Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation review

About a year ago we saw Ace Combat X hit the PSP. Its main function? To deliver wireless multiplayer to a series that had so far been stuck with split screen boredom. Lacking an infrastructure mode, Ace X wasn't quite the hit it needed to be. With Ace 6, you're getting a robust solo experience plus a whole range of fully online multiplayer modes.

There's the standard deathmatch of course, where groups of up to 16 players can shatter each other's planes with all sorts of multi-targeting missiles. Then you have team battles and team sieges, where one side attacks a group of targets while the other tries to defend. With that many ace players in the sky, these matches can turn into some of the fastest, most intense moments on Xbox Live. If it's a bunch of beginners, it's like watching the most poorly choreographed flight scene in history.

The co-op mode is something of a disappointment. There are only two missions available, and they're slightly tweaked versions of solo sorties you've already played. We're ready to believe there will be more from Live, but why not just make the whole game co-op?

Other downloadable content, from what we've seen so far, is very jet-centric. Longtime fans (or anyone who likes gawking at jets) will really enjoy the visual perks coming down the pike.