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{{nihongo|'''''Ace Combat: Assault Horizon'''''|エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン|Ēsu Konbatto Asaruto Horaizon}} is an installment of the ''[[Ace Combat]]'' [[Arcade game|arcade]] combat flight [[video game]] series. It was developed by [[Namco|Project Aces]] and originally published by [[Namco Bandai]] for the [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]] platforms in October 2011.<ref name="Announcement Trailer">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6272780.html |title=Ace Combat Assault Horizon prepares for takeoff |author=Brendan Sinclair |date=August 9, 2010 |work= |publisher=[[Gamespot]] |accessdate=August 9, 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100815080639/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6272780.html| archivedate= 15 August 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> The game was later released on [[Microsoft Windows]] in January 2013 through [[Steam (software)|Steam]].<ref name="pcrelease" />
{{nihongo|'''''Ace Combat: Assault Horizon'''''|エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン|Ēsu Konbatto Asaruto Horaizon}} is an installment of the ''[[Ace Combat]]'' [[Arcade game|arcade]] combat flight [[video game]] series. It was developed by [[Namco|Project Aces]] and originally published by [[Namco Bandai]] for the [[PlayStation 3]] and [[Xbox 360]] platforms in October 2011.<ref name="Announcement Trailer">{{cite web |url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6272780.html |title=Ace Combat Assault Horizon prepares for takeoff |author=Brendan Sinclair |date=August 9, 2010 |work= |publisher=[[Gamespot]] |accessdate=August 9, 2010| archiveurl= http://web.archive.org/web/20100815080639/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6272780.html| archivedate= 15 August 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| deadurl= no}}</ref> The game was later released on [[Microsoft Windows]] in January 2013 through [[Steam (software)|Steam]].<ref name="pcrelease" /> This is also the first Ace Combat title with a plot mostly written by non-Japanese writers, with noted author Jim deFelice at the helm.


==Gameplay==
==Gameplay==
[[File:Assault Horizon Apache Attack.jpg|left|thumb|Screenshot as seen in the game. Here, players will take control of an [[AH-64 Apache]] gunship helicopter for a short time]]
[[File:Assault Horizon Apache Attack.jpg|left|thumb|Screenshot as seen in the game. Here, players will take control of an [[AH-64 Apache]] gunship helicopter for a short time]]


The major new gameplay feature is a system called "Close-Range Assault" (CRA), which aims to increase the intensity and bring the action closer to the player, without the feeling of "shooting at faraway dots" commonly seen in flight games. In the game, it is named "Dogfight Mode" (DFM) for air-to-air battles and "Air Strike Mode" (ASM) for air-to-ground targets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://acecombatassaulthorizon.namcobandaigames.eu/section/game/environnements/ |title=GAMEPLAY |author=Namco Bandai Games EU |year=2011 |work= |publisher=Namco Bandai Games EU |accessdate=July 27, 2011}}</ref> They are not optional, as certain planes and ground targets cannot be destroyed without CRA. To initiate DFM, the player taps LB+RB on the Xbox 360 or L2+R2 on the PS3 when they have gotten close enough to the plane they are targeting. ASM is initiated by pressing the same buttons at specific points around the map. For the first time in ''Ace Combat'', players take control of an [[attack helicopter]], a [[Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk|Black Hawk]] door gun, a [[stealth bomber]], and an [[AC-130]], adding variety to the gameplay alongside the standard [[fighter jet]] missions.
The major new gameplay feature is a system called "Close-Range Assault" (CRA), which aims to increase the intensity and bring the action closer to the player, without the feeling of "shooting at faraway dots" commonly seen in flight games. In the game, it is named "Dogfight Mode" (DFM) for air-to-air battles and "Air Strike Mode" (ASM) for air-to-ground targets.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://acecombatassaulthorizon.namcobandaigames.eu/section/game/environnements/ |title=GAMEPLAY |author=Namco Bandai Games EU |year=2011 |work= |publisher=Namco Bandai Games EU |accessdate=July 27, 2011}}</ref> They are not optional, as certain planes and ground targets cannot be destroyed without CRA. To initiate DFM, the player taps LB+RB on the Xbox 360 or L2+R2 on the PS3 when they have gotten close enough to the plane they are targeting. ASM is initiated by pressing the same buttons at specific points around the map. Players will also pilot other aircraft types and assume other combat aviation functions; the game introduces the B-1 and B-2 strategic bombers and the AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as player-flyable vehicles. Certain missions may call for players to act as Black Hawk door gunners or weapons officers aboard the [[AC-130 Spectre]] gunship.


===Multiplayer===
===Multiplayer===
Line 39: Line 39:


==Plot==
==Plot==
===Setting===
{{Plot|reason=1102 words|date=August 2015}}
The game is set in 2015-2016 and takes place at a number of locations around the world. They include East Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and the United States.
In 2015, [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] William Bishop, the leader of [[United States Air Force]] Warwolf Squadron, is part of the 108th Task Force, a large multinational [[U.N.]] military force composed of [[NATO]] and Russian forces sent to stop the SRN Rebellion that threatens East Africa. Tensions flare between NATO General Pierre La Pointe and Russian General Ivan Stagleishov. Others, such as Russian Major Sergei Illich, are happy to serve with their American counterparts; Illich himself strikes up a fast friendship with Bishop and his wingman, José "Guts" Gutierrez. Bishop suffers a nightmare of an intense air battle over Miami in which he is killed by a mysterious "shark mouthed" aircraft. Meanwhile, helicopter squadrons Nomad and Shooter go to a nearby town occupied by anti-government insurgent troops. The helicopters manage to put down the rebels' resistance and clear most of them out of the town, but a large explosion takes down most of the helicopters, injuring the crews.


===Characters===
During their attacks against the rebels, the SRN uses the unknown explosive device once more against the helicopter squadrons while they were on a rescue mission to retrieve Major Illich, who had been shot down in a sortie. The 108th Task Force determines the SRN must be hiding the weapon inside the caves of Mogadiyu, a nearby archaeological-significant region, and decides to utilize ground troops, Warwolf, Nomad, Shooter, and Spooky (a single [[AC-130]] unit) to destroy the storage facilities. General Stagleishov refuses to provide his Russian [[MiG]]s for the operation for fear of an international conflict, but NATO performs it regardless. When Warwolf Squadron returns to the allied base, they get a transmission that a nearby city is under attack by rebels. Warwolf attempts to assist their allies in Carruth, but are intercepted by Stagleishov's squadron mid-way, who show their true colors; members of Blatnoi, a Russian criminal organization that is funding the SRN. Assisting Stagleishov is Andrei Markov, a highly skilled Russian pilot who flies the same plane from Bishop's nightmare. Markov attempts to shoot down Guts, but Bishop intervenes; however, Markov performs a maneuver that Bishop can't follow, and Markov damages his plane. He and Stagleishov are running low on fuel and must retreat, but not before Markov mocks his American rival. When Bishop lands his damaged plane, the rebel forces detonate an even more powerful version of the weapon never seen before.
The game's protagonists are mostly members of the United Nations' 108th Task Force, a joint NATO-Russia military organization primarily assigned to quell a rebellion spreading over East Africa. Players primarily assume the role of [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] William Bishop, head of the [[United States Air Force]]'s Warwolf Squadron. He is assisted by wingman José "Guts" Gutierrez, NATO General Pierre La Pointe and pilots of the 108th's Nomad, Shooter, and Spooky squadrons. The antagonists are Russian General Stagleishov, and Russian Air Force pilots Andrei Markov and Maj. Sergei Illyich, who are members of a Russian criminal syndicate called the Blatnoi.


===Story==
The weapon has been identified as "Trinity," a conventional bomb with the power of a [[tactical nuclear weapon]]. Trinity has been outfitted onto cruise missiles and can be used anywhere. Blatnoi threatens to use Trinity on Dubai, and Warwolf defends the city, while Shooter and Nomad intercept rebel cargo ships in hopes of finding Trinity weapons. However, it turns out the threat was merely a smoke screen so Blatnoi could stage a coup in Russia, led by Stagleishov with the support of a large part of the Russian military, calling itself the New Russian Federation (NRF). The NRF quickly takes control of Moscow and surrounding areas, and the 108th performs many counter-operations to liberate the Russian cities. Illich, who was not loyal to Stagleishov, has returned to assist the 108th with his own Red Moon Squadron as the leader of the Russian loyalist forces. Markov has also attempted to use Trinity at one point, but the missile was shot down by Bishop. The NRF manages to fire an [[ICBM]] at the United States, but it was also shot down before it could leave Russia; strangely enough, though, Illich disappeared in the middle of the operation claiming he had mechanical problems.
In the prologue, USAF Lt Colonel William Bishop leads an American defense of Miami against Russian forces, but is shot down by a mysterious plane with a "shark mouth" motif; the entire sequence is revealed to be a nightmare. He later awakes and sees the survivors of a helicopter raid on an insurgent stronghold in East Africa being rushed in for treatment. Their force is wiped out after a large explosive device is set off on the stronghold by the SRN rebel group. The 108th regroups to rescue Maj. Sergei Illich, a Russian officer serving with the task force who was shot down in an earlier operation. The SRN's use of the powerful explosive leads the 108th to an SRN cave hideout near the archaeological ruins of Mogadiyu, but the 108th's Russian co-commander, General Stagleishov, holds back his forces from joining the attack and even launch their fighters. On the way back, Warwolf receives a distress call from a city under rebel attack but they are intercepted by the Russians. In the course of the battle, Bishop is shot down by Andrei Markov, a highly skilled Russian pilot who flies the same plane from Bishop's nightmare. The Russians withdraw and the rebels detonate a more powerful version of the mysterious explosive on the 108th's base just as Warwolf lands.


The 108th identifies the new weapon as "Trinity," a conventional explosive with the power of a [[tactical nuclear weapon]] and designed for various weapon platforms such as cruise missiles. The 108th's survivors head to Dubai to defend the city from elements of the Russian criminal organization Blatnoi aiming to use the weapon on the city and intercept rebel cargo ships in hopes of finding Trinity weapons. However, this buys the Blatnoi time to launch a coup d'etat in Russia with massive support from the Russian military. Under Stagleishov's command, the so-called New Russian Federation quickly takes control of Moscow and surrounding areas, and the 108th joins other loyalist Russian units to take on the coup forces. Illich, who was one of the Russian pilots to leave East Africa, assists in the counteroffensive but disappears as the 108th successfully shoot down a Trinity cruise missile and an ICBM targeted for the United States. A Trinity missile destroys much of the 108th's strike force heading to Moscow and Bishop leads Warwolf in shooting down a Russian bomber squadron bearing down on the capital; he also takes out Markov's personal plane and the pilot ejects. Seeing the futility of resistance, Stagleishov negotiates the NRF's surrender by exchanging the final Trinity missile for political immunity, but Markov kills him and steals the weapon. It is revealed that Markov planned everything as revenge against the US for an airstrike during the [[Bosnian War]] that killed his wife, with the coup as a decoy to lure many American forces out of the homeland and weaken its defenses.
Eventually, the 108th manages to arrive at Moscow; however, another Trinity missile successfully detonates, taking down many of the 108th helicopters in the area, though Shooter survives. Warwolf intercepts six bombers en route to Moscow escorted by Markov, who ejects after being shot down by Bishop. Stagleishov decides to contact the 108th to negotiate the NRF's surrender exchanging the final Trinity missile for political immunity, but he is assassinated by Markov. Unaware of the live video feed, Markov reveals his true intention was not to take control of Russia, but to use this opportunity take revenge on the United States for the death of his illegally married wife, Krista Yoslav, who was accidentally killed in an off-course American air strike during the [[Bosnian War]]. Markov blamed the Americans for the death of his wife and in retribution planned his strike back at America by using the coup as a decoy to lure many American forces out of the homeland, leaving many of its defenses weakened as he steals the last remaining Trinity missile and escapes to South America with his loyalists likely refuelling clandestinely in Brazil, Venezuela or Cuba;, where he plans to attack the United States directly.


Illich is revealed to have been Markov's sleeper agent, and betrays the 108th by joining Markov's forces bound for the U.S. In order to counter Markov, Warwolf Squadron is immediately relocated to Miami to join other remaining American squadrons in the homeland to intercept Markov's forces if they attempt to attack. As expected, Markov and his pilots attack Miami in full force, but are eventually repelled by Warwolf Squadron and the U.S. Air Force. However, Markov manages to ambush Bishop in a scene eerily similar to Bishop's nightmare, but Guts blocks off the missile with his own plane. Bishop shoots Guts' canopy off to help him eject, and Bishop then fires at Markov's plane head-on, managing to damage the Trinity missile before being forced to break off and refuel. Bishop catches up to Markov and Illich as they refuel off the coast of Florida. Bishop pursues Illich into a nearby Category 5 hurricane and engages him in a duel, resulting in Illich's death. Bishop proceeds to [[Washington, D.C.]] and finds the city already under attack by Markov's forces. Largely outnumbered by massive waves of attackers, Bishop and other USAF pilots struggles to repel the assault due to large numbers, but the USAF pilots still hold off the attack. Markov's forces successfully neutralize all of the anti-air defenses, and Markov then reappears, intent on dropping Trinity on the [[White House]], but most of his loyalist were shot down after the defenses were neutralized. Bishop keeps Markov locked in a duel, eventually ending up at the White House; Markov manages to fire the missile before being shot down, but Bishop manages to intercept it and destroy it harmlessly onto the [[Tidal Basin]]. Upon landing his plane at [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Reagan National Airport]], Bishop is given a hero's welcome. After the post credits, Guts is revealed to be alive and found offshore of Miami.
Illich is revealed as Markov's sleeper agent and betrays the 108th by joining his forces bound for the U.S. from bases in South America. The 108th and several American combat units reinforce Miami against an onslaught by Markov's forces. Bishop's earlier nightmare comes to life but Guts is able to protect him and the Trinity missile on Markov's plane is damaged in the process. Bishop kills Illich in the midst of a Category 5 hurricane. The 108th recovers and assists in the defense of Washington DC against a larger Russian attack. In a final showdown, Bishop finally eliminates Markov and shoots down his Trinity missile aimed at the White House. Upon landing his plane at [[Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport|Reagan National Airport]], Bishop is given a hero's welcome while Guts is safely rescued.


==Development==
==Development==
Line 57: Line 59:
A demo was released on September 13, 2011. All PlayStation 3 players could download it for free; however, Xbox 360 players needed to have Xbox LIVE Gold for the first week in order to download it; it then migrated to Xbox LIVE Silver as well. The demo included Mission 1 and Mission 3, with the iconic nightmare air battle over Miami from the trailers and the attack helicopter rescue operation in Africa, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/222865/two-mission-ace-combat-assault-horizon-demo-out-today|title=Two-Mission Ace Combat Assault Horizon Demo Out Today|author=GamePro|date=September 13, 2011|accessdate=September 16, 2011|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/222865/two-mission-ace-combat-assault-horizon-demo-out-today&date=2011-11-30+19:05:40|archivedate=2011-12-01}}</ref> However, it has since been removed and no longer able for other players to download.
A demo was released on September 13, 2011. All PlayStation 3 players could download it for free; however, Xbox 360 players needed to have Xbox LIVE Gold for the first week in order to download it; it then migrated to Xbox LIVE Silver as well. The demo included Mission 1 and Mission 3, with the iconic nightmare air battle over Miami from the trailers and the attack helicopter rescue operation in Africa, respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/222865/two-mission-ace-combat-assault-horizon-demo-out-today|title=Two-Mission Ace Combat Assault Horizon Demo Out Today|author=GamePro|date=September 13, 2011|accessdate=September 16, 2011|archiveurl=http://www.webcitation.org/query?url=http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/222865/two-mission-ace-combat-assault-horizon-demo-out-today&date=2011-11-30+19:05:40|archivedate=2011-12-01}}</ref> However, it has since been removed and no longer able for other players to download.


[[Macross]] creator Shouji Kawamori designed a fictional plane for the game, known as the "ASF-X Shinden II", which was released on October 25, 2011 and is currently being offered as downloadable content. It can be purchased in the PlayStation Store for $7.99 USD or in the Xbox Marketplace for 640 MS Points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/06/20/macross_ace_combat_jet/ |title=First Look: Macross Creator's Ace Combat Jet |author=Anoop Gantayat |date=June 20, 2011 |work= |publisher=AndriaSang |accessdate=July 26, 2011}}</ref>
[[Macross]] creator Shouji Kawamori designed a fictional plane for the game, the "ASF-X Shinden II", which was released on October 25, 2011 and is currently being offered as downloadable content. It can be purchased in the PlayStation Store for $7.99 USD or in the Xbox Marketplace for 640 MS Points.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.andriasang.com/e/blog/2011/06/20/macross_ace_combat_jet/ |title=First Look: Macross Creator's Ace Combat Jet |author=Anoop Gantayat |date=June 20, 2011 |work= |publisher=AndriaSang |accessdate=July 26, 2011}}</ref>


==Release==
==Release==

Revision as of 17:21, 15 January 2016

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon
Developer(s)Namco
QLOC (PC)
Publisher(s)Namco Bandai Games
Director(s)Natsuki Isaki
Producer(s)Kazutoki Kono
Hiroyuki Ichiyanagi
Designer(s)Sanshiro Hidaka
Ryousuke Waki
Kazuo Yamamoto
Masaya Amano
Writer(s)Jim DeFelice
Composer(s)Keiki Kobayashi
Hiroshi Okubo
Rio Hamamoto
Jesahm
Norihiko Hibino
Takahiro Izutani
Yoshitaka Suzuki
SeriesAce Combat
Platform(s)PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Microsoft Windows
ReleasePlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
  • NA: October 11, 2011[1]
  • JP: October 13, 2011
  • AU: October 13, 2011
  • EU: October 14, 2011
Microsoft Windows
Genre(s)Combat flight simulator
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン, Ēsu Konbatto Asaruto Horaizon) is an installment of the Ace Combat arcade combat flight video game series. It was developed by Project Aces and originally published by Namco Bandai for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 platforms in October 2011.[3] The game was later released on Microsoft Windows in January 2013 through Steam.[2] This is also the first Ace Combat title with a plot mostly written by non-Japanese writers, with noted author Jim deFelice at the helm.

Gameplay

Screenshot as seen in the game. Here, players will take control of an AH-64 Apache gunship helicopter for a short time

The major new gameplay feature is a system called "Close-Range Assault" (CRA), which aims to increase the intensity and bring the action closer to the player, without the feeling of "shooting at faraway dots" commonly seen in flight games. In the game, it is named "Dogfight Mode" (DFM) for air-to-air battles and "Air Strike Mode" (ASM) for air-to-ground targets.[4] They are not optional, as certain planes and ground targets cannot be destroyed without CRA. To initiate DFM, the player taps LB+RB on the Xbox 360 or L2+R2 on the PS3 when they have gotten close enough to the plane they are targeting. ASM is initiated by pressing the same buttons at specific points around the map. Players will also pilot other aircraft types and assume other combat aviation functions; the game introduces the B-1 and B-2 strategic bombers and the AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as player-flyable vehicles. Certain missions may call for players to act as Black Hawk door gunners or weapons officers aboard the AC-130 Spectre gunship.

Multiplayer

Assault Horizon's multiplayer has been improved since Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. Co-operative missions and free-for-all Deathmatch have returned, but two new modes have been added as well: "Capital Conquest" and "Domination". In Capital Conquest, two teams of 4v4 or 8v8 each take control of their own headquarters, and must destroy the other team's headquarters. First, the transmission base in the center of the map must come under one team's control; once that's accomplished, the team's multiroles and attackers (and bombers, given the right conditions) can initiate Air Strike Mode to damage the other team's HQ. The first team to destroy the other's HQ wins; if the time limit is reached before an HQ could be destroyed, then the team with the most HQ health remaining wins. On the Ace Combat website, players can join an online faction (one for each capital city featured in Capital Conquest), and any points they receive individually while playing in a certain city will go towards that player's faction's control of that city. Every six weeks, the faction with the most global control wins.

In Domination, two teams of 4v4 or 8v8 battle it out to take control of three different bases in one single city. Taking control of a base is similar to the "King of the Hill" mode in other games; when a base is neutral, one team must stay inside it for a certain amount of time to take it over. The opposing team must destroy the ground targets that now pop up around that base, and then they must stay inside for a certain amount of time to take it over. Every 60 seconds, points are awarded to each team, 1 for each base they control at the time. The team with the most points wins.

Controls

There are two control schemes in the game: "Optimum" and "Original."

  • The new "Optimum" control scheme prevents the player from doing full rolls, to gain the stability needed to get the best of the new Close Range Assault system. This is the default mode that has been used in most of the game's media, and hasn't been seen in the series.
  • The "Original" control scheme is similar to the controls in the previous titles under "Expert." It gives the players full control of the aircraft, with the left stick making it roll instead of turn.

In addition to these settings, there are many options to tweak the controls and adapt to the player's style. It includes the choice of normal or reverse settings for the Pitch Control, Camera Control, Throttle, and Yaw. High-G turns return from Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation, as well as Auto Pilot if both shoulder buttons are held down. Lastly, the Flight Assistance provides opportunities to players such as Auto-leveling, Automatic Collision Prevention, Automatic Stall Prevention, Sight Assist, and Automatic Forward Target Selection. Flight Assistance can be turned on or off. On the Xbox 360, the game supports the Ace Edge Joysticks released with Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation.

Plot

Setting

The game is set in 2015-2016 and takes place at a number of locations around the world. They include East Africa, the Middle East, Russia, and the United States.

Characters

The game's protagonists are mostly members of the United Nations' 108th Task Force, a joint NATO-Russia military organization primarily assigned to quell a rebellion spreading over East Africa. Players primarily assume the role of Lieutenant Colonel William Bishop, head of the United States Air Force's Warwolf Squadron. He is assisted by wingman José "Guts" Gutierrez, NATO General Pierre La Pointe and pilots of the 108th's Nomad, Shooter, and Spooky squadrons. The antagonists are Russian General Stagleishov, and Russian Air Force pilots Andrei Markov and Maj. Sergei Illyich, who are members of a Russian criminal syndicate called the Blatnoi.

=Story

In the prologue, USAF Lt Colonel William Bishop leads an American defense of Miami against Russian forces, but is shot down by a mysterious plane with a "shark mouth" motif; the entire sequence is revealed to be a nightmare. He later awakes and sees the survivors of a helicopter raid on an insurgent stronghold in East Africa being rushed in for treatment. Their force is wiped out after a large explosive device is set off on the stronghold by the SRN rebel group. The 108th regroups to rescue Maj. Sergei Illich, a Russian officer serving with the task force who was shot down in an earlier operation. The SRN's use of the powerful explosive leads the 108th to an SRN cave hideout near the archaeological ruins of Mogadiyu, but the 108th's Russian co-commander, General Stagleishov, holds back his forces from joining the attack and even launch their fighters. On the way back, Warwolf receives a distress call from a city under rebel attack but they are intercepted by the Russians. In the course of the battle, Bishop is shot down by Andrei Markov, a highly skilled Russian pilot who flies the same plane from Bishop's nightmare. The Russians withdraw and the rebels detonate a more powerful version of the mysterious explosive on the 108th's base just as Warwolf lands.

The 108th identifies the new weapon as "Trinity," a conventional explosive with the power of a tactical nuclear weapon and designed for various weapon platforms such as cruise missiles. The 108th's survivors head to Dubai to defend the city from elements of the Russian criminal organization Blatnoi aiming to use the weapon on the city and intercept rebel cargo ships in hopes of finding Trinity weapons. However, this buys the Blatnoi time to launch a coup d'etat in Russia with massive support from the Russian military. Under Stagleishov's command, the so-called New Russian Federation quickly takes control of Moscow and surrounding areas, and the 108th joins other loyalist Russian units to take on the coup forces. Illich, who was one of the Russian pilots to leave East Africa, assists in the counteroffensive but disappears as the 108th successfully shoot down a Trinity cruise missile and an ICBM targeted for the United States. A Trinity missile destroys much of the 108th's strike force heading to Moscow and Bishop leads Warwolf in shooting down a Russian bomber squadron bearing down on the capital; he also takes out Markov's personal plane and the pilot ejects. Seeing the futility of resistance, Stagleishov negotiates the NRF's surrender by exchanging the final Trinity missile for political immunity, but Markov kills him and steals the weapon. It is revealed that Markov planned everything as revenge against the US for an airstrike during the Bosnian War that killed his wife, with the coup as a decoy to lure many American forces out of the homeland and weaken its defenses.

Illich is revealed as Markov's sleeper agent and betrays the 108th by joining his forces bound for the U.S. from bases in South America. The 108th and several American combat units reinforce Miami against an onslaught by Markov's forces. Bishop's earlier nightmare comes to life but Guts is able to protect him and the Trinity missile on Markov's plane is damaged in the process. Bishop kills Illich in the midst of a Category 5 hurricane. The 108th recovers and assists in the defense of Washington DC against a larger Russian attack. In a final showdown, Bishop finally eliminates Markov and shoots down his Trinity missile aimed at the White House. Upon landing his plane at Reagan National Airport, Bishop is given a hero's welcome while Guts is safely rescued.

Development

The game was first hinted at by a trademark filing by Namco Bandai in April 2010.[5] It was officially announced along with a gameplay trailer on August 9, 2010. Gameplay has been expanded to include the use of helicopters and gunships as well. The trailer showed the player using an AH-64D Apache Longbow gunship, and occupying the gunner's position on the UH-60 Black Hawk while attacking a desert village. In the trailer the US Air Force is engaged in dogfighting with Russian fighters over Miami. The player is in an F-22 engaging and destroying several enemies before being shot down himself. Pierre La Pointe, the commander of the 108th Task Force, briefs the Task Force on an Ace leading the attack on Miami named Col. Markov who has been nicknamed Akula (Russian for shark) because of the design on the nose of his plane. Russian involvement in the conflict has been described as "advisers and mercenaries" in the E3 Trailer. Another scene showed a US A-10 attacking a fleet of naval ships.[3] The extended trailer had additional scenes of air battles with the player flying an F-35 and an F-16 over Dubai and an attack on a desert oil facility. It is also revealed that the time is sometime in 2015 and will also take place in East Africa.[6]

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon continues the trend of Ace Combat games set in the real Earth rather than on "Strangereal", the setting for most Ace Combat games. The game takes place over a number of locations, including: Miami, East Africa, Dubai and the Middle East, Russia (Derbent, the Black Sea, Caucasus, and Moscow specifically), and Washington, D.C.. Fictional towns and cities were also used, including Mogadiyu, Carruth, and Belyi Base (believed to be based on Belaya). The developers used satellite imagery to accurately render the real-life locations, making it possible for players to pick out actual buildings and locations while playing the game. Miami, East Africa, Dubai, Moscow, and Washington, D.C. are available in multiple multiplayer modes alongside Paris. Honolulu and Tokyo were added as downloadable maps.

A demo was released on September 13, 2011. All PlayStation 3 players could download it for free; however, Xbox 360 players needed to have Xbox LIVE Gold for the first week in order to download it; it then migrated to Xbox LIVE Silver as well. The demo included Mission 1 and Mission 3, with the iconic nightmare air battle over Miami from the trailers and the attack helicopter rescue operation in Africa, respectively.[7] However, it has since been removed and no longer able for other players to download.

Macross creator Shouji Kawamori designed a fictional plane for the game, the "ASF-X Shinden II", which was released on October 25, 2011 and is currently being offered as downloadable content. It can be purchased in the PlayStation Store for $7.99 USD or in the Xbox Marketplace for 640 MS Points.[8]

Release

For European regions, Namco Bandai released a "Limited Edition" that also included the game's soundtrack, a redeemable code to download the F-4E Phantom II aircraft, and a notebook signed by the development team, all in a folded box. Gamers who pre-ordered this Limited Edition of the game received it for the same price as the standard edition.[9] A separate "Helicopter Edition" was also released, containing a 25 cm remote-controlled Black Hawk helicopter (with the livery seen in the game), a remote control, a rechargeable battery for the helicopter, and a branded pen and keychain, along with all of the contents of the Limited Edition.[10] A special edition released in Japan included Aces at War: A History, a special artbook detailing the content from Ace Combat Zero, 4, and 5 from an in-universe perspective, as well as production notes from the Project Aces team.

In Japan, gamers who pre-ordered the game received a code to download the F-4E Phantom II.[11] In the United States, GameStop also offered the plane as an exclusive pre-order bonus.[12] The Japanese edition of the game also has options to download special skins for the F-14 representing Roy Fokker and Hikaru Ichijo's VF-1 Valkyrie transformable fighters from Macross.

A patch was released on November 26, 2012, that fixed some of the jarring issues players had complained about with the multiplayer, specifically about players cheating with certain weapons or maneuvers. A day later, the PC version of the game was officially announced, as well as the availability of the game on the PlayStation Store and Xbox 360 Games on Demand. The PC version is available through retailers as well as Steam and Games for Windows Marketplace.[13]

The "Enhanced Edition" was announced in November 2012. This edition is exclusive to PCs; it comes with optimized controls and graphics as well as several additional aircraft, aircraft skins, multiplayer maps, and multiplayer skills. It was released in the winter of 2012.

The "Advanced Edition" was also announced in November 2012. This edition is exclusive to the PlayStation Store. It comes with the Tokyo and Honolulu maps, as well as the ASF-X Shinden II, F-15S/MTD, Su-37 Terminator, AV-8B Harrier II plus, CFA-44 Nosferatu, and Ka-50 Hokum.

Tie-in Novel

In March 2012, ASCII Media Works released Ace Combat: Ikaros in the Sky. A tie-in novel for Assault Horizon, Ikaros is the story of series character Kei Nagase as she participates in the JASDF's ASF-X Shinden II fighter program.[14]

Reception

The game has garnered mixed to positive reviews. Metacritic gives the game a 78 out of 100 (based on 71 reviews) for the Xbox 360 release,[18] a 77 out of 100 (based on 28 reviews) for the PlayStation 3 release,[19] and a 77/100 for the Enhanced Edition on PC.[20]

Critics praised the real-world settings, graphics and the soundtrack, but criticized the game for being repetitive and overly scripted. Critics also praised the voice-acting of the characters. Reception from the audience has also been positive; users on Metacritic give a 6.8/10 for the Xbox 360 and a 7.2/10 for the PS3, with some gamers feeling that the new gameplay elements kept the series "fresh and exciting". IGN gave Assault Horizon a 7.5/10, praising the game for keeping the arcade-like controls to make it easy to jump into. The editor noted that this was more like a spin-off than an actual part of the series, especially since it didn't have a number; however, it was again criticized for its repetition in the new Close Range Assault systems.[21] GameSpot gave the game a 5.5/10[23] and 1UP gave it a D+,[22] finding some of these criticized features to be what ruined the game's potential, and comparing the game to the Call of Duty series.

In response to the initial mostly positive response, Namco Bandai Games created a special "Accolades Trailer" one month after the game's release, in which many of the positive comments from well-known reviewers are featured alongside gameplay.[24] As of May 8, 2012, the game has sold 1.07 million copies worldwide.[25]

Despite the generally positive reviews on Metacritic, the game has garnered low reviews from those within the Ace Combat community, especially when compared to the PlayStation 2 titles of the series. Many criticize the emphasis on dogfight mode, the focus on cinematic aspects versus gameplay, and the storyline taking place in a real world setting versus the traditional Strangereal setting.

References

  1. ^ "Namco Bandai dates Ace Combat Assault Horizon in US and Europe". Strategy Informer. 11 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b "Ace Combat Assault Horizon: Enhanced Edition flying to PCs in 'winter 2013′ at 60fps with better graphics". BeefJack. 18 December 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2012.
  3. ^ a b Brendan Sinclair (August 9, 2010). "Ace Combat Assault Horizon prepares for takeoff". Gamespot. Archived from the original on 15 August 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ Namco Bandai Games EU (2011). "GAMEPLAY". Namco Bandai Games EU. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  5. ^ Spencer (April 26, 2010). "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Soaring To Consoles?". Siliconera. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved August 9, 2010. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ Dengeki Online (March 2, 2011). "瞬間が生死を分けるドッグファイト！ 『エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン』". Dengeki Online. Retrieved March 2, 2011.
  7. ^ GamePro (September 13, 2011). "Two-Mission Ace Combat Assault Horizon Demo Out Today". Archived from the original on 2011-12-01. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  8. ^ Anoop Gantayat (June 20, 2011). "First Look: Macross Creator's Ace Combat Jet". AndriaSang. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  9. ^ Namco Bandai Games EU (2011). "LIMITED EDITION". Namco Bandai Games EU. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved July 26, 2011. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ CollectorsEdition. "Ace Combat Assault Horizon Helicopter Edition". Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  11. ^ Anoop Gantayat (July 1, 2011). "Ace Combat Assault Horizon Date Set". AndriaSang. Retrieved July 26, 2011.
  12. ^ Gamestop (July 2011). "Ace Combat Assault Horizon - with Bonus!". Gamestop. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  13. ^ joar (2012-11-28). "Ace Combat Assault Horizonn Coming to PC in Q1 2013". Gamersyndrome.
  14. ^ http://ah.acecombat.jp/book3/
  15. ^ "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for Xbox 360". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  16. ^ "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for PlayStation 3". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved November 27, 2012.
  17. ^ "Ace Combat Assault Horizon: Enhanced Edition for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  18. ^ a b "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for Xbox 360 Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  19. ^ a b "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for PlayStation 3 Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  20. ^ a b "Ace Combat Assault Horizon: Enhanced Edition for PC Reviews, Ratings, Credits and More". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  21. ^ a b Jack DeVries (October 13, 2011). "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Review". IGN. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  22. ^ a b Ryan Winterhalter (October 11, 2011). "Ace Combat Assault Horizon Review for PS3, 360 from 1UP.com". 1UP.com. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  23. ^ a b Kevin VanOrd (October 11, 2011). "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Review". GameSpot. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
  24. ^ ACE COMBAT® ASSAULT HORIZON ACCOLADES TRAILER (Trailer). Namco Bandai Games. November 17, 2011.
  25. ^ Brendan Sinclair (May 8, 2012). "Dark Souls sells 1.19 million". GameSpot. Retrieved August 27, 2012.
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