Ace Combat Infinity

Ace Combat Infinity was an exclusive free-to-play entry in the series, built specifically for PlayStation 3 and operating as an online service with a steady stream of new missions and events. Players build up their own squadron, acquire and upgrade aircraft using in-game currency, and complete campaign and cooperative missions that continue the story of earlier entries set in the fictional world of Strangereal. The core arcade gameplay, with flashy maneuvers and missile duels, stays true to the series.

Infinity differs from classic entries mainly in being built as a live service: missions and content were added gradually through regular updates, players could team up in squads of up to four, and pit aircraft loadouts built through long-term progress against each other instead of a one-time unlocked campaign. The free-download model with microtransactions to speed up progress was a novelty for a series that had so far been built on paid campaigns. The game was only available for as long as the online servers were running, which makes it a unique, time-bound experience tied to the PlayStation 3 era.

Compared to the paid campaigns of previous entries, Infinity was built on the principle of gradual unlocking – more advanced aircraft and upgrades could be earned through play or purchased, which brought the game closer to online shooters-as-a-service rather than a traditional Ace Combat campaign with a fixed set of missions available from the start. Cooperative multiplayer missions, which hadn't appeared to such an extent in the series' main entries up to that point, were part of what earned Infinity its own distinct standing among fans of the series.

Why play: Ace Combat Infinity will appeal to players interested in the series' history who want to experience how Ace Combat tried out the online service format with cooperative missions and long-term squadron development. It's an interesting side note for fans of the brand rather than an entry point for newcomers, since it's a closed chapter tied to a specific time and platform.