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New Blood #9: Ace Combat X (Skies of Deception)
 Aaron Gray
Ace Combat does a nose-dive and loop-the-loop on the PlayStation Portable (PSP) and came out unscathed to the amazement of this ‘pilot’.
I couldn’t belive it when Namco released this game on the PSP. Graphics wise, it looks very, very similar to its PlayStation 2 counterpart. The sound and controls are great too, and having flawless-looking fighter planes taking to the skies is sure to have gaming fans in awe.
Although the PSP is said to have its limits in processing graphics and such when compared to its PS2 cousin, Skies of Deception has turned that perception around in its entirety.
Back on the home console version, the Ace Combat series always mix real-world aircraft with sprinkles of science fiction and deadly politics. Skies of Deception is no different. The game begins with the story of a journalist who has just moved into the Republic of Aurelia, an area recently taken over by an aggressive faction. It isn’t long before he starts feeling something’s amiss with the new government of Aurelia.
Don’t worry; you won’t be the journalist.
Players will assume the role of a Gryphus Squadron member – and you’ve just barely escaped a surprise attack by invaders. Their secret weapon: a flying fortress. This weapon of mass destruction creates much of the game’s drama early in the single-player campaign. The fortress is capable of firing a massive beam of laser which can decimate a whole squadron of planes and fleet of ships in a single blast. If things aren’t bad enough for everyone under the gun, the fortress uses advanced optical camouflage – this makes it virtually invisible to its attackers.
Players are offered various selectable views of the action during a mission, from inside the cockpit to outside the plane itself. Unfortunately, changing the view requires one to pause the game and select your preferred view from within the said menu.
If you hold down the two shoulder buttons (L and R), it’s possible to pan around the inside of the cockpit or heads-up display (HUD) to look out for enemy fighters. While in this mode, the plane switches to autopilot. Little things DO count, and Namco made sure of that.
If you think the PSP’s screen is a little too small to cram every detail in, you’re wrong. The screen did a fine job of showing everything: from missile selection to ammo; from radar to throttle; from dynamic mission updates to clear view/shot of enemy planes. All these details fit nicely without looking overly cramped at all.
Skies of Deception is everything it’s said to be… except having a linear gameplay. Missions aren’t entirely a single route, as tactical briefings offer a choice of one, two or even four different routes to take. Better still, choices actually matter and have a lasting impact on how the game flows. You won’t be able to backtrack, so once the decision is made to invade a sector, for instance, certain missions that were available prior to the invasion will disappear. Think of it as being ‘real-time’. Of course, you will be able to unlock better (and deadlier) planes as you progress.
The other highlight of Skies of Deception is its multiplayer mode. Since the PSP is supposed to be portable, it’d be a crime not to have competitive dog-fighting whenever you meet likeminded ‘ace fighter pilots’.
Using the PSP’s WiFi functionality (namely Ad Hoc mode), ‘pilots’ can battle for air supremacy. You will also be given a number of maps to do battle over.
Other than basic dog-fighting, players can join in the fun with team-based and cooperative modes. There’s “Base Attack”, where players split into teams to defend/attack a base. “Air Superiority” has players patrol a stretch of sky under strict weapons limitation – the longer a pilot stays alive the more points he/she will score.
Every mode included in multiplayer is a worthy addition to Skies of Deception; making great use of the PSP’s hardware and wireless capabilities.
Aerial combat is not for everyone though, as some people I know experienced dizziness due to the nature of the game’s free-flight play. But if you love to take to the skies for some good ol’ dog-fight with the AI or some pals, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception is indeed a worthy buy!
Aaron's an ace when it comes to ariel dogfights. If you've got the guts to go one-on-one over the great blue wonder, send "airmail" to him at
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