Namco has brought us another installment in the Ace Combat series. Ace Combat Zero brings us to a time 15 years before the happenings of Ace Combat 5, during the Belkan Wars. Thus the name Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan Wars.

"Hooray!" I think, "a new Ace Combat game, more aerial combat goodness and hey what's this?" As the opening shot of ....live action actors appears on the screen. Welcome back to 1996, I am confused. Why have you forsaken us Namco? But shenanigans aside Ace Combat Zero is still the polished great gameplay that we recieved with past titles.

The controls are as tight and perfect as they ever were. The graphics are just as beautiful. And the missions...well they are missions. And where did my nicely played out story go?

The colorful characters that I grew to love in Ace Combat 5 have gone, and instead have been replaced by unintelligent chatter, from people I don't care about. How are we supposed to enjoy and want to continue on with a game if we don't give a crap about what is going on in it?

But let us not focus just on the negative. Ace Combat Zero does what the series does the best. We still get the most well done flight combat simulator available on a console. There a wide variety of planes to choose from, inculding a jammer craft. Some of which you may actual change the paint style of.

The game includes a few new features that fit nichely into the background. The wingman orders have been expanded so you are able to tell your wingman to focus on air, ground, or for them to choose freely. Also their are significant enemies that you have the option of shooting down. Some of the enemy pilots you go up against will appear on your screen and you can read their call signs. If you manage to shoot them down you can read their bios after the mission.

As for the missions themselves, it's pretty much the same run of the mill "destroy all targerts", "destroy the super weapon", and "canyon" missions. Nothing overly special.

All in all Ace Combat Zero is a solid game, that just bores me into lethargy. I'll cough up a 7 out of 10 for it.