Over the years, Namco's done an interesting twist with their Air Combat series. Initially introduced as an arcade air simulation game, they have since brought it to home consoles and reintroduced the brand as Ace Combat, bringing forth a dramatic angle with each new release. The latest game, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, had successfully brought the brand to new heights with realistic visuals, unbelievably tight controls, and some of the best aerial combat ever realized in a video game. It's like they gave birth to a kid and then nurtured it to becoming a powerful soldier.

Now, on the brink of the next generation explosion, Namco's revisiting the series one last time for the PlayStation 2 with the forthcoming Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, which looks to be the most engaging title in the series yet. This time around, instead of putting yourself in a setting somewhere in the distant future, you actually travel ten years in the past, where you've been hired by a mercenary in the country of Ustio to defend its borders against the invading territories of Belkan. It seems that the nation of Belkan's gotten a little too big for its britches and is simply trying to take over fellow cities, through the guise of air combat. Time to show them who's boss, I guess. After all, what better way to say "liberation!!" that with some great air-to-air missiles?

Like previous entries before it, Ace Combat Zero will have a defining balance between a storyline that unfolds with CG cinemas and dedicated voicework alongside a game engine that will once again have you feeling flight like no game before it. Namco has already promised several gameplay enhancements to make this the most thrilling chapter yet, although most of them are still under wraps at this point. I would probably expect more realistic controls, along with a possible arcade-throwback control system for those who simply want to get out, fly around, and blast some Belkan ass into the atmosphere.

The trailer indicated that the graphics should be even more amazing this time around, with wider terrain to fly around in, more detailed aircraft to choose from, and some impressive speed and lighting effects to give you the feeling of flight. Hopefully, the audio will hold up just as well, and maybe there'll be a two-player mode where you can take on a friend in the air, or work alongside them cooperatively to help you do double the damage. Hey, every pilot needs a wingman, right?

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War should be released in early 2006, and before its release we'll have some impressions to fill in the gaps. In the meantime, get ready to return to the skies in the best kind of way, with the ever-growing Ace Combat series. Hey, if this new edition is even close to being on par with parts two and five (literally my favorites in the series), then I'll be happy.