At Namco's recent pre-E3 event, the Japanese developer gave us an early look at its upcoming PlayStation Portable installment in the Ace Combat series. The game goes by the lengthy moniker of Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception and serves up an original installment in the series designed specifically for the PSP. Though the game on display was in a very early state, we managed to get a feel for where development was headed.

　　The console installments of Ace Combat have married a strong narrative with the franchise's unique brand of flying and shooing; however, the PSP game will diverge slightly from the console formula. The game will turn you loose in an original adventure in a different part of the Ace universe that won't be quite as story-driven as in the console games. The action-oriented gameplay will feature a branching mission system that will unfold dynamically as you go through your missions. While you'll once again set out in each level with a set of objectives, your performance will affect how your subsequent missions will unfold. In the example presented to us, reps noted that destroying certain objects can open up specific mission branches that would be unavailable to you if you stuck only to the basics. Finally, the game's artificial intelligence system is being tailored to offer a strategic challenge.

　　Because of the game's early state, specific details weren't available yet, but we were able to get a rough idea of what to expect. The single-player mode will feature a selection of planes that you'll be able to tune up with parts that you buy or gain as you progress through the missions. There will be roughly 20 missions, though the exact number has not been finalized. Besides the single-player game, Namco plans to include ad hoc Wi-Fi multiplayer modes that should include versus and team battles for up to four players.

　　The game's control is coming together pretty well on the PSP. You'll use the analog stick to maneuver your craft, and you'll use the shoulder buttons to control your plane's throttle. The face buttons will let you access your weapons, guns, and missiles. The PSP game will not feature the wingman mechanic that has been seen in the recent console games. As in previous games, your onscreen HUD will keep you informed of the key information required to succeed in the level.

　　So far the presentation is shaping up to include the key elements of the game's console cousins, albeit in modified form. The plane in the demo had a good amount of detail, along with slick bits of animation on its flaps and in its weapon fire. The landscape was coming close to matching the look of the PlayStation 2 game but was a little short in the resolution department. On the upside, there was a respectable amount of enemy action onscreen. Even more comforting was that the game's frame rate was fairly stable despite some patches of inconsistency. The game is off to a promising start, and we expect that the visuals and game performance will improve as development continues. The game's audio was pretty bare-bones, with a modest array of sound effects and not much in the way of a score in place yet. Reps on hand noted that the game will mirror its console cousins faithfully, with a music score and a full complement of sound effects.

　　Though our look at Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception was pretty early, the game is headed in the right direction. Development appears to be focusing on the key points that have made the franchise's name: solid gameplay, accessible control, and crisp visuals. From what we've seen, the game is making positive progress to hit those marks, so we're eager to see more of it as development continues. Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception is currently slated to ship this October for the PSP. Look for more on the game from this year's Electronic Entertainment Expo and in the months ahead.