Aces High is a multiplayer game in which three teams fight over domination of the map. The success is measured in ground targets: a team loses when they only have their headquarters left. To capture a target (some have to be simply destroyed), the team has to bring its defenses down and then bring in troops (for example with a C-47). However, this is not enough because - depending on the damage taken - it first has to be built up again. The time this takes depend on various factors, e.g. what other near targets are available, and can be sped up with supply drops by transport aircraft. Available ground installments also have other effects, e.g. the availability of ammo or troops. The majority of of the action is fought in the air with World War II aircraft, but there are also ground (e.g. tanks) and naval vehicles available. The matches itself are of a grand scale and can take multiple hours; afterwards the map is reset. Overall the controls are somewhere between simulation and action. Depending on the arena, which can also be crafted with the editor, the exact winning conditions can be slightly different. While the multiplayer matches are subscription-based, there is also a free offline mode for training included. In the years after release, the game was under continuous development and saw many minor and major changes. This includes World War I vehicles, a tool to record/replay gameplay footage and changes to the technical framework resulting in updated system requirements.
Released
May 8, 2000
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