METAL GEAR SOLID 5

It’s heartbreaking that a Metal Gear Solid game has to be the one that kicks off a list about disappointing stories, but that’s just the way it is- The Phantom Pain is a masterclass in emergent, system-based gameplay, with stealth mechanics that stand as the very best even to this day. But it’s a game that sheds the story-heavy focus that the series was always known for. Cutscenes are few and far between, while some of the most important storytelling bits are relegated to optional cassette tapes and missable events- don’t even get us started on the ending.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, the acclaimed flight sim and combat game from Namco Bandai games, released on PC a few years ago, and it made use of Microsoft’s detested and despised Games for Windows Live DRM. Over the years, Microsoft has winded support for it down, and titles previously using the service either ditched any form of DRM or migrated to Steam altogether.

One of the last holdouts was Ace Combat, and now, Eurogamer reports that an upcoming update will let users ditch GFWL for that game as well. The game will migrate to Steamworks, and let you keep your save files and your achievements, so it is a very well done, thoughtful update as these things go.

Games for Windows Live shuts down in July 2014; Microsoft is reportedly re-investing in PC gaming this year, but exactly what form this investment takes (and whether it will be as ghastly as GFWL was) remains to be seen.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon- as some of us know by now- sacrifices a lot in its pursuit to become more exciting and bombastic. It sacrifices the sense of realism and the grounded gameplay of the previous, excellent Ace Combat games, and what it delivers instead is a campaign that throws explosions, fire, blasts, bombs, blood and supposedly exciting set pieces at you. While some of this may get your heart pumping at times, the ruse is clear as crystal when you pay a little mind to what you’re playing.

Because you’re not playing anything, really. The game has been stripped down to the lowest level to appeal to the lowest denominator, because everything can literally be done with a single tap of a single button, and you require little to no skill to make your way through the campaign. The camera may zoom in at times to give a weighty and speedy feeling to the proceedings, and the game may through several enemies at you at once, but the exceedingly on-rails nature of Assault Horizon always makes it a breeze to walk through, and not in a good way.

It would be better if the set pieces and the “exciting” action sequences you were witnessing were any good- and honestly, some of them actually are. A few missions actually require a bit of skill to maneuver your way around, but usually, the game just makes you play through long, boring, dull missions with little room for you to do anything other than pressing buttons mindlessly, without a single care of crashing or losing to your enemies.

The story and the dialogue fall perfectly in line with the shallow nature of the game. Unlike previous Ace Combat games, Assault Horizon’s story has no complexity, and probably won’t interest you that much. The characters are just templates, and the dialogue only serves the purpose of pushing you from one sequence to the next.

The online play is the real redeeming factor here, though. With the unpredictability of actual human opponents thrown into the mix, Assault Horizon’s online actually requires some sort of skill, and making your friends’ planes crash is an absolute joy. It’s a shame, really, because the online component just makes it clear that if Project Aces had just added a little but of skill and depth to the game, the campaign would have been much better. Rest assured, even if you don’t want to play the campaign, you should definitely try out the online. And chances are, once you do, you’ll come back for more for at least a little bit of time to come.

The Enhanced Edition is slightly better than the console versions, of course, since it offers you the option of playing with better visuals. While even with those visuals, Assault Horizon doesn’t exactly look out of this world, and the options are still minimal, the game still does look considerably better.

All in all, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon isn’t a game that can be wholeheartedly recommended to PC owners- or anyone, really. You might want to try it out for the admittedly fun multiplayer, but if you’re sick of the mindless stories and “all flash, no substance” philosophy that so many games have come to adopt in recent days, you should probably steer clear.

This game was reviewed on the PC.

It should be pretty obvious but it’s clear that they are trying really hard to push this thing. The game comes out this month on the PC and was released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 last year. This is also the first AC game on the PC and Namco Bandai’s change in policies are pretty great if you are a PC gamer.

Ace Combat Assault Horizon – Enhanced Edition features controls and graphics that have been optimized specifically for PC users. The PC version includes many of the DLC items released on the console versions of the game.

Stay tuned for our review of the PC version soon. Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Namco Bandai has revealed that they Ace Combat: Assault Horizon has been delayed on the Xbox Live and has been strategically sent to January 2013 next year. I don’t know why they have done this but the PS3 version is up on PSN and you can download it if you like.

You can buy the Ace Combat: Assault Horizon + DLC pack on PSN and this pack contains “the original PlayStation 3 game along with the Tokyo and Honolulu maps as well as six additional aircraft including the ASF-X Shinden II, F-15S/MTD, Su-37 Terminator, AV-8B Harrier II plus, CFA-44 Nosferatu , and Ka-50 Hokum.”

The game for PCs is on track for a Q1 launch in 2013 on Steam. Namco says it contains “impressive up-ressed graphics and PC specific controls”, and the game will include many of the DLC items released on the console versions of the game. Players will have immediate access to seven additional aircrafts and numerous aircraft skins as well as skills and maps.

 The multiplayer portion of the game will feature support through Games for Windows from Microsoft.

Tell us what you think in the comments section below.

Namco Bandai has confirmed that Ace Combat: Assault Horizon will be releasing on PC in Q1 of 2013.

It will be available in retail and via download, as always.

It will also be available for download on Xbox 360 via Xbox Live Games in Demand and PS3 cia PlayStation Network 18th December 2012.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon was released for the Xbox 360 and PS3 in October 2011. In our review, we gave it a score of 7.5/10.

“Ace Combat Assault Horizon isn’t a bad pick,” reads our review. “It certainly deserves a rent if you’re interested in Aerial Combat games, and it may even warrant purchasing a used copy if you like what you see. You might not play Assault Horizon religiously over the next few weeks due to its low replay value, but that’s OK. There are plenty of other great games coming out this year to compete for your time.”

Read the full review through the link above.

Ace Combat Assault Horizon can bag themselves a feast of premium downloadable content for half the normal price. The offers will run for one week only starting from March 21 on Xbox LIVE (Gold Membership required) and March 28 on PlayStation Network.

The special half price offer is valid for specially selected content from DLC packs two to six and includes new aircraft, skins, maps and skill sets. Planes on special offer include the ASF-X Shinden II, F-15S/MTD, Tornado GR.4 and Su-37 Terminator, while skins include the F/A-18F Red Devils, Su-35 “Tekken” Collaboration Aircraft and F-117A Star-Spangled Banner.

Full details of the content on special offer can be found now on Xbox LIVE and from 28 March on PlayStation Network.

Featuring a story written by New York Times’ bestselling military author, Jim DeFelice, writer of “Leopards Kill” and “Threat Level Black”, ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON puts players in the shoes of a top gun pilot in an international task force. The engaging war drama spans real-world locations, such as Dubai, Russia, Washington DC or Paris as an exclusive multiplayer map and incorporates new categories of aircrafts, including supersonic jets and the introduction of the attack helicopters and more.

Namco Bandai have released DLC for tAce Combat Assault Horizon.  The DLC will be available to download for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on November 29, and includes the F-15S/MT D and the Tornado GR.4, two new aircraft that can be used only on free missions and online.  The new DLC content also features two new aircraft skins for the F-117A Nighthawk and A-10A Thunderbolt II.

The DLC includes:

Additional Aircraft

F-15S/MT D

Price: 480 MS Points/$5.99

Description: The F-15S/MT D is an experimental aircraft developed to increase maneuverability and designed for short takeoff and landing abilities. An electronic control system simultaneously operates the horizontal stabilizer, 2DCD thrust-vectoring nozzle, and canard wings, resulting in turning performance that exceeds the capabilities of conventional multirole aircraft. The oversized canard wings provide a large degree of dynamic lift allowing for increased maneuverability and stability during stall recovery, regardless of speed. S/MTD stands for “Short Takeoff and Landing/Maneuver Technology Demonstrator.”

(Legal line: Produced under license from Boeing Management Company. F-15 is among the trademarks owned by Boeing.)

Tornado GR.4

Price: 480 MS Points/$5.99

Description: The Tornado GR.4 is an all-weather attack aircraft jointly developed by Great Britain, Germany, and Italy. A highly maneuverable attacker with excellent speed performance and variable sweptback wings that allow for stable low altitude penetration and bombing. It is able to quickly suppress ground targets with its multi lock-on ground missiles and dispenser weapons. Known by the name “Tornado,” the most recent model, the GR.4, has numerous electronic and armament system upgrades and is deployed by the British Air Force.

(Legal line: Produced under licence from BAE Systems. Tornado is an aircraft and registered trademark of Panavia GmbH.)

Additional Aircraft Skins

A-10A Thunderbolt II (Color 4)

Price: 320 MS Points/$3.99

Warthog: Tear up the skies with its deadly fangs!

The A-10A Thunderbolt II is an attack aircraft with heavy armor that provides close-range ground support with overwhelming firepower and durability. Well supplied with weaponry such as a 30 mm heavy machine gun and multiple lock-on ground missiles, it possesses outstanding ground attack capabilities. Very stable at slow speeds, its specialty is precision ground strafing for a long period of time during an attack approach. Known as the “Thunderbolt,” its notable features include unswept wings that generate plenty of lift at slow speeds, the high placement of its engine which makes it resistant to counterattacks from the ground, and its reinforced armor plating.

The design of this aircraft’s nose is based on a warthog.

F-117A Nighthawk (Color 4)

Price: 320 MS Points/$3.99

Stars and Stripes: National symbol for the USA

The F-117A Nighthawk is the historic first stealth attack aircraft which specializes in covert bombing. Because of its detailed airframe design which suppresses target detection, speed and maneuverability are limited. Instead, it is able to conduct pinpoint bombardments with long range, ground missiles and guided bombs without being detected by enemy radar nets. In order to reflect and absorb radar waves, it uses a unique airframe shape and coating configured to make a flat surface. Called the “Nighthawk,” more than 1,200 sorties were made with them in the 1991 Gulf War without losing a single plane, launching it into the spotlight.