If there is a game that always brought me closer to the skies, it's got to be Ace Combat. Not only do I fulfill my dream of owning and flying a plane, but I also get to shoot some enemy tails with it. Trust that the people of Bandai Namco have something always in store for us when it comes to their games. This time, in their new update, they explain the tuning mode of Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception, as well as some new planes that you could get to play with.

It seems for this Ace Combat, not only do you get to get your planes, but you can also upgrade it. Not all planes can be tuned, however, for those that can, you can customize its cockpit, wings, engine, armor, and weapons. As you go through missions and receive the necessary cash to spend, you can purchase these upgrades for your plane. You can make your plane more lightweight, with more missiles, yet with stronger set of armor and protection.

In the tradition of Ace Combat, there are also some concept planes that you could fly in your game. XR-45 Cariburn and the YR-302 Fregata are such planes. Although they have made this announcement, they're also saying that you don't get these planes in a jiffy. These are planes that you've got to earn out of merit. I guess a D-grade flight won't get you these lovely planes. The XR-45 is a great lightweight plane for dogfights. Its source is unknown, and in fact, this is a plane that you might not get if you didn't get your gameplay right. It has great stability and has a good grapple. I guess you won't get those stall messages with this plane. The YR302 Fregata is a large attack plane. Not as versatile as the Cariburn in dogfights but it is really great plane for ground attacks. It could probably mean that it has more missiles than one can handle.

First impressions are most likely everlasting, that's why Namco has been busy amping the latest game for their Ace Combat franchise, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. This is the first PSP entry of the series, that's why you can't really blame the Namco guys for doing everything necessary for this game to be perfect. The game takes you to the Federal Republic of Auerila who is at war with its neighbour, the Democratic Republic of Leasath. Auerila was said to have exploited Leasath during a civil war.

The game doesn't only feature an original storyline told through CG, but it also boasts of everything you'd expect and want in a Namco flight simulation game - detailed jet models, options for fine tuning your machines (engine, wing, five categories of the armor, weapon and cockpit), and plenty of real world jets.

The Campaign Mode, makes you a pilot in the Gryphus Squadron of the Federal Republic of Auerila. Defend the skies, claim victory and restore freedom, those are your responsibilities. Campaign mode makes use of the Strategic AI System, where the contents of a mission change based on the strategies that you select. The game also has a multiplayer mode for up to four players. The game will be released on September 30 in Japan and on a later date in the U.S. and in Europe. So for now, here are more of the game's screenshots.

More screens await after the jump!

The first PSP entry of the series and a new game in the franchise, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception promises everything you'd expect of Namco's flight simulation series, including detailed jet models, an original storyline told through CG, options for fine tuning your machines, and plenty of real world jets. In Campaign Mode, you play as a pilot in the Gryphus Squadron of the Federal Republic of Aurelia. Defending the invaded country, your mission will take you to the battle-filled skies in order to take down the enemy and restore freedom and peace to their homeland. Campaign mode makes use of the Strategic AI System, where the contents of a mission change based on the strategies that you select. The game also has a multiplayer mode for up to four players. In addition to a last-man standing dog fight mode, you'll be able to split into teams for cooperative combat.

Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception is the high flying franchise's first appearance on the PSP. It has the same level of action, flexibility, art and style found in the console versions but in a portable form. The realistic planes military war toys are there along with the fiction-merged-with-fact storyline but with the addition of wireless multiplayer. Ace Combat game for the PSP has many customizable features from weapon strength and ammunition type, location of aerial dogfights, to the number of ground targets.
The game plot is set in the Federal Republic of Auerila at a time of military conflict with the Democratic Republic of Leasath (the fictional part). It seems Auerila did Leasath wrong during a civil war (the fact part?). Gamers take on the role of an Aurelian Air Force Top Gun. Now, if you really want to know more about the game, you can watch the Gamespot interview with Taiki Homma, Namco's associate localization producer. There's one guy who knows the game inside out.

Download:[Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception Taiki Homma Interview]

Check out these new screenshots for Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception for the PSP! The game will feature a large load of multiplayer modes like dogfights, base attacks, and escort battles but will also include an intensive campaign mode (more about that below) with a new story and the complex AI system will without a doubt be a cool thing too. Namco's upcoming game will be released on September 30 in Japan and a while later in the US and Europe.

The story of the game is pretty simple. The Federal Republic of Auerila is at war with another empire, the Democratic Republic of Leasath. Apparently Auerila exploited Leasath during a civil war (whoops!). It's set in a totally different world (unlike like the previous Ace Combat games), and you play the leader of the Aurelian Air Force.

Here's a list of airplanes in the game:

Su-27 Flanker EF-2000 Typhoon F-5E Tiger II F-1 Kai/Kaizen F-2A Banshee (LASM) F-14D Super Tomcat (XLAA) MiG-31 Foxhound (SAAM) Tornado F-3 (XLAA) XFA-24A Apalis XFA-27

A handful of new screens have just been released for Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception on the PSP. As we mentioned early, this game will feature a plethora of multiplayer modes including dogfights, base attacks, and escort battles to name a few. Furthermore, Namco's first game of this series on the PSP will have an in-depth Campaign Mode in which you play as a pilot in the Gryphus Squadron of the Federal Republic of Auerlia on your mission to protect your homeland from an enemy invasion. A new Strategic AI System will effectively change the contents of a missions based upon strategies you select, and you can be sure that this game will include loads of customizable jets as well.

With most PSP games, the addition of wireless multiplayer is very important. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception is the first title in the long running Ace Combat series to hit a portable console, and therefore the wireless multiplayer is even more of a big deal for this game. You can have fun in single player, but what we really want to know is what multiplayer modes will there be? Will you still be playing the game after you have completed the single player mode?

Surprisingly, the multiplayer mode for Namco's Ace Combat game for the PSP has many customizable features. There is the option to set everything from weapon strength and ammunition type, to the number of ground targets and location of the aerial dogfight. Namco, the people behind this game, have released information on five multiplayer modes that will be included in the game:

• Traditional Dogfight - This has to be the simplest of the five modes, where you and a friend simply take off and shoot down whatever they can. However, this mode contains two sub-modes: Survival, where you try and shoot as many planes down as you can and be the last pilot in the sky; and Shootout, where you just aim and shoot, aiming to be the pilot that has shot down the most planes.
• Base Attack - This mode is pretty self-explanatory. Players form two attack squads and try to capture the other teams base. This mode is a little more strategic than other modes as you must find a balance between capturing the enemy base and protecting your own.
• Air Superiority - In this mode you have a limited supply of weapons, and the aim is to for a long time without being shot down with enemy planes all around you. The longer you stay airborne, the more points you will score.
• Data Beacon - This mode is much like capture the flag modes on FPS titles. You have to capture the enemy beacon from the enemy base and bring it back to your own. The team that gets the required amount of beacons back to their base first wins.
• Escort Battle - As the name suggests, players are split into two teams. One team will be responsible for attacking the convoy , and the other responsible for escorting the convoy to safety. Depending on the location of the fight, you can find yourself battling over land or sea.

Namco Bandai calls it the Gran Turismo of the skies. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception has become one of the most anticipated games for the PSP. And now that E3 has dawned, its developer has willingly revealed more details.

Although highly-dependent on previous Ace Combat titles' success, the PSP version will feature new content that is apart from the console titles. Even with the same plot – a fictional story against a historical event – Skies of Deception promises to take PSP players to a whole new universe ripe with a multitude of new skies to explore.

Liberate your country and grant freedom to your countrymen as an ace pilot defending the country of Aurelia. You will be testing your battle skills against the pilots of the country of Leasath.

Namco Bandai promises an authentic flying experience with Ace Combat X. Go through a thrilling adventure with pilot-licensed aircraft such as the F-14D or Tornado F3. Tune these original aircrafts with parts unlocked in campaign mode. Just make sure to choose your course of action wisely as every move affects your destiny. Ace of Combat X: Skies of Deception flies its way to the portable system this fall.

IGN has posted a new video preview/interview of the upcoming game, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception for PSP. The game has been seen on other consoles, but this is its first outing on a handheld. That is a concern for die-hard veterans, who worry about the lack of buttons on the PSP. Since it doesn't have multiple trigger buttons, some adjustments must be made to the classic control scheme.

The graphics are impressive and the mission system appears to be really innovative. It will support four player ad-hoc gameplay. The original console versions were insanely fun with only two player, so four player must be like three times the fun! This is starting to look like one of those games for PSP that everyone gets, sorta like Tony Hawk or Grand Theft Auto.

Keep your eyes glued to QJ for more updates as soon as they surface!

Download: [Ace Combat X PSP Video Interview]

At its pre-E3 event in San Francisco, Namco revealed more details about its PSP installment of Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception. Still with a fictional story set against a historical background, the PSP version of Ace Combat will pretty much give off the same feel of action and flexibility that the console titles have. The realistic planes are still there and fans of the console Ace Combat will surely feel at home with the same user-friendly vibes that the PSP version adopts. Here's how Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception plays to the PSP:

• analog stick: used to bank and roll the aircraft
• shoulder buttons: control the throttle
• square: changes weapons
• X: triggers machine guns
• circle: fires missiles
  

Since the game is not yet fully developed, Namco can't disclose detailed descriptions of different missions a player will go through; they, however, revealed that there will be more than 20 missions, the flow of which will be dictated by the structures destroyed (or not destroyed) by the player.

As consistency seems to be Namco's middle name, expect the same escort, seek-and-destroy, and defend missions in the PSP version of Ace Combat. Just like in previous games, the portable version of Namco's classic will still see you manning a mixture of real-world and theoretical aircrafts, purchasing missiles and special weapons, and welcoming a few surprises.

Namco also discloses that gamers can expect bonus content, although there's no definite word as to what this bonus will be. What is definite at this point is that PSP's Ace Combat will have you and your friends battling with each other in the skies via wireless multiplayer matches. As E3 is just around the corner, surely more will be revealed on this much-awaited PSP title. Stay tuned for more updates.