Ace Combat : Assault Horizon

🎮 Overview

• Title: Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

• Platform: PlayStation 3 (also on Xbox 360, later PC)

• Release Year: 2011

• Developer / Publisher: Project Aces / Namco Bandai Games

• Genre: Combat Flight Simulator / Action

• Style: A reboot-style entry in the Ace Combat franchise, with a heavier focus on cinematic, intense dogfights and a grounded, real-world setting.

📖 Story

Unlike traditional Ace Combat games set in fictional universes (Strangereal), Assault Horizon takes place in a real-world-inspired setting:

• You play mainly as Colonel William Bishop, leader of the U.S. Air Force’s 108th Task Force, but also take control of other pilots in different missions.

• The plot follows a NATO-led task force fighting against a Russian insurgent faction called SRN (New Russian Federation), who develop a devastating new weapon known as Trinity, similar to a tactical nuclear device.

• The campaign spans multiple countries (U.S., Africa, Middle East, and Russia), combining military drama with political intrigue.

• Unlike past games’ sweeping narratives, this one leans heavily on a “military thriller” tone, reminiscent of Tom Clancy stories.

🕹 Gameplay

Core Mechanics

• Cinematic Dogfights:

  • Introduces the Dogfight Mode (DFM): a lock-on system where players chase enemies in close quarters, triggering cinematic camera angles, missile barrages, and machine gun duels.

  • DFM makes air combat feel more intense and visceral than traditional long-range missile fights.

• Aircraft:

  • Dozens of real-world jets, including F-22 Raptor, F-15E Strike Eagle, MiG-29, Su-47 Berkut, and Eurofighter Typhoon.

  • Each jet has unique stats in speed, maneuverability, and payload.

• Varied Gameplay Styles:

  • Fighter Missions: Standard dogfights and air-to-air combat.

  • Attack Helicopter Missions: Fly helicopters like the AH-64 Apache in gunship-style missions.

  • AC-130 Gunship Missions: On-rails sections where you provide covering fire.

  • Bomber Missions: High-altitude strikes with heavy ordnance.

  • Helicopter Door Gunner: Shoot enemies while riding as a door gunner.

  • This variety expanded the franchise beyond traditional jet missions.

• Multiplayer:

  • Online competitive multiplayer with dogfights, base assaults, and team battles.

  • Cooperative missions (co-op campaign-style sorties) were included.

  • Progression system allowed unlocking aircraft, upgrades, and skins.

Campaign

• Linear mission-based structure, with objectives ranging from dogfighting Russian jets to defending U.S. cities, to assaulting Moscow itself.

• Features heavily scripted, cinematic moments — for example:

  • Chasing an enemy ace through skyscrapers.

  • Fending off massive missile salvos.

  • Helicopter ambushes in urban combat zones.

🎨 Presentation

• Graphics:

  • Realistic aircraft models with detailed cockpits.

  • Impressive destructible environments — skyscrapers, ground targets, and cityscapes break apart during combat.

  • Highly cinematic camera work, especially during Dogfight Mode.

• Sound:

  • High-energy orchestral score mixed with electronic elements for intensity.

  • Explosive sound design with roaring jet engines, missile locks, and chaotic battlefield chatter.

  • Voice acting delivers a military-drama style, with a more serious tone than past games.

• Tone:

  • More grounded and gritty than the series’ usual sci-fi-inspired storytelling.

  • Felt like a Hollywood military blockbuster.

📝 Reception

• Praise:

  • Dogfight Mode brought cinematic excitement to aerial combat.

  • Variety of missions (jets, helicopters, AC-130) kept gameplay fresh.

  • Stunning visuals and set pieces created high-intensity battles.

  • Good aircraft selection and attention to detail in models.

• Criticism:

  • DFM, while flashy, sometimes felt restrictive and repetitive.

  • Helicopter/AC-130 missions were divisive — some players felt they diluted the jet combat focus.

  • Story was considered predictable and overly generic compared to past Ace Combat entries.

  • Multiplayer community faded quickly after launch.

✅ In short:

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon for PlayStation 3 is a cinematic reboot of the franchise, trading the series’ fictional setting for a modern military thriller narrative. Its introduction of Dogfight Mode turned aerial combat into close-range, high-drama duels, while the addition of helicopters and bombers added gameplay variety. Though divisive among long-time fans, it stood out for its blockbuster presentation, intense dogfights, and Hollywood-style spectacle.