Although we enjoyed the single player adventure, it only takes about six to seven hours to complete, depending on one's skill, and while it offers a satisfying experience, its storyline made us sleepy and annoyed. Instead of going for a more realistic approach, Namco Bandai cooked up this irritating tale about the jets referred to as angels dancing in the sky and it's all preachy nonsense made worse by stiff voice acting. If anything, the Ace Combat series should focus on real world conflicts.

That said, single player serves more as a training ground for the game's soul, its online component. This is where you'll happily spend most of your time, particularly in Battle Royale, where up to 16 aces blast each other from the sky. Each skirmish is fast-paced and frenetic, and there's something about locking on and sending someone to their doom from the air that excites us differently than sniping with a gun or splattering them with a rocket launcher.

In addition to that mode, there's Team Battle (two teams of eight), Siege Battle (two teams of four fight to control territory) and finally Co-op Battle. The latter doesn't allow you and three buddies to blaze through the single player (we wish), but rather a series of challenges against artificially-controlled opponents. It's cool, but left us yearning to beat the campaign with friends.

Ace Combat 6 offers hours upon hours of intense dog fighting gameplay, wrapped in a glorious presentation, and if you want to get crazy, purchase the $149.99 bundle, which includes both the game and flight stick. We'll see you online, say hello and then blow you up.