"To Date The Best Ace Combat Game"

I have played all the Ace Combat games, even the ancient and often forgotten Air Combat. Ace Combat 3 was my favorite in the old generation, the combination of Aircraft Technology with great graphics and gameplay made it one of my favorite PSone games. When Ace Combat 4 came out I was right there ready to take the next step in the franchise. I beat Ace Combat 4 relatively fast and then decided it was time to move on to the next in the series. Now a full year later, after beating Ace Combat Zero, I am back to Ace Combat 5 and ready to write my review.

Graphics: 9/10

I have always thought the aircraft games showcase the graphics of a system best. If you go back and place Ace Combat 3 on the PSone, I think everyone would agree it's a great looking game. With the PS2 reaching its maturity, it's only fitting that an Ace Combat game showcase the graphics, resolution, and special fx. The models of the planes this time around are improved and shiny. I thought the weather conditions and clouds were much better than previously and the gigantic airships very detailed once closer to them. The special effects are pretty good with emphasis on motion blur and heat blur, the explosions are still a little weak, but the smoke effects make up for it. The speed of the game is great and you really feel it when traveling at 1100 mph or so. Overall, I would say the graphics are probably the weakest part of this game, and that's not saying much. The weakest point in the graphics is when you approach the ground within a few hundred feet and see that the surface, which looks decent from 1000 feet or so, becomes a pixelated nightmare and appears to be rough pixels and polygons. This is the lowest point in the game but anyone who plays airfcraft games got used to this about 20 years ago.

Sound: 10/10

Upon first playing Ace Combat 5, I was really edgy about how I was going to handle all the talking. This game explores realistic/not-so-realistic radio chatter during missions and flight times. The voiceovers are actually far above average and the voice actors actually manage to have an emotional affect on the listener. Now, I will admit this might have to do with repeating missions so many times that after the 10th time you get the feeling they really do need your help or you will be trapped in purgatory trying to beat this mission. The fact that I can still name the characters and hear their voices in my head, and not go crazy, is a great thing, especially for an aircraft game. The use of sound and voices are what make this the best Ace Combat game in my opinion. The music is good as usual, but mostly just background, although a few theme songs actually might manage to raise the goosebumps and cause an emotional reaction. They use music and sound in the most creative way for a game of this type and that's why I rate the sound so high in this game. Also there is the usual sound effects including explosions, machine guns, missiles impactng and missing, radar blips, and laser beams. The sound design in the game subermerges you deeper into the pilot's chair than any aircraft game I've played so far. There are more than a few memorable moments in sound that occur in this game and will remain part of your gaming memory for the rest of your life. Granted, some people will not be able to stand the repeated lines upon repeating a mission for the forth time, or get tired of hearing one of your stupid co-pilots idiotic blabberings, but in the end it created an emotional connection to each pilot, and upped your desire to get involved and do your best to protect your wingmates.

Gameplay 10/10

Ace Combat 5 has the best gameplay of any of the Ace Combat games as well, other than Ace Combat 3's beautiful Space Level, there's not much more this game could do. Labyrinthine Canyons? Check. Underground Bunkers? Check. High Altitude Interceptions? Check. Decoring bunkers in mountainsides? Check. It's all here and its complicated. Granted you can just fly and gun, but utilizing the Wingmate System is the key to survival and success. You can actually control your wingmates and tell them to cover you, disperse, use special weapons, or attack. At first it's easy to go at it alone like you have for the past 4 games, but there are a few missions that require you to give orders. By the time you are at the end of the game you will be barking orders like a true Captain and watching your wingmates follow your orders perfectly. The AI is much improved over previous games and opponents will shoot you down and team up on you imploring different traps and methods to get you in their sights. I consider myself very good at these games at this point, and more than often was shot down by normal enemies who had trapped me, usually by mere number. Also there are Ace encounters in this game, where you will fight against squadrons of specialized pilots who are usually next to impossible to defeat. They are a great challenge for anyone who loves dog fights. There are also usually more than enough targets per level, and you will find yourself resorting to machine guns more in this Ace Combat than any other. Besides all the normal targets, tanks and aircrafts, there are a number of fairly original targets, super aircrafts and fortresses. The game contains a huge variety in missions and each mission is a challenge in itself sometimes taking upwards of 20 minutes to complete. Overall, the gameplay is what makes this game remarkable and the fact that it's a year since I got this game and I still have tons of unlocking to do and missions I still enjoy playing.

Lasting Appeal: 10/10

There a ton of aircraft to unlock, from high speed interceptors to stealth bombers, from experimental aircrafts of yesteryear to futuristic laser toting supersonic scramjet superplanes. The sheer amount of planes will keep you involved in this game for years. The game does have that "Tekken 5" vibe in that you feel like you will never be able to afford all the planes. In fact, I just recently (after 6 months of playing) managed to unlock and afford the Falken, a legendary final jet in the game, and had to sell all my planes except a few in order to afford it, but that was okay. This time around you have to play and successfully shoot down targets to get enough experience points to unlock new jets, besides unlocking jets by completing levels and defeating enemies. I still haven't unlocked 10-16 planes, and that is okay with me because I will continue to play this game for years. Compared to Ace Combat 4 and Zero, this game has the best lasting appeal, the hardest difficulty, and the most intense gameplay. It took me months to beat Ace Combat 5, but I beat both Ace Combat 4 and Zero in a matter of days. In my opinion, anyone that loves war or aircraft games, should definitely own this game. It's a must have for your PS2 and another excellent game by Namco.

OVERALL SCORE: 10/10

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 02/23/07