At a small 309.37 mb. Enjoy.

Nice!! Going to download it and give it a whirl. Can't wait for this game.

Thanks for the heads up.

I love this game!

Awesome. Anyone play it yet? How is it?

I like it. I didn't not finish the demo as I crashed in the water. I was just goofin' around. The visuals are nice and the sound very good, especially if you are rockin' some 5.1 audio. Good demo. Makes me want to buy it.

I can't wait to DL this!

Very cool, I was up till 1am PST waiting to see what demos would come up. I'll download this when I get home, hopefully it'll be a ton of fun. :)

Rocket, how arcarde style is it? I haven't played any of the previous versions.

-JR

Pity we have to work for a living :) I set my download going this morning for this and the Blue Dragon demo, only 6 hours to go. Any further impressions from others who have downloaded it?

I want to download it but it's supposed to get up to 100 degrees today, the last thing I need is my space heater 360 running all day to add to the collection of heat in my non-ac'd apartment. :(

I spent about 40 minutes with it, here are my thoughts:

The planes look amazing. Just simply amazing. When you're up high and flying over the city your jaw will drop. The sad thing is that it suffers from the typical Ace Combat flaws...move close to the ground and you'll notice that there aren't any buildings, but the ground is one large picture, and looks like garbage up close. The sound is excellent. If you have a 5.1 and subs then you'll love this game. The soundtrack is excellent. When playing in cockpit view the engine roars behind you, which is very cool. The controls are good, but I found controlling a little too easy. In previous Ace Combats you had to be careful not to have your engine stall while following your target...here I had a hard time getting it to stall. It seems like they've dumbed it down a little for wide audiences. Also, the difficulty must be set to super easy, as I never got shot at (even when baiting the AI), and my enemies went down with only a couple gun rounds.

Still, I can't wait for this game. I'm really disappointed by the ground, as I wish they'd fix it...but at least the plane looks great.

I spent about 40 minutes with it, here are my thoughts:

The planes look amazing. Just simply amazing. When you're up high and flying over the city your jaw will drop. The sad thing is that it suffers from the typical Ace Combat flaws...move close to the ground and you'll notice that there aren't any buildings, but the ground is one large picture, and looks like garbage up close. The sound is excellent. If you have a 5.1 and subs then you'll love this game. The soundtrack is excellent. When playing in cockpit view the engine roars behind you, which is very cool. The controls are good, but I found controlling a little too easy. In previous Ace Combats you had to be careful not to have your engine stall while following your target...here I had a hard time getting it to stall. It seems like they've dumbed it down a little for wide audiences. Also, the difficulty must be set to super easy, as I never got shot at (even when baiting the AI), and my enemies went down with only a couple gun rounds.

Still, I can't wait for this game. I'm really disappointed by the ground, as I wish they'd fix it...but at least the plane looks great.

I've never played previous installments, but if the difficulty is indeed set to easy, maybe that's why you can't get it to stall out.

Little disappointed to read about the (lack of) ground details, but IMO that's a minor issue. I really can't wait to get home to DL this. Is it 4:00 yet so I can leave work? How about now?.................now?

Cant wait to get home now!

Its a 384MB demo. I'm sure that they had to cut some of the detail out, hence the buildings being sparse.

For anyone interested but stuck at work, I'll just throw up something quick before I run off to try to Blue Dragon demo. Ace Combat 4 was one of my favorite games for the ps2, a game I invested well over 60 hours into, I loved the replayability. When I saw the demo for AC6 on the marketplace I was stoked. Downloaded it, and played through the Campaign demo level twice, messing around the first time then actually trying to achieve the goals the second time through. All in all I put in about an hour.

VISUALS: Visuals were good...but not as stunning as I had expected. I had really high expectations going into this so I'm sure others might have a different opinion, but I feel the game seemed to lack a certain polish. The mission intro cinematic looked blurry and not very impressive. And as mentioned earlier the ground leaves A LOT to be desired, If you fly down low it doesn't look much better than the ps2 version. Buildings are a little bit better but still don't give that realism I was hoping for. The environments are expansive so sacrifices needed to be made.

You start you out in an F-16 and it looks great minus a little bit of jaddgedness around the edges. The afterburner looks cool, as does firing missiles. The enemy plane models look really good as well when you fly close to them.

AUDIO:
To me the most stand out part of the demo was the audio. With the bass cranked up and 5.1 it sounds AMAZING like you're really in the cockpit. Great sound effects and good if you want to show off your audio setup to some friends.

Gameplay:
Control wise it appears to play almost identical to its predecessors (If it's not broke...) In the demo the AI doesn't really attack you so you don't have much chance for dogfighting, mostly just targeting large planes moving in a straight line, the other fighters don't put up much of a fight. A few times enemies achieved radar lock on me and I just kept flying straight and they either never fired, or just plain missed me. So I'd love to get a chance to play some of the more difficult missions where dogfighting is more prominent.

As a huge Ace Combat fan I will definitely be picking this up when it comes out, as it seems to play really well, but the graphics just did not blow me away quite like I was hoping they would. Still, seems to be the best offering the 360 has yet for a flight game.

Yes, no game time tonight as it will all be spent d/l new demos.... I am really looking forward to this one. A nice break from FPS

Surprised by some of the graphics comments. I think the demo looks amazing. This is a game played in the air so the ground is not going to look as amazing. The best looking flight combat game I have ever seen on a console. That is good enough for me.

How is the draw distance? Any pop-up? Thanks.

Looks pretty good I think.
I cannot seem to barrel roll this F-16? Is it because I picked the novice setting?

I thought it looked great as well. building detail fills in when you get closer, but doesn't look too awful. the rest of the ground is like a google earth satellite photo. It looks amazing unless you are skimming the deck. Otherwise, the game looks great in my opinion. I only played very briefly but I didn't notice any issues with pop up.

Playing it now, and it looks fine.

Not having played any of these before, I have no idea what I'm doing. How do I switch to the cockpit view? I've tried every button, yet am still in the behind-the-plane view.

I need a little more of a tutorial...haven't really played any of the others before. Not even sure how to read the radar. I assume green and blue are good guys and red are bad guys? Or on second thought the blue ones are ground-based?

Anyways, enjoying it. It just needs some more newbie info for those of who are new to the series.

I really really hope on the full version you can pick your own controls for each button.. Having the other turning (sorry not a pilot) on the bumpers and not the right analog stick is stupid.. I was constantly trying to not use the right analog stick but it's kinda hard not to since it's how you hold a gamepad.


Before you start you can either pick Novice or Normal..

If you want to see how the ground looks just go to google earth..

Playing it now, and it looks fine.

Not having played any of these before, I have no idea what I'm doing. How do I switch to the cockpit view? I've tried every button, yet am still in the behind-the-plane view.

I need a little more of a tutorial...haven't really played any of the others before. Not even sure how to read the radar. I assume green and blue are good guys and red are bad guys? Or on second thought the blue ones are ground-based?

Anyways, enjoying it. It just needs some more newbie info for those of who are new to the series.
Click the right thumb stick to change view.
I had no clue what I was doing, just pressing all the buttons. Crashed once, destroyed a few planes, ran away. Seemed good though. I will give that a full price try. Hope it comes with a tutorial for all us new Ace Combat people though :).

I glad they have a "real" cockpit view now. I'm psyched to play this on live. I've always been a PC flight sim guy (been Playing Falcon 4.0 for 8 years now!), but I've always had love for the AC series.

Click the right thumb stick to change view.
I had no clue what I was doing, just pressing all the buttons. Crashed once, destroyed a few planes, ran away. Seemed good though. I will give that a full price try. Hope it comes with a tutorial for all us new Ace Combat people though :).

Of course! I always forget the sticks also click. Should've thought of that. Now if only the wife would go to bed so I can try it out again.

Is this the game that comes with a flight stick of sorts? I think I remember something about that, but not certain.

Is this the game that comes with a flight stick of sorts? I think I remember something about that, but not certain.

I think there's a $60 standard version, and then a $150 version that comes with the game, flightstick, and throttle (which I think will be worth the money, but hopefully they change the colors a bit):

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/06/ace-combat-6-stick-gp.jpg

Fairly fun game, one I would more than likely rent. I usually don't really like flying games so my opinion of how it played is not really valid. Graphics did look really good. I really liked the way the opening cinematic looked (although, like previous comments, the closer you are to the ground the worse and worse it looks). I also agree with previous comments about the sound. Fantastic sound.

Overall a good demo and people who enjoy flight simulator military type games should enjoy the game.

Just figured out that if you hold the missle button down you're POV follows the missle, nice!

my first experience with any Ace Combat game and was very impressed. I was amazed by the graphics in the trailer so i had to download the demo. Demo looked just as nice. Played through it twice. First time i didnt know how to lock on with missles so i was gunning everyone down with my machine guns so it took forever. 2nd time i finally figured out how to lock on and breezed through the demo. Probaly will be picking this one up.

my first experience with any Ace Combat game and was very impressed. I was amazed by the graphics in the trailer so i had to download the demo. Demo looked just as nice. Played through it twice. First time i didnt know how to lock on with missles so i was gunning everyone down with my machine guns so it took forever. 2nd time i finally figured out how to lock on and breezed through the demo. Probaly will be picking this one up.

My first time playing Ace Combat as well. I have really never played a flight sim before because I never take the time to really learn all the HUD stuff and how missles work and everything. Played through it once and did ok. Graphics are nice and I like that it is more arcady so I don't have to worry about black or red out. I will probably buy this. Then by getting into this more I'll probably more akin to learning the ins and outs of a more true flight sim like Over G.

I had my MS wheel connected when I played the demo so I didn't have all the controls.

Did I read that there is going to be a real cockpit view??? I saw one in the replay...but I could'nt find one in the actual demo.

Is there a cockpit view in the full game?

Gotta admit, as much as i was hoping for a Over-G killer, this one did not blow me away. The sound was FANTASTIC though.

I loved the demo. Graphics are stellar by my book, and NO TEARING! yay! I don't know how much more you could expect as far as ground detail. It was better than I had even hoped. the controls are a bit mushy, but hopefully they'll tighten them up.

Press the right stick to get a cockpit view. With the 3rd person view the game sucks. It's completely different. It's Falcon vs Afterburner.

I had my MS wheel connected when I played the demo so I didn't have all the controls. Did I read that there is going to be a real cockpit view??? I saw one in the replay...but I could'nt find one in the actual demo.

Is there a cockpit view in the full game?
I played the demo last night. There is a cockpit view. I think you press down on the left button to get different views.

I am NOT a flight sim fan but I enjoyed the game. I played novice and I thought the controls were tight. I only have a 46" 720p and I thought it looked top notch. I might buy it.

To people who complained about the graphics(I thought they were great), this was a fairly early build. This demo is actually well over a month old, and is just reaching the public now. I'm sure it will look even better once it gets released.

Someone said they couldn't get their F-16 to roll on novice, that's because you are on novice and that uses simplified controls.

Played a bit more last night. I am definitely picking this up. The visuals look great to me...someone mentioned the opening cinematic was blurry earlier. Not sure what they were watching, but it looked great to me. I wonder if they were put off by the "heat" coming off the engines. I thought it looked great.

Not having played flight sims before, can someone explain yaw to me? I tried out the buttons (using the non-simplified controls), and they didn't seem to do much.

So is this an arcade type game or simulation? I used to be a big fan of games like F-19 Stealth Fighter and A-10 Tank Killer on the PC.

(360 being repaired.)

I enjoyed it, but the gameplay is exactly like Ace Combat X on the PSP. Target lock, drop two missiles (out of your huge inventory of 80!!), chase the arrow until you get around, shoot again, rinse repeat until the target is dead. Choose next target, afterburner to get close, etc etc. Maybe I'm missing something but there just doesn't seem to but much in the way of actual tactics. Of course if it was like Falcon I would be complaining about lack of action, I suppose :P

It's fun, and the graphics are nice, but hopefully the missions are varied enough to make the game fun. I kind of wish the ubiquitous "hit all" missile didn't work so well.

They seem to have brought back the super flying fortress, and the country is mostly overrun. Is this going to be the same plot as ACX?

So is this an arcade type game or simulation? I used to be a big fan of games like F-19 Stealth Fighter and A-10 Tank Killer on the PC.

(360 being repaired.)

It's definitely an arcade type game. If you're looking for a simulation, you should probably check out Over G Fighters instead. I used to play F-19 too, and the F-117 mission in the OGF campaign really took me back.

Not having played flight sims before, can someone explain yaw to me? I tried out the buttons (using the non-simplified controls), and they didn't seem to do much.

Yaw is rotation of the plane around the vertical axis, ie. moving the nose of the plane left or right. This is done by moving the vertical rudder to either side. It can be useful in lining up with a runway for landing while keeping the plane otherwise level, but in air combat maneuvering, it's usually combined with a roll or pitch move as well, since as you've noticed, yaw by itself is not a very extreme manuever.

Loved Ace Combat for my PS2 but this demo wasnt really a huge leap from that. I think ill pass.

I was pleasantly surprised by this.

To people who complained about the graphics(I thought they were great), this was a fairly early build. This demo is actually well over a month old, and is just reaching the public now. I'm sure it will look even better once it gets released.


Hell, Namco must have learned from the Halo 3 beta or something b/c there is a clear disclaimer before you start the game that says something about the graphics in this demo are from an early build of the game and do not represent how the final product will look. I think all demos should say something like that.

I played last night, looked pretty clean to me, it just gets old trying to turn a jet around at 800MPH to stay on your target. I have always liked the ace combat games and usually they are long and challenging. Its a keeper

I DL this last night expecting to not really care for it (I have never even heard or Ace Combat as I am not really into "jets/planes" type of games) but I absolutely loved it! I'll buy it the day it comes out. The Graphics looked stunning on my HDTV. I had ALOT of trouble with the controls at first which is expected as I have never played this type of game, but 30 minutes later, I was having a blast. I completed the level and I knew this was a must buy.

Hmm, sounds like alot of people are liking the demo so far. It seems to me that a game like this would be great on Xbox Live.

"I feel the need...the need for speed"

def havent played a flight game in a while. I was getting a lil dizzy til I got used to it all again.

dont watch missiles if you're over buildings or going down. I did and crash into a building LMAOD.

16 player mp will be hellafide fun, hopefully.

oh wait there's multiplayer??? hmmmm

This might sound stupid, but how do you lock onto enemy planes? I shot plenty of missiles, but did not get one kill with them... Thank god I can use my guns!!

This might sound stupid, but how do you lock onto enemy planes? I shot plenty of missiles, but did not get one kill with them... Thank god I can use my guns!!

Tap your Y button to change targets, when the target is highlighted in red (get close enough), fire your missle.

loved it but... how do you look on targets for missles?

You just have to get close enough (I think within 10,000 meters [feet?]) for most aircraft using that basic missile. Keep the target in your forward "cone" and that little floating diamond will "lock on" to the target and you can loose missiles. The basic missiles are pretty sucky so they miss often, which is why you have 80 of them :P Don't bother shooting if you are in a tight turn, but they do all right against approaching or escaping targets.

You can lock on at about 8500 meters or feet whatever measurment that was. I really liked it, fun, obviously an early build since its under 400mb's. My only question is whether i get the flight stick

If you liked this demo and are thinking about getting the flight sticks, if you can afford it then do it! The game become something completely different. Actually using the throttle and controlling the pitch of your plane is amazing. It has a steep learning curve, but once you get it you'll love it to death. You'll feel like a supreme badass.

If you liked this demo and are thinking about getting the flight sticks, if you can afford it then do it! The game become something completely different. Actually using the throttle and controlling the pitch of your plane is amazing. It has a steep learning curve, but once you get it you'll love it to death. You'll feel like a supreme badass.


I'll jump all over it only if it comes with the pedals like a real plane. So does it?

I played the demo last night. It kicks arse. If you don't think that this looks better than AC4 or AC5 on the PS2, you're crazy. Yes, the gameplay feels the same but there is a lot more going on in the air. I played AC5 probably more than almost any other game (except KOTOR or GTA). The graphics were much better and cleaned up, the ground has more detail and more items (buildings, etc.), and the sound is amazing. I wish I had a 5.1 system set up. This is a must have on my list. I am very impressed.

I was reading IGN this morning and to boot, there will be a 16 player MP portion. Sweet.

You can also switch missle types by hitting the select button. The 2nd type fires more than one missle at a time. If within range you can take out I think up to four targets at one time this way, cool!

I reversed the "right" stick in the options menu so looking left, right, up or down seems more natural while flying, just wish you could dial down the sensitivity a little.

This is more fun the more I play it, guess I'll be getting this & COD4 when they release them...

You can also switch missle types by hitting the select button. The 2nd type fires more than one missle at a time. If within range you can take out I think up to four targets at one time this way, cool!


I remember something like this from playing AC on PS2. Depending on the plane, you could lock onto 4 targets at once and fire one missile for each of the four target all at the same time.

I wish they'd bring the arcadey flight-sim from the DC (Aero- something or other) out this gen.
I like Ace Combat but it's very repetitive and I'm not keen on the faux real world setting that they suddenly shove over the top anime style tech into (the Cruise launcher from the demo, for example). I also get the impression that the story and cutscenes will be similar to AC5, which I found unbearably trite.
This demo looked and sounded (other than dialogue) great, though.
I'll probably rent as I enjoy the flying portions of the game but this is the type of game and I'm the type of gamer where I complete the single player game and then never pick it up again. Multiplayer and whether it's any good may change that obv.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/06/ace-combat-6-stick-gp.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/edcokpareke/x45.jpg

Did anyone seem to think that the feeling of speed and distance traveled was not even close?

I did enjoy it and it sounds amazing in surround. Great graphics as well.

Did anyone seem to think that the feeling of speed and distance traveled was not even close?

I did enjoy it and it sounds amazing in surround. Great graphics as well.

I felt it did kinda that some awhile to get to a certain even with the after-burners at full throttle.

Did anyone seem to think that the feeling of speed and distance traveled was not even close?

I did enjoy it and it sounds amazing in surround. Great graphics as well.

Felt accurate to me. The higher up you are, the slower it feels like your traveling. I like to feel the speed so alot of the times I get to around buildings height level (700 feet or so). I also love going 1000 mph under the bridges :)

Shouldn't you be traveling roughly a little over a quarter mile per second at that speed? That's one long ass bridge. I'll check it out again tonight.

The maps are not large enough to have the speed be accurate. All of the Ace Combat games were like this.

I was reading IGN this morning and to boot, there will be a 16 player MP portion. Sweet.
hmmm I might just get it for the multiplayer.

hmmm I might just get it for the multiplayer.

8 vs 8 on MP should be fun.

I can't wait for this game to come out!!!!!!!

Eh, I thought the demo was pretty mediocre. Granted, it has good graphics and sound, but I thought it felt like any other game from the same genre

So this is what Sony owners crowed about all those years? I'm sorry, but the demo left me with a big "ehh." Fly around and protect Google Earth? No thanks. I rented Crimson Skies a few years ago for the 180, and thought it was a lot better. And that whole "Japanese doing American" thing I find a little wierd. YMMV.

The game looks great, the sound rocks, love the Top Gun feel. Multiplayer Dog Fights are what I am most looking forward to. Thanks for the info, a lot of great posts in this thread.

Wow.

Anybody who complains about AC6 obviously knows nothing about the franchise, and has no business playing it.

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2007/06/ace-combat-6-stick-gp.jpg

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g38/edcokpareke/x45.jpg


How are you supposed to use the one on the left? Sorry but I've never seen that before..

Does the joystick twist?

How are you supposed to use the one on the left? Sorry but I've never seen that before..

Does the joystick twist?
It's a throttle, man! And yes the flight stick twists- at least the Saitek X series sticks do, which is what it looks like the 360 stick is based on.

I think the stick on the left is throttle ( someone correct me if I am wrong ). If someone can go into more detail I am curious to know. I had so much fun with the game I am thinking I am going to get this flight stick.

Wow.

Anybody who complains about AC6 obviously knows nothing about the franchise, and has no business playing it.

WTF? Because somebody might not have been impressed by the demo, they don't have the right to offer an opinion without you getting defensive? Okaaaaaaaay. And your right- I don't know anything about the franchise. That's what the demo was for- to give those unfamiliar with it a taste. I'm sorry if the fact that some of us didn't particularly care for the taste upsets you. If it makes you any happier, I won't be playing it.

How are you supposed to use the one on the left? Sorry but I've never seen that before..

Does the joystick twist?

They used the same flight stick bundle on their previous AC games on PS2. I bought the one for AC5 and the stick does not twist. The yaw is controlled by a see-saw type buttons on the back of the throttle controller.

http://www.gameinformer.com/NR/rdonlyres/E7906248-A711-400D-AB66-203DC2B130C5/5179/horistick.jpg

It's a throttle, man! And yes the flight stick twists- at least the Saitek X series sticks do, which is what it looks like the 360 stick is based on.

The Saitek X52 twists. The X45 (the blue & black one pictured above which the AC stick is based on) does not twist.

I got the stick for the PS2 like the one above and the non twisting stick killed it for me. Well that and the fact that i had a 2 ft high table to put it on ha ha.

man, finally a good flight game for the 360!
Blazing angels... so so. Over G fighers... worst game on the xbox. I only hope you can ramp up the dificulty

Does anyone know if you get to do landings and takeoffs? (never played any of the serries)

Does anyone know if you get to do landings and takeoffs? (never played any of the serries)

I've played every game in the series and in the later games especially, they're some of my favorite parts of the game. My favorite is when you do carrier landings--very fun. You don't get the opportunity with every mission, but they sprinkle them in from time to time.

I bet take-off and landings will be part of the achievements. In previous games you got bonus points for how well you landed. Good was common but getting a 'perfect' was challenging. I'll have to fire up the ol' PS2 and play AC5 again.

I'm crazy about this game, and thats that I have not even played the older versions of the game. I can't wait till October!