Aussie Ace Combat: Assault Horizon special edition detailed

Time hasn't exactly treated the fight-sim genre very kindly, reducing the category down to just a handful of franchises from the once wide selection that was around in the '90s. Despite the market being fairly small, Namco Bandai's Ace Combat series has stood the test of time. The latest instalment--Ace Combat: Assault Horizon--is almost ready for takeoff, with the Japanese publisher's Aussie wing announcing the Australian collector's edition.

The Ace Combat: Assault Horizon limited edition comes in a steel case that contains a copy of the game, a making-of DVD, an autographed notepad, the soundtrack, and an exclusive code that will let players unlock the F-4E Phantom II. The F-4E Phantom II is an American-built attack aircraft that saw extensive action in the Vietnam War and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

The game is set amidst a conflict between the United States and Russia and has players participating in dogfights over various continents that have been faithfully re-created using GeoEye geographic mapping. Ace Combat: Assault Horizon also marks the first time in the 21-year-old franchise's history that players will be able to fly helicopters, with the AH-64D Apache Longbow gunship and UH-60 Black Hawk appearing in the game.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon is due out on the 13th of October around Australia, but in the meantime, be sure to check out our latest coverage of the game.