I'm absolutely terrified of flying in real life. Even just stepping onto a passenger plane is an ordeal for me so the thought of piloting a jet-propelled fighter plane in real life? Well lets just say I'd have to be wearing the brown flight suit that day... Flying in virtual reality however is a different story. The moment the wheels of my F/A-18F first left the deck of the Aircraft carrier in Ace Combat 7 and the plane took to the skies, I whooped out loud. I grit my teeth and held my breath during my first VR dog-fight. The chase was intense, twisting and turning through the air before flying into the thick clouds above us. Water droplets started forming on the glass of my cockpit and then suddenly I burst out into the clear blue skies above, the droplets turning into trickles as they quickly ran off the glass. It was at this point that I launched an air-to-air missile at my target, it thundered through the skies, connected with the fuselage of the plane in front of me and then BOOM, scratch one bogey!. As I flew through the fiery wreckage left behind, I let out and even louder whoop. The adrenaline rush had me hooked and I hurriedly scanned the radar for my next target so I could do it all again. I don't think I'll ever forget flying through that first explosion though. The initial rush of the combat was incredible but being able to crane my neck around to watch the debris disappear into the distance brought it all to life. I might be scared of flying in the real world but up in the virtual skies? Oh my word, it's thrilling to the extreme. You can watch me experience some extreme G's as I play through portions of Ace Combat 7's first two missions in this week's episode of Ian's VR Corner. The video below will give you a good idea as to how it all looks and feels, but in all honesty the flat version is nothing compared to how awesome the virtual shenanigans are when you're inside the helmet. Bandai Namco provided the T. Flight Hotas 4 used in this video coverage. As much as I enjoyed Ace Combat 7 VR, it should be obvious from my footage that this game is on the extreme end of the VR scale. The interior of the cockpit gives you a stomach steadying horizon point to focus on but even then, the speed of the combat and tight maneuverability of the fighter planes means that you'll rarely be flying horizontally. For me there was a tiny a lurch in my tummy the first time I took off in VR but after that I felt nothing but sheer exhilaration. I would definitely urge caution to VR newbies though. As fun as it is, I really don't think it would be wise to choose this as your first foray into VR - work your way up to it with some more sedate titles first, or risk being put off of VR for life because the action here is so overwhelming. Controls wise, it's possible to play the VR mode with the DualShock 4, or a compatible flight stick and I tested it with both. The flight stick was a great companion piece for adding to the immersion, but using it felt alien to me so I often made easily avoidable errors. This kind of peripheral will probably be an essential piece of kit for seasoned Flight Sim fans but for those new to flying games, the DualShock 4 works perfectly well and it was my preferred control method. The interior of each plane is impressively detailed but you'll spend most of your time staring at the beautiful scenery outside of the cockpit. Pre-release, the biggest criticism from series fans was the limited number of VR missions available. Ace Combat 7's VR portion only encompasses three unique missions and these run separate to the main game. Thanks to the intense initial buzz of the VR combat, I found myself happily replaying these missions over and over again, but even so they're sure to get old sooner or later. The main problem here is that there's not too much variety to the mission structure. Only one level gives you a smattering of ground forces to take out, the rest concentrate solely on dogfights. The impressive immersion gives this VR mode extra longevity, but really it's crying out for more content. I'd love to be able to fly around more locations from the main campaign and being able to go up against some of the bigger aircraft featured the story would be breathtaking, but oh my word, just thinking about how amazing an Ace Combat VR multiplayer mode would be sends shivers down my spine. This is a great VR game, but it's also a terrible, terrible tease. The darker the clouds you fly through, the more moisture on your cockpit. It's a lovely touch, as is the way the music becomes muted when you do so. The first time I remember being this gobsmacked by the immersive realism of a VR experience was when I was cowering behind a box, hiding from Ma Baker in Resident Evil 7, who at the time felt like a real, living presence out to get me. Certain PSVR games have such a high level of presentation that it's entirely possible to lose yourself in the experience and forget the outside world. Ace Combat 7 in VR is one such example and it's an incredible shame that the mode is so limited in scope. VR implementation for the full Ace Combat 7 experience would have made it a PSVR system seller for sure but even so, if you're a VR enthusiast, I'd say this experience is worth the price of the full game. If you enjoyed this episode of Ian's VR Corner, you can catch up with my previous adventures over on YouTube in our VR playlist, where I've covered Asgard's Wrath, Ghost Giant and Five Nights at Freddy's VR. You can also read our list of the best VR games.<doc-sep>There are only a few days to go until Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown finally launches for PlayStation 4 with its additional support for PlayStation VR. If your excitement has reached fever pitch, whether you’ve pre-ordered or are just awaiting launch day to pick up your copy, PlayStation Underground has just released a new video where you can see some virtual reality (VR) footage in action. As most PlayStation VR players should be all too aware of by now, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown isn’t a fully fledged VR title. Bandai Namco has instead gone for an add-on approach, where the main campaign can only be played on a regular screen, with specific, custom made missions are available for VR players. That might be a little disappointing, but from what VRFocus has seen so far those missions are going to look impressive. And that certainly seems to be the response of PlayStation Underground judging by the video. It’s not all PlayStation VR footage so you’ll need to jump to around 5:10 to see the headset in action. Last week Bandai Namco announced that Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown will include a multiplayer mode, not just a single-player campaign. Up to eight players can go head-to-head in a free for all Deathmatch mode, a Team Deathmatch mode. Unfortunately, this mode seems to be only TV friendly, with VR gamers unable to take part. VRFocus has been looking forward to Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown for a while now, having previously previewed it in 2017, saying: “In its present state Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown promises high octane flying action for PlayStation VR players that’s sure to encourage legions of fans to try the VR compatibility. As long as Bandai Namco manage to provide enough content to satisfy then PlayStation VR is likely to have another killer exclusive title.” Originally due for release in 2017, the title was bumped to 2018, before being moved again with an official 2019 launch date. The title appeared in VRFocus‘ ‘Best PlayStation VR Games Coming In 2019‘, and for those looking for the most authentic experience why not pick up the Thrustmaster T.Flight Hotas Ace Combat 7 Skies Unknown Edition, available at a suggested retail price of £74.99 GBP. Keep an eye out for VRFocus‘ review closer to launch.<doc-sep>The long awaited, frequently delayed Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown has finally launched, bringing with it a selection of PlayStation VR exclusive challenges. Known as the ‘VR Missions’, this gameplay feature has been a hot topic of discussion amongst the virtual reality (VR) community for several months, and now we can finally say that the quality of the experience delivered has been worth the wait. It would be remiss not to begin by adding a significant caveat to the opening statement in that while the gameplay is indeed top notch, it is very short lived. The rather diminutive VR campaign – engrossing as it is – will likely take just a single evening to complete for the first time. Additional playthroughs are of course encouraged by way of the ranking system, but nonetheless Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown’s VR element is most certainly an addition to the core videogame, opposed to feeling complete in its own right. The VR Missions are structured very similarly to that of the core campaign, as you might expect, but aren’t necessarily intended to follow after. The opening mission presents enough hints in its gentle introduction that players could very well jump straight into the VR Missions without needing to head through the basic tutorial, though doing so may see a few downed planes or ally bases being caught unawares. The increase in difficulty is harsher than that of the non-VR campaign due to its brevity, but the core Ace Combat audience will undoubtedly revel in having a new way to experience a real challenge. Using the DualShock 4 controller the standard non-VR gameplay offers two control schemes aimed at casual players and ‘experts’, but in the VR Missions segment of the package only the latter is available. It may seem like a strange design decision but is undoubtedly due to the first-person default, more immersive nature of the VR gameplay. Of course, there’s always the option of utilising Thrustmaster’s T.Flight Hotas 4 flight control stick, but VRFocus will save jumping in-depth on this for another day. It’s that added level of immersion that the VR Missions capitalise upon. All of the cockpits you will enter have been specifically redesigned from the ground-up to make full use of the PlayStation VR; simulating aspects of flight control that would otherwise be impossible on a videogame console. The attention to detail is simply phenomenal, and certain encounters will undoubtedly get your heart racing at times; collisions with enemy craft or the first time you experience cloud bursting. In addition to the missions themselves, which are offered at three difficulty settings, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown includes two other VR modes unlockable through continued play: Free Flight and Air Show. These are simple additions that present further gameplay opportunities but lack the depth of the core experience. Worthwhile as contenders for showcasing VR to aeronautical enthusiast friends and relatives, these gameplay modes remain unlikely to hold your attention for too long beyond the basic assortment of missions. Inherent to the package, then, the VR Missions are most definitely an add-on opposed to a core principle of the videogame. Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a wonderful addition to the PlayStation VR’s software catalogue, but is undeniably limited. Those who had already decided to purchase this latest edition of the beloved series will find the VR Missions a perfect accompaniment to their non-VR experience; however, it would be extremely hard to recommend that anyone purchase Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown based on the strength of the VR element alone.<doc-sep>
What is Ace Combat 7? Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is a dogfighting simulator for the PlayStation 4 that follows on from the other games in the franchise. It has a huge overarching story that elevates from your average flight sim. The Ace Combat universe is similar to ours in many ways though with a lot more advanced technologies for you to play with. In this installment, you play "Trigger", a former pilot of the Osean Federation who has fallen on some hard times and has been demoted to a penal squadron. We can only assume we will be fighting our way up to being the best, as happens in all these games. It has a VR mode! While the whole game is not available in VR, it does give you two different PlayStation VR-only modes. The first mode is called Airshow. Essentially, it's a 360-degree experience where you can watch the game give you an airshow with all the different planes. You can move around anywhere in the show but you can't actually interact with anything, making it more like a YouTube VR video than anything else. VPN Deals: Lifetime license for $16, monthly plans at $1 & more The second mode is the one you want though. Ace Combat 7 comes with several VR exclusive missions that aren't connected to the main storyline but seem awesome in their own right. The gang over at PlayStation Underground have a great video showing what you can expect from the VR mode, and honestly, it looks pretty epic. The VR mode is said to lose some of its graphical fidelity to keep the game above 60FPS, but from the gameplay I've seen, it still looks amazing. It's HOTAS compatible Ace Combat 7 is, of course, HOTAS compatible. For those who don't know, HOTAS stands for Hands On Throttle And Stick, and it's a type of controller that allows you to immerse yourself into flight simulators like never before. Using a HOTAS in the normal game mode will help you be the best dogfighter you can be, but using it in VR brings a whole new level of immersion. There a lot of HOTAS controllers out there, but our own Essa Kidwell as put together the best HOTAS you can buy right now. If you have the money, I would recommend you grab one before the release of Ace Combat 7. Does it have multiplayer? Good news: Not only does it have multiplayer but it comes in a lot of variations. Not only do they have normal team deathmatch you would expect from a dogfighting game like this, but they have also included a Battle Royale style multiplayer mode for those who like that sort of thing. After all, Bettle Royale is all the rage right now so why not include it? The multiplayer is only up to eight players, so don't expect 100 plane sky battles. Even so, that should be more than enough to create mayhem in the skies above Strangereal (especially in a free-for-all mode). Bad news: there is not going to be any VR multiplayer. As an avid VR player, this makes me a little sad. Imagine having 8 player dogfights in VR where you can talk to each of your opponents, it would be amazing. We can only hope that as VR and the PlayStation VR, in particular, become ever more popular, we will see more full VR games instead of just small VR modes and VR experiences. The clouds are more cloudy In previous Ace Combat games, the clouds were two dimensional and just there for decorations. In Ace Combat 7, however, the clouds have really taken on a life of their own. Thanks to the Unreal 4 engine the game uses, the clouds are now dynamic and have their own flight paths, turbulence, and even lightning storms to make flying through them more difficult. One video I saw showed a player fly through a storm cloud. Their visibility reduced to near zero as the rain hit the screen and lightning flashed all around and you could see them struggling with the stick in the high turbulence. This kind of additional obstacle is a great way to make the game more exciting, especially if you can work out how to use it to your advantage when playing against others. When and where can I buy it?