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By Kevin Chen on May 16th, 2006
There’s a sense of exhilaration that comes from being in the sky, soaring freely through the clouds in open air. It’s a feeling that few games are able to capture, but it’s truly what Namco’s Ace Combat series thrives on, blending captivating narratives with uniquely gripping gameplay. And it’s difficult to imagine it any other way -- the experience just wouldn’t be the same otherwise.
"The Belkan War doesn’t do anything drastically different, instead sticking to a solid, well-established formula to get the job done."
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The good news is that Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War carries the torch admirably while bringing back each hallmark of the franchise. The story is both guarded and intriguing early on, and the controls are fluid, so you’ll feel right at home. In fact, the game retains the same feel of The Unsung War in most every respect; The Belkan War doesn’t do anything drastically different, instead sticking to a solid, well-established formula to get the job done.
"The game doesn’t back down an inch when it comes to offering thrilling aerial dogfights."
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But although it isn’t the one to instigate radical change, The Belkan War doesn’t back down an inch when it comes to offering thrilling aerial dogfights. The action is always intense, and the skilled enemy A.I. pilots ensure that you’ll rarely be able to take a breather. You’ll constantly be bombarded with threats on your radar of incoming missiles from enemy fighters, and that makes the game as challenging as it is. Furthermore, the game will throw monkey wrenches into many of the levels just to complicate things for you. Often, a fresh squadron of extremely tough pilots will join the fray when all you want to do is to go home and lick your wounds after having decimated a wave of enemies. You’ll probably face some inconvenient deaths in those situations, but you’ll burn for revenge afterwards. It’s the challenge that makes outmaneuvering a skillful opponent and sending his craft spiraling into a fiery ball that much sweeter.
It’s not just the ace rivals that bring The Belkan War its breakneck pace, though -- the change in mission structure from The Unsung War also contributes to the game’s swift tempo. Gone are the tedious escort missions, and gone are the scenarios that required you to survive for mind-numbing amounts of time. The Belkan War simply skips right over those sorts missions and puts you right in the heat of battle, making this game a perfect title to play in bursts.
"...the change in mission structure from The Unsung War also contributes to the game’s swift tempo..."
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The Belkan War also seems like the perfect budget title too, with under 20 missions in far under 10 hours and a scarce amount of unlockables. It really sits lighter in the stomach than The Unsung War does, and it won’t move you the way its predecessor did. But while the game brings back the annoying time limit and the occasional tedious mission, and is still missing an online mode, the presentation values continue to soar. The visuals are smooth, and the cutscenes still retain their excellent texture (even though the inclusion of real-life actors in some of the scenes is strange). The soundtrack sets the mood skillfully as well, dark and controlled at most times. But it can also be powerful and free -- there’s a Spanish-style piece played during one of the levels that is, quite simply, gorgeous on all counts.
The Belkan War is a title that shows there’s nothing quite like the feeling of liberation you get when you’re flying boundlessly in the sky. It’s another solid entry in the Ace Combat series, and it shines as a game that is truly riveting and inspiring. | 
