Ace Combat: Joint Assault

The newest addition in the Ace Combat series, Ace Combat: Joint Assault, known in Japan as Ace Combat X2: Joint Assault, is a PlayStation Portable-exclusive title, scheduled to release in Summer 2010. JA marks a radical change in Ace Combat, because it separates from the Strangereal setting and focuses on real life locations, such as Tokyo, Egypt, London & San Francisco. The game will feature over 40 licensed aircraft, with no sights as of yet of Ace Combat's signature original aircraft (such as the X-02 Wyvern.), effectively having Joint Assault become the second AC installment with most aircraft (The Unsung War having 53.)

Storyline
Not much is known about Joint Assault's story, other than the fact that you take the role of a pilot in the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF).

Innovations & Differences

 * Similar to the Allied Support system employed in Fires of Liberation, Joint Assault makes use of the Joint Assault Mission System, which breaks the operating forces into teams, and decisions made in one operation can affect the other: for example, the player is in Team A, which is tasked to eliminate a group of whirly birds near Team B's path. If the choppers go down, then Team B will proceed to advance into enemy territory, and knock out the AA defenses.
 * As aforementioned, Joint Assault marks a radical change due to it's setting change: Joint Assault takes place in modern Earth, featuring actual locations, such as San Francisco, Egypt & Midway (note how this features Sand Island AFB, the World War II airbase that became of basis for The Unsung War's Sand Island.)
 * Also, a new addition is the Enhanced Combat View (ECV) mechanic, which aims to remove the long-range visuals seen in most air combat titles in an attempt to turn dogfights into close & personal, one-on-one battles.

Multiplayer
Following Skies of Deception's MP, Joint Assault will feature non-local area restricted Online capabilities, for the game supports both Ad-Hoc. Ad-Hoc Party & Infrastructure connection types. Of course, there will also be adversarial options for the competitive player as well, which can support up to 8 players.