More importantly, the gameplay has been beefed up as well. Ace has the traditional foot-based platforming missions, but gets both primary and secondary weapons, each with the possibility of four upgrades. If the firepower's not enough, he can also procure special tools such as claw boots (walk on walls), jetpacks (catch some air), glide wings (catchsome more air) and power armbands (lift, then throw, heavy stuff). If it all looks and plays a little like Ratchet & Clank-lite, that isn't necessarily a bad thing.
Plus, it's only a third of the game. The rest will be spent piloting the aforementioned spaceship as Abby (the duck) or a massive war tank as Runt (the pig). The mechanics of these levels are still being worked out, but already, they seem to involve a healthy dose of cartoonish mayhem and destruction. And, just like Ace, both vehicles can be majorly upgraded and decked out with fun gadgets over the course of the game.
Can Ace in Action really appeal to anyone who's graduated from grade school? With a refreshing mix of alternating gameplay styles and a campy sci-fi story that promises to parody both Star Trek and Star Wars, it just might succeed. If not, at least parents could have something entertaining enough to sit through with their kids.
We'll have further coverage in the near future. Until then, check out the Images tab or the trailer located behind the Movies tab for more.
