When I was approached by ACE to review their virtual shooting simulator, I was immediately intrigued. Living in the Midwest, the number of gun ranges feels just about in line with the churches and bars that I can find in any small town. I’ve spent a lot of time at places like this in my life, as well. Going to shooting ranges with my Dad and Brother when I was younger, we made sure to follow the rules and just had fun. But as we continue getting older, time is no longer on our side. It’s harder than ever to get together, and for my brother, specifically, going out in public can be difficult. You see, my brother was involved in a car accident that left him paralyzed from the waist down. That’s why I wanted to review ACE more than anything.
The ‘Ace Virtual Shooting Simulator’ Unlocked Something in My Brother’s Mind, and I’m Beyond Happy About It
One of the first questions I had for the ACE team when they first approached me about this was mobility. A lot of VR games require players to move around, ducking, sometimes even jumping, and moving out of the way. For someone like my brother, a lot of these tasks are impossible. I was happy to hear that, after official confirmation from the ACE team, there were plenty of wheelchair-bound users who have purchased and used this, all with fantastic results. So, I had to put that claim to the test.
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Before handing the ACE unit off to my brother, I had to try it out myself. I got myself situated in my office chair and got to work. Rather than being an arcade shooter, ACE tries to emulate the feeling of being at a gun range. I must say, it does a fantastic job of this. If you’ve ever been to an outdoor range, you’re used to the sights and sounds. The digital ranges that ACE put up before my eyes looked exactly like… well, almost every outdoor range here in Wisconsin. Dirt piles to my left and right, with several different targets directly in front of my face.
‘ACE’ Also Ensures To Prioritize Gun Safety, Effectively Disqualifying You if You Don’t Follow It Exactly
ACE also makes sure you know the rules of the range. At the start of a drill, if you aren’t pointing the barrel of the gun down, you won’t be able to start. If you don’t follow these rules? Your score won’t count. Seeing as there are leaderboards and some incredibly competitive other players, you’ll want to make sure that you’re following the rules that are given to you. I appreciate the fact that ACE thought ahead to implement things like this, especially since they’re creating a product that is meant to emulate the act of competitive shooting.
I was also surprised by the sheer number of different drills and activities available within the ACE application. There are some that function as, essentially, quickdraw and shoot events. Some more “fantastical” modes where I had to target and shoot down targets that were coming in via flying drone. There were even cardboard zombies that I could try and shoot. While I was having the time of my life, I knew there was someone else who was going to appreciate this even more.
So, after giving him the lowdown and the details on what he needed to do to navigate through the ACE app, it was time for Patrick to have some fun. Watching a smile crack on his face, something I hadn’t seen in quite a while, was beautiful. Funnily enough, his only other VR experiences have been with Gun Club, another VR shooting gallery. But with the realism of ACE added to the fray, and the use of the true-to-size and weight handgun accessory, it was pure bliss.
Seeing My Brother Crack a Smile While Blasting Targets in ‘Ace Virtual Shooting Sim’ Made It All Worth It
My older brother and I couldn’t be any more different. He’s always been the hunt, fish, camp kind of person, whereas I’ve always been more of a technology nerd. But, even then, one thing we could connect on was the world of video games. Sure, his resume isn’t exactly the most impressive. His gaming roster typically consists of the latest Monster Energy Supercross game, or maybe a new Madden if he’s feeling like getting back into the football spirit. But I’m always trying to help him expand his horizons, and I think that ACE may be the key.
He doesn’t have a VR headset of his own, but he’s highly considering getting one after trying this out. Why, you may be asking? Because, as someone who has spent countless hours of his life blasting through boxes upon boxes of ammunition, ACE is the real deal. It’s incredibly accurate to the feeling of real life, and part of that comes from the nearly one-to-one recreations of these handguns. Upon receiving my review unit in the box, I was genuinely shocked to feel how heavy the SIG P320-XFIVE LEGION Handset was. For those worried, there are no working parts in any of these handguns; they’re white with orange accents to avoid looking too realistic, but offer a proper tactile feel. The trigger is clicky, there is no recoil or blowback, and the small but easy-to-find reload button is all that we’ve got to deal with here.
Daily Drills, Weekly Exercises, and Plenty of Content Make This an Extremely Enticing Package
On top of all of the standard drills I could go through, Daily Challenges, Weekly Exercises, and multiplayer keep me coming back to see what else is going on. I also feel confident to say that my own skills, or those of my brother, would be genuinely improved after messing around with ACE for roughly a month’s time. I could see this being a very valuable tool for competitive shooters. It also offers a fantastic way for folks around the globe to connect, especially since the community is incredibly helpful and kind.
I was worried that, being fairly inexperienced myself, I would face ridicule when in multiplayer sessions. Instead, I was surrounded by groups of genuinely helpful players who wanted to see me succeed. The online gaming space is typically filled with trolls and negative folks. The people here, on the other hand? Sweet as pie, and incredibly awesome to interact with. I could see people forming legitimate friendships because of the multiplayer offered here. It could also be the perfect way for my brother and me to reconnect, especially since we don’t live in the same house.
One thing to keep in mind, however, is that ACE does require a subscription. Coming in at roughly $19.99 a month, it can be a little expensive. But comparing it to the cost of ammo at an actual range? That’s pocket change. Fun fact: ACE does keep track of how many shots you fired, as well as a live counter for the money you’ve saved. Fun little feature, if you ask me.
‘Ace Virtual Shooting Simulator’ Brought a Smile to Not Only My Face, but Someone Who Needed It More
I never thought that a shooting range simulator would quickly become one of my favorite VR experiences. But after watching my brother joyfully experiencing a pastime I thought was gone forever, I was completely on board. In the future, I’m hoping to get him his own headset so we can virtually hang out on the range. Just like we did in the old days. Watching him joyfully experience something he thought was forever lost was an amazing experience, and one that I would happily pay monthly to see him experience again.
ACE Virtual Shooting Simulator surprised me. It’s got real-world benefits for competitive shooters, but also offers enough “gaminess” for folks like me. The online environment is phenomenal. Accurate to what it’s trying to emulate, and accessible to players of any ability. That’s what VR should be all about, and ACE excels greatly by that metric. But most importantly? It gave my brother a reason to be happy. That’s worth it in itself.
Verdict: Best In Its Class
ACE Virtual Shooting Simulator is available exclusively on Meta Quest headsets. A code was provided by the publisher for the sake of review. Reviewed on Meta Quest 3.
