Ace Combat

[Anonymous No.7295272]

I’m ready to take the pilot pill and I’m wondering which to start and where to go from there? Thinking about going with 3,4, and 5 for sure. 3 seems to be the holy grail of the series and now that the Japanese version is translated even more so. Not sure about 6 and 7 as they fall outside for /vr/ and people seem more mixed on them.

Also, any general tips before I jump in would be appreciated.

[Anonymous No.7295376]

>>7295272
Having played most of these games multiple times, here's a quick run down of each.
1 - The basis for the rest of series. Really cool to see the origin of many mechanics that remain in the series today, but otherwise somewhat unremarkable. Low variety in music.
2 - Improves in almost all aspects on 1, including graphics, story, music. Not considered canon because of an AC on the DS that I haven't played, but worth playing because it has a lot of cool missions.
3 - USA version is okay, but the translated JAP version is incredible. Highly replayable due to branching story. Similar flight mechanics to 2. You are somewhat restricted in terms of which aircraft you can fly in which missions. Awesome sci-fi variants of some real planes.
4 - Low variety in missions objectives, but substantially more polished gameplay and flight mechanics compared to the previous entries. Incredible soundtrack merging orchestral music with electronic accents. By far the most grounded/realistic and tone. Great voice acting during cutscenes, presented as essentially a slide show. This game really set the standard for how many future ACs would handle.
5 - Similar to 4, drastically expanded aircraft variety. Less serious story with more "goofy" dialogue at times. Excellent variety and quantity of missions.
6 - Again, excellent aircraft variety. Lots of replay value. You get different ace squadrons to fight depending on your actions in game (how much stuff you blow up, or how many targets you spare). This also produces changes in dialogue and which cut-scenes you see. Slightly more grounded in its tone than 5
6 - haven't played yet
to be continued.

[Anonymous No.7295393]

>>7295376
7 - Overall excellent. My third favorite. One of my biggest problems is that the radio chatter and dialogue in missions tends to be exactly the same each time, with little variety. Unlocking everything will also take a long time. Certain decals and liveries for your aircraft can only be unlocked with MP (which I find frustrating). Incredible soundtrack (as good as the last three games for sure), and fantastic mission variety overall. Each one plays differently. The game also features an upgrade system which is neat. All boss fights are pretty much all the same: an aircraft that can go really fast and turn really hard.
X - Similar to 4, 5, and Zero in terms of gameplay. Highly replayable, due to being able to choose your own path in the campaign. Cool upgrade system. If you liked 4, 5, and Zero, this one is worth playing to. Many original aircraft designs with a cool sci-fi look, similar to AC 3.

Correction for previous post:
>6 - Again, excellent aircraft
Should read as:
*Zero - Again, excellent aircraft

Hope this info is helpful. 4, 3, and 7 are my favorites in that order. 3, 4, 5 are all solid choices. The stories are not hugely dependent on you knowing the stories from previous games, so you can jump around. The only thing I'd say regarding story is that I suggest playing 5 before Zero.

[Anonymous No.7295431]

>>7295393
>Hope this info is helpfully
More than helpful. After reading I’m giving 1 a fair try just to see where everything started(but probably won’t finish it), 2 a playthrough, 3(jp) various playthroughs, 4 and 5 a playthrough, and 0 sounds really neat so I’ll probably play that one a couple times as well. I was on the fence about 7, but seeing you praise it that much I’ll pick it up with the DLC while it’s on sale.

[Anonymous No.7295462]

>>7295431
One more suggestion: if you play 4 before 7, there's a level that will have a much bigger emotional impact. Playing 5 will also let you catch a lot more little details in the plot. Neither are necessary to enjoy the game, but I think I enjoyed 7 a bit more because I played the aforementioned games. Glad I could help, anon. AC7 on PC is a great choice. There's a small modding scene which has produced dozens, and dozens of custom liveries, and sooner or later, I'm sure there will be gameplay mods.

[Anonymous No.7295482]

>>7295462
Gotcha, 2 and 3 should emulate perfectly on my vita, hopefully pcsx2 has finally gotten to the point where it can run 4,5, and 0 alright. As for 7, I’ll have to skip the modding scene as I got it on PS4 due to just getting tired of trying to get my computer to run newer games (it isn’t a toaster but the graphics card I got makes playing some of them a bitch). I really appreciate your in depth rundown.

[Anonymous No.7295680]

>>7295482
Played a bit of 2 and 3 to make sure they worked alright... I was skeptical on how well a psx game like these would age but they play incredibly.

also, I’m amazed they cut out all those cutscenes/voice acting. The presentation in 3 is incredible.

[Anonymous No.7295707]

>>7295272
6 does have a really great boss fight in it, if nothing else.

[Anonymous No.7295903]

Since I just finished 1, I'll talk a little about it. The very first game is very rough mechanically, so you have to make a few adjustments at first.
1 - The game uses the "Easy" controller mode by default, so you should go into Options first thing and change it to Expert. Every other game in the series starts with Expert.
2 - because this was a PSX launch title, it didn't use many of the later conventions like auto-loading. To continue your game, you have to go into Options, choose Load, then go back to the main menu, and "1P Game" will now be "1P Game Continue".

Now for the gameplay. The game has 17 missions. There are no branching paths. Missions are rather simple and most can be beaten in less than 10 minutes. Some even in less than 3 minutes. So all in all, look at a completion time of 3 hours or less. There are a few rough missions here and there, but you can complete 90% of them in your first try.
Each plane has the same amount of missiles (65) and Vulcan ammo (9999).

There is a currency in the game, but it becomes useless 6 or 7 missions in. What happens is this: you get a ton of money per mission (more than 1 million easily, even more if you eliminate optional ground targets), but planes rarely cost more than 2 million, even the better ones. However, garage space is limited (I think either 8 or 10), so you don't actually need actually have anything else to use money on, once you get every plane you want. I believe you're supposed to use the money to pay for retries (you actually lose your plane and have to buy it again), but since you can just reload your save, I see no point in that. Also, you can pay wingmen to fly with you (there are no free wingmen), but I found no use for them, except in the final mission. Even the most costly wingman only wants 1 million and a half per mission, so you see money isn't really an issue here. By the way, if the wingman dies, you can't use him anymore. But again, just reload.

[Anonymous No.7295925]

>>7295903
The story is very, very barebones and mostly told in the manual. They didn't have the Strangereal setting defined yet, so the american version actually uses different terminology than the japanese version. Most of what we know from the story of this game was told through later supplements (even the name Skully Island). There's no specific mission chatter, just generic stuff like missile alert, body damage alert, terrain, etc. Most of the dialogue is actually in the mission briefing.

By the way, your playable character in 1 is supposed to be the same guy from 2. His callsign is Scarface One, but this isn't told in the game (only in 2). If you want to follow the canon, his nickname is Phoenix.

One last thing: this was the only game in the series where every plane was automatically painted in your colors. So even if they were green or tiger-striped in the hangar screen, they'll be repainted in your colors once you buy them.

[Anonymous No.7295942]

About the storyline, there is one main setting, Strangereal, and other side-settings.

The Strangereal games are the numbered games (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and Zero). 2 was superseded by Assault Combat Horizon Legacy (I don't know why they went with this title, it has nothing to do with Assault Horizon). 3 isn't actually a Strangereal game per se, but... well, it's a spoiler. So here: it's actually a simulation in the far future.
There's also X, Xi, Advance and Northern Wings. All for mobile platforms.

Joint Assault, Assault Horizon and Infinity take place in other settings.

[Anonymous No.7296076]

>>7295376
>2's remake
It's Assault Horizon Legacy, a very poor naming choice. It's on the 3DS and is pretty good. Disable maneuvers in the menu if you don't like the mechanics though.
>6
AC6 is pretty good, even if the cutscene plot isn't on part with the rest. The gameplay is still really good, tweaks to missile homing aside. The aircraft selection is limited due to the platform change.
>>7295431
Look up a map of the branching missions in AC3 after your first playthrough, it'll help. I'd advise making saves at the branching points to make it easier to do every ending.
Also avoid Assault Horizon (not the 3DS one) like the plague. It's shit.
>>7295482
AC5 and ACZ run very well on PCSX2, while AC04 is imperfect. If you go on /vg/, /aceg/ has an emulation guide that is pretty thorough and covers every game in the series.
>>7295942
1 and 2 are pre-Strangereal as well, since Strangereal proper was formed between AC04 and AC5. AC04 is still arguably in the "Usea is in the middle of the Pacific" Front Mission-like setup, albeit a step further removed from what it was in the PSX games.
>Northern Wings
It's not canon and very much Nordenavic-wank fanfic.
>other settings
And just to clarify, while they're all similar "Earth but Ace Combat", they're all distinct. Joint Assault is pretty fun.

[Anonymous No.7296117]

>>7295272
>3 seems to be the holy grail of the series
Given that the core of the fanbase is built around the PS2 trilogy (Holy Trinity is what they're often called) and AC3 wasn't properly available in english for a long time, it really isn't. It's my favourite entry in the series overall, but I can see why it's divisive.
It's set in 2040 and is a GitS sort of sci-fi, unlike the rest of the games that are set in more "present day" kind of settings. For one, it's a pretty radical departure from the rest of the series, and it sets a target for the future of the series. Some people dislike it due to how different it is, with corporate rule and fictional designs instead of the usual aircraft selection and conflicts between nations. There's a vocal group that wish AC3 to be retconned. There are ways that when the series catches up to 2040 (which is the assumption these people go with due to the 10 year gap between most games, timeline wise), the new 2040s can be made different, but getting into that is details and spoilers, suffice to say that the 2030-2040 period is more flexible than it is innevitable.
And AC7 (which takes place in 2019) failed to incorporate technology from the rest of the series that would make sense, but I chalk that up to its troubled development and Project Aces playing it very safe. Namely:
>there's an upgraded version of the X-02 (AC04), but only a single one appears, despite its description saying the Erusean Navy and Air Force have the base model in service
>the ADF-01 (AC2 and AC5) entered Osean service in the 2010s but not a single one is in sight
>where are all of the ACX originals? Only the Fenrir would not exist by the point AC7 happens
>the XFA-27, which has been flying over Usea since 1998
There's more things, but at this point this is just a ramble about AC not daring to fully embrace itsfuturistic elements.

[Anonymous No.7296432]

>>7296117
3 seemed fine to me, I just wish it had cockpit views. Also, with the PS2 games, they feel a little more grounded and realistic, but with 3 it's just full on anime and you can't ignore it.

[Anonymous No.7296561]

Ace Combat music is godlike

This intro for the final mission in 4 still gives me goosebumps

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZBoiW460nU

[Anonymous No.7296563]

Then there is absolute masterpiece in Zero

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=80XAJKqRU9k

[Anonymous No.7296610]

>>7296432
I thought the lack of cockpit views fit the game as it has aircraft with closed cockpits where you can't see outside. I associated it with Eva cockpits too thanks to the anime and scifi theme.

[Anonymous No.7296697]

>>7296610
Yeah, that's the in-universe explanation, ENSI-based COFFINs stream footage of the outside directly into your brain. But it's also because PA hadn't figured out cockpit views yet.

[Anonymous No.7297373]

>want to try 6 before 7
>buy a disc (along with JSRF because why not)
>boot up the 360 for the first time in a decade
>disc drive no longer spins
sure everything from my SNES to my PS2 still run just fine but this piece of foxcon trash just can't fucking handle NOT being broken one way or the other
anyway the "holy trinity" of ace 4 through 0 are pretty much the standard starting point, 1 and 2 are pretty much arcade games, 3 (and I cannot stress this enough) JP with fan translation is cool too
spinoffs are spinoffs, just avoid ass horizon
and do yourself a favor and just use action replay codes instead of grinding in 5, if you're not a kid replaying the missions every so often working up to the falken (wyvern? one was hidden in missions one required you to unlock every other plane) to show off to your friends you'll just be running one or two grind friendly missions until you can't stand the sight of a jet turbine

[Anonymous No.7297832]

>>7296561
Man that’s good...

[Anonymous No.7297995]

>>7295272
AC3 first is not a bad idea because the physics are a lot different from the future games. Breaking a missile lock is really hard and you can't do those flips on a dime anymore. Some of the missions are TOUGH though.

Protip, make a new save at every branching point. For some reason they made the replay system really shitty despite it being heavily reliant on multiple paths. You can't even check your rankings from the missions of all the paths combined, only from the ones on that current route.

[Anonymous No.7298053]

>>7297995
>You can't even check your rankings from the missions of all the paths combined,
Yes you can, that's the whole point of the title screen.

>>7297995
>they made the replay system really shitty
not only do they give you complete freedom to complete all 5 paths in any order you see fit, they also don't force you to start over from mission 1 every time by allowing you to do this
>make a new save at every branching point.

[Anonymous No.7298078]

>>7297373
>>7297995
Playing 2 at the moment
>tfw realize there is only one target
>banking around and dodging all the various enemies
>doing this all at high speed as I swoop down and bomb the target

I’m having some genuine fun.. Not to mention the OST is fantastic. Can’t wait to get to the later games as form what I can gauge from the thread they are even better than this.

[Anonymous No.7298101]

>>7298053
What are you even trying to say with that second point? If you don't make a save you have to go replay the same mission because it won't let you skip around missions you've already ran. You have to make a separate save or else you have to replay 70% of the game for nothing.

And that """ranking screen""" fucking sucks and you know it. On a first glance, no guide, tell me which mission this is.

[Anonymous No.7298772]

After following the emulation guide it looks like my pc can’t run 4,5, or 0... so that kinda sucks. Getting around 15fps unless I want to play with major visual errors..

Hate to ask, but is it worth it to watch the cutscenes for each game after 2 and 3 before moving straight to 7, or just play 7?

[Anonymous No.7298857]

>>7298772
can you even run 7 if you can't run emulated 4?

[Anonymous No.7299409]

>>7298857
Got it on PS4 just in case this happened so I’m good there.

[Anonymous No.7299623]

>>7298772
I'd just go straight to 7 without watching the cutscenes. In the future, when you have a PC capable of running AC 4 through Zero, you'll be happy for all of it to be a surprise. 7's story doesn't require you to know the stories of the games that came before it.

[Anonymous No.7299681]

>>7299623
Gotcha, I’ll do that then. Gonna feel a bit of whiplash going straight from the ps1 games to the newest one. Also, thanks for the heads up about the story. I was kinda worried I’d be a little lost, but I guess I just won’t be be able to enjoy the references and nods this time around.

[Anonymous No.7300207]

>>7297832
See the actual mission intro for maximum goosebumps

https://youtu.be/pGVoehiWngY?t=170


>You're not gonna believe this Jean-Louis, they all have ribbon insignias!

[Anonymous No.7300229]

[Anonymous No.7301697]

On 2 specifically is there any big advantage to using expert controls over novice? The lack of stick support makes maneuvering around in a 3d space a bit of a pain with expert controls, where as the novice controls feel fine. I believe 3 has stick support so that won’t be as much of an issue there.

[Anonymous No.7301704]

Wth. Ace Combat 3DS is Ace Combat 2?

[Anonymous No.7301781]

>>7301697
Novice is the simplified system that doesn't give you full control over your movements. You're kneecapping yourself if you use novice controls as you'll have to wrestle with them to get them to do things you could do easily by not having the computer simplify two axis of movement into one.
Only Air Combat doesn't support sticks. AC2 does have it, check the in-game options. Check the emulation guide in /aceg/ OP's for details about AC3's sticks though, there's an emulation quirk with the axis scale.
>>7301704
Yeah, 3D Cross Rumble / Assault Horizon Legacy (no relation to Assault Horizon) is a remake of AC2 in the modern style of the series.

[Anonymous No.7302257]

>>7301781
Theeere we go. For some reason it was defaulting to a regular ps1 controller instead of an analogue.

Also, I shouldn’t have to much trouble with psx emulation. I’m using my vita for it so it’s basically a 1 for 1 with playing it on a real psx.

[Anonymous No.7302456]

>>7302257
The PSV doesn't have the axis scaling issue iirc, so you should be able to use diagonal inputs in AC3.

[Anonymous No.7303617]

I used novice controls in AC Zero because expert seems just too confusing to make even a simple turn left or right.

Why couldn't jet fighters turn like cars?

[Anonymous No.7303843]

>>7300229
>top middle screen
That level blew me away with the reflections in the water. I know they restricted the rest of the level with canyons but for PS1 it's pretty impressive.

[Anonymous No.7303850]

>>7303843
just in case you don't know, that stage is mirrored, those are not real-time reflections

[Anonymous No.7306120]

>>7296117
I can't speak for others, but I always disliked AC3's story because it's just too depressing to see the world everyone fought and died for in the previous games become enslaved by megacorporations

[Anonymous No.7306193]

>>7306120
Given that the rest of Strangereal didn't exist yet, you can make an argument for that being restricted to Usea.
I see you point, I guess it doesn't really shake me because I don't think about it as foiling what happened prior, kinda how history is full of events that would be depressing in light of it not going the way the people from prior would have wished. Or something, I'm not sure. I don't want to go "hurr durr I don't get excessively attached to fictional countries" or some other bullshit, I'm more invested in these dumb animu game clays and the characters therein than I should probably be, but I'm not sure why it doesn't hit me. Perhaps because I like AC3 a lot or because I've always been a sucker for this sort of setting and am thus biased.

[Anonymous No.7306396]

not op, but should I start with 4 or 3? based on the rest of the thread it looks like 4 would be better. also this can be beaten fully in a single sitting, right?

[Anonymous No.7306448]

>>7306120
tbf given an intercorporate war is implied to be all but inevitable, and since the UPEO ending seems like the preferred one, it doesn't seem impossible to imagine governments re-asserting themselves in its aftermath. Arguments over who gets to re-nationalize what (/what pieces of the split up but still private companies get based where) once everyone decides to grab a piece of GR and Neucom could even be the forerunner to Ace Combat 13.

[Anonymous No.7306474]

>>7306396
AC04 is a good entry point, the usual recommendation is playing through the PS2 games and then the rest.
>single sitting
If you're good at the game, yes, but as a first timer it'll likely take longer.

[Anonymous No.7307889]

>>7302257
>>7302456
>>7301781
I played AC3 on a real PS1 and I definitely noticed the weird diagonal input issue. It's not an emulation thing, it's actually part of the game. Emulation settings are capable of mitigating it, though.

[Anonymous No.7309921]

Ace Combat 2 is underrated desu

[Anonymous No.7311027]

>>7298772
Just now realized that's Cipher's F-15. Man looking at this is making me feel things now...

[Anonymous No.7311469]

Having just finished 3, it's one of those games where the story and setting and plane variety is great, but the gameplay itself is dated. The missions are really short and basic, and even the super planes are heavy and turn slow. Also, radio chatter is barren and the cutscenes between missions are short. I guess it was intentionally designed to be played through in about an hour just so you can get to the branching storylines.

Could really use a remake. Imagine the satellite mission or NOW ENTERING ELECTROSPHERE in UE4.