Medal System - the same system introduced in ACE2 and carried over to ACE5 and ZERO will again be making an appearance in ACE-X. How it works: every time a pilot fulfills specific game conditions, he/she will receive a medal to recognize this achievement. Such conditions/achievements include surpassing the target number of enemies brought down and providing damage control for a mission. There are 36 obtainable medals all in all, and will also be available in multiplayer mode.

Free Mission Mode - allows you to replay completed missions, enabling you to challenge yourself to gain a higher score or finish a mission in a shorter time. The points earned in a free mission are usable in Campaign Mode, making it easier for players to save up and buy a plane. The details of the mission and its conditions are also customizable, you can strengthen enemy weapons or have the enemy's reserves appear, etc.

Color Variation - ACE-X wouldn't give justice to the ACE series if it didn't have the color customizing options that the series is known for, so for ACE-X, Namco will also allow players to choose between four types of color options on all planes, from the camouflage design to the more eye-catching colors.

Mini Games:

Touch and Go (Landing/Take-off Practice) -  We don't know how we can explain this any further as the heading says it all. But yeah, basically, this will allow you to ditch the jittery take-offs and make suave landings by mastering these initial and final steps in a mission.

Mid-Air Refueling Practice - this mini-game will allow your plane to stay in flight for extended periods of time. However, this can be quite tricky as you need to sync your plane perfectly with another plane in flight. But hey, if you think you're a master pilot and can pull off this stunt, no one's stopping you. For neophytes, all we're saying is proceed with caution.

Carrier Touch and Go Practice - this will give you the thrilling experience of being shot off into the sky via a slingshot system, but, like the mid-air refueling, this requires extraordinary precision. Also, only carrier-based aircraft can take off and land from a carrier. So if you select any other kind of plane, you won't be able to play this mini game.

Scheduled for a US release on October 17th, Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception is perfect for pilot wannabes and aviation fanatics. We'll keep you posted for more updates.

Via IGN