So I said I was gonna make this forever ago, but I wanted to play the life out of it first. Ace Combat Assault Horizon Enhanced Edition (name =/= long enough) is to my knowledge the first Ace Combat game made available on the PC. While I originally had this game for the PS3 and didn't really enjoy it, my experience with it on the PC was completely different, although there were still a couple things that confused me.

Firstly, the game has the jet controls defaulted to the arrow keys instead of the mouse. You can change this in the settings, but you also have to re-map the movements to the mouse as well, and you can't have it set to both the keyboard and mouse, unlike other games with jets like Battlefield. Other then that however I couldn't find many flaws with the game.

Assault Horizon is also different from most Ace Combat games in the sense that instead of the Project Aces team making an entire world of fictional countries fighting fictional wars, they went with real world countries and conflicts (like the fighting in Africa for instance). They also have included a new Dog Fighting Mode (DFM) and Air Strike Mode (ASM).

DFM Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCKrHVzk3yY

While DFM might initially make you think the game will be easier, it actually isn't. Enemies are pretty capable of evading you while in DFM still. Not only that but you can also be countered by enemies while chasing them, and have them engage DFM on you if you let them. The new gameplay definitely makes the game a lot more intense. Also with DFM, sometimes when you shoot down your target, it will zoom in on their plane as it gets destroyed and falls into dozens of pieces. This is some of the best examples any game has when it comes to the level of detail you see in the destruction. Wings and parts will tear away from the aircraft, and every now and again you'll see the pilot actually being thrown out of his plane (did he died? Ye.). You also have to be careful with the environment around you while in DFM. Otherwise you'll find yourself flying into a building, oil tank, or the ground. With that all said, the graphics in this game are just great, and the level of detail is awesome.

Another new addition to the game is the use of flares. Normally the flares will work better for the enemy than they will for you, but they still work, and adds another level of realism to the game. Helicopters have also made an appearance in Assault Horizon. Not only will you have the opportunity to fly an Apache gunship, but you'll also be able to take the role of a door gunner in a Blackhawk and laugh as everybody below you gets destroyed from your minigun. The controls for flying the helicopter seemed a little choppy at times, but it was still an interesting experience and I felt it was fairly well executed for the game. The free mission/online mode for the game allows you to use other helicopters like the Mi-24 Hind-D and the Ka-50 gunship (I forget what it's called in game), and each has their own unique advantages/disadvantages. Flying the helicopters was also interesting in the fact that you got to see the ground in an upclose scale. Most Ace Combat games have flat landscapes with a few buildings poking out to add some kind of depth. But the mission in Moscow, Russia for instance has the city detailed almost perfectly, in terms of building size, placement and such.

The last two new additions to Assault Horizon are the use of the AC-130 "Spooky" and a mission where you get to use a bomber (either the B-1 or B-2). The Gunship level is as you can expect very stationary, as you have to wait for the plane to reach its destination while you blast targets on the ground with three variable weapons (120 mm canon, 40mm canon, and 25mm cannons). However the level itself isn't without its challenge and you'll have to have a fast reaction time to make sure you don't get shot out of the sky. The level with the bomber is also quite interesting, since you've never been able to fly one before in an Ace Combat game (console versions anyway). The first half of the level has you flying right above the ground to avoid enemy radar, and the second has you entering the ASM while you carpet bomb the shit out of your targets.

The last thing I wanna talk about is the soundtrack. I've always loved the music that goes with the Ace Combat games, and each game has its own unique style. For example, AC4 was mainly electric guitars and rock style, while AC5 was almost all orchestral instruments. Assault Horizon uses a mix of both, and in the levels in Africa they use music styles that would be customary in the region. In the end, the music fits not only the level/situation, but if you don't get an eargasm from it then I don't know you anymore..

tl;dr- Graphics are awesome, gameplay intense, music = sex tier, great for people who enjoy flight simulator games or just want a new type of game to play that involves lots of explosions and fast paced action.

Final score: 95/100