Ace Combat: Assault Horizon

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon (エースコンバット アサルト・ホライゾン Esu Konbatto Asaruto Horaizon) is the newest installment of the Ace Combat combat flight simulation series.

Setting
This is the second Ace Combat title (the only other being Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault) to take place in the real world. The teaser released by Project Aces on August 9, 2010 shows a large-scale invasion of the American city of Miami, Florida, alongside a military raid of a Middle-Eastern looking city (presumably one of the United Arab Emirates, given the presence of large skyscrapers uncharacteristic of other ME nations).

A teaser also shows that the player will take part in the story as William Bishop, a F-22A Raptor pilot who is part of the "Warwolf Squadron", and a AH-64D Apache Longbow pilot named Doug Robinson who is part of the "Nomad Squadron". The only confirmed enemy ace as of now is Colonel Andrei Markov, AKA "Akula" (who is so called for the Shark's mouth on his Su-35BM's nose), who shoots down the pilot of the F-22 in the teaser and supposedly slams into the parachuting pilot. However, the Theatre of War trailer possibly proved that the ramming was only a dream, meaning that the F-22A pilot will not die, but fight Markov on equal terms.

The Tokyo Game Show 2010 extended trailer shows an F-16CM Fighting Falcon attacking ground targets, chasing enemy aircraft, and possibly protecting an oil refinery in the Middle East, and during this sequence of events there appears to be radio chatter in different language (possibly Russian), which could possibly mean the radio chatter language will vary depending on the location and the enemies encountered. Also, an F-35B Lightning II can be seen destroying incoming enemy Tu-95 Bears and their Su-33 Flanker-D escorts. Note that the F-35 has external weapons, quite possibly meaning you can choose to configure certain aircraft depending on the mission at hand. Because of this, it is also possible that your stats (Power, mobility, stability, etc) and the number of weapons a player can carry will vary with the configuration.

In both the announcement trailer and TGS extended trailer, the Su-33s engaged by Colonel Bishop over Miami are shown carrying Russian military roundels, suggesting a possible conflict between the US and the Russian Federation. Yet in the announcement trailer, if one skips to 1:19 on the video, a friendly Su-24MP & a Su-25 are assisting the player (in the A-10) and another friendly A-10 against a fleet of Russian-made ships, one of which shoots the Su-24 down with a missile. This suggests that the "Antagonistic" Russian forces may be either a "fringe" element within Russia (and most likely have major influence in Russian affairs) or any well-funded military entity enlisting the service of Russian mercenaries (like Markov) and using predominantly Russian-made weaponries. Even in the former case, the Russian Federation may still feel compelled to aid the United States against such a rogue faction if the faction is indeed a threat to the ruling government of Russia.

Gameplay
Footage shows a massive improvement of the standard AC physics engine, with a hostile Su-33 Flanker-D fighter performing the Pugachev's Cobra to evade the player, with the player performing a Kulbit, alongside a revamped destruction engine, as shown by debris coming out of battle-damaged structures. Furthermore, the footage shows a helicopter raid in a Middle Eastern-esque location, with insurgents being killed by gun fire from said choppers, presumably indicating that the players will be able to pilot helicopters, which is a major change in aircraft selection (like the inclusion of the World War II A6M Zero and F6F-5 Hellcat in Joint Assault). For the damage modifications, buildings and other planes actually 'explode' like the real thing, sending debris everywhere, making you have to dodge it. Ace Combat Assault Horizon proposes two types of control settings: 'Original' and 'Optimum'. High G turns are still available by pushing triggers together, as well as AutoPilot if you keep both shoulder button down. And a new feature "Flight Assistances" provides comfortable options to players like Auto-leveling, Automatic Collision Prevention, Automatic Stall Prevention, sight assist and Automatic forward Target Selection. This options can be turned on or off.
 * The 'Original' control setting is similar to the controls you had in the previous Ace Combat Games under the name 'Expert'. As expected, it gives you full control of your aircraft, with the left stick making it roll (not turn) when you push right or left.
 * On the other side, the new "Optimum" controls -the default mode and the one used in all the trailers released so far- is NOT the equivalent of the usual 'beginner/novice' control style of the series. It sure prevents you to do full rolls but this is to gain the stability needed to get the best of the new ‘Close Range Assault System’.

As seen in one of the trailers, the cockpit is now 3 dimensional, instead of a 2 dimensional image that moves sideways when you look sideways.

Plot
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon takes place in early 2015, 4 years after the events of Ace Combat: Joint Assault. An anti-government insurgency is sweeping the African continent. Local governments have requested the United Nations’ support in combating the rebel forces and pirates terrorizing the coastal areas.

The UN, in turn, calls upon NATO, which responds by sanctioning the a special military task force. The task force is soon engaged in conflict with the insurgents across Africa.

However, insurgency has the advantage of surprisingly advanced weaponry, and effective use of the African landscape in guerilla warfare. It appears that the conflict cannot be resolved as quickly as originally hoped.

U.S Air Force Lieutenant Colonel William Bishop and his long time friend and wingman Captain José Gutierrez lead the 108th Task Force, comprised of an attack helicopter force, bomber squadron and Colonel Bishop's Warwolf Squadron.

The task force base in Africa is host to a large multinational military force including a UN military contingent under the command of French Air Force General Pierre La Pointe, as well as Russian support forces.

Shortly after arriving in Africa, Shooter and Nomad squadrons, along with special operations forces (Delta Force), conduct a high risk daylight raid in a guerilla stronghold. During the mission, the assault force is engulfed in a blinding flash of light, and blasted out of the sky by a massive shock wave.

The few helicopter crews who survive the blast are brought back to the base covered in third-degree burns. Word quickly spreads that the anti-government insurgency has developed a new type of super weapon. Before the task force has time to investigate how the insurgency succeeded in developing such advanced weaponry, the scramble alert sounds.

As Bishop and company race to secure the super weapon, the flames of battle spread across northern Africa, eventually engulfing the world.



List of spotted aircraft
The aircraft listed below were all spotted in the trailers or screenshots:

Fighters and attackers

 * Su-24 MP Fencer-F
 * Su-25 Frogfoot
 * Su-33 Flanker-D
 * Su-34 Fullback
 * Su-35S Super Flanker
 * PAK-FA
 * MiG-21 Fishbed
 * MiG-29K Fulcrum-D
 * MiG-31A Foxhound
 * A-10A Thunderbolt II
 * F-X ( as a DLC aircraft)
 * F-2A Viper Zero (seen in behind the scenes trailer as a model plane).
 * F-4E Phantom II (as a DLC aircraft)
 * F-14D Super Tomcat
 * F-15C Eagle
 * F-15E Strike Eagle
 * F-16CJ Fighting Falcon
 * F/A-18E Super Hornet
 * F/A-18F Super Hornet
 * F-22 Raptor
 * F-35B Lightning II
 * EF-2000 Typhoon
 * Rafale M
 * AC-130U Spooky

Bombers

 * B-1B Lancer
 * B-2A Spirit
 * Tu-95 Bear
 * Tu-160 Blackjack

Helicopters

 * MH-60 BlackhawkAH-64D.jpg
 * AH-64D Apache Longbow
 * Mi-24 Hind

Tankers and Transporters

 * II-76
 * KC-10 Extender (seen crashing onto the runway in the E3 trailer)

Release Date
Acording to Strategyinformer.com, the game is set to be released on October 11th in North America, and October 14th in Europe. Apperantly, there is a special edition soundtrack that come with the game when you pre-order a copy of the game, on both Xbox 360 and Play Station 3.

On the LEVEL UP event in Dubai (May 11th, 2011), Namco Bandai revealed that they will be releasing the european version of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon on October 14th, 2011 with some exclusive cards for downloading planes & limited edition versions for fans who pre-ordered.

Trailers
Video:Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - Announcement Trailer|Announcement Trailer

Video:Ace Combat Assault Horizon Debut Trailer|Debut

Video:ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON - PS3 / X360 - Behind the Scenes|Behind the Scenes trailer

Video:Ace Combat: Assault Horizon - Featuring Close Range Assault|Close Range Assault Trailer

Video:ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON - PS3 / X360 - Theater of War|Ace Combat Assault Horizon - Theatre of War

Video:ACE COMBAT ASSAULT HORIZON '108th Task Force'Trailer|