Ace Combat 7. A First Impression Report

After years of waiting, the latest installment of the long-running Ace Combat is finally among us. Before we proceed, let me tell you that this article is just a first impression report and a full-fledged review will come as soon as possible. Also, please note that every effort has been made to make spoiler-free so that everyone can enjoy it without ruining a yet-to-be experience.

From many points of view, AC7 is just the old Ace Combat: plain and simple. Countries are at war (basically divided into 2 factions), and you need to fight for one of them, and missions cover the full spectrum of military warfare in the typical Ace Combat way. However, since the very first minutes, AC7 returns exactly what developers promised it would do: a very realistic experience not only from a flight mechanics standpoint but also thanks to a realistic environment mechanics that it’s a challenge on its own. High winds, heavy rain, freezing conditions, low visibility flying, near-stall conditions, sandstorms, lightnings, electromagnetic interference … just name one of your choice.

Also, as happened in the past, AC7 features a solid multiplayer experience, with team deathmatch and battle royal sessions. Both of them are highly customizable, so you can build up the experience of your choice.

But what actually adds to the experience is the VR part. We have been dreaming about it since the first videos appeared online, but actually living the experience is something else. You sit right in the cockpit of an F18 and start your air denial mission from aboard an aircraft carrier. Most of us have dreamed of this since when Top Gun hit the theatres back in the ’80s. Now, thanks to Namco, this dream is finally true. I linked the videos I recorded while playing in order to give you a better idea. Even though the field of view is obviously limited, I hope it can give you a good idea of what it is.

And after the mission, a final landing on the carrier is required…