Ace Combat Infinity

 PlayStation 3
User Score
5.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 69 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 69
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 69
  3. Negative: 25 out of 69

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  1. black_devil22
    Jun 16, 2014
    9
    It's free, for the most part. You can get really far without paying a dime if you want. But a quick tip, buy the Unlimited Campaign Play ($19.99) so you don't have to pay in-game credits to play the single player online campaign. Then play through Mission 5 and you'll be rewarded with 20 free units of fuel. Do the challenges as well, great source for free fuel.

    Positives: The combat is    It's free, for the most part. You can get really far without paying a dime if you want. But a quick tip, buy the Unlimited Campaign Play ($19.99) so you don't have to pay in-game credits to play the single player online campaign. Then play through Mission 5 and you'll be rewarded with 20 free units of fuel. Do the challenges as well, great source for free fuel.

    Positives: The combat is superb. It had been a while since I had played an Ace Combat game, so I wasn't sure of what to expect. The graphics are pretty good to be on a last gen console (PS3). I love the aircraft tree, really gives you a sense of accomplishment once you unlock something. You get skins, equipment and special weapons.

    Negatives: Fuel System. Pretty much anywhere you look online, the same thing is repeated, the only negative is the fuel system. You get 1 unit of fuel every 4hrs, and can only get up to 3 supplied units of fuel (after 12hrs obviously). You can purchase additional units of "stocked" fuel, but the prices aren't very encouraging. I purchased the Rookie and Elite packs, which include a good bit of stocked fuel that you can use in online co-op missions.

    I would have suggested 5 units of supplied fuel every 2hrs. And I would have suggested making the item you purchase with real money be in-game credits that you could use towards upgrading your planes or special weapons or equipment. Some argue that this is a play-2-win model, but I personally think it's a much better model to utilize in a game like this than the one they currently have.

    All in all, it's a very fun game that I've come to really love. But I'm not sure if my wallet loves it. It's really an 8.5 rating for me, but leaning more towards the 9, so I gave it a 9 instead of the 8 since Metacritic won't let you do 8.5.    … Expand
  2. Verdosky
    Jun 3, 2014
    8
    Good Things:
    - It's free!
    - Tension in the battlefield
    - Real mobility and AI
    - The opportunity to climb the tree of planes gives a nice touch to on-line

    Bad Things:
    - Delay in the junction of the rooms
    - PvP system is needed to
    - Few stages
    - The AP (fuel) is very slow to be restored (2 hours and more) and only three rechargeable
  3. pcooleydesign
    Jun 4, 2014
    9
    Right off the bat, try and stave off any dread that is attached to the F2P tag. This is not the cash-grab load time hellscape that Soul Caliber: Lost Swords tried to pass off. This is the ace combat you know and love with a surprisingly welcoming F2P element. Your best bet is to buy the full campaign at $20, learn the ropes and work toward completing challenges to build up your fuel forRight off the bat, try and stave off any dread that is attached to the F2P tag. This is not the cash-grab load time hellscape that Soul Caliber: Lost Swords tried to pass off. This is the ace combat you know and love with a surprisingly welcoming F2P element. Your best bet is to buy the full campaign at $20, learn the ropes and work toward completing challenges to build up your fuel for online games. Considering that this game is free to download, and the Fuel element is well balanced...I would consider it quite a bargain, at least here in the games beginning stages.

    Namco has created a surprisingly compelling take on the F2P system with Ace Combat Infinity, one can imagine this game being treated an episodic series, similar to the Walking Dead / Wolf Among Us...just with more of a focus on multiplayer.    … Expand
  4. ZekeThePlumber
    Jul 7, 2014
    8
    I'll be scoring based on this criteria, gameplay, visual/audio, stability, replayability.

    Gameplay: 7/10 If you hate ASSault Horizon, then be happy because that Dogcrap Fight Mode BS is gone. Infinity goes back to the classic Ace Combat gameplay from the PlayStation 1 and 2 days. Good balance between being a sim style and arcade style. You also have the option to customize your    I'll be scoring based on this criteria, gameplay, visual/audio, stability, replayability.

    Gameplay: 7/10
    If you hate ASSault Horizon, then be happy because that Dogcrap Fight Mode BS is gone. Infinity goes back to the classic Ace Combat gameplay from the PlayStation 1 and 2 days. Good balance between being a sim style and arcade style.

    You also have the option to customize your fighter, you can customize the engines, the weapons, and the electronic systems. If you've played any of the PSP Ace Combat games, it is similar to that. Which is really nice, I've MVP'ed a couple games with heavily upgraded F-4E starter plane.

    But being free to play there is this fuel system. It's annoying having your play session limited, but there are challenges to complete that gets you more fuel without having to pay money. Still, there should have been a cap where unlimited play is unlocked when you spend the equivalent amount of money to a digital download game.

    The singly player campaign isn't fully unlocked, you have to spend a lot of in game money to "buy" the third level and onward. Or you could spend actual money ($20 USD) to fully unlock the campaign.

    Mulitplayer lacks a PvP mode, but I could see why they didn't include it. This way they don't have to worry about balancing all the planes against each other. Done this way they can include broken and overpowered planes like Pixy's Morgan that would ruin balance in a PvP mode. Instead of killing each other, multiplayer is more a race to reach the highest score. Expect to have kills stolen from you. I've had more than one instance of an **** following me just to let me do all the work and then take the killing shot.

    Matchmaking in this game also sucks. You'll try to join a room that says there's room for one or two more only to get a "This room is full" message. Really gets annoying when you want to get into a room with a specific criteria (I prefer rooms with 4 bots, less human players to compete against and be stealing your kills).

    So three points knocked off for those.

    Stability: 9/10
    I haven't really run into any real game breaking bugs or crashes. I have been kicked out of rooms and seen people get kicked out of games. But that might be less about the game itself and more with individual internet connections.

    Though all the functionality seems to work the way they're supposed to and nothing seems broken.

    Visuals/Audio: 10/10
    The visuals are on the level of ASSault Horizon. Planes disintegrating in mid-air and all that, they're in there. Audio is crisp and clear, dialog comes in loud and clear. The only visual bug that I notice recurring is one regrading the modeling of your aircraft in the menu, you might see distortions in the potions where an emblem would be if you opted not to have an emblem appear there.

    Replayability: 7/10
    While the emergency missions are random, ranging from blowing up the Sinfaxi to shooing down in coming meteorites, there are only four missions, five if you include the "boss" mission against Aigiaon and it's support craft. The missions are also pretty short, only about 6 or so minutes so after awhile the game starts to get old and boring after the same five missions over and over.

    The game also has a tech tree for aircraft and weapons, that help to keep you playing, but once you get the planes you really want, then again it just starts to get boring again.

    On the bright side this isn't a problem that can't be fixed with DLC, but for now I'll score it at 7/10.

    Overall: 33/40
    Not a bad game and for free to play I'm actually rather impressed. Has it's short comings but hey, you don't need to pay any money for it. I got this game on day one and have yet to drop a penny on it.

    Overall this game gets an 8.    … Expand
  5. chrisse989
    Sep 7, 2014
    9
    Considering the price tag (0.00€), this game is certainly worth it's value.
    There's a very good aircraft tree and the coöp missions are very fun to play. Emergency missions add variety. Solo campaign is unfortunately less inspired, but you'll be spending most time online in coöp anyway.
    You can really get far without paying anything, as long as you do some of the challenges and not    Considering the price tag (0.00€), this game is certainly worth it's value.
    There's a very good aircraft tree and the coöp missions are very fun to play. Emergency missions add variety. Solo campaign is unfortunately less inspired, but you'll be spending most time online in coöp anyway.
    You can really get far without paying anything, as long as you do some of the challenges and not intend to play it more than 1 hour per day.    … Expand
  6. Sonic17
    Sep 7, 2014
    10
    Whle it did took a few weeks of this game to become truly enjoyable, the wait was definitely worth it. For anyone who was hooked to previous Ace Combat games and for those who hated Assault Horizon, this is a game definitely worth a try.
  7. carlosbeatdown8
    Jun 6, 2014
    10
    rememberme so much to ace combat 2 for playtation have he same atmosphere and is awesome and its free! if you wnt you dont pay you only have to be patience
  8. Gonemad79
    Jun 4, 2014
    9
    I haven't played other Ace Combat titles, but this is what I've ever expected from a Dogfight game. I've played all kinds of simulators, ever since Strike Commander flying in a 486-era PC, through PC Flight Simulator, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, and Secret Weapons over Normandy, some Descent Freespace, and this title blows them out of orbit.

    Controls are deceptively simple.    I haven't played other Ace Combat titles, but this is what I've ever expected from a Dogfight game. I've played all kinds of simulators, ever since Strike Commander flying in a 486-era PC, through PC Flight Simulator, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe, and Secret Weapons over Normandy, some Descent Freespace, and this title blows them out of orbit.

    Controls are deceptively simple. Gameplay is fast and smooth; missiles and guns, despite the fact that you can carry unrealistic amounts, reflect what you expect of their real-life counterparts. The campaign part is actually challenging to master, and the fact it is free is sweeet.

    Which brings us to the dark side: since it is free, the fuel recharge (fuel sortie) takes too damn long to recharge; after the first 3 or 4 planes it takes forever to unlock, research and buy the others. All of the downsides can be solved by throwing money at them, which feels like Bandai Namco is operating a coin-op arcade at your home. They know it, because it is their background. I was expecting just to buy the game for some sensible price, 60 bucks or whatever, so I just bought that amount in fuel and upgrades, which means now the campaign (solo part) is fuel-free to fly. Even being free, the amount of money each mission rewards is pathetic comparing to the online, blow-your-fuel part of the game and playing solo won't help research any part of the aircraft tree. The reverse is fine, which means unlocked planes can be played on the solo missions. The last one is particularly hard and even the rental plane is inadequate to beat it, requiring your utmost abilities to achieve it.

    Few stages is a mixed blessing, which means you can memorize the emergency missions on each of them, but it could get boring quickly if you like new scenery every now and then. I like it, it helps my fellow dogfighters to improve their game, and perhaps we can achieve a S rank together. The fact it has no PVP will help a lot for you to make friends, since everybody has a common goal all the time.

    Excellent game overall, but you should throw some money at it to at least unlock the fuel for the campaign forever and get some practice.    … Expand
  9. Suolhuldor
    Jun 15, 2014
    9
    Following the disaster that was Assault Horizon, Infinity is definitely the right direction that Bandai-Namco needed to go.
    This game is everything an Ace Combat game should be:
    - Silent Protagonist - Ridiculously giant superweapons - No Dogfight mode (I cannot stress this one enough) - A well-crafted story that contains numerous references to past games in the series - Great    Following the disaster that was Assault Horizon, Infinity is definitely the right direction that Bandai-Namco needed to go.
    This game is everything an Ace Combat game should be:
    - Silent Protagonist
    - Ridiculously giant superweapons
    - No Dogfight mode (I cannot stress this one enough)
    - A well-crafted story that contains numerous references to past games in the series
    - Great soundtrack that uses some of the best OSTs from the series.

    The Sortie Fuel System isn't perfect, but it is a lot better than many feared. Project Aces has added a challenge system to award players with fuel, many for relatively simple tasks (such as 20 fuel for completing the Campaign's 5th mission). My only criticism of the Fuel System is that the wait time is a bit too long. I think it should be shortened to at most 2 hours.

    Both the Campaign and Online are fun and exciting. High-value enemies in particular are much more difficult to defeat than previous games, making the fight all the better. While the player isn’t fighting the other team directly, there is very stiff competition to see who can get the higher score. Be prepared to rage a few times when you have a kill stolen.
    More missions are planned to be added later as well as a PvP mode.

    The only purchase I urge you to make is the $20 'Unlimited Campaign Ticket'. It allows you to play the Campaign up to and including Mission 8 without using fuel or credits. I think it is a fair bargain, and this way, if you've decided to not spend money on fuel and have run out, you can play around in the Campaign while waiting for a resupply.

    Overall, I think this game does the series justice. I encourage all fans of the series to support the game to ensure that we get more Ace Combat games on the newer consoles and maybe, just maybe, a return to Strangereal.    … Expand
  10. DGDrocks7
    Jun 16, 2014
    8
    I've been a fan of Ace Combat for 10 years, and when I heard the announcement of Infinity, I got super excited. But when I heard it was also F2P, I got worried. More so because of the fuel system they proposed. Now that it's out, I gave it a spin; after all it's free. It was much better than I thought it would be. The fuel system is not that bad. Here a little explaination: you have twoI've been a fan of Ace Combat for 10 years, and when I heard the announcement of Infinity, I got super excited. But when I heard it was also F2P, I got worried. More so because of the fuel system they proposed. Now that it's out, I gave it a spin; after all it's free. It was much better than I thought it would be. The fuel system is not that bad. Here a little explaination: you have two types of fuel: Supplied and Stocked. Supplied is the fuel given to you periodically. One unit is supplied every 4 hours. You can hold up to a max of 3 units. Stocked has no limits. You can store as much Stocked as you want. This is the fuel you get from purchases or by doing challenges. There's really no shortage of challenges, and should you nearly exhaust your challenges, there's one that can be completed every 24 hours. Now on the game itself. This is the AC game we know and love. No more Dogfight mode. Just the classic AC style of gameplay. The game is focused on online co-op, with 6 missions right now, but they'll release more soon. I love the emergency missions because this makes sure that every time you play a mission, it will never be the same as the last. There's a campaign mode too, but it's only 5 missions, and they'll add at least 3 more. You should buy the unlimited campaign ticket for $20, which will also give you 20 supplied fuel units. Alternatively, you can save up in-game credits to buy missions, but it can be tedious. Try this game. You have nothing to lose. It's free. You'll have fun.… Expand
  11. Darocket
    Jun 25, 2014
    10
    Just like the other games in the series, Ace Combat Infinity embraces a very good control system, decent amounts of challenge and good feedback, with decent graphics, optimal multiplayer experience and good overall gameplay.
    With 29 controllable aircraft, the player can become a dogfighter, a jack-of-all-trades or a specialized anti-ground pilot, and can do this in an acceptable amount of    Just like the other games in the series, Ace Combat Infinity embraces a very good control system, decent amounts of challenge and good feedback, with decent graphics, optimal multiplayer experience and good overall gameplay.
    With 29 controllable aircraft, the player can become a dogfighter, a jack-of-all-trades or a specialized anti-ground pilot, and can do this in an acceptable amount of time. The missions are good and the campaign, while short because a lot must still be implemented, is exciting, and both are challenging enough to be fun, thanks also to the good AI.
    The main difference from Assault Horizon, in terms of gameplay, is the lack of a previously important mechanic: CRA (Close Range Assault). It was a bit an action breaker, because the game did all the maneuvering by just pressing a button, and the player just had to press buttons only to fire. Infinity removed this feature and returned to the saga's standard gameplay, and the game came in a very appealing F2P form.
    The only things that keep me from giving me 10 to the game are:
    1. The sortie fuel mechanic, that limits the player to 3 sorties before having to use the stocked fuel, available only through in game payment or challenges (that, however, give very few units).
    2. How short (5 minutes) the missions are: while it makes the player do more missions, the time is too short to really enjoy a mission, and the fact that there are only 8 there doesn't help.
    In short: a very good and appealing game, only lacking in some parts that will be likely added to the game.    … Expand
  12. Vyress
    Mar 1, 2015
    8
    I have followed the Ace Combat series since Ace Combat 2 and am a huuuuge fan of the series. After the PS2 games, I felt that AC6 was a bit lacking in atmosphere, while Assault Horizon was a huge disappointment altogether. That said, the announcement of Ace Combat Infinity was very welcome and I was extremely excited to be able to spread my wings again, with actual wingmen this time!I have followed the Ace Combat series since Ace Combat 2 and am a huuuuge fan of the series. After the PS2 games, I felt that AC6 was a bit lacking in atmosphere, while Assault Horizon was a huge disappointment altogether. That said, the announcement of Ace Combat Infinity was very welcome and I was extremely excited to be able to spread my wings again, with actual wingmen this time!
    Gameplay wise, AC Inifinity offers everything an Ace Combat veteran could ever hope for. It has pretty much all the mechanics of AC6 while getting rid of the maneuvers from Assault Horizon which is a good thing in my book. Stock planes are plentiful and there are hardly times where an event is NOT on.

    The game is Free-to-Play, so you are not able to play indefinitely without a limitation. The game as a fuel system. There is supplied fuel and stocked fuel. Stocked Fuel can be gathered without limitation and is being given as a Mission drop, a Challenge reward or can be bought from the store for real money. Supplied Fuel can be stored for up to 3 units and are given 1 at a time free of charge every 4 hours. This means you can play 6 missions with just supplied fuel every day - provided you play every twelve hours.

    This is quite a heavy limitation and is - understandably - also the main reason why this game gets a lot of heat. It is also the reason why this game cannot actually be played on its own as 3 missions every 12 hours does not offer that much playing time. However, Stocked Fuel doesn't drop as rarely as you may think and the challenges for stocked fuel will net you at least 10 Stocked Fuel per week for free provided you make use of all your supplied fuels. Still, Ace Combat Infinity remains a game that you play 'by the way'. And to get to the better planes it takes a bit of patience. Infinity is more of a marathon than a sprint. Once you get there though, it is extremely rewarding and satisfying. Upside of the whole matter is, you will hardly burn out of Ace Combat Infinity :P

    Fans of the series will recognize some of the past rewards being planes or emblems of protagonist or opposing squadrons, almost all of which were ranking rewards in past tournaments - so they are unavailable at this point in time. Time will tell whether they will be available in the future through a repetition of said tournaments or through Special Supply tickets which you get for completing challenges or through Mission rewards. Getting tournament rewards without paying for fuel is something I consider not possible though. Since they are hard to come by, it is a pretty nice sight to see Cipher's F-15C or the Razgriz F-14 etc etc.

    There is also a problem for new people getting into the game - starting out with your F-4 to play against someone with a Raptor, Rafale etc is not really fun. The game's matchmaking could do with some (unlikely) improvements on that part. Catching up to veteran players is also a thing that is hard to accomplish. Still, If you manage to get a half decent plane (in my humble opinion, rookies should get the Gripen C) it is possible to keep up with high tier planes.

    All in all, Ace Combat Infinity is a game that I love to play. Competing against fellow players is actually fun in this game due to its co-op nature and the constantly updated content is always offering new exciting stuff for the game. But I can certainly understand if people have problems with its obvious flaws.    … Expand
  13. MercenaryofHate
    Aug 27, 2017
    8
    Ace Combat infinity is a nostalgia train for fans of the original series and is more of a full game then an online only fps. Ace Combat Infinity shines with it's impressive gameplay settings which stay true to the classical Ace Combat formula vs Assault Horizon's frantic DFM. Ace Combat Infinity also features classical music like from Ace Combat 4 and 5 and also allows the player to play aAce Combat infinity is a nostalgia train for fans of the original series and is more of a full game then an online only fps. Ace Combat Infinity shines with it's impressive gameplay settings which stay true to the classical Ace Combat formula vs Assault Horizon's frantic DFM. Ace Combat Infinity also features classical music like from Ace Combat 4 and 5 and also allows the player to play a co-operative match with their friends against AI which can be an exciting time. ACI also awards players based on skill level and performance in matches the more kills the player gets and the less they are downed that will equate to how much cash they will receive but they may also get rare or exclusive content from supply drops that can be as linear as a new emblem to as valuable as a new aircraft. Also another thing I appreciate that most people would hate is how you actually have to pay to unlock the campaign with a select number of credits or unlock it all for a $19.99 pass. Why do I like this? Because, it actually motivated the player to accumulate credits in order to progress in the campaign and find out what happens in the story instead of just being there from ther start. This can also be a rewarding experience when you finally have enough credits to unlock that mission. The reward system is actually pretty awarding special events will lead to more rewards and prices aren't too critical. I remember once I didn't know how much special currency i acquired only for playing for two months and at average skill level I actually had enough to unlock a superpowered laser jet which i did and used with no restrictions. The sortie system is decent as fuel will replenish with time and certain supply drops will grant more fuel I remember I had once accumulated 6 fuel in a single playthrough! The game also feels like a gift to anxious Ace Combat players on Playstation who did not receive AC6 and only had ACAH on PS3 leaving the game to feel more free-to-play then pay-to win. Although match length might be a little short and lag and sometimes unbalanced fighters are put up against you this really is a good Ace Combat game that feels like the originals. I am excited and currently waiting for Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown but this is will fill the wait void then Ace Combat Assault Horizon which will never fill it.… Expand
  14. PaidBill
    Sep 14, 2017
    8
    I really enjoy this game. I would've given it a higher rating, but the fuel system is a bit pointless. I love that it is a nostalgic game with references including planes, emblems, callsigns, and radio messages going all the way back to the first game. It feels amazing like the previous games other than assault horizon. Its just a filler game to make up for time and assault horizon, soI really enjoy this game. I would've given it a higher rating, but the fuel system is a bit pointless. I love that it is a nostalgic game with references including planes, emblems, callsigns, and radio messages going all the way back to the first game. It feels amazing like the previous games other than assault horizon. Its just a filler game to make up for time and assault horizon, so don't be expecting a continued story. The multiplayer could use some tweaking, so beginners aren't playing against pros. All in all, it is a very fun game.… Expand
  15. mostafa9222
    Nov 11, 2018
    10
    its true that this a f2p game, but its not fair we call it totally p2w, because the efforts and choices of player in upgrading air crafts determine the superiority.
    i never seen a good combat system like that before
    also consider that ACI was a treasure in years of lack the flight combat games

Awards & Rankings

61
#61 Best PS3 Game of 2014
11
#11 Most Discussed PS3 Game of 2014
4
#4 Most Shared PS3 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
54

Mixed or average reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 14
  3. Negative: 4 out of 14
  1. Playstation Official Magazine UK
    Aug 4, 2014
    40
    In a game build around multiplayer, it's baffling that the developer would undermine any gains made through Infinity being freely available by making it so difficult to play once you have it. [Aug 2014, p.91]
  2. Games Master UK
    Jul 29, 2014
    27
    The rotting corpse floating in this flight sim's pool is its free-to-play mechanic. [Sept 2014, p.80]
  3. games(TM)
    Jul 19, 2014
    60
    It's a little dull - particularly without PvP - but shouting "danger zone" at the top of your lungs will no doubt alleviate some of the mundanity. [Issue#150, p.116]
See all critic reviews »