Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception

(Namco Bandai for PSP)
by Mike Delano

While it may seem simplistic compared to hopelessly complicated PC flight simulators, the Air/Ace Combat series still takes some of the tediousness of flying very seriously. It may be touted as a mission-based action game, but in Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, you’ll still need to closely monitor your various gauges, go in for tune-ups, and reserve 30 seconds of your life to turning your aircraft around. The Outrun of flying games this isn’t.

There’s action to be had here, though, and from the cockpit, you’ll eliminate threats on the ground and in the sky, but it all moves at a very deliberate pace. That’s great for PSP flight junkies with a hankering for something a little more true-to-life than Gradius Collection, but the rest of us will want a little more bang for the buck. The presentation, however, from the smart mission designs and in-flight pilot banter to the impressively sharp small-screen graphics and intelligent storyline, is beyond reproach.
(www.namcobandai.com)