Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

THE SKIES HAVE NO MERCY.

Defend the country of Ustio against an enemy that is smarter, faster and deadlier than any that have come before. Relive the events fifteen years prior to Ace Combat 5. Welcome to the dogfight of your life -- The Belkan War.

• Battle skilled rival aces with their own individual flying styles
• The Ace Style Gauge adjusts play to maximize the challenge.
• Challenge your friends or enemies in two-player versus mode.

Source:

Back of Case - Playstation 2 (U.S.)

Namco Announces Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for the Playstation 2

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (September 23, 2005) - Leading video games developer and publisher Namco Hometek Inc. today announced Ace CombatTM Zero: The Belkan War for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The latest addition to the Ace Combat franchise, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War challenges players to develop their high-flying reputations while facing off against rival pilots in white-knuckled dog fights. Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is developed by Namco Ltd. and is scheduled for North American release in 2006, and will also be released in PAL format for the European market.

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War thrusts players back in time, 15 years before the events of Ace CombatTM 5, and reveals the events that led up to the last chapter of the franchise. Players will take on the role of a mercenary hired to fly for Ustio, a small country bordering Belka, and face off against rival pilots throughout the game.

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War introduces rival pilots to the series' traditional dogfighting action. Players will encounter highly skilled enemy pilots that they will engage throughout the course of the story. Adding even more tension to the game's dramatic air battles, these rival pilots will utilize advanced battle tactics to attack the player while directing their own squadron.

"Players can once again be ace pilots in Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War by flying authentic aircraft against rival pilots that are more cunning than ever," said Yoshi Niki, Business Unit Director at Namco Hometek Inc. "The game's storyline will add insight into some of the series' greatest mysteries and the new gameplay elements will keep players strapped into their virtual cockpits for hours."

For more information on Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War, please visit www.namco.com.

Source:

Namco press release (September 27, 2005)

Namco Bandai Games Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War For PS2 Goes Gold

SANTA CLARA, Calif., (March 30, 2006) - Leading video games publisher and developer NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. announced today that the next installment of its top-selling Ace Combat franchise, Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War for the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system has gone gold and is on track to launch nationwide on April 25th, 2006.

A prequel to Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, Ace Combat Zero takes players 15 years into the past and enmeshes them in the turbulent events that led to the Belkan War. Featuring advanced artificial intelligence (AI) that allows the game and rival pilots to adapt to a player's flying style, Ace Combat Zero takes aerial combat to a new level of intensity.

“Our Ace Combat series has established itself as the top-selling aerial combat franchise for PlayStation 2, and Ace Combat Zero ratchets up the intensity via a more engrossing storyline and advanced AI,“ said Yoshi Niki, NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc.'s Business Unit Director. “Whether pulling in an F-18 Hornet or dog-fighting their friends in VS Mode, Ace Combat Zero has clearly set its sights on the top spot again."

In Ace Combat Zero, players assume the role of a mercenary pilot hired to fly for Ustio, a small country invaded by its militaristic neighbor Belka. Flying authentic licensed aircrafts such as the F-15 Eagle or F/A-18 Hornet, players fly through 18 realistic missions as they face off against combat-hardened pilots.

Exciting features of Ace Combat Zero include: - Advanced AI Changes the Action: Innovative Ace Style Gauge System factors the player's style of flying and changes different facets of the game accordingly.

• Personalized Communications: Linked with the Ace Style Gauge System, the Radio Transmission System changes radio communications in real-time according to a player's reputation. In-game messages from allies and opponents acknowledge the skill level of the player.

• Individualized Enemy Pilots: Brand new to the series, rival ace pilots give players a run for their money with individual flying styles and tactics that require players to elevate their skills to new heights.

• Enhanced Wingman Command: Wingman commands are now more advanced than ever as players coordinate battle tactics with their wingman.

• Retrospective Interviews: Cut-scene interviews of rival pilots comment on their encounters with the player, providing an in depth look into the enemy's tactical mindset.

• VS Mode: Players dog-fight in head-to-head action against their friends to prove who is the true Ace in the group.

Fly high with Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War when it hits store shelves nationwide on April 25, 2006. For more action-packed screens and inside information on the game check out the Namco Bandai Games official site at www.namcobandaigames.com

Source:

Namco Bandai Games America press release (March 31, 2006)

TAKE TO THE SKIES AND LET THE BATTLE BEGIN

1995: THE PRINCIPALITY OF BELKA INVADES NEIGHBOURING USTIO, SPARKING THE BRUTAL BELKAN WAR. HOPELESSLY OUTGUNNED AND QUICKLY OVERRUN, USTIO'S LAST HOPE IS THEIR MERCENARY AIR FORCE. YOU AND YOUR WINGMAN SOAR INTO THE SKIES TO FACE THE MIGHTY BELKAN AIR FORCE. A NATION'S HOPES REST ON YOUR SHOULDERS. DON'T LET THEM DOWN.

High speed, head-to-head dogfights - including split-screen mode for two player action

Enemy ace squadrons with individual battle tactics patrol the skies - adapt your strategy to survive

New Ace Style Gauge - your conduct in combat affects enemy reactions and the structure of future missions

More than 30 fully licensed fighter planes, from the aerial superiority of the F-15C Eagle to the powerful ground support of the A-10A Thunderbolt II

Source:

Back of Keep Case - PlayStation 2 (United Kingdom)