Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception – PSP – Review

Intrigue and deception.
Political leaders and the speculation of their actions.
Thousands of lives lost as men continue pouring into battle.

These are
the words you’d expect to hear on CBS news. You may not, however, expect to
hear them coming from your PlayStation Portable. Ace Combat X: Skies of
Deception takes the journey, the gameplay, and the series’ unique style to
Sony’s handheld for the first time. Although most PSP sequels are
pseudo-rehashes, Skies of Deception is a new chapter in the Ace Combat
franchise. Take on new missions, destroy new enemies, and experience one the
series’ best stories yet.

The game
begins with a recap of the latest events. The world is at war again. Their
feuding escalates and within minutes you’re thrust into the battlefield.
Orders are given, but not everyone will listen. Comrades start focusing their
attention on each other and their disobedience when they should be focusing on
the mission. As a result, more allies perish.

But at the
end of the day, you knew that would happen. You knew that the only one
standing in between victory and defeat was you.

Skies of Deception’s story
is told
through narration and in-flight conversations. Character dialogue is pretty
interesting, especially in the context of an in-progress war. The
conversations aren’t overly long, but you will have to pay attention to keep
up, especially if you’re not already familiar with the series.

Though everyone likes a good
war story, that’s not the reason for playing a game like Ace Combat X.
Those of you who have played the previous installments are well aware of Namco
Bandai’s track record, and it only gets better with Skies of Deception.

The first
thing you will notice is how amazing the game feels. The controls have a very
light and airy touch, more so than most flight/combat games. This might not be
accurate to how a real jet controls, but if it was, anyone could be a pilot.

The
replays are very intense.

Battles are
deep and full of suspense. As your jet flies toward danger, the developers
take this opportunity to flex the PSP’s muscles.
No fog or pop-up is present. The backgrounds are clear, detailed, and filled
with intricately designed bases and cities. The frame rate is very fast,
staying consistent throughout each mission.

All enemies
are highlighted with a small, green circle to show you exactly where they are
located. Enemies are not typically visible at the start of a mission, which is
when your radar is really helpful.

In populated
areas, you’ll see that many enemies are highlighted. One of them will be your
specific target. You’ll know it by the blinking circle that appears as you
approach. When you get close enough to a target enemy, the blinking circle
will turn red. Now you’re locked on to the enemy, and will remain locked on
until he falls out of your sights. Fire a target-seeking missile and there’s a
good chance it will hit. If shot while the enemy is turning, he’ll have a
better chance of evading the attack.

In most
cases, you’ll have more than one enemy in the same area that needs to be taken
out – most likely a group of ships or ground vehicles, etc. Pressing the
triangle button allows you to scroll through the enemies and target the one
you desire.

Ace Combat X
contains a point system that lets you earn credits for completing missions,
which may be turned in for new weapons and aircrafts. Aircrafts vary in shape,
size, and stats – speed, stability, mobility, defense, etc. There are several
different jets to collect. Having more than one is important to the success of
the mission. What’s good for one objective may not be good for another.

Weapons
(bombs, missiles, etc.) also have efficiency limitations. I’m all for the
target-seeking kind, but they don’t have that long of a reach. Long-range
weapons work well for an on-ground assault, but aren’t likely to hit enemy
aircrafts, which are always on the move.

Interestingly, the game does not allow you to slow down without consequence.
Most aerial combat games have a speed decrease function that’s nearly
comparable to the brakes on a motor vehicle, except that you can’t come to a
complete stop. In Ace Combat X, slowing down will cause your engine to shut
off. You’ll lose altitude quickly and likely crash! It’s possible to recover
and avoid mission failure, but don’t count on it.

More than
once I’d be close to winning and blow the whole thing because I wanted to
narrowly circle an enemy. I didn’t want to take the time to fly past him, turn
around, and come back. Cornering – nor power-sliding – are
considered aircraft-safe maneuvers.

Review Scoring Details for Ace Combat X

Gameplay: 8.5
Ace Combat X is
an engrossing and intense flight/combat game that never lets up. I had my
doubts about a handheld sequel to a series that demands so much power, and a
large enough screen to cram it all in. But this wasn’t a merely a PSP version
of an existing game – the developers built this one specifically for Sony’s
handheld. The super-quick, responsive controls and crystal clear widescreen
view are more than properly utilized. This is one of those games where you’ll
forget you’re playing on a handheld.

Graphics: 8.0

From
the sight of a missile being shot at the enemy to the military bases and the
content held within, Ace Combat X looks great. Environments are massive, jets
are intricately designed, and the frame rate is consistently smooth – even in
the heat of an explosion-filled battle.

Sound: 8.0
Quality
voice-overs with a slightly muffled sound to enhance the effect of pilot
communication. The semi-orchestral, semi-techno soundtrack is repetitive but
enjoyable. The above-average dialogue is also worth noting.

Difficulty: Medium

While
not the most difficult game in the series, Ace Combat X has a deep, rewarding
quest with a lot of trials to overcome. The easy mode is just as it sounds –
easy. But the “normal” and “hard” difficulties will thoroughly test your
abilities as pilot.

Concept: 8.0
A new
era has begun for Ace Combat fans, and it starts on
the PSP. The combat has been perfectly balanced and converted to handheld
form, while new missions provide unforeseen excitement, and unforgettable
battles that result in high replay value.

Multiplayer: 8.3
Great multiplayer
features for 2-4 players. Dogfight: Survival is a game of last-man-standing.
The winner of Dogfight: Shoot-out is crowned after reaching the specified
number of kills. In Base Assault, players gain points for attacking enemy
aircraft and enemy bases, but lose points when their own bases are attacked.
You can also play Escort Mission (protect your convoy) and Beacon Battle (a
variation of Capture the Flag), or make your own custom game. The only
downside is that the multiplayer mode was made for local play and cannot be
accessed online.

Overall: 8.5
Ace Combat X is a
must-own flight/combat game. It’s not just the best PSP has to offer – it’s
the best any handheld has ever seen. The arcade-style gameplay, deep battles,
and rewarding missions are just some of the things that make this game a
success. Ace Combat has had its share of sequels, but this is by far the most
prominent. One-by-one, the PSP is re-creating and reinventing console game
experiences for portable play.