Flight combat at its best.
Thanks to Namco, they have kept their tradition alive ever since their
first version of flight combat arrived with Air Combat on the PS1. The game offered lots of fun with great features.
However, Namco seemed to start going the wrong direction with the series. They changed the name from "Air Combat" to "Ace Combat" with
the sequel Ace Combat 2. The game still had some good qualities, and overall it was still fun, but the game had lost a little flare. Unfortunately Ace Combat 3 didn’t make up for the lost ground and fell flat. Ace Combat 3 is definitely the worst of the entire series and the last one made for the PS1.
After Ace Combat 3, I really wasn't sure if Namco would try anymore. To be honest, I kind of hoped there wouldn't be anymore so that Namco wouldn't embarrass themselves any longer. Thankfully, they gave it another shot. With the next-gen consoles capable of so much more, the series went from mediocre to supreme king. Ace Combat 4 is the best combat in the skies.
The previous three titles never really had any problems with the graphics, but of course they don't stand a chance when compared to the graphics in Ace Combat 4. This is all in thanks to the much more powerful graphics processor in the PS2. The modeling of every single fighter jet has been done amazingly. My only beef is that the landing gear on each jet does not match the quality visuals of the rest of the plane, but of course this is very minor. Also, the detail of each environment is beautiful. From altitudes of 2000 feet or higher, you'll be able to see that the land has a lot of detail to it. If you drop below 2000 feet, you'll start to notice that the terrain looks a little blocky and the textures are somewhat blurry, but it’s really not that noticeable. The skies seem very realistic, as in some areas you will notice a slight layer of clouds and fog that will make for low visibility, but of course that is done on purpose to make the game look more realistic.
If you’ve ever played another of the other Ace Combat titles, you’ll know that much of the fun comes from the arcade-style play. If you’re a hardcore flyer and you want an experience that is nearly life-like, you might want to look elsewhere. This game relies heavily on its fast-pace action. Expect to battle up to 50 fighter jets and use over 100 missiles all in just one mission alone.
The game is presented so well that you really feel like you’re part of the war. There is even a story told with a strange twist throughout the entire war. Your initial thought might be that a story for this kind of game would just be corny, but it actually gives the game more depth and makes complete sense. On top of all of this, the game is just an absolute blast to play.
The game also adds some nice background music to match the action, although most the time you’re so caught up in the battle that you don’t even notice the music. The sound effects are done pretty well, as the explosions rumble and the jets screech by one another. Also adding to the depth is the constant chatter from your wingmates, but after a while it starts to get a little repetitive.
You can beat this game in about 5 hours if you’re extremely efficient, but chances are you’ll spend a lot of time playing because you can even continue with your existing lineup of jets even after you’ve beat the game. So once you start playing through the game for the 2nd time, you’ll still get the jets you’ve already purchased. This game is just so much fun, you won’t mind playing through the game 3 or 4 times.
So if you are looking for lots of action or if you just ever thought it would be cool to fly jets around and blow stuff up, this game is for you. Flight combat has never been more fun than this.