Review by: Dave VanDyk

Having just spent the last couple of days immersed in Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. (both in single player, and in a LAN capacity), I have to say that I'm genuinely amazed at the fact that Ubisoft could market and publish a game that looks, feels, and even plays so incredibly similar to Ace Combat 6 without getting sued.

Okay, maybe I'm being bit harsh. I actually feel we can use more of these "trying to be a sim" action games in the industry, and Ace Combat is so popular as a series because the formula actually works, which means there really shouldn't be anything wrong with other games adapting a similar approach. It's just easy to be surprised when you settle into the game and notice that there are so many striking similarities; it features the same general weapon types, has the same approach to targeting, HUD functionality, radar implementation, and the post-mission replay system, and even has the same limited functionality for ordering your wingmen to either "attack" or "defend".

The only key differences are the lack of cheesy dialogue, a grittier Tom Clancy-themed storyline, and the notable absence of the trademark "trench runs" that make up the Ace Combat games. With all of this in mind, one wonders why the game isn't trying at least a little bit harder to be different.

All that said, it kind of grows on you. Tromping through the campaign in co-op mode (and then doing it again in single player with all of the cool toys I had unlocked) represented some of the most fun I've had this month since grabbing Men of War, and I sincerely enjoyed a lot of things this game had to offer. Being able to pick out different plane types with my friends and work together to accomplish the challenging objectives was immensely satisfying (and serves as this game's only other trump card against AC6's limited co-op missions), and I liked some of the creative challenges the mission designers put in place, such as the radar-jamming effects and varying enemy attack routes.

Unexpectedly, I even got some of enjoyment out of the controversial "ERS" system, which gives you an initially-disorienting third person padlock camera view to nearby threats and can guide you down a set of virtual 'gates' to line you up for the best shot against a given opponent. And while many parts of the game definitely aren't realistic, they do generally make a positive contribution to the game's sense of balance and difficulty.