Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War

Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War is a 2006 combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2. Part of the Ace Combat series, the Japanese version of the game was the last title to be released by Namco, and the North American version being the first game to be released by the newly formed Namco Bandai Games. Set in the Ace Combat series' fictional universe of Strangereal, the game's story takes place before the events of most other entries in the series, and follows the actions of "Galm Team", a mercenary fighter squadron led by the player character "Cipher", as they fight to repel an enemy invasion during the titular Belkan War, a World War II-esque conflict that was mentioned but not elaborated upon in previous entries.

Ace Combat Zero, like the rest of the Ace Combat series, has a more arcade-like format compared to other flight simulation games. Its mechanics are a mixture of features from its predecessors, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (2001) and Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (2004), with the addition of a unique reputation system that affects the player's progression and how the story is told.

The game received mixed but generally positive reception on release, with praise for its plot, graphics, and refined game mechanics compared to its predecessors, but criticism of its lack of innovation and melodramatic storytelling.

A modern port of the game will be released as part of a pre-order special bonus for Ace Combat 8: Wings of Theve in October 2026.

Gameplay

Ace Combat Zero's gameplay is split into a single-player campaign mode and a two-player versus mode. The mechanics themselves are a mix of features from Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat 5.

The game features primarily older versions of fighter aircraft seen in its predecessors, such as the F-15C, F/A-18C, and several second- and third-generation fighters such as the Saab 35 Draken.