Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360)

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Amusingly, you're also backed by helicopters, tanks and bombers, which convincingly appear to take part in each conflict when ordered in at specific times, lending an even greater sense of urgency and depth to the proceedings. Not that you ever feel alone, though: Hearing calls for assistance via staccato radio chatter and winging to the rescue, then unloading a payload of missiles on unsuspecting opponents proves immensely satisfying. Naturally, this 'living battlefield' mechanic -- with intelligent opponents who really force you to give chase and skim the tops of mountain ranges or breeze by cities watching vapor trails and bullets fly (rather than circle one another endlessly, as in competing titles) -- greatly magnifies the experience's charm.

Even with a wingman present (although not a particularly bright one), there's never any question that you're the man of the hour. Of course, there's nothing quite like picking a particular craft and special weapon before an assignment, only to find it negated by whatever surprise twist unfolds, to make you feel especially impotent. But get over it. With so many optional mission objectives available and vessels to command, and hence added replay value, there's plenty of time to happily obliterate your blues away.

Nonetheless, broadband-ready multiplayer is by far the biggest payout here. How do we love Ace Combat 6? Let us count the ways: Think deathmatch, team deathmatch, co-op and siege options (requiring you to take out specific targets) -- just a few of the many choices on offer. What's more, up to 16 players can participate in the fun, and in this mode the game performs smoothly and delivers even greater thrills than you'd find in the lone-wolf campaign, making the disc a superb choice for when friends are hanging at your crib. Join forces with buddies or rip them a new one in free-for-all smackdowns -- the best part is, you don't have to know your way around a flight yoke to jump right in and start racking up the body count.

What you see is essentially what you get here, but make no mistake: This is a purely action-intensive outing, with few concessions to real-world aerial operations. Furthermore, pretty as a picture and a true joy to lay hands on, the purists' loss is the passing enthusiasts' gain. There are certainly hiccups with the formula, e.g. ground textures lose a little bit of their luster up close, and the innovations introduced here are relatively minor compared with those offered by predecessors.

Even so, compared to the likes of Blazing Angels 2, you can't go wrong. Say what you will about Ace Combat 6's derivative structure, campy plot, flair for dramatic impact vs. strict authenticity, and strictly incremental gains over prior series installments. When it comes to kicking the tires and lighting the fires, the following is obvious -- this sucker delivers in spades.

This review was based on a retail copy of the game provided by the publisher.