Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception

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.

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.