Randomly Mine: Drunk (Patreon)

So I've Finally Played Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown...

Hadn't played any flight game since childhood, that amounted to crashing in Microsoft Flight Simulator for about five minutes total.  It might not have even been Microsoft Flight Simulator, that's how long ago the memory was. I'd never even played an Ace Combat game. Well, I did play Assault Horizon, but understand that doesn't count. It's bit like saying "Oh Splinter Cell? Yeah, I've played Conviction."

"Banjo Kazooie? Isn't that the Build Your Car Racing game?"

"Oh man, Hitman Absolution realized the series' intentions!"

Except, not even those analogies truly fit the profile, because while Splinter Cell: Conviction may play unlike any of Ubisoft's prior entries, I used the same Xbox 360 controller between it and Double Agent. Meanwhile, encouraged by Squadrons' VR support, I picked up a Thrustmaster Hotas X. The Honda Civic of Flight Sticks.

But still, it's completely uncharted territory for me, I'd know more about JoJo memes. To top it all off, due to walking far enough for my legs to collapse, I downed a six-pack in minutes. So... unfamiliar with the genre, unfamiliar with the franchise, unfamiliar with the controls, and drunk.

I had multiple takeaways from the experience.

1. People like watching me suck at games.

2. I can already see myself upgrading the HOTAS

3. Ace Combat is so understanding of the player.

What do I mean by that last part?

Well, something I really appreciated about Ace Combat 7 is, despite me not being in the mindset to examine its details graphically and mechanically, or take-in its world and lore, and listen to cutscenes, I still had a fun time! Because, while it clearly puts effort into all areas of the game, it understands the scenario of someone just wanting to hop into a jet and fly around going brrrt with an F-16.

And it let me do that!

It even lets you visit previous missions, and use them as Free Flight areas!

Despite having played the first three missions, upon waking up the next day, all I wanted to do was replay those missions again with the context to enjoy everything beyond the core-gameplay.

It stood in quite stark contrast to my time with Monster Hunter: World. Now, I'm not saying the game is bad, its qualities are quite evident and I understand people's enjoyment, accepting that it's just not for me. But I don't think even the biggest fans will defend the game's obnoxiously long opening, unskippable cutscenes, or early mission objectives that accomplish nothing in world, character, or skill.

Because games are active, they require a commitment that watching a movie or listening to a song just don't share, and while there should be no blueprint for how every title opens, it's often in the game's best interests to let players see and appreciate the core-experience right away, rather than emphasizing the external pieces, because when I've gone past tipsy, I'm not going to be able to appreciate said pieces.