"Less Game and More Franchise - The Flaws of Ace Combat Zero"

Ace Combat Zero continues the arcade/flight simulation action that Namco has franchised since Air Combat on the original PSone. I have played all of the Ace Combat games and couldn't wait to get this one after finally completing Ace Combat 5, which I might add took me months.

Well after the innovations that Ace Combat 5 added, the flight squadron commands and some original mission scenarios, I expected this game would continue on with the progression of the franchise...but unfortunately I was wrong. I mentioned that Ace Combat 5 took me months to finally complete, it was a challenging game and unlocking planes took more time and focus than what I was used to for the series. I beat Ace Combat Zero in less than a week. I actually beat every mission, on the hard difficulty setting, in 2 days. I'm not that good at these games so I think that says something on its difficulty.

The ACE System is worthless:

The innovations Ace Combat Zero brings this time are based around your gameplay style, which they call the Ace system. Previously, the series has trained you to destroy every single target, be it planes, aircraft carriers, destroyers, bunkers, tents, etc. In this installment of the game you are able to play each mission in 3 unique ways. I won't get into these too much other than saying they are a joke. While it does add challenge and longevity to the game it is really just too easy of a game for these gameplay styles to work properly. Want to fight like a Mercenary? Destroy every target available. Want to fight like a Soldier? Destroy primary targets and some yellow targets. Want to fight like a Knight? Do not destroy yellow targets. There you go, that's the ace system in full. So essentially the new gameplay elements of Ace Combat Zero involve color recognition. It does add replay ability to the game, of course, but if you're even into this series in the first place you have probably gotten over that issue long ago due to the unlockable aircrafts. The pleasure in the Ace Combat series for me is to beat the game normally, then play back through all the missions that were challenging with my newly unlocked behemoth Fighters and Stealth Attackers. There's nothing like playing the first level of the game with the best aircraft and completing it in record time with max kills. The main problem with the Ace system is that it's entirely unstable and difficult to follow. There is a gauge that rates what kind of ace style you used after completing a level, and to beat the game properly you need to be either at the far left, direct middle, or far right end of the gauge, respective to the ace style. The problem with this gauge is who really cares? It's warfare! The reason this system even works is because in this Ace Combat the character you play is a mercenary, so I suppose he doesn't have to take orders as accurately as a pilot in a squadron would. After beating Zero I found myself uninterested in returning to the game to complete the other ace styles, and I didn't fully complete my ace style (gauge description above) the first time through, so I was jaded.

More Problems Than Innovation:

Another problem with this game is the return of the "Return to Base" dashed line. By crossing over this line during a mission you will refill your weapons and miraculously repair your vessel. This first appeared in Ace Combat 4, and made the game extremely easy, although in AC4 you didn't get your ship repaired, just weapons reloaded. By repairing your aircraft mid-mission you are almost guaranteed a victory on these levels unless you are shot by a dozen missiles or you crash into the ground or another plane. Although the "return to base" is an option, you're a fool not to use it, given you have 20 minutes to complete these missions generally.

Something I found comforting at first but midway through the game found annoying was the fact that in AC Zero they drop you right into the zone, you don't have to fly in. I will admit that flying miles in your aircraft can be very frustrating and time consuming, such as the Radar Level in Ace Combat 5 which I must've wasted an entire day continually flying halfway across the map only to fail, but it takes away the element of approach and doesn't help you rate your aircraft's speed and power. As I mentioned earlier, half the fun of the game is repeating levels with unlocked aircraft and finding that it takes you only 30 seconds to fly to your rendezvous point with an aircraft that can travel at speeds up to 1200 mph, as compared to the first run through which may have taken 2 minutes to travel to the same rendezvous point. Dropping you into the action also made the levels that much shorter.

You still have the Squadron Commands from Ace Combat 5, such as Disperse, Cover, Attack, and Special Weapons. The problem with this is you only have one wingman this time around. It was a lot more effective when you had 3 wingmen covering you, or 3 wingmen attacking with special weapons, but with one partner it's sort of useless. This element of game play was key to surviving and winning in Ace Combat 5, but in Zero it's just a franchise addition.

Live Actors Don't Work In Video Games
or
Good Actors Don't Work In Video Games For Good Reason

You think that game companies would've learned this by now after the trial and error of Live Actors in games on SEGA CD, 3D0, and the early Playstation one, as well as hundreds of PC games. Ace Combat Zero utilizes interviews with live actors to explore the storyline of the Belkan War. Using this method not only immediately dates your game's production cycle, but also reeks of 1995. I can't think of a single game that uses Live Actors that works entirely. I mean I play videogames to get away from poor acting, at least poor voice acting doesn't have the melodramatic face accompanying it. The interviews with these live actors are pathetic and I refused to subject myself to them, so their credit, I didn't see all of the game's storyline, but I think pretty much everyone that appreciates Television, Film and Decent Actors will agree with me that these are not worth watching and add nothing to the game play. Some of the reviewers are claiming these are cool and are interesting, but they are entirely wrong on multiple levels. I won't critique this any longer because I wouldn't spend 3 paragraphs on explaining why a C-Movie sucks.

Overall:

If you enjoyed Ace Combat 2 - 5 then you will enjoy Ace Combat Zero none-the-less, but don't expect advancement on the gameplay. The graphics are slightly improved; most noticeable is the terrain which actually has detail and not just gigantic pixels when you get closer. You can actually fly over the tops of trees in this one at 50 feet altitude. The music is the same as the rest of the series and adds a nice dimension to the air battles, but I still think Ace Combat 3 had the best music in the series so far. Missions are diverse and there are actual options for some missions to choose between air, air to ground, and ground scenarios, which is beneficial in playing to your aircrafts' strengths as well as your own personal skills. There's nothing I love more than trying to destroy all of my ground targets on one initial run without having to backtrack. Your aircraft options on the first play through are mediocre, as you will have to sell planes to buy new ones, no matter how well you do in missions. I played the Mercenary Ace Style so I could gain the most credits, and it still wasn't enough to buy more than one plane every 3 or 4 missions, with selling old planes as well. Again I thought this was more detrimental to the game because options of attack are what an aircraft arcade simulation game is all about. The coolest feature in Ace Combat Zero is the fact you can unlock two special aircraft by having memory card saves from AC4 and AC5. Additions like this are always nice when a company recognizes its former games and gives fans of the series a bonus. I plan on selling Ace Combat Zero since I beat it because I'd rather work on perfecting Ace Combat 5 still.
So I would have to recommend this game as a rental-only, due to the problems listed above and the fact that it was the easiest game in the series you can easily beat it in 3-5 days.

Graphics: 8/10
Music/SFX: 7/10
Gameplay: 6/10
Innovation: 5/10

Overall Score: 6/10

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 10/27/06