, I can promise that it won’t be that long of a wait, because already, I’m ready and raring to go when it comes to this new adventure, and since Trek is my thing, I’ll need to share the majesty of said adventures with all of you, as soon as possible.
So, on that note, it’s best that I sign off, for the Galactica has been re-stocked and replenished with plenty of supplies and quantum torpedoes for our long and winding journey and she’s all set to head out into the void. And while I’m on mini-hiatus, if you see the Galactica out there, don’t hesitate to say hello. For I have a funny feeling that going into territory that I’ve merely flown by at the edge of the galaxy will be a lonesome experience, so a howdy will always be welcome. Either way, thank you again for making this blog a blast to write and for taking the time to join me on my nerdy trek through the stars, and I hope all of you have a Happy New Year, and I’ll see you out there. Until next time.
You see, I don’t open up all that much on the digital page, and anything personal I pour into my creative writing is done in crafty and subtle fashion and well, I’ve set thrusters on full when it comes to geeking out here in The Admiral’s Log and I didn’t know how that was going to go. But this particular nerdy venture has been well received, and I’ve been blown away by said reception and the positive feedback that’s been sent my way when it comes to my geeky ramblings, to the point where I need to take a moment and express my gratitude to each and every one of you out there for taking the time to visit this blog and read whatever I’ve poured onto the page, I really do appreciate it from the bottom of my heart.
But, before this gets too mushy, it’s best we return to the task at hand, talking ‘bout that Star Trek Online, which ironically is a game I wasn’t 100% sure I was going to love as much as I do since only a handful of Trek themed games have ever blown me away. But, two years after I first logged on, I’ve experienced wonders, all of them chronicled here, and I’ve come to realize that I’ve actually arrived at quite the crossroads in STO. For you see, there’s no missions left to go on, no multiplayer adventures left to explore. In this moment, I’ve done just about everything one can do in this game, which means there are going to have to be some changes when it comes to this blog in 2019.
Now, I am fully aware of how that sounds like an ominous farewell, but it’s not. Because as I was warping around the galaxy to finish an Endeavor Mission and my usual patrol, it dawned on me that there is a great opportunity sitting before me now in that…I can create my own story from here on out. Sure, there will be new ‘Age of Discovery’ missions arriving in a month or two, and I’m sure new seasons awaiting us down the line. But in the here and the now, while I wait for those things to drop into the game, I can do something I’ve never done before and straight up explore the galaxy at my own pace and do exactly what James T. Kirk and the crew of the Enterprise did two centuries ago and venture to strange new worlds.
If anything, it would be a waste to simply wait for new missions when the creators of this game took the time to literally build the entire galaxy in 2410 and it should be incredible to see what wonders await out there, which brings me to the slight changes that will come to this blog in 2019, in that, I’ll be posting a little less frequently in the new year. Because in order for me to tell a brand-new story, I need a little bit of time to live the adventure. However, I can promise that it won’t be that long of a wait, because already, I’m ready and raring to go when it comes to this new adventure, and since Trek is my thing, I’ll need to share the majesty of said adventures with all of you, as soon as possible.
So, on that note, it’s best that I sign off, for the Galactica has been re-stocked and replenished with plenty of supplies and quantum torpedoes for our long and winding journey and she’s all set to head out into the void. And while I’m on mini-hiatus, if you see the Galactica out there, don’t hesitate to say hello. For I have a funny feeling that going into territory that I’ve merely flown by at the edge of the galaxy will be a lonesome experience, so a howdy will always be welcome. Either way, thank you again for making this blog a blast to write and for taking the time to join me on my nerdy trek through the stars, and I hope all of you have a Happy New Year, and I’ll see you out there. Until next time.
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