Instead of simply porting over one of their best-selling PS2 titles, NamcoBandai took a couple extra steps to move the series forward as it made it portable. With only the small misstep in the customizable planes department, Skies of Deception could very well be seen as one of the best titles in the series.
The missions find the right balance between challenge and ease of play. Having battles against enemies like giant flying fortresses offers enough fantasy to balance the realistic military vibe. There’s even some ad hoc multiplayer, if that’s your thing.
Ace Combat X is a fantastic game and may very well be my favorite game on the PSP. It has the perfect blend of simulation and arcade action that doesn’t frustrate the player who’s not a pilot yet still gives you the thrill of flying. The graphics and gameplay are top-notch, exactly what you would expect in an Ace Combat game. I see some people knock the story line, but I found myself enjoying it; it gave good context as to why I was out flying and fighting (as opposed to, say, the story line of the Japanese version of Ace Combat 3). The controls are smooth and customizable. I enjoyed the branching story lines which give the game a high re-playability factor. The missions are varied with some presenting a little more challenge than others but that just keeps the game fresh as you progress forward. You could certainly play the whole game with nothing but the gun and stock missiles, but upgrading your ordinance is a fun option and gives you something else to try out (and a new way to murk people). The framerate is steady throughout, and at no point was I frustrated (or even noticed) that my experience was limited by playing on a handheld. The game is immersive and a lot of fun…and it’s nice to pick up and play a Free Mission if I have a few minutes to kill!
Big, brash and beautiful, Ace Combat X is a prime example of the PSP's capabilities and deserves a place in every thrill-seeking PSP owner's collection.
Ace Combat: Skies of Deception is an ok PSP game, it’s just a shame it also happens to be one of the few flight games found on the PSP, so while it is only moderately impressive, you’re probably not going to do much better if you want airborne action on the go Sony style.
Well-presented and weirdly therapeutic mix of flight sim and arcade shooter that doesn't quite satisfy on either front, but is a decent enough game for all of that. [Christmas 2006, p.85]
Come on, Namco. Why don't you release this on the PS Store for download. Right now, you can only get a physical copy of this game. Don't be fooled because this is a PSP game, this is almost on par with AC 04, 5 and Zero. You can't be an Ace Combat fan and not own this game. Heck, you can't love flying or planes, but not own this game.
This is everything you expect from an Ace Combat game, the electronic music, the fast paced action, the occasional side mission, branching paths to take and replay value to earn every unlockable.
Compared to other entries in the franchise this one holds up really wel, especially knowing it's a portable game, the story is perhaps the most meager part, but that is definitely no reason not to play it.
Controls are tight and while it may feel awkward to control your plane with only 1 analog nub, you will be used to it by the end of the 2nd mission...
One point of negativity tho, the game sometimes has slowdown when there is a lot going on...
If you are a fan of arcade like flight action games, this is the game for you...
This was my first Ace Combat game, and not a bad introduction, either. The idea of a flight simulator game has appealed to me for a while, and actually being able to do that, on a portable system, was pretty cool. -- Missions take place over a fairly large area, and they are quite varied. My main qualm is that there aren't enough. My favourite was the straight-up dogfight, and that was only one mission in the entire game. -- The branching missions were pretty cool, so if you choose to fly mission 2A for example, it will cause something different to happen than mission 2B. The end result is basically the same, however, so it seems kind of pointless in the end. -- It took some time to unlock everything, and yes, the final aircraft you get is pretty cool. But after I beat the game, aside from that one dogfight, I never played it again. It's still sitting in my room collecting dust. Not to say it wasn't fun, it just didn't last very long.
SummaryWith licensed aircraft such as the F-14D and Tornado F3, and a strategic AI system where the course of the player’s actions directly affect their mission objectives, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception allows the player to take on the role of an ace pilot trying to liberate his home country of Aurelia from its neighbor, Leasath. A country f...