History Analysis / AceCombat

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without UsefulNotes/MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture, and, in the end, fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground. One however must note that if belligerent countries do not use long range missiles first, they will almost always send the planes to do initial combat, which almost always precedes any eye contact between surface forces (navies and armies).

* Strangereal is a world [[NuclearWeaponsTaboo without nuclear weapons]]. Where every major post-[[TheFifties 1950]] conflict on Earth ran a high risk of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, Strangereal's superpowers are free to [[VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar duke it out with impunity]]--though whether that is for the best is up to the players to decide. There must be plenty of self-restraint on the part of the more sensible countries (unless one counts ultranationalist maniacs willing to use chemical weapons on civilians).

* Strangereal managed to transition to the age of [[CoolPlane modern aviation]] without discrediting the [[WarIsGlorious valor in battle]] with the [[WarIsHell horrors of trench warfare]]. Its aerial combat is still a matter of {{ace pilot}}s, straight from the era of the gallant RedBaron von Richthoffen, not one of [[DeathFromAbove remotely-controlled drones and faceless stratospheric bombers blasting countries back into Stone Age]]. Then again, one could assume that the various governments had very sensible people at the top prior to the major continental wars. Minor wars still happened, with a considerable lack of details concerning warfare on the ground.

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture, and, in the end, fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground. One however must note that if belligerent countries do not use long range missiles first, they will almost always send the planes to do initial combat, which almost always precedes any eye contact between surface forces (navies and armies).

* Strangereal managed to transition to the age of [[CoolPlane modern aviation]] without discrediting the [[WarIsGlorious valor in battle]] with the [[WarIsHell horrors of trench warfare]]. Its aerial combat is still a matter of {{ace pilot}}s, straight from the era of the gallant RedBaron von Richthoffen, not one of [[DeathFromAbove remotely-controlled drones and faceless stratospheric bombers blasting countries back into Stone Age]]. Then again, one could assume that the various governments had very sensible people at the top prior to the major continental wars.
* Strangereal is a world [[NuclearWeaponsTaboo without nuclear weapons]]. Where every major post-[[TheFifties 1950]] conflict on Earth ran a high risk of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, Strangereal's superpowers are free to [[VideoGame/AceCombat5TheUnsungWar duke it out with impunity]]--though whether that is for the best is up to the players to decide.
* The [[CataclysmBackstory Ulysses asteroid]] brought the colossal, larger-than-life superweapons back into vogue in Strangereal, whereas IRL, WWI pretty much [[DiscreditedTrope killed off the whole idea]]. The superweapons are a clear, palpable, and--most importantly--destructible antagonist, whose downfall often spells an [[DecapitatedArmy immediate and finite end of a war]], a luxury rarely found in RL warfare.

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where UsefulNotes/WorldWarI never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as WWI. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

* Strangereal managed to transition to the age of [[CoolPlane modern aviation]] without discrediting the [[WarIsGlorious valor in battle]] with the [[WarIsHell horrors of trench warfare]]. Its aerial combat is still a matter of {{ace pilot}}s, straight from the era of the gallant RedBaron von Richthoffen, not one of [[DeathFromAbove remotely-controlled drones and faceless stratospheric bombers blasting countries back into Stone Age]].

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture, and, in the end, fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground.

* At least at first glance. Since ''VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere'', Project Aces has not shied away from political themes that are unique from the gung-ho attitude of most games in the flight sim genre. You can [[HiddenDepths tell a lot of stories]] with the blank canvas that is Strangereal.

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture, and, in the end, fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's [[WarisHell nasty underside]] down on the ground.

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture, and, in the end, fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground.

When ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' was first announced, long-time ''Ace Combat'' fans [[BaseBreaker complained just about everything in it]]. One of the biggest complaints (just as it was with ''VideoGame/AceCombatJointAssault'') was the decision to move the setting from the ConstructedWorld of the previous console releases, Strangereal, ([[OlderThanTheyThink back]]) to our familiar Earth. The devs have certainly had good reasons: one, they were running out of new scenery to host another major armed conflict ([[VideoGame/AceCombat6FiresOfLiberation Anea]] was the last unvisited continent); two, the time frame of the series slowly approached ''[[VideoGame/AceCombat3Electrosphere Electrosphere]]''--and thus, the point where the series had to abandon its main gimmick, RealLife fighter jet models. And yet the fans cling to the good ol' Strangereal. What exactly makes it feel right when our Earth doesn't?

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where UsefulNotes/WorldWarI never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as UsefulNotes/WW1. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

* The [[CataclysmBackstory Ulysses asteroid]] brought the colossal, larger-than-life superweapons back into vogue in Strangereal, whereas IRL, UsefulNotes/WW1 pretty much [[DiscreditedTrope killed off the whole idea]]. The superweapons are a clear, palpable, and--most importantly--destructible antagonist, whose downfall often spells an [[DecapitatedArmy immediate and finite end of a war]], a luxury rarely found in RL warfare.

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as UsefulNotes/WW1. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

Strangereal has [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture. In the end, Strangereal fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground.

When ''VideoGame/AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' was first announced, long-time ''Ace Combat'' fans [[BaseBreaker complained just about everything in it]]. One of the biggest complaints (just as it was with ''VideoGame/AceCombatJointAssault'') was the decision to move the setting from the ConstructedWorld of the previous console releases, Strangereal, ([[OlderThanTheyThink back]]) to our familiar Earth. The devs have certainly had good reasons: one, they were running out of new scenery to host another major armed conflict ([[AceCombat6 Anea]] was the last unvisited continent); two, the time frame of the series slowly approached ''[[AceCombat3Electrosphere Electrosphere]]''--and thus, the point where the series had to abandon its main gimmick, RealLife fighter jet models. And yet the fans cling to the good ol' Strangereal. What exactly makes it feel right when our Earth doesn't?

When ''AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' was first announced, long-time ''Ace Combat'' fans [[BaseBreaker complained just about everything in it]]. One of the biggest complaints (just as it was with ''AceCombatX2'') was the decision to move the setting from the ConstructedWorld of the previous console releases, Strangereal, ([[OlderThanTheyThink back]]) to our familiar Earth. The devs have certainly had good reasons: one, they were running out of new scenery to host another major armed conflict ([[AceCombat6 Anea]] was the last unvisited continent); two, the time frame of the series slowly approached ''[[AceCombat3Electrosphere Electrosphere]]''--and thus, the point where the series had to abandon its main gimmick, RealLife fighter jet models. And yet the fans cling to the good ol' Strangereal. What exactly makes it feel right when our Earth doesn't?

* Strangereal is a world [[NuclearWeaponsTaboo without nuclear weapons]]. Where every major post-[[TheFifties 1950]] conflict on Earth ran a high risk of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, Strangereal's superpowers are free to [[AceCombat5TheUnsungWar duke it out with impunity]]--though whether that is for the best is up to the players to decide.

Strangereal also earns a lot of BonusPoints for having [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture. In the end, Strangereal fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground.

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where UsefulNotes/WorldWarOne never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as WW1. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

* The [[CataclysmBackstory Ulysses asteroid]] brought the colossal, larger-than-life superweapons back into vogue in Strangereal, whereas IRL, WW1 pretty much [[DiscreditedTrope killed off the whole idea]]. The superweapons are a clear, palpable, and--most importantly--destructible antagonist, whose downfall often spells an [[DecapitatedArmy immediate and finite end of a war]], a luxury rarely found in RL warfare.

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where WorldWarOne never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCounterpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as WW1. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

* The [[CataclysmBackstory Ulysses asteroid]] brought the colossal, larger-than-life superweapons back into vogue in Strangereal, whereas IRL, WW1 pretty much [[DiscreditedTrope killed off the whole idea]]. The superweapons are a clear, palpable, and--most importantly--destructible antagonist, whose downfall often spells an [[DecapitatedArmy immediate and finite end of a war]], a luxury rarely found in IRL warfare.

When ''AceCombatAssaultHorizon'' was first announced, long-time ''Ace Combat'' fans [[BaseBreaker complained just about everything in it]]. One of the biggest complaints (just as it was with ''AceCombatX2'') was the decision to move the setting for the ConstructedWorld of the previous console releases, Strangereal, (back) to our familiar Earth. The devs certainly had good reasons: one, they were running out of new scenery to host another major war ([[AceCombat6 Anea]] was the last unvisited continent); two, the time frame of the series slowly approached ''[[AceCombat3Electrosphere Electrosphere]]''--and thus, the point where the devs had to abandon series' main gimmick, realistic RealLife fighter jet models. And yet, why do the fans cling to the good ol' Strangereal so much? What makes it feel right when our Earth doesn't?

* Strangereal managed to transition into the age of modern aviation without discrediting the [[WarIsGlorious valor in warfare]] with the [[WarIsHell horrors of trench warfare]]. Its aerial combat is still a matter of {{ace pilot}}s, straight from the era of the gallant RedBaron von Richthoffen, not one of remotely-controlled drones and faceless stratospheric bombers blasting countries back into stone age.
* Strangereal is a world [[NuclearWeaponsTaboo without nuclear weapons]]. Where every major post-1950 conflict on Earth runs a high risk of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, Strangereal's superpowers are free to [[AceCombat5TheUnsungWar duke it out with impunity]]--though whether that is for the best is up to the players to decide.
* The [[CataclysmBackstory Ulysses asteroid]] brought the colossal, larger-than-life superweapons back into vogue in Strangreal, whereas IRL, WW1 pretty much [[DiscreditedTrope killed off the whole idea]]. The superweapons are a clear, palpable, and most importantly destructible antagonist, whose downfall often means the end of a war--a much better option than a war of attrition.

Strangereal also earns a lot of BonusPoints for being a ConstructedWorld with [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to be able to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture. In the end, Strangereal fulfills the ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek to soar majestically above the battlefield without having to face war's nasty underside down on the ground.

Quite simply put, '''Strangereal is a world where WorldWarOne never happened'''. Sure, [[AllThereInTheManual the lore]] mentions wars involving [[FantasyCoutnerpartCulture Belka]] in the same time frame as Earth's World Wars but they have never had the same impact as WW1. The implications of this are immense, if you think about it:

* Strangereal is a world with [[NuclearWeaponsTaboo no nuclear weapons]]. Where every major post-1950 conflict on Earth runs a high risk of TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt, Strangereal's superpowers are free to [[AceCombat5TheUnsungWar duke it out with impunity]]--though whether that is for the best is up to the players to decide.

Strangereal also earns a lot of BonusPoints for being a ConstructedWorld with [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to be able to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture. In the end, Strangereal is an ultimate Analysis/{{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek who wants to play a glorious war without being reminded of its nasty, nasty underside IRL. And that is perfectly fine.

Strangereal also earns a lot of BonusPoints for being a ConstructedWorld with [[FantasyCounterpartCulture just enough connections to Earth]] for players of any cultural background to be able to identify with their side without MisplacedNationalism mixing up the picture. In the end, Strangereal is an ultimate {{escapis|m}}t fantasy of a military airplane geek who wants to play a glorious war without being reminded of its nasty, nasty underside IRL. And that is perfectly fine.