Fun, easy, short, the perfect rental.
Graphics - The graphics in this game are top notch like any other Tom Clancy game. The environment is detailed nicely and each plane has it's own unique look. Explosions and inside of the cockpits are all great too. I can't really think of too much to say that was bad about the graphics, so I won't!
Sound - Same with graphics. Everything is presented well.
Gameplay - IMO, I thought the controls were great. I know flight sim enthusiasts aren't going to fall in love with these arcade-ish style flight controls, but I liked them just fine. This is one of those games with a very quick learning curve, and perhaps too quick. Maybe the biggest thing which made me believe this game might not be worth the buy though is difficulty. I thought it was incredibly easy. I started the game in Elite mode (the hardest mode), continued to play it on Elite mode, and beat the game within 2 days (or about 10 hours of gameplay). Above anything else, this is the one reason I would not buy this game (but would gladly rent it). Also, each mission seems to be too much like the other. I know it's kind of hard for an air-combat game to reinvent the wheel with each level, but something different from fly around and killing enemies would be nice. And this is coming from a gamer whose favorite genre is racing, so I have a high tolerance for doingVERY repetitive levels.
I also should mention that the CRAZY TRIANGLE SYSTEM (try to bear with me being overly technical) is pretty nifty too. At any time when your getting chased down you can press a button which shows the ideal path to evade missiles, or hit certain ground targets.
Story - Very surprising for this genre (but not surprising for a Tom Clancy game), this game actually has a good story. You start off as a pilot for a PMC, sh*t goes down, you become a pilot for the US. I don't want to spoil much but you'll be surprised in how much you enjoy the story.
Features - I'll be honest, I didn't play any multiplayer. When I played this game over my break my internet was cruddy and I could never connect to a server. I imagine though that the multiplayer adds a good deal of replay value to this game. There is a ranking system which feels very similar to Rainbow Six Vegas 2. I also have to say, I like that games are letting you track your exact stats more and more.
Overall - Although I wouldn't buy this game, I definitely was glad I played it. I know some people have a little more free cash to spend than others, but if I were to spend my cash on a game, I wouldn't buy this one. If I can beat the EXPERT mode in 10 hours, without even being a big flight-sim enthusiast, I can't imagine how fast people who enjoy this genre would tear this game up. Everything looks, sounds, and controls great... but its the same looks, sounds, and controls constantly for 10 hours in a row.
MY VERDICT: Rental