ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

Bandai Namco kicked off the year 2019 with a roar of fighter jets with the latest installment of the ACE COMBAT franchise that promises to be the most realistic installment to date. ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN pits players on the role of a fighter pilot convicted of a crime never intended to make and then rose to the ranks as part of the LRSSG, while dealing with the mission to end war of the two nations over the Space Elevator drama.

ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK

The original soundtrack of ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN has arrived and this six-disc compilation features a powerful track list came from the game's missions, cutscenes, multiplayer modes, the PlayStation VR-exclusive missions, and the DLC missions launched from September to November 2019. Handcrafted by the noteworthy names involved from every Bandai Namco games, this powerful soundtrack lets listeners to reminisce all of the action SKIES UNKNOWN delivered from the attack on Fort Grays to the climactic battle against two powerful drones at the Space Elevator, from the days of Mage 2 of IUN to Strider 1 of the LRSSG.

This six-disc soundtrack is a must have for those who enjoyed playing ACE COMBAT 7 SKIES UNKNOWN from start to finish.

ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN

The premiere flight action game from Bandai Namco returns as the Ace Combat franchise has landed to the current generation of gaming consoles such as the Playstation4 and Xbox One with their newest installment titled ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN and after years of delivering the most thrilling dogfights, they have perfected this newest installment with a more realistic experience fans are craving for.

ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN (PS4)

ACE COMBAT 7: SKIES UNKNOWN (X1)

The shattered skies of USEA is roaring back once again with a brand new chapter of the Ace Combat saga that will give players a more realistic experience while taking flight with some of the deadliest fighter planes ever assembled from the F-22A Raptor, the Typhoon, the Rafale, the Gripen, the A-10C, and more. Make use of your new aircraft with the deadly arsenal of weapons and parts to give yourselves an edge.

Set three years after the Emmeria-Estovakia War from AC6, the story of Ace Combat 7 sets us back to the USEAN continent as the space elevator project triggered a conflict between the Kingdom of Erusea and the Osean Federation. As the story progresses, the drama of this new conflict unfolds.

Promising to be the most realistic Ace Combat experience ever, they've given this new installment a more realistic graphics so real, they come alive even in 4K Ultra HD, and as for the dogfights, the weather effects really add realism to the experience. Wind, turbulence, rain, lightning, these new effects are going to be a challenge, even for first timers.

The aerial combat's evolved as well because apart from experimenting various weaponry on their favorite aircraft such as machine guns, missiles, bombs, even lasers, they've added a brand new tertiary defense systems such as flares, which is useful to avoid enemy missiles. There's also a new Post Stall Maneuver as well and this trick is somewhat useful if you have the urge to watch your six. Master these new tricks as well as various weaponry and you can get through various missions like a professional.

Of course, what's Ace Combat going to be without multiplayer, as you say? In addition to co-op missions and deathmatches, Skies Unknown added a new Battle Royale multiplayer mode where the last fighter standing wins. Simple as that.

With a more realistic aerial dogfight experience, dramatic new storyline, new combat mechanics, and more, Skies Unknown really opens the New Year with a bang, a really big bang delivered by the deadliest arsenal of aircraft has to offer.

LIMITED EDITION: Those who pre-ordered it by any ways will receive a F-4E Phantom II plane and three special skins based on previous installments. Those who got it digitally may receive an F-104C Avril plane. Also, those who pre-ordered it on the PS4 can play the Ace Combat 5 -The Unsung War- game while on the Xbox One, Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation. The Deluxe Edition grants them eight classic emblems, a season pass for additional content coming soon, and a Music Player Mode.

Greatest moments in Ace Combat history

Ace Combat 20th Anniversary

Continuing on the Ace Combat 20th Anniversary celebration, time to jot down the best bits from the world's number one flight shooting game made by one of the maddest game makers in the world, Bandai Namco. From the first game to the present, there has been so many great moments AC fans remember for. From shooting down aerial bases, defending a large aircraft, destroying heavy weaponry, and rivalry between aces, every dogfight is a story in the world of AC, but now, I'm going to jot down the best moments in AC history.

1) Discovery of airborne fortress! - The final mission of the first AC game involves intercepting a giant airborne fortress and intercepting this massive flying beast is a thrilling feat as it requires precise flying skills and distinctive firing abilities. It sure is hard work but anyone remembering finishing off the last boss has proof that they are natural born aces from the start.

2) Last Resort - This mission from Ace Combat 2 is by no means the most insane mission in history. It's simple, really. Shoot down a submarine and then after that, intercept the cruise missile before it exits the available combat zone. That's it. Well, while shooting down the submarine is no slouch, shooting down the fired cruise missile is the insane part of the mission because you need to be as fast as a cruise missile itself to hunt it down. We might think that this is the final mission in AC2 but we were wrong...

3) Fighter's Honor - This is the secret and the "real" final mission of AC2. Players who worked really hard on the hardest difficulty setting stood a chance to unlock the real final mission of the game. In this mission, players are tasked to destroy an enemy fortress as well as the missile silo from the inside. In that mission, one of the Z.O.E. foes have flown an aircraft known as the ADF-01, the Falken.

4) Memory Error - Because Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere has different endings, your actions will reflect the outcome of the story. One such mission if you ended up going on a different path is the mission where you will have to shoot down the X-49 Night Raven, with Rena inside the cockpit. Halfway through the mission, players have witnessed Keith's sacrifice to stop the winged nightmare and the task of shooting down the Night Raven with Keith's plane stuck in it really made him saying "I'm pinned down!"

5) Stonehenge Offensive - Known to be one of the most thrilling missions in Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, you, as Mobius 1, and the Mobius Squadron are tasked to put Stonehenge, the meteorite-intercepting railgun served as Erusea's weapon of mass destruction, into fruition. The first part of the mission involves destroying the entire railgun network while the second half involves fending off the Yellow Squadron.

6) Megalith - In the finale of Shattered Skies, a group of young Erusian fighters occupied Megalith, a superweapon designed to shoot down asteroids similar to the destroyed Stonehenge. Unlike the Stonehenge, the Megalith fires ballistic missiles, which is proven to be a threat to the USEAN continent. The Mobius squadron engaged in their one last do-or-die battle to save USEA from such monstrosity and although this mission focuses more on destroying the generators from the inside, every player's first priority in the finale is to fend off against the remains of the Yellow Squadron, including the ones that named Jean-Louis. Oh! Jean-Louis' been hit!

7) First Flight - With the disappearance of Capt. Jack Bartlett, the remaining Wardog pilots have returned from Port St. Hewlett (successfully evacuating the Osean aircraft carriers and the naval fleet) to Sand Island when all of a sudden, a surprise attack carried by the Yukes occurred. Your mission was to protect Sand Island from the Yuke air strikes and then later, protecting a rookie named Hans "Archer" Grimm as he takes off and joining the Wardog squadron.

8) White Bird Part I - When the Wardog squadron and the aircraft carrier Kestrel survived the ballistic missile blast in Eaglin Straits, the pilots are taking a break at Heierlark base, located near the former South Belkan territory. After the Wardog squadron sent the rookie pilots back to the base, they were on a mission to protect the Basset Space Center from invading Yuktobanian forces as the space center is launching an SSTO craft heading towards the Arkbird, intentionally built as the first step toward the realisation of the space station project. Defending a space center against tanks dropped from a cargo plane, bombers, and cruise missiles sure is a zany task, you know.

9) Front Line - The Yuktobanian naval fleet is invading Sand Island and the Osean army's staging a counterattack against them. In this mission, players need to defend the rookie pilots while fending off against the enemy naval fleet. After fending off the naval fleet, players are facing off against the Yuktobanian sub carrier known as the Scinfaxi. Battling against a powerful submarine is a tough job because of the sub's tendency to submerge but thanks to the Arkbird's laser attack, there's no turning back for the Scinfaxi to get BBQ'ed by the Wardog. Good thing, multiroles like the Tiger with unguided bombs really come in handy.

10) Demons of Razgriz - A Scinfaxi-class submarine known as the Hrimfaxi appeared somewhere in the Razgriz Straits in the Anea continent, launching burst missiles against the Osean army invading Yuktobanian territory. In this mission, you and the Wardog pilots fly silently to find the Hrimfaxi and if they spot you, you have less than a minute to hunt down the Hrimfaxi before diving in. The Hrimfaxi attacks just like the Scinfaxi but unlike the Scinfaxi, it deploys unmanned drones as distraction, meaning greater strategies need to be pulled to sink the Hrimfaxi for good.

11) Handful of Hope - This is by no means one of the trickiest missions in AC5 because in this mission, you and Edge have been tasked to escort the Mother Goose 1 transport plane from Akerson Hill's AA system's range because some malfunctions in the Mother Goose 1 can't determine by the AA system if its a friend or foe and they can't fly through a safe path through the AA systems. After escorting Mother Goose 1 through the radar zones, you've been reunited with Chopper and Grimm and continue to defend the aircraft against enemy squadrons. However, something's strange going on in the Mother Goose 1. Well, you get the idea at the end of the mission,

12) White Noise - After rescuing prisoners from a Yuktobanian base during a harsh blizzard, Nagase's plane was crash landed along with the Chinook helicopter. A day later, the search for Nagase began in the same place where they've rescued the prisoners (but no sign of Bartlett). She did triggered a distress signal but the signal is very weak so on on this mission, you have to locate the distress signal before the enemy gets her, however, the search for Edge gets distracted when you've encountered jammer aircraft. When players pinpointed her whereabouts, you have now been tasked to protect the Sea Goblin helicopter from Yuke squadrons chasing them. Simple as that.

13) Journey Home - The first half of the mission involves following your wingmen while conducting a ceremonial flight through a stadium in November City. After the ceremonial flight, expect something odd happening at the stadium and if that wasn't enough, Yuke squadrons began attacking November City without warning and it's your job to fend off the Yuktobanian scumbags as long as possible. This mission had players witnessed the death of wingman Alvin "Chopper" H. Davenport, making it one of the most tragic deaths in video game history.

14) Final Option - It is revealed that the Principality of Belka was behind the confusion and the tension between the OSEAN Federation and the Union of Yuktobanian Republics and after the shocking revelation that endangered the Wardog squadron as well as Peter N. Beagle, known as Pops, and journalist Albert Genette, they've escaped Sand Island using his training jets. With nothing to fight back, this mission involves following Pops as they avoid detection from the 8492nd Squadron on a volcanic island in Ceres Ocean. At the end of the mission, Captain Marcus "Swordsman" Snow appeared and he faked you and your colleagues' death after flashing a signal light asking them to bail out. With reports told about the death of the Wardog squadron, you've been rescued by the Sea Goblin and sent you and the others to the Kestrel.

15) Ancient Walls - With Capt. Snow joining alongside you, Nagase, and Grimm, and armed with jets came from a confiscated container ship, your mission involves rescuing OSEAN President Harling from the Belkan forces who held him captive in an old castle located near the ground zero craters in the Principality of Belka. With Sea Goblin conducting the rescue operation to the President, your mission is to protect the Sea Goblin from incoming Belkan attacks from both ground, air, and sea. The successful rescue of the President prompted them to become his personal air fleet and with reports circulating their deaths, the Ghosts of Razgriz are born.

16) White Bird Part II - After the Ghosts of Razgriz sealed the mine containing nuclear weapons that the Belkans used 15 years ago and protecting the resistance from the Yukes and the Belkan Ofnir Squadron as they dismantling the nuke, they've received an incoming transmission coded in Belkan. It states that the Arkbird will launch a nuclear strike at a certain Yuktobanian city and its your job to pursue the Arkbird, secretly sabotaged by the Belkans, and destroy it before it exits the combat airspace. This mission involves precise flying skills as they will have to attack UAVs known as the Vogels, evading laser fire, and firing abilities to end the nightmare that plagued the white bird.

17) Heartbreak One - With Capt. Bartlett and the resistance rescued Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor, the Ghosts of Razgriz approached the Pobeda Peninsula and provide cover as Bartlett, alongside a woman from his past, are getting Nikanor out to safety. This is the mission where players face a fork on the road; they will ask them if they can take risks on a shortcut or go on a long and safe road. As time-consuming aces say, it's going to be the risky shortcut and take chances to fend off against heavy firepower. After escorting them to safety, the 8492nd Squadron (or the Belkan Grabacr Squadron to be exact) appears and this time, it's a do-or-die battle.

18) ACES - An unknown missile strike destroyed the OPS Kestrel and the Ghosts of Razgriz escaped safely to the final battle happening at Sudentor, a former South Belkan city and where the North Osea Grunder Industries (formerly a South Belkan Munitions Factory) is located. With the two leaders convince their troops to cease fighting, the OSEAN and Yuktobanian forces are now fighting alongside the Ghosts of Razgriz as they will put an end to this meaningless war once and for all. However, as they advanced, the SOLG military satellite is operational and its your job is to keep the OSEAN and Yuke troops safe as they will open the tunnel leading to the control unit. The tunnel part of this mission is the most insane part as it will put all your flying skills to the test and you have one shot to destroy the SOLG control unit.

19) The Unsung War - In the finale of AC5, The Ghosts of Razgriz are on a final mission; to stop the SOLG military satellite from crashing down the Osean capital city, Oured. But first, they have to fend off against a double Belkan formation; Ofnir and Grabacr. Fighting off against the Belkan squadrons sounds tough but nothing as tough as evading debris while blowing off the SOLG into a million pieces to save the world from the brink of destruction.

20) The Round Table - Ustio Air Force's Galm Team, comprising of you (Cipher) and Solo Wing Pixy, are tasked to invade Area B7R, known as the Round Table. B7R is a wasteland where pilots put their skills to the test regardless of their ranks. The only rule of engagement was...to SURVIVE.  In your first taste of B7R, your mission is to fend off against Belkan squadrons as much as possible. In the latter half, you'll be facing of against one of Belkan Air Force's finest squadrons; Rot (comprising of Typhoon pilots), Grun (experts of flying Super Hornets), or Indigo (Gripen pilots who know better).

21) Diapason - With the Allied Forces approached the Ustio capital city of Directus, which is under Belkan army control, the Galm Team are tasked to save Directus from the Belkan army's tyranny. Liberating a capital city of a small nation sounds like a start but things can get messy at the end when you're facing off a duo of Su-37 pilots known as the Gelb team.

22) Sword of Annihilation - Belka's massive chemical laser weapon, codenamed Excalibur, attacked the Allied Forces invading the Schayne Plains. Days later, the mission to attack Excalibur in its site, Tauberg, has begun. In this mission, you can't take down Excalibur without taking out its jamming sites as well as power stations. Since this is essentially an air-to-ground combat mission involving taking down a towering weapon of mass destruction, enemy squadrons are present, and greater tactics in terms of plane and weaponry are needed to pull out the King's Sword once and for all.

23) Mayhem - Area B7R has come alive with an all out aerial warfare between the Allied Forces and the Belkan Air Force. This is known to be one of the best moments in AC-ZERO because with no ground targets present, your skills as a fighter pilot are well and truly tested as you will fend off enemy squadrons as much as possible. That's a lot more than your first encounter at the B7R and with threat levels down; expect bigger threats from the best of Belkan Air Force such as the Schwarze team (Foxhound experts), Schnee team (Super Tomcat pilots with jammer crafts joining alongside), and Silber team (whose leader flew an F-4 Phantom II).

24) The Stage of Apocalypse - The Allied Forces are planning to attack Sudentor but their plans shifted when they've encountered enemy bombers heading through Ustio's Valais Air Base, most which claimed to have a nuclear warhead. In the first half, you have to shoot down the bombers as well as the enemy crafts, but in the second half; this is the messy part because the nuclear weapons have been detonated and things took a nasty turn when Pixy's shooting at you and went AWOL.

25) Lying in Deceit - In the aftermath of the nuclear explosions at the Waldreich Mountains and Pixy's disappearance, the Belkan government ordered most of its army to disband but some Belkan armies refused to accept the change in government and are disobeying the command to disband. There are remaining troops lurking in Belka's Mt. Schrim, which is familiar to AC fans many. Your task is to wipe out the remaining Belkan army platoon as much as you can and since this is an extended mission much like what happened in Glatisant, there's a return line where players can pass through for repairs and ammunition. And because of Pixy's AWOL status, Crow Team's PJ became your wingman and he responds to your orders.

26) The Talon of Ruin - It was Christmas Day in 1995, six months after the ceasefire agreement that signalled the end of The Belkan War, when Valais Air Base was under attacked by coup d'etat forces along with a top-secret patrol fighter aircraft known as the Hresvelgr. In this mission, you are tasked to pursue the Hresvelgr before it leaves the combat airspace but your pursuit has been hampered by Sapin Air Force's Espada Team, who are part of the coup d'etat.

27) The Demon of The Round Table - This is a three-part finale of The Belkan War where you can't change your aircraft after clearing this mission, meaning a choice of better aircrafts is necessary to complete this three-part mission. The first part takes on the now desolated Round Table as you are fighting against one of the three coup d'etat squadrons; Sorcerer, Gault, or Wizard. The Wizard Team is by no means the cleverest of the three coup d'etat squadrons. They're using F-16XL fighter bombers as distractions before getting lured by the trap set by pilots in their YF-23 stealth fighters.

28) The Valley of the Kings - The second-part of the finale involves taking down the Avalon Dam, where the coup d'etat forces are hiding an experimental V2 nuke and planned to launch it. In the first half, you have to fly through the canyon while avoid getting shot, then in the second half, you have to get through the dam and destroy the control units to stop the V2 launch. If you finished it, congratulations! You saved the world...or have you?!

29) Zero - Solo Wing Pixy re-emerged from nowhere and now he's facing you off with his new ADFX-01 Morgan, equipped with lasers and burst missiles that can blind you badly. This is the finale where you must finish off your former "buddy" before he launches the V2. Having managed to survive through the Morgan's firepower and attacked him, he launched the V2 and now, the Morgan's ECM is active, making it invulnerable to attack from behind, meaning your best chance to finish him is by attacking it head-on.

30) Gleipnir - Aurelian Air Force's Gryphus Squadron faces off against Leasath's aerial base, the Gleipnir. Because of its shock wave missiles and optical camouflage that renders it unseeable in the naked eye, the Gleipnir is a big threat to Aurelian airspace. It's your job to destroy the Gleipnir before it causes trouble in Aurelia.

31) End of Deception - The finale of ACX Skies of Deception involves in two ways; destroy the Archelon Fortress along with the experimental Fenrir aircraft or destroy the shock cannon. Well, the part with the Fenrir in it is the thrilling part of the game because thanks to the Fenrir's uncomparable firepower and camouflage along with Leasath's elite Alect Squadron, it's difficult to survive the final battle so the first thing to do is to destroy the power plant that powers its camouflage before fending off the almighty Fenrir. If you thought that was over, it's not over yet because with the gate of Archelon Fortress opened and with one remaining Fenrir trying to escape the fortress, you are tasked to destroy it while trying to survive inside the fortress that is about to explode. Thrilling, isn't it?

32) Heavy Command Cruiser - To prevent further casualties en route to save Gracemeria from the Estovakian army, the Emmerian Air Force, along with the heroic Garuda Team, are on the pursuit on the heavy command cruiser known as the Aigaion as it refuels through a remote island near Emmeria. In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the Aigaion heavy command cruiser as well as the Gyges and Kottos aerial warships. However, this mission is proven to be very hard because of the Aigaion's powerful weaponry as well as the Strigon team deployed as distractions but there's no impossible for aces like you to send this beast down to the bottom of the ocean.

33) Weapons of Mass Destruction - Despite the Garuda Team suspended for violating orders, they have been given a task to ambush the enemy transport unit carrying a catalyst unit for their WMD against the Emmerian capital Gracemeria. The tricky part of this mission aside from flying on the low altitude is when you've been spotted by the enemy observation tower, you have to destroy them as quickly as possible before they alert the transport unit. If you spot the transport unit, destroy it before it gets away but that's just the first half because on the second half, you'll get ambushed by enemy squadrons and then later, you've been reunited by your Emmerian air force allies, perfect enough to unleash your Allied Attack command if things get messy.

34) The Liberation of Gracemeria - With the Estovakian army taking desperate measures, the Emmerian army as well as Garuda Team have returned to Gracemeria for their do-or-die battle to take back the capital from the Stovie's rule. It's been proven to be one of the best moments in AC6 Fires of Liberation right up to the point where you'll defeat Strigon Leader Pasternak in his CFA-44 Nosferatu, the Estovakian prototype aircraft equipped with signature weapons like the ADMM and the EML.

35) Gracemeria Patrol - Gracemeria may be saved but the war is not over yet. In the first half of the mission, you are asked to fly through patrol areas while witnessing the beautiful fireworks in the night sky. It all seem so lovely to see Gracemeria rose from the darkness but then, something strange is happening. Yep, it's the cruise missiles but not as big as the Aigaion's and on the second half of this mission, you and Shamrock must defend Gracemeria against enemy squadrons and cruise missiles trying to attack Gracemeria like last time.

36) Chandelier - The cruise missiles that fired on Gracemeria came from a meteorite-intercepting railgun installation located at Sonne Island known as the Chandelier. In the finale, your mission is to destroy the Chandelier, starting with the cooling units following with the core units. This final mission is very thrilling and it requires all the skills you learned from past missions to save Emmeria from the dreaded weapon of mass destruction which served as the last resort for the Estovakians.

37) Bird Hunt - The terrorist organization known as the Valahia have attacked Tokyo with their aerial base known as the Spiridus. In this mission, you have been tasked to strip out of its weaponry before it uses the Balaur to make a giant crater out of the Japanese capital.

38) Capital Defense - Shortly after the Spiridus retreated Tokyo and successfully defended the Japanese Self Defense Force, the Valahia attacked the Japanese capital again, only this time, they've used a new aerial warship called the Orgoi. In this mission, you've been tasked to destroy the Orgoi warship. However, things took a turn of events as the leader of the Valahia militants, Nicolae Dumitrescu, spliced the communications and the Rigel Squadron, led by Sulejmani, have been tempted by Valahia to become one of them.

39) Raging Sea - As the Antares Squadron continue their pursuit against the Spiridus in London, UK, after their Middle Eastern ops, you've entered the Adriatic Sea and your mission is to fend off enemy commandos from both air, land, and sea. Later, you've been attacked by your former allies of Rigel Squadron, now referred as the Varcolac Squadron, and after you shoo them away, you've been tasked to take down a powerful submarine.

40) Night Watch - You've managed to pursue the aerial base Spiridus in London at the dead of night and on this mission you are going to destroy the aerial base once and for all before its causing extensive damage to the British capital.

41) Cyclops Slayer - London may have been saved but Europe still has a knife on its throat as the Antares Squadron began the pursuit against the Valahia. First off, you have to take on either the railgun or the radar sites mounted at Siberian mountains. In this mission, you have to take out the radar sites while avoiding the attack of the Balaur railgun.

42) Dragon Lair - In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the Balaur railgun as well as the jammer sites that hinder your progress.

43) Grand Flight - This mission adds a major twist in AC Joint Assault because in this mission, you are flying a Boeing 747 belonging to Andre Olivieri, a business tycoon, as you fly through the cliffs while dealing less damage by the anti-air weaponry. It's difficult to manage if you're going solo but in multiplayer, it's easy because three of your buddies are playing with their fighter jets as usual for defensive purposes.

44) Sanctify - The battle against Valahia ends in the former Soviet missile site militants called Infern, Romanian for Hell, In the first half, you and your buddies must stop the Varcolac Squadron once and for all. On the second half, this is a tricky one because you have to fly through the missile silo and destroy the control center to put an end to the Valahia. You managed to put an end to Valahia but you have discovered the conspiracy of the Golden Axe Plan and why Olivieri staged this war for his own profits.

45) Alarm Clock - As the Martinez Security prepares for the battle against the Golden Axe Plan in San Francisco, they've been under attacked by unknown hostiles. Even the AWACS Canopus is in danger and they're desperately seeking help to save themselves. In this mission, you are tasked to defend the AWACS Canopus from unknown hostiles including a horde of Orgoi aerial warships.

46) Ghost Hunt - The new Spiridus, made under the Golden Axe Plan, is en route to San Francisco, and it has more powerful weapons than the Valahian Spiridus you've defeated. In this mission, you are tasked to destroy the new Spiridus, with some help from the Martinez Security's ground forces as they'll launching a missile more powerful than what a fighter plane can fire. It's simple; wait till the ground forces fire the missile and when it hits the Spiridus, now's your chance to shoot it down to render its READS unusable.

47) Reprisal - In the finale, players are tasked to protect San Francisco against the Golden Axe Plan, then, you will engage a final battle against the Varcolac Squadron. Sulejmani and his men are now flying with the ultra-powerful GAF-1 Varcolac, an experimental aircraft developed from the GA Plan. Taking out his men might be easy but defeating Sulejmani is harder than you think because of its defense system that can intercept missiles from behind before reaching him unless if you can machine gun his craft to lower his defenses, then take him out for good. After wiping Sulejmani off the radar, you are tasked to break through the gates of the OLI HQ and the story's over.

48) Spooky - In this mission, you are in charge of firing weapons straight from the AC-130U gunship, while helping the Nomad on their landing operation in Eastern Africa. We find the first half to be quite enjoyable as you're unleashing massive firepower from the gunship thanks to 120mm shells, 40mm rounds, and a 25mm gatling gun.

49) Lock and Load - In this mission, you are in control of the door gun from the MH-60 BLACK HAWK helicopter and defend the Nomad units as you fight your way through a container ship full of rebels at Suez Canal, Egypt.

50) Hostile Fleet - With the help of American and Russian air fleet, Warwolf leader Col. William Bishop is tasked to rescue the Russian prime minister who was held captive by rebels via ship. In this mission, a strong air-to-ship weaponry is a recommendation and with crafts such as the F-2A or the Rafale M, it's no slouch, even the A-10A, thanks to its powerful FAE bomb, isn't shabby either.

51) Launch - In the first half of the mission, you are in control of the B-1 Lancer bomber as you engage in a bombing ops against a missile base. The B-1 maybe slow and heavy but its bombs are powerful enough to blow targets into a million pieces. However, on the latter half, things get a little messy as you, as Colonel Bishop, must pursue a ballistic missile and destroy it before it gets to an altitude too high for you to shoot.

52) Aftermath - The US forces team up with the Russian forces to liberate the Russian capital Moscow from the rebels and it's your job to defend Moscow against an army of enemy fighters and bombers, including the Sharkmouth Akula himself.

53) Homefront - In this mission, you have to fend off a squadron of Flanker planes attacking Miami, Florida. Fighting off against enemy planes in this area sounds grueling but in the latter part of the mission when your wingman Guts gets hit by the Sharkmouth's PAK-FA, there's the part of the mission where you'll shoot his canopy to bail himself out, and then, a head-on against Akula.

54) Hurricane - Despite a strong hurricane hitting the Florida Coast, Col. Bishop's pursuit against Akula continues, only this time, he's pursuing against two PAK-FA aircrafts, one of them is a Red Moon ace named Illich. With Markov escaped, your mission is to shoot down Illich once and for all.

55) Akula - In the finale, your mission is to protect Washington D.C. from rebel attacks. Whether if its fending off against Flanker planes as usual and defending the Woodrow Wilson bridge against Blackjack bombers approaching, nothing's more extreme than having a final face-off against Akula. It takes enough firepower and skill to defeat the Sharkmouth and after defeating the Sharkmouth, he dropped the Trinity nuke and your goal? Destroy Trinity before it hits the American capital! This has got to be a very thrilling moment in Assault Horizon.

And there you have it. These are the greatest moments in the world of Ace Combat. To all the aces, Phoenix, Scarface, Nemo, Mobius, Blaze, Cipher, Gryphus, Talisman, Antares, and Warwolf in the sky, we say thanks and here's for 20 more years. Cheers for the future of the Ace Combat series as it prepares itself to the new generation of aces.

Our favorite aircrafts from the Ace Combat series

June 30th, 2015 marks the 20th anniversary of the Ace Combat franchise ever since the first Ace Combat game went on sale for the original Sony PlayStation in 1995. To commemorate such occasion, and for nostalgia's sake, why not jot down the best aircrafts, both real and fictional, from the world's number one flight shooting game whose copies sold worldwide are as infinite as the ribbon insignia. It really doesn't matter which of the aircraft featured in the series is the best because every fan of Ace Combat knows, they're all agree with their favorite fighter jets, well, except for the Nosferatu.

1) F-22A Raptor - Known as the pride of the US Air Force, this 5th generation stealth fighter has a wide reputation for being a premier air-superiority fighter thanks to its cutting-edge technologies that can adapt through numerous missions including recon missions, air-to-air attack (which the Raptor shines), air-to-ground combat (which is nearly impossible for this fighter), and best of all, it remains operational today despite the completion of its fleet. Even though its well known for protecting the US homeland and ready for global deployment, the Raptor enjoyed its time with the gamers as one of the best Ace Combat aircraft for the goodie. Yes, we've seen Raptors having their shot at fame as hero planes of the franchise and no matter how much the game has evolved, the Raptor is always here to stay as the ultimate good guy's plane. Better still, out favorite Raptor in the series is the one that bears the unforgettable ribbon insignia (in short; the F-22A -Mobius1- from Shattered Skies).

2) F-15C Eagle - The F-15C is an all-weather, large scale fighter that boasts a phenomenal maximum speed and has a plethora of ordnance loaded on board. It is said that it holds the record for recovering after losing a wing in battle (much to the case of Solo Wing Pixy's past according to the assault record from AC-ZERO). Pixy aside, the F-15C had became the demonic choice as the hero plane in Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, and if you had a memory of bearing the Cipher codename, this demon of a plane is the one you'll remember, the demon that crushed the knights of the Round Table in the war. Little did you know that former Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson once rode an F-15 in one of his shows called Extreme Machines several years ago and he vomited in the end.

3) F-14A Tomcat/F-14D Super Tomcat - We all remember this plane from the Top Gun movie but Top Gun aside, this carrier-based fighter was once the pride of the US Navy before it was replaced by the can-do-all F/A-18. The Tomcat's party piece is its variable wings that can change its angles automatically when approaching high speeds. The Super Tomcat, on the other hand, is an updated version featuring a new onboard radar and engine. As a goodie plane, the F-14 fared well despite its age and specs, but the F-14 Ace Combat fans mostly remembered for is the F-14A -Razgriz- from The Unsung War.

4) Su-37 Terminator - Ace Combat players can have any Flanker plane they like including the Su-27, Su-33, and Su-35, but their favorite of the Flanker-type planes is a prototype Flanker called the Su-37 Terminator. No. Not the Arnold Schwarzenegger kind of Terminator, the Su-37 kind of Terminator. Of course, the Terminator had some appearances in the world of Ace Combat. First, there's Rena Hirose's Terminator in AC3, the Gelb team from AC-ZERO, Varcolac Squadron's Kiriakov's from Joint Assault, and most famously, the Yellow Squadron's from AC04 Shattered Skies. Actually, it's the one with the number 13 that got us into guilty pleasures. We're referring to the Su-37 -Yellow13-, our kind of baddie plane. So, what's it all about this Terminator? This concept Flanker features a 2DCD thrust-vectoring nozzles, making it the most maneuverable of the Flanker planes. In 1996, it performed the highly-impossible Kulbit maneuver at an air show, causing much rave from the audiences.

5) Su-33 Flanker-D - The Su-33 is Russia's answer to America's F-14 Tomcat or the F/A-18 Super Hornet because like these two, it's a carrier-based derivative of the Su-27. It may be slower than any other craft of the same generation but it has the best handling capabilities. The Flanker-D looks good when in motion but its style can be easily spoiled when its main and tail wings folded up to accommodate the storage space available on an aircraft carrier. Despite having a horrible mechanism involving the folding of its wings, the Su-33 Flanker-D is still worthy of being a baddie plane and the baddie plane fans remembered for is the Su-33 -Strigon- from AC6.

6) Typhoon - Known to be the most modern strike fighter developed through a joint cooperation between the European nations of UK, Germany, Spain, and Italy, the Eurofighter Typhoon features engines that can push up to 20,000 lbs of thrust each, sending the Typhoon up to 65,000 feet and a speed of over 1,500mph. It's designed to be as agile as possible in an aerial dogfight and it requires over 70 computers to keep it airborne and if one computer fails, the Typhoon falls. It's all about brains and brawns, like for instance, its slim-looking wings is capable enough to sustain high-speed G-turns. Little did you know that a certain episode of Top Gear features a race between the Typhoon and a Bugatti Veyron, with Richard Hammond behind the wheel.



7) F/A-18F/E Super Hornet - This all-weather, carrier-based, multirole fighter jet became the pinnacle of America's Navy when the F-14 Tomcat was decommissioned. It maybe not as fast as the Tomcat, but its air-to-air combat and air-to-ground combat abilities made the Super Hornet a fighter plane that can do most of the tasks during missions. As of now, the boffins from aircraft manufacturer Boeing providing the Super Hornet an array of upgrades such as fuel tanks, enclosed weapons pod, enhanced engine, and a reduced radar signature.

8) JAS-39C (Gripen C) - Made by Saab, the Gripen is a true multirole fighter that can adapt through numerous missions ranging from air superiority, air strikes, recon missions, and so on. Thanks to its short size, the Gripen can be launched from the tunnels that some air forces used it as their makeshift airbases. Aside from its netcentric warfare capabilities and combat performance, it's very cost-effective, allowing some budget-focused air forces to procure one over a long term.

9) MiG-31 Foxhound - The Foxhound is the first ever 4th generation aircraft made by the former Soviet Union and it's essentially an updated version of the MiG-25. Despite having a boxy appearance, it's capable of supersonic flight even at low altitudes and with its high engine thrust, its top speed is close to Mach 3. Baddie plane, aside, the Foxhound is well-known for pursuing enemies even from behind, and if it was outfitted in Schwarze's clothing from AC-ZERO, the Foxhound is the boxy aircraft to strike fear at its foes, making the hunters become the hunted.

10) F-16C Fighting Falcon - With over 4,000 units made, this lightweight, easy-to-handle fighter was adopted by numerous air forces globally due to its low-cost and high power suitable to obtain air superiority. It may not be as powerful as the Raptor or the F35 but it's essentially tameable and lethal when equipped with special weaponry such as a 4-target air-to-air missile or a high-homing QAAM.

11) Rafale M - This carrier-based aircraft made by the French is the first omnirole combat aircraft with a delta-canard configuration designed to adapt through different missions such as air superiority and air strikes. It's versatile, flexible, and has higher chances to survive through numerous threats.

12) F-15E Strike Eagle - This version of the Eagle adds air-to-ground capabilities to the F-15C, making it capable to adapt through numerous missions thanks to its diverse array of weapons including our-ever favorite self-forging fragments which, when used properly, does more damage than the FAE bombs. Everyone believes that the Strike Eagle is a goodie plane because of its can-do-all capabilities that can save the day from enemy attacks, just as when the Garuda team from AC6 saved the Emmerian capital city Gracemeria from Estovakian tyranny.

13) A-10A Thunderbolt II - One of the best fighter-bombers in the world of Ace Combat when it comes to deal with air-to-ground combats, this heavily-armed attacker has the most devastating firepower and high survivability rate. It's so lethal, dropping one of its FAE bombs will blow you away like wildfire.

14) F-2A - At first glance, it looks like an F-16 but it is essentially developed through a joint collaboration between the US and Japan. The F-2 is one of the main fighter-bombers used by the JASDF and it's focused on air-to-ship attack capabilities. Despite being an anti-warship fighter bomber, it's still come in handy in times of air strikes.

15) F-15S/MTD - A concept aircraft based on the F-15, the S/MTD is developed to increase maneuverability and designed for short take-off and landing abilities. It may look like if this has sprouted with eight wings but this high-tech prototype features an electronic control system, 2DCD thrust-vectoring nozzle, and canard wings, making it more maneuverable and fast for a multirole aircraft. Don't think of the S/MTD as a goodie plane because if you refered to yourself as one of the so-called 8492nd squadron, chances are that you belong to a squadron that once caused tension and confusion between two superpowers. It's a baddie plane, all right, but the kind of F-15S/MTD baddie I've enjoyed is the one in the Sorcerer's colors from AC-ZERO because it came from a coup d'etat known as A World Without Boundaries.

16) Su-47 Berkut - Like the Su-37 Terminator, the Berkut is a prototype fighter plane with forward pointing wings that provide better aerodynamics, making the most maneuverable of the real-world prototype aircrafts. This plane causes so much misery to its opponents because when every time they got shot down by those, they might think that the Berkut is an omen of misfortune for the opposition, that's why it's considered as a baddie plane much to the case of AC5's Belkan Grabacr fighter squadron and AC-ZERO's Gault team. Come to think of it, the Gault team's leader is somewhat more of a half-monk, half-hitman, I think.

17) F-35 Lightning II - Fans love the F35 in Ace Combat because of its can-do all capabilities suitable to adapt through a variety of missions. Aside from its multirole and stealth abilities, the procurement cost is more manageable than the F-22A Raptor, which only works for air-to-air combat purposes. Its best version, the F-35B, features a short-takeoff/vertical landing capability.

18)  F-16XL - A concept fighter bomber based on the F-16 Fighting Falcon featuring a cranked-arrow delta wing and it carries the most weaponry among the F-16 range. It comes with improved stability in low speed ranges, and its air-to-ground abilities have enhanced. Some say that the Wizard team from AC-ZERO used the F-16XL as distractions to the players before getting lunged by the attacks from the YF-23 stealth fighters. If you remember this situation, looks like you've adopted a greater strategy to wipe them off from the Round Table before advancing to Avalon.

19) YF-23 Black Widow II - This prototype stealth fighter is a candidate from the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, with diamond shaped wings and a V-shaped tail.

20) T-50 PAK-FA - This prototype fighter aircraft is a vision of Russian Air Force's answer to America's F-22 Raptor. The codename PAK-FA refers to Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation and this concept fighter comes with the best handling capabilities of any stealth aircraft and boasting top-class aerial combat capabilities, making it the pinnacle of Russian air force technology. Because it's capable of using different types of weaponry, some might fear that the PAK-FA is capable enough to mount a miniature nuclear warhead that can wipe out a major city, just like the one used by the renegade pilot Andrei "Akula" Markov from Assault Horizon during the final battle at Washington D.C.

21) XFA-27 - Anyone who remembered playing Ace Combat 2 has high chances of remembering this secret unlockable aircraft. Known as the Unified Command's Last Hope, this top-secret aircraft features an all-moving tail, canards, and unique vectoring nozzles, capable of excellent maneuverability. It's made to become an aircraft with extreme performance.

22) ADF-01 FALKEN - This fictional aircraft also appeared on AC2 as a secret aircraft but in AC5, it's a different experience because the cockpit features an array of monitors arranged in a 360-degree sphere known as the COFFIN system. It may look like an alien spaceship from the future but this is the ultimate air-superiority fighter whose weapons include a super-cool laser that can zap through enemies with precision.

23) R-101 Delphinus 1 - The Delphinus 1 is one of the futuristic aircrafts you can unlock in AC3: Electrosphere. Made by Neucom, it's the first of the Delphinus series of aircraft forms the core of the R-numeral fleet.

24) X49 Night Raven - This is also one of the futuristic aircrafts you can unlock on AC3 and this is also the aircraft where UPEO's Rena Hirose went haywire, leaving GRDF's ace pilot Keith Bryan to sacrifice his life to put a stop to it. It comes with a box wing configuration, a new type of engine, and a powerful laser weapon. It was created from General Resource's Darkness of Enigma secret project to counter against Neucom's Delphinus aircrafts, according to one theory.

25) X-02 Wyvern - Served as the pinnacle of the Erusian military aviation technology, the Wyvern features special variable wings which adjust according to speed. Such extreme visual differences between the wing configurations has made people believe there are two kinds of aircraft but that's fine by us because this is one of the best of the Ace Combat original aircrafts since its status as an unlockable aircraft in AC04 Shattered Skies.

26) ADFX-01 Morgan - As the unlockable aircraft in AC-ZERO The Belkan War, the Morgan is the ultimate multirole aircraft that can be equipped with a laser and a signature multipurpose burst missile that not only wipes out large clusters of enemies, it blinds them like a flashbang. One theory states that Solo Wing Pixy used it in the final battle at Avalon, demonstrating the viability of various experimental technologies, meaning some extreme measures have been done by the player to counterattack against the Morgan.

27) Fenrir - One of the unlockable aircrafts in ACX Skies of Deception, this large-scale multirole aircraft secretly made by the Leasath air force delivers an unprecedented threat level against the opposition. The description states this features the same optical camouflage as the Gleipnir aerial base, but for the playable aircraft, it doesn't have one but it's lighter and more maneuverable. It even comes with its signature Long Range Shockwave Missile that can blow away long range targets at the cost of homing capabilities. Some who are lucky enough to unlock the Fenrir might say they can finish any mission faster than eating a cookie.

28) CFA-44 Nosferatu - The Nosferatu is the Estovakian Air Force's next-generation carrier-based fighter and an unlockable aircraft in AC6 Fires of Liberation, which remains one of the least-favorite Ace Combat game due to its XBOX 360 exclusivity. Love it or hate it, the Nosferatu is equipped with two signature weapons such as the All-Direction Multipurpose Missile and an Electromagnetic Launcher which has longer range and can be fired rapidly. When the Strigon Leader Pasternak sent his wingmen back to the base, he and the Nosferatu, along with a horde of UAVs, battled the Garuda team during the Liberation of Gracemeria, making it one of the trickiest boss fights ever happened in the game.

29) GAF-1 Varcolac - Appeared as an unlockable aircraft in AC Joint Assault, this bewildering prototype is a product of Olivieri's Golden Axe Plan provided to the Varcolac Squadron and appeared on the final battle in San Francisco against the heroic Antares Squadron.

30) ASF-X Shinden II - This fictional elite support fighter with variable front sloping wings and unique, vertically arranged double engines is a dream collaboration between Project Aces and Macross' mech designer Shoji Kawamori. When the producers asked Kawamori-sensei to create a dream aircraft inspired from the world of anime and the world of Ace Combat, this is the result and it became a DLC in AC Assault Horizon. The Shinden name came from an ancient World War II fighter, visualizing a modern take of a Japanese legend, while delivering a new taste for AC fans many. It even got featured in the Ikaros in the Sky novel as well.

A brief history of Ace Combat

With Ace Combat 3D Cross Rumble Plus recently launched for the New Nintendo 3DS, the revamped version of the original 2012 game kicks off the Ace Combat series' 20th birthday this year since the first one launched in the summer of 1995. Let's take flight down memory lane on the Ace Combat timeline.

Ace Combat history

Ace Combat (1995, PSX) - The first installment was launched in the summer of 1995 on the first-ever Sony Playstation. Known in the west as Air Combat for some reasons, this game pits player on the role of the mercenary bent on reclaiming the nation from terrorist forces. Whether if its air-to-air combat, air-to-ground combat, air-to-sea combat, or whatever combat hits you, the first Ace Combat game really blew gamers away with its intense 3D dogfights that served as the benchmark from the maddest game company ever known.

Ace Combat 2 (1997, PSX) - After the success of the first one, Namco decided to make a sequel of the hit flight-shooting game. As the pilot of the Special Task Force Squadron Scarface, your mission, as always, is to eliminate terrorist threats throughout the nation.

Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (1999, PSX) - If you live in Japan, you were in luck because the third-installment of the hit flight-shooting game features a more dramatic storyline, something that the Western release couldn't get for numerous reasons. Dramatic aside, AC3 Electrosphere features a more futuristic look to the aircraft, locations, as well as the soundtrack. Set in the 2040's, the two corporations, General Resource and Neucom, are clashing over their ideals for economic domination. With the top scientists from General Resource have defected to Neucom, the tensions between the two companies are fierce and Neucom is threaten to use violence to achieve their corporate objectives. As the member of the Universal Peace Enforcement Organization or UPEO, your mission is to protect the interest of General Resource and put a stop to Neucom's aggressions.

The Japanese version of the game did feature some anime cutscenes on it. We even heard about the game's Mission Zero OVA that we knew it in the first place, which served as the prologue for the game.

Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (2001, PS2) - A year after the PS2 was launched in Japan, Namco decided to up the series' ante by creating their newest installment which takes advantage of the Playstation2's physics. It's the game that sets the storyline benchmark that was carried over to future installments and we were accustomed to it. This game is set on the fictional USEA continent. After the planetfall of the Ulysses 1994XF04 asteroids in 1999, the Federal Republic of Erusea took over most of the USEAN continent as well as the anti-air railgun installment Stonehenge. The year is 2004 and as the pilot of the Independent States Allied Forces' Mobius squadron, call sign Mobius 1, your mission is to stop the Erusian forces from all over the continent and save USEA, no matter the risks.

Yes, there's some anime part on this game only this time in stills. In these cutscenes, the narrator tells about what he experienced during the war, his encounter with the Yellow Squadron (one of the enemies), and how the war unfolds in the USEAN continent. Seems that the game's storytelling wasn't so bad after all.

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004, PS2) - This is the game where the term "Project Aces" was born. It's the game that features one of the most dramatic storytelling as well as introducing the whole world of Ace Combat. Gone are the anime cutscenes and it was replaced with some CG-animated cutscenes that makes it more lively for the storytelling of this game. The year is 2010, 15 years after the nuclear explosion triggered in the Principality of Belka that made the winning nations surrendered their weapons and ceased fighting or so they thought. In the present time, the Osean Air Defense Force 108th Tactical Fighter Squadron lost most of its members and later the disappearance of Capt. Jack Bartlett. When the unknown strikes down the OSEAN Federation, only you and your co-pilots must save the country of OSEA from an unknown threat, which turned out to be from the Yuktobanian forces. While it retains the same air and ground combat you'd expect from past installments, this game features the Wingman Command system which puts the fate of your wingmen in your hands. Split-second decision is vital in this game and in some parts of the game, you will respond in a Yes-or-No question where one decision changes everything as you progress.

The aircrafts shown in the game are now more realistic than ever (with the exception of the secret X-02 Wyvern and the Falken plane) because for the first time, Namco made a collaboration with the world's top aviation companies to bring real-world aircrafts, including the F14 Tomcat (the cover plane), to life.

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (2006, PS2) - So what exactly happened 15 years ago? How did Belka lost the war and triggered the nightmarish nuclear explosion to their own land? This prequel answers all of the questions as Ace Combat Zero takes a thrust back in time, witnessing the events occurred before AC5 as well as the hidden truth of this war. Players take on the role of a mercenary pilot from the republic of Ustio, one of the former East Belka territories that gained independence due to Belka's recession. The year is 1995. 15 years before the Unsung War and four years before the Ulysses incident. With the discovery of the underground natural resources of Ustio, Belka began to invade its neighboring nations and ruled with an iron fist and the country of Ustio placed all their hope for a joint operation with the Allied Forces under the Offensive Campaign No. 4101.

A little Mexican telenovela feel to the game's theme song which is a fitting for the prequel but the game's cutscenes are more of a documentary highlighting the events of The Belkan War. There's also interviews of enemy aces you've encountered who witnessed the war from their own eyes as well.

Familiar elements from Ace Combat 5 such as the Stier Castle (a castle near the ground zero craters triggered by nuclear explosions), Mt. Schirm (the one with the mining area where the Razgriz sealed it in AC5), Heartbreak One (Bartlett), Grabacr, Huckebein (Pops), and the aircraft carrier Kestrel were on this prequel.

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (2006, PSP) - The raw firepower of the Ace Combat series goes portable with Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Launched for Japan only on the PlayStation Portable in late 2006, this game takes on the role of a fighter pilot from the Aurelian Air Force's Gryphus Squadron and your mission is to save Aurelia from the tyranny of Leasath forces. Like any other Ace Combat games, you can expect secret aircrafts, various missions, and even a battle against a giant airborne fortress.

Ace Combat 6: 解放への戦火 (2007, XBOX 360) - Although a little discontent about Namco's decision to make AC6 an XBOX 360 exclusive as well as the limited choice of aircraft available, this game pushed the genre to its unprecedented heights thanks to its high-definition graphics, physics, sound, and its storytelling. It was the summer of 2015 in the Republic of Emmeria, located at the heart of the Anea continent which is located above Yuktobania, when the Federal Republic of Estovakia took control of the Emmerian capital city Gracemeria with a massive firepower as well as the air force's Strigon team and the heavy command cruiser called Aigaion (otherwise known as Moby Dick). With their homeland gone, it's up to the Emmerian army to take back their nation they called home from the Estovakian tyranny and that's where you come in as Garuda 1 (Talisman) of the Emmerian Air Force 8th Air Division 28th Fighter Squadron.

The Wingman System is now evolved in this game and when you're in places where ESM is active, you can now trigger an Allied Attack or Allied Cover and let every ally in the area as well as Garuda 2 (Shamrock) help you when the battle gets messy.

For the first time in series history, AC6 features online gameplay where you can play with or against other aces from across the world and take on either team deathmatches or online co-ops. There's also downloadable content as well featuring liveries based from past Ace Combat games as well as aircraft inspired from, you've guessed, The iDOLM@STER.

Ace Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion (2009, iPhone/iPod Touch) - Ace Combat goes portable again and this time it's in the screens of the iPhone or iPod Touch in this app game heavily inspired from 2006's Skies of Deception. Although a little complicated to play due to its touch-screen functions, this game is how Namco do when they put their maddest games to smartphones. Want to play one, well sadly you can't because it's no longer compatible with those running on iOS7 or higher.

Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault (2010, PSP) - This is a totally new turn to the Ace Combat franchise because for the first time ever, Ace Combat takes on our world in ACX2 Joint Assault. No more fictional areas like from the previous ones. It's now real-world locations like Tokyo, London, Egypt, San Francisco, and many others. As the member of the Antares Squadron, run by the private military company Martinez Security, your mission is to save the world from threats done by the terrorist organization Valahia and uncover the conspiracy behind the Golden Axe Plan.

Ace Combat Assault Horizon (2011, PS3/XBOX 360) - With the storyline penned by Jim DeFelice, writer of two of the New York Times' bestsellers Leopards Kill and Threat Level Black, Assault Horizon draws inspiration from real-time conflict as players take on the role of Colonel William Bishop of the fictional US Air Force 108th Task Force Warwolf as he engage on a war on terror that will change his life. Because it draws inspiration from real-time conflicts, it's set on real-world locations including Russia, USA, and the Middle East. This game puts a new spin on the franchise because of its unique close range assault system that makes dogfights more dynamic unlike any other.

Other than that, Assault Horizon features missions where you can take flight on helicopters, bombers, or even a gunship. There's also a wide range of DLC aircrafts, skins, and more, including fan-favorites such as iDOLM@STER-themed aircraft, Ace Combat 6's CFA-44 Nosferatu, Macross-themed aircraft, US aircrafts, and the Shoji Kawamori-designed fantasy aircraft called the ASF-X Shinden II.

Ace Combat 3D Cross Rumble (2012, 3DS) - Sold in the US under the Assault Horizon Legacy banner, AC3D Cross Rumble sends this fast-flying franchise straight to the Nintendo 3DS for the first time. Taking advantage of the Nintendo 3DS' capabilities, Cross Rumble features intense and engaging battles in 3DS, touch-screen controls, and some edge-of-your-seat controls.

Ace Combat Infinity (2014, PS3) - Launched in mid-May 2014, Ace Combat Infinity is the series' first-ever free-to-play flight shooting game made exclusively for the Playstation3. Whether if its a veteran mercenary or a battle-shy rookie, Ace Combat Infinity pits players behind the cockpit of some of the world's best aircrafts from the F22 Raptor, F14 Tomcat, F15 Strike Eagle, Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage 2000, T50, or any other well-known aircrafts in history as well as fictitious ones as seen in numerous installments such as the Morgan from The Belkan War and the ASF-X Shinden II from Assault Horizon. Over two million players have been downloaded this free-to-play PS3 exclusive since its launch and engage in either campaign or online co-ops as well as the weekly challenges where prizes include special aircrafts, new emblems, research reports, or other prizes.

Ace Combat 3D Cross Rumble Plus (2015, 3DS) - Recently launched in Japan last 29th of January, 2015 and coming in the US this February under the Assault Horizon Legacy Plus banner, Cross Rumble Plus is a revamped version of the 2012 3DS game but now updated for the New Nintendo 3DS. Aside from taking advantage of the new control schemes of the New 3DS, Bandai Namco collaborated with Nintendo for special aircrafts as well as those that can be unlocked with Nintendo's amiibo figures, sold separately.

Japan's prototype stealth aircraft becomes playable in Ace Combat Infinity

ATD-0

Once as Japan's experimental aircraft that made headlines on the press, now became a playable aircraft in the PS3-exclusive free-to-play Ace Combat Infinity game as Bandai Namco Games released this month's update to their F2P flight shooting game where over 2 million players have been downloaded this game.

For whatever reasons, it's been named as the ATD-0 and according to the in-game description, it features technology such as a sensor, avionics, and a weapon system allowing it to obtain data from the battlefield. In-game, Japan's prototype fifth-generation fighter jet can be armed with 4AAM, QAAM, and SAAM, if the player levelled up this plane's performance crucial on surviving the aerial warfare. For the first time, players can get their hands on Japan's prototype fifth-generation fighter jet that caused headlines from Japanese media.

Also on the January update, three fan-favorite Ace Combat original fighter jets have been added to the list such as the X-02 Wyvern from Ace Combat 04 Shattered Skies, ADF-01 FALKEN from Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, and the ADFX-01 Morgan from Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.

Due to the addition of the Morgan on the Standard Aircraft lineup, two special Morgan planes previously appeared last year have been renamed as ADFX-01 -Pixy- and ADFX-01 -Block1-. There has been no changes to their performance or capabilities. Up until March 4, 2015, those two special Morgan planes are available on the Special Supply Items Catalog for a limited time only. If you haven't got either of the two special Morgans and if you got enough Special Supply Tickets, now's the time to do it!

There's a new Special Raid Mission for this month's update and for a limited-time, engage on the brand new Satellite Interception special raid mission where you and your fellow pilots are tasked to destroy the SOLG (the military satellite from Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War) before it smashes to the ground. Remember the time The Ghosts of Razgriz destroyed the SOLG and saved the Osean capital city Oured at the finale? Time to relive the epic moment when you had the chance!

Lastly, there's now a HARD difficulty on the Pipeline Destruction online co-op mission. Be prepared because the enemy forces stationed on the so-called Troia Route now come with extreme firepower.

More improvements and corrections have been made on the January update but be sure to check it out once you're prepared for your next sortie!

Details: http://ace-infinity.bngames.net/news/

ACE COMBAT INFINITY & SERIES MUSIC BEST

ACE COMBAT Infinity & Series Music Best

Time to start the briefing.

Launched in mid-May 2014, Ace Combat Infinity is the series' first-ever free-to-play flight shooting game made exclusively for the Playstation3. Whether if its a veteran mercenary or a battle-shy rookie, Ace Combat Infinity pits players behind the cockpit of some of the world's best aircrafts from the F22 Raptor, F14 Tomcat, F15 Strike Eagle, Eurofighter Typhoon, Rafale, Mirage 2000, T50, or any other well-known aircrafts in history as well as fictitious ones as seen in numerous installments such as the Morgan from The Belkan War and the ASF-X Shinden II from Assault Horizon. Over 1.5 million users have been downloaded this F2P flight shooting game and engage in either campaign or online co-ops as well as the weekly challenges where prizes include special aircrafts, new emblems, research reports, or other prizes.

Ace Combat Infinity is just warming this series up as the Ace Combat franchise reaches is 20th anniversary next year since the first Ace Combat game launched in the original PlayStation since the summer of 1995. It was followed by Ace Combat 2 in 1997, Ace Combat 3 Electrosphere in 1999, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies for the PS2 in 2001, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War in 2004, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War in 2006 as well as Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception for the PSP, Ace Combat 6: 解放への戦火 (Fires of Liberation) for the XBOX 360 in 2007, Ace Combat Xi: Skies of Incursion for the iPhone in 2009, Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault for the PSP in 2010, Ace Combat Assault Horizon for the PS3 and XBOX 360 in 2011, and Ace Combat 3D Cross Rumble for the 3DS in 2012.

As the series reaches is 20th birthday, there is now a special album featuring the best of Ace Combat. This 2-disc CD features a hand-picked selection of the best BGMs heard throughout the franchise as well as the Infinity Remix versions of Shattered Skies' Comona, Stonehenge, Invincible Fleet, and Blue Skies. And there's more. For a limited time, when they bought this CD, there's a product code where users can receive a special "Guitar Nuggets" emblem and 5 stocked fuel for use in the Ace Combat Infinity game. It is said that whoever has the Guitar Nuggets emblem on their planes will have the color of the missile smoke turned yellow. It maybe showy but this emblem shows everyone that you are a big fan of the Ace Combat BGMs.

Also, recon suggests that this is an ebten exclusive so you can't find it anywhere else and it's priced at 2,900 Japanese Yen.

TRACK LISTINGS:

Disc 1:

1) Blockade
2) Comona (INFINITY Remix)
3) Invincible Fleet (INFINITY Remix)
4) Stonehenge (INFINITY Remix)
5) The Northern Eye
6) Operation Bunker Shot
7) Rex Tremendae
8) Megalith - Agnus Dei -
9) First Flight (Arranged ACE COMBAT 04 "Blockade")
10) Rendezvous
11) Ice Cage
12) The Unsung War
13) The Journey Home "ACE COMBAT 5 Ending Theme"
14) GLACIAL SKIES
15) MAYHEM
16) THE DEMON OF THE ROUND TABLE
17) ZERO
18) EPILOGUE - NEAR THE BORDER -
19) Blue Skies (Remix)

Disc 2:

1) Ace Combat 6 Main Theme
2) The Liberation of Gracemeria
3) A Brand New Day
4) Rising High
5) Fire Youngman
6) Dynapolis
7) Linkage
8) Replay
9) Montage
10) Revelation
11) Metropolitan
12) Fighter's Honor (Flying Remix)
13) Rebirth From Sand Storm
14) Keep Alive
15) Release
16) Release (Trailer Remix)
17) Gotta Stay Fly
18) Blue Skies (INFINITY Remix)
19) GH (Unpublished Track)