Unlike many prior Ace Combat titles, Assault Horizon takes place on a future Earth rather than a fantasy realm. The player is allowed to fly and fight over well-known seas and cities such as Miami (USA), Dubai (India), and Moscow (Russia). While the basic flying controls remain, several new updates and advancements exist to the series’ recognized warfare. One method is dogfighting, in which you follow the enemy jet and keep it close to your machine gun. The tailing procedure continues as long as you can keep up with the adversary fighter, and he is visible on the screen. You can punch the thruster to shorten the distance and improve the accuracy and destructiveness of your shots. It is also possible for an enemy plane to tail you while you are following another plane. In this instance, you can try to outmaneuver it or hit the brakes and spin to fast catch up to it and trade positions as hunter and prey. Another new feature is the bombing run, which allows you to enter the bombing zone for a more detailed and accessible attack on terrestrial targets and vessels.
In addition to fighters, the player can fly heavy bombers, a Gatling gun atop a chopper, or an Apache helicopter, which modifies the battle from previous titles. With heavy planes, you may provide artillery support to your ground forces from far away and zoom in depending on the cannon you’re using. In contrast, helicopters will employ alternative tactics, such as flying beneath rooftops to avoid enemy SAM systems and usually being closer to ground troops such as infantry and tanks.
While the story revolves around Lt. Colonel William Bishop, the commander of the Warwolf squadron, you will have the opportunity to handle different people depending on the mission, as the Colonel is an ace pilot who is less proficient at flying helicopters or heavy bombers. You are a member of the United Nations troops, which include both NATO and Russian armed forces, fighting an insurgent group with unknown powers and intentions. There are numerous well-known modern fighter jets, as in previous games in the series. F-14 Tomcat, F-15, F-16, F/A-18 Hornet, MIG 21, and MIG 29 are just a few examples, and as you play, you can unlock more planes and even colors.
