, abbreviated as "''A.C.E.3''", is a
mecha
In science fiction, or mechs are giant robots or machines controlled by people, typically depicted as humanoid walking vehicles. The term was first used in Japanese (language), Japanese after shortening the English loanword or , but the mean ...
action
Action may refer to:
* Action (narrative), a literary mode
* Action fiction, a type of genre fiction
* Action game, a genre of video game
Film
* Action film, a genre of film
* ''Action'' (1921 film), a film by John Ford
* ''Action'' (1980 fil ...
video game
Video games, also known as computer games, are electronic games that involves interaction with a user interface or input device such as a joystick, controller, keyboard, or motion sensing device to generate visual feedback. This fee ...
produced by
Banpresto
(formerly Coreland Technology Inc.) was a Japanese video game developer and publisher headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo. It had a branch in Hong Kong named Banpresto H.K., which was headquartered in the New Territories. Banpresto was a partly-own ...
and developed by
FromSoftware
FromSoftware, Inc. is a Japanese video game development and publishing company based in Tokyo. Founded by Naotoshi Zin in November 1986, the company developed business software before releasing their first video game, ''King's Field (video game) ...
. It was released for the
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October 2000, in Europe on 24 November 2000, and in Australia on 3 ...
on September 6, 2007.
Although it is subtitled "The Final", it is not the final entry in the ''A.C.E.'' series, which continued with the release of ''
Another Century's Episode: R'' on the
PlayStation 3
The PlayStation 3 (PS3) is a home video game console developed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. The successor to the PlayStation 2, it is part of the PlayStation brand of consoles. It was first released on Novemb ...
in August 2010.
Plot
''A.C.E.3'' is set three years after the events of ''A.C.E. 2'', during the final battle between the UCE and the Zentradi in ''A.C.E. 2'' (the
antagonist
An antagonist is a character in a story who is presented as the chief foe of the protagonist.
Etymology
The English word antagonist comes from the Greek ἀνταγωνιστής – ''antagonistēs'', "opponent, competitor, villain, enemy, riv ...
s of ''
Macross
is a Japanese science fiction mecha anime media franchise/media mix, created by Studio Nue (most prominently mecha designer, writer and producer Shōji Kawamori) and Artland in 1982. The franchise features a fictional history of Earth and the ...
''), known as ''The First Defensive War''. It also mentions that the UCE forces has been reformed into the
Earth Federation forces. The game's overall plot deals with the sudden appearance of a second, war-torn Earth from which new and more deadly enemies emerge. At the same time, enemies who survived the First Defensive War begin reappearing on the original Earth, further complicating matters.
The events of ''A.C.E. 3'' are mainly centered on a device called the Baldora Drive, which was originally planned as a teleportation device for outer space travel in Earth A and the invasion of the space colonies in Earth B. Both sides abandoned the use of the Baldora Drive 18 years ago, but recently brought it back into service when they obtained the means to repair it. Through this device, a
wormhole
A wormhole (Einstein-Rosen bridge) is a hypothetical structure connecting disparate points in spacetime, and is based on a special Solutions of the Einstein field equations, solution of the Einstein field equations.
A wormhole can be visualize ...
is created in space between the two Earths, which allows the protagonists to travel between them. However, as the wormhole expands due to the effect of the Baldora Charge (which is used to power the device) obtained from various sources of energy, the wormhole grows large enough to make the two earths collide with one another due to gravitational attraction, which will destroy all mankind on both Earths. In order to stop this, heroes from both sides must band together and find a way to stop the device before the wormhole fully expands.
The primary battleships in ''A.C.E.3'' are the ''Gekko'' from ''Eureka'' Seven and the ''Nadesico B'' from
''The Prince of Darkness'', with the latter eventually being replaced by the ''Nadesico C'' as per the movie's plot. Tower, the main ship from ''Getter Robo'', also appears often in the game. The main ship of the Londo Bell (as well as the launching ship in ''A.C.E.''), the Ra Cailum and its captain,
Bright Noa
This is a list of fictional characters from the 1979 Japanese science fiction anime television series ''Mobile Suit Gundam''.
Earth Federation
Amuro Ray
is the son of Tem Ray, the project leader for the Earth Federation's Project V, whi ...
, also appears in the game, but due to the death of
Hirotaka Suzuoki
was a Japanese actor, voice actor and narrator from Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture who graduated from Tokyo Keizai University.
His best known roles include ''Mobile Suit Gundam'' ( Bright Noa), '' Captain Tsubasa'' ( Kojirou Hyuga), ''Saint Seiya'' ( ...
(the voice actor for Bright) in 2006, most of his scenes in the game are cut, and his voiceovers reuse recorded material from ''A.C.E.''
Development
The game was shown to the public at the 2007 C3×HOBBY Chara-Hobby convention in Japan from August 18 to 20.
Music
Hitomi Shimatani
is a Japanese pop singer signed to the Avex Trax label.
Shimatani started her career as an Enka singer with the release of her debut single in 1999, but later decided to get into the dance/ pop style for her music. Shimatani's music has also ...
, who performed the opening and ending themes for the first ''A.C.E.'' game, returned to provide the themes for ''A.C.E. 3'' as well. The opening theme is named "Shinku" ("深紅", "Scarlet"), and the ending theme is "Ai no Uta" (愛の詩, "Poem of Love"). The single containing both songs was released on September 5, 2007, one day before the game was released.
Legacy
A sequel, ''
Another Century's Episode: R'', was released in Japan on August 19, 2010.
[https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/review/391240.html]
References
External links
*
{{FromSoftware games
2007 video games
Action games
Banpresto games
Crossover video games
FromSoftware games
Japan-exclusive video games
Video games about mecha
PlayStation 2 games
PlayStation 2-only games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Video games developed in Japan