How long are the campaign in the ace combat series?

[Rabble]

What can i expect?

[TheRibbonRed]

Lots of sources say it's 50 hours for completionists (100%), so IMO this is actually shorter than some of the other AC games:
https://gamingbolt.com/ace-combat-7-skies-unknown-can-be-50-hours-long-for-completionists

Probably 10~20 hours if you just play the campaign once and be done with it. Thankfully, most singleplayer Ace Combat games are sorta replayable despite the linear story progression--solely relying on gameplay and the many planes you can use to change the experience a bit.

[Rabble]

That's way higher than i expected for such an action game.
I'm gonna buy this.

[TheRibbonRed]

Originally posted by Goatman (rabble):

That's way higher than i expected for such an action game.
I'm gonna buy this.

Remember that it's 100%--which essentially means tedious grinding work, hunting down secret AI "aces" for new paintjobs, and getting S ranks on every mission. Fun for the old fans though.

Ace Combat missions generally last only about 15 minutes (max) each, so if they say that it only consist about 25~30 missions...you can do the math.

[cyäegha]

Originally posted by TheRibbonRed:

Ace Combat missions generally last only about 15 minutes (max) each, so if they say that it only consist about 25~30 missions...you can do the math.

to be fair, that's longer than 4 and zero are, and if you want to extrapolate - assuming electrosphere's missions are one-third of the length, but there are three times as many - 3

[TheRibbonRed]

Originally posted by cyäegha:

to be fair, that's longer than 4 and zero are, and if you want to extrapolate - assuming electrosphere's missions are one-third of the length, but there are three times as many - 3

Zero had branching missions too though--often 3 a la Electrosphere to be exact. Sure, the overall narrative doesn't change at all and it only gives a different operation and end-mission ace squadrons to fight on the same backdrop, but you still have to start each playthrough from the beginning.

I finished 5 100% on 75 hours though, albeit that it does contain a couple of hours on playing around with the game mechanics like racing a bomb you dropped, shooting allies, etc.

Tbh, I'm skeptical if 50 hours is really all that it takes to 100%. Either that means this game will be comparatively shorter in experience compared to the others, or 50 hours is a complete overestimation of players' capabilities.

[Snadzies]

My experience is only with AC 4, 5 and Zero.
My first playthroughs were about 20-ish hours.

[DrDeath_MD]

I think I 100% or near 100%ed all the PS2 versions inside of 30 hours. The main campaigns were all about 15 hours or less. However, the games are great fun but easy (even on Ace level,, IMO).

[Hobo Misanthropus]

I could 100% All the holy trinity in under 30 hours, but that was after I knew where everything was and how to do it. Maybe they're going off that kind of metric. Like if you used a guide and just rammed straight through everything?

Originally posted by TheRibbonRed:

Originally posted by cyäegha:

to be fair, that's longer than 4 and zero are, and if you want to extrapolate - assuming electrosphere's missions are one-third of the length, but there are three times as many - 3

Zero had branching missions too though--often 3 a la Electrosphere to be exact. Sure, the overall narrative doesn't change at all and it only gives a different operation and end-mission ace squadrons to fight on the same backdrop, but you still have to start each playthrough from the beginning.

I finished 5 100% on 75 hours though, albeit that it does contain a couple of hours on playing around with the game mechanics like racing a bomb you dropped, shooting allies, etc.

Tbh, I'm skeptical if 50 hours is really all that it takes to 100%. Either that means this game will be comparatively shorter in experience compared to the others, or 50 hours is a complete overestimation of players' capabilities.

One could argue, we actually get more combat sortie time than real combat pilots, lol. I know of entire generations of fighter pilots nowadays with under 12 hours of combat flight time (Combat being defined as armed)

If you want to kill things in the US Air Force nowadays, you have to hope for a CAS role, otherwise your mission is filled by a flying lawnmower armed with a rocket.

[TinManNFO]

Though it's been a while, I've played through the campaigns of AC4, AC5, part of ACX, and AC6, and my recollection, if somewhat distorted by time, was that the first attempt playing the average mission for me was maybe 30 minutes or somewhat longer. This included sitting through the cutscenes for the first time, if applicable. One reason my times may be somewhat longer than the other folks posting is because IIRC after the first pass in AC4 I've just started at "hard" difficulty, which makes it easier to get blown up, increases the nastiness and often number of enemies, etc.

Also, some of the missions may take a few tries to find a tactic/technique that will defeat some boss (e.g. the dreaded Pasternak battle in AC6). My tendency to try to agressively defend NPC friendly units in the missions from being killed often leads to restarts/load from checkpoints as well (some of these are scripted and some aren't, and you don't necessarily know the first time trying the mission).

[TheRibbonRed]

Originally posted by TinManNFO:

...if somewhat distorted by time, was that the first attempt playing the average mission for me was maybe 30 minutes or somewhat longer. This included sitting through the cutscenes for the first time, if applicable. One reason my times may be somewhat longer than the other folks posting is because IIRC after the first pass in AC4 I've just started at "hard" difficulty, which makes it easier to get blown up, increases the nastiness and often number of enemies, etc.

Actually, I think it's because you counted cutscenes into it. Most AC missions have a strict 15 minute time limit. You probably counted the retries onto it as well.

Originally posted by TinManNFO:

Also, some of the missions may take a few tries to find a tactic/technique that will defeat some boss (e.g. the dreaded Pasternak battle in AC6). My tendency to try to agressively defend NPC friendly units in the missions from being killed often leads to restarts/load from checkpoints as well (some of these are scripted and some aren't, and you don't necessarily know the first time trying the mission).

AC6 is different because of the "massive scale battle" they were trying to push--extending the time limit to 30 minutes per mission. It's pretty much a required thing when they designed each mission to have you zig-zagging around the map completing mission objectives and basically carry the whole Gracemeria military that actually exists on the field on your back, all while they stand watching and occasionally move a bit once you cleared the objective or fire an actual damaging warhead once you use the special command bar.

[SlyAceZeta]

I was very skeptical of the 50 hour estimation as well.

Then I saw the requirements for unlocking everything. All skins, all emblems, all nicknames, all medals...

Yeah 50 hours is a pretty good estimate for 100% completion just on singleplayer. Obviously, YMMV, but it's probably a good average.

A normal campaign run will probably go from 5-8 hours depending on your skill, but obviously those of us who know what we're doing will be on the low end of that. Skipping cutscenes will take off a huge chunk of that as well.

[cyäegha]

Originally posted by TheRibbonRed:

Zero had branching missions too though--often 3 a la Electrosphere to be exact.

come to think of it, you're right

4, 8 and 14 all had three different paths, yeah, though all three did have one path that was much quicker than the others; operation costner (defending the kestrel) was faster than the other two paths by some margin

[TheRibbonRed]

Originally posted by SlyCooperFan1:

A normal campaign run will probably go from 5-8 hours depending on your skill, but obviously those of us who know what we're doing will be on the low end of that. Skipping cutscenes will take off a huge chunk of that as well.

That's a short campaign. Comparable to AH and AC6, albeit AC6 substitutes that with 20~30 minute missions.

And why would anyone skip the cheese on their first try? I get for those who hates the cheese, but it makes a decent actual cheese substitute--all produced by your own body's reactions to B-movie quotes.

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

I could 100% All the holy trinity in under 30 hours, but that was after I knew where everything was and how to do it. Maybe they're going off that kind of metric. Like if you used a guide and just rammed straight through everything?

Odd way of playing AC. Never had to use a guide honestly, though that might be the reason my trinity saves are from 40 to 75 hours.

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

One could argue, we actually get more combat sortie time than real combat pilots, lol. I know of entire generations of fighter pilots nowadays with under 12 hours of combat flight time (Combat being defined as armed)

If you want to kill things in the US Air Force nowadays, you have to hope for a CAS role, otherwise your mission is filled by a flying lawnmower armed with a rocket.

Our experience isn't comparable to real USAF or any other Air Force experience though. If anything, the hours we spent only makes us more knowledgeable in "what makes an enjoyable flight arcade game".

Heck, even DCS with their manual drilling only makes their frequent players more knowledgeable in the mechanics of how to fly their aircrafts, not real 1-to-1 experience to what could, will, nor should happen in an actual flight.

I mean, among AC fans you can still see people confused about the differences between the Eagle variants. Heck, even confusing some fighter silhouettes with bomber silhouettes.

[Hobo Misanthropus]

Originally posted by TheRibbonRed:

Originally posted by SlyCooperFan1:

A normal campaign run will probably go from 5-8 hours depending on your skill, but obviously those of us who know what we're doing will be on the low end of that. Skipping cutscenes will take off a huge chunk of that as well.

That's a short campaign. Comparable to AH and AC6, albeit AC6 substitutes that with 20~30 minute missions.

And why would anyone skip the cheese on their first try? :SisterRam: I get for those who hates the cheese, but it makes a decent actual cheese substitute--all produced by your own body's reactions to B-movie quotes.

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

I could 100% All the holy trinity in under 30 hours, but that was after I knew where everything was and how to do it. Maybe they're going off that kind of metric. Like if you used a guide and just rammed straight through everything?

Odd way of playing AC. Never had to use a guide honestly, though that might be the reason my trinity saves are from 40 to 75 hours.

Originally posted by Hobo Misanthropus:

One could argue, we actually get more combat sortie time than real combat pilots, lol. I know of entire generations of fighter pilots nowadays with under 12 hours of combat flight time (Combat being defined as armed)

If you want to kill things in the US Air Force nowadays, you have to hope for a CAS role, otherwise your mission is filled by a flying lawnmower armed with a rocket.

Our experience isn't comparable to real USAF or any other Air Force experience though. If anything, the hours we spent only makes us more knowledgeable in "what makes an enjoyable flight arcade game".

Heck, even DCS with their manual drilling only makes their frequent players more knowledgeable in the mechanics of how to fly their aircrafts, not real 1-to-1 experience to what could, will, nor should happen in an actual flight.

I mean, among AC fans you can still see people confused about the differences between the Eagle variants. Heck, even confusing some fighter silhouettes with bomber silhouettes.

Yeah, I hate using guides, I might look at guides literally months-years after I'm over a game to see if I missed something.

In all honesty, the instant and near perfect dissemination of the Internet ruined a certain aspect of gaming. I guess this is how all the aristocracy felt about war when Cannons were built, and then all the politicians when nukes came into the picture. Need moar good old days when you could send entire generations to die over a single patch of dirt!

[Pawnstar]

Ace Combat The Unsung War was doable in about 6 hours including cinematics and cutscenes, and that was just about the one with the most missions