A fresh coat of paint.
Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy+ is a slightly upgraded version of the 2011 release Assault Horizon Legacy, which itself was a remake of Ace Combat 2 from 1997. The game consists of varied missions, including bombing excursions and plenty of difficult dogfights. The two big new items are Nintendo character paint jobs for the planes, and improved controls.
Control has been improved, particularly thanks to the new C-stick, which works well to let players move the camera around. The game has a variety of view options, including in-cockpit and third-person angles. Both traditional and arcade style (e.g. Star Fox) controls are available. In the former scheme, meant to mimic real fighter jet controls, with pitch and roll controlled by the Circle Pad and yaw controlled by the D-pad. For those used to more of a “point where you want to go” method of direction have that option available as well.
The Nintendo character schemes are unlocked via a two methods: finding and destroying question mark boxes within the in-game environments and through amiibo. According to a Namco representative, around 17 character skins are unlockable, and the skins don’t affect the game’s campaign. Perhaps due to the fact that it’s not a new game, the graphics – with the exception of the new skins – are pretty drab.
If you’re a fan of Ace Combat, you should know what to expect. Assault Horizon Legacy+ is essentially a re-release, so it’s really more for those who haven’t played the original and are gunning for some respectable air combat.
You can check out the Peach skin in the video below.