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Ace Combat is a hybrid arcade-simulation flight action video game series featuring 12 games,[1] published by the Japanese company Namco Bandai Games, and produced by Project Aces, an internal development team. The series emphasizes fast-paced action and dramatic plots, and has established itself as one of the most successful arcade flight action franchises. Most games of the series take place in the same fictionalized world populated with fictional countries with details loosely based on real-life location, events, and wars. One of the main selling points of the series is the ability to pilot a range of aircraft that include accurate or slightly modified representations of present day military aircraft, prototypes that never saw actual battle, and completely fictional boss-type superweapons. Longtime fans of the series are rewarded with small hints of the continuity between the games, as some characters and events are referenced from one game to another. The first three titles were released on Sony's PlayStation platform, while three subsequent titles were released on the PlayStation 2 (Ace Combat 4, Ace Combat 5 and Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War). One title, Ace Combat X, was released on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) platform, while another title, Ace Combat 6, was released on Microsoft's Xbox 360 platform. Ace Combat Xi was released on Apple Inc.'s iOS in 2009, while Ace Combat: Joint Assault was released for the PlayStation Portable in August 2010. Ace Combat: Assault Horizon was launched on October 11th, 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Namco Bandai has also announced to press that it's working on a new Ace Combat title for the Nintendo 3DS, which has been revealed to be Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy.
Setting For more info see List of Ace Combat characters The Ace Combat series, with the exception of Ace Combat: Joint Assault and Ace Combat: Assault Horizon, which take place in the real world, takes place in an alternate history version of Earth (dubbed Strangereal), with different geography and countries. Antarctica covers the planet's South Pole and an archipelago shaped like New Zealand is located at its peak. Along with the Democratic Federation of Wellow,[2] shaped like Greenland, these are the only two landmasses in the game world which are identical to the real-life Earth. The Osean mainland is the central continent of the Ace Combat world and has seen many wars throughout its history. Ace Combats "Earth" is apparently located in the same Solar system as the real one, with the same Sun, Moon, and apparently constellations. One particular constellation, Crux, plays a major role in the Ace Combat X plot. The main continents of the Ace Combat setting are separated by several major oceans and large seas. The Ceres Ocean that separates Osea from Yuktobania is the smallest of all oceans. It is there that the majority of the Circum-Pacific War is fought in Ace Combat 5. The Pacific Ocean separates Osea from the southern Verusean continent. The Circum-Pacific War was named after it despite the fact that no battles were actually fought there. The Atlantic Ocean is the largest ocean, touching Osea, Usea, and Verusea. Ace Combat 2, Ace Combat 3, and Ace Combat 4 are all set in Usea. The Cascade Ocean is the second largest ocean, touching the continents of Osea, Anea, and Verusea. The Arctic Ocean covers the North Pole. A main historic event that takes place in that world and is a main catalyst for the events of Ace Combat 4 and Ace Combat 6 was the fall of the "Ulysses" Asteroid which split into hundreds of fragments upon entry into atmosphere causing severe damage on several nations and claiming millions of lives. Some countries developed powerful superweapons to protect themselves against the Ulysses fragments, that were later used for warfare. Games Main series Other Title differences The Japanese Ace Combat was renamed Air Combat in the North American and European releases. In NTSC territories, the fourth installment of the series is known as Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, while in PAL territories the game is known as Ace Combat: Distant Thunder. Another change was done in the Spanish version of the game, being renamed Ace Combat: Trueno de Acero, that can be translated as Ace Combat: Steel Thunder. The fifth installment of the game is known as Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, while the PAL release was renamed Ace Combat: Squadron Leader. In PAL territories, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War had a slight rename to Ace Combat: The Belkan War making it the first game since the series introduction to not have a significant name change in PAL territories. The PAL territory boxart for Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation has kept the same name and has included the number, the only difference between it and the other covers is the illustration. http://www.acecombat.eu/ http://uk.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/acecombat6/index.html?tag=result;title;0 The PlayStation 2 games offer 16:9 anamorphic widescreen images and scenery. Music The Ace Combat series is known for its dramatic soundtrack, particularly in later installments of the game where full orchestras, such as the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, are used. Each installment of the series usually uses one style of music as the basis of its soundtrack: The main composers for the game series soundtrack are Keiki Kobayashi, Tetsukazu Nakanishi, Ryuichi Takada, Junichi Nakatsuru, and Hiroshi Okubo. - In Air Combat and Ace Combat 2, the music is heavily influenced by rock and gained popularity with fans of the genre.
- Ace Combat 04 mixed orchestra, guitar, and synth tracks.
- Ace Combat Zero uses similar techniques to Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat 5 but incorporates a Spanish flair through the use of classical, electric, and even acoustic guitars.
- Ace Combat X uses electronic music similar to Ace Combat 3, although it maintains the more cinematic synths from the PlayStation 2 games as well.
- Ace Combat 6 is the most orchestral soundtrack to date, and is similar in style to Ace Combat 5 and Zero. There are significantly fewer electronic elements throughout the score, although they have not been removed entirely - remaining for several key tracks, including one of the game's two overtures, "Fires of Liberation" (The second theme, "Liberation of Gracemeria", does away with the core electronic elements almost entirely, marking only the second time this has been done in the series, the first being "The Unsung War" - the title overture of Ace Combat 5). Several soundtracks were done by Trinity Boys Choir and Bulgarian Symphony Orchestra.
- Ace Combat X2 uses songs from previous installments (2, and Electrosphere) with new music composed by Inon Zur, Go Shiina, and Kanako Kakino. This is also the first time some Oriental & Persian music is thrown into the mix.
- Ace Combat: Assault Horizon brings back the rock style music like in the Play Station one titles and mixes it with music similar to Ace Combat 5 and Zero.
- Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy uses a few songs from previous installments (2, 3, Zero, and 6), but also includes over thirty original songs composed for the game. The overall style is split between orchestra, electronic music, and hard rock.
References External links ar: ca:Ace Combat (la saga) de:Ace Combat es:Ace Combat fr:Ace Combat (s rie) it:Ace Combat ja: no:Ace Combat pt:Ace Combat ru:Ace Combat fi:Ace Combat (pelisarja) zh:
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