Resident Evil 7 might be out tomorrow but, hungry gamers that we are, we’re still looking forward to what’s next for PlayStation VR, and Ace Combat 7 is one of the better looking games on the horizon.
The anticipated return of Bandai Namco’s flight action franchise was first announced all the way back at the 2015 PlayStation Experience, where we got a glimpse of the game in CG form. Then, last year, we saw it again with standard gameplay. Finally, well over a year after announcement, we have a solid look at PS VR gameplay, and it’s very promising.
Ace Combat has always relied on break-neck pacing that makes its brand of state of the art air combat a real thrill. This gameplay, shown at the 2017 Taipei Game Show in Taiwan, suggests that developer Project Aces has kept that sensation intact. Played from a cockpit view, the player takes off into a beautiful blue sky where they paint targets with lock-on missiles and take them down. The constant barrel rolls to have us questioning just how comfortable an experience this will be, but that’s in the player’s hands, ultimately.
Graphically the game looks like it could be an impressive showcase of what PS VR can do, and using a DualShock 4 to fly while sitting down should prove to be just as immersive as other PS4 games like EVE: Valkyrie [Review: 9/10]. It seems perfectly suited for the headset, though we’re yet to go hands-on with it for final judgement.
There’s still a lot to learn about Ace Combat 7, including story, other platforms, and final release date. The sequel is expected to launch this year, but we’re not clear on the extent of its PS VR support. Hopefully the entire game will be integrated with the headset, much like Capcom’s anticipated scare-fest will be when it releases this week, though it’s also possible that the game will only have a VR experience mode like we’ll see later in 2017 with Sony’s own Gran Turismo Sport.
Either way, with a lot of talk about just how quiet things are for PS VR right now, this is definitely one to keep your eyes on as the year goes on.
