Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies (PS2 Review)

If there is any specific gaming genre that has been historically underexposed on the PlayStation it would definitely be the flight combat/simulator category. This gaming group has been so neglected that during a gaming magazine’s retrospective on the best 10 PSOne games in each category a few years ago, they had a footnote under the flight-sim group that noted why there were only 7 games listed. You have to remember that there have been literally thousands of games released for the PlayStation and there weren’t enough games released to fill a top 10. 

 

The PS2 seems to have followed the same path of it’s older sibling. With so few flight games available for the system, it would be easy to release a substandard product onto a starving public. However, Namco has always taken pride in it’s games and usually gives it’s consumers a quality title. Ace Combat 4 (AC 4) is the introduction of a series to the PS2 that has been on the PlayStation since it’s beginnings in 1995 and has been known to the public as the premier flight game on the Sony Family. AC 4 continues to carry the torch for the next generation of hardware.

AC 4 brings you the evolution of the game through the eyes of a young boy. The storyline begins with the boy’s family being killed by a plane crashing into their home while he is on the way to school. The local town, along with most of the country, is occupied by the enemy and you are forced to retake what has been lost. The presentation of the CG cut-scenes is brought to you in the form of a story-board comic book approach with the child narrating his story. Eventually, the gameplay and the storyline meet in the middle and it all meshes together nicely. 

Namco gives you a solid desire to find out what happens next without forcing the player to flounder through hours of non-gaming game time. Bravo for someone finally getting the mix right.The main aspect that the true professional gamer worries about is control. Eye-candy is great to have as an extra, however if the game is unpalatable because of shoddy controls, it really is a waste of time. Namco understands this and gives solid and responsive control to AC 4. They have also utilized the pressure sensitive buttons on the DualShock 2 to their fullest extent. The right stick can even be used to look around your surroundings without changing your direction. Playing this version with the analog controls is a major improvement over the earlier digital-only games on the PSOne.   

There are 18 various missions with 6 different difficulty levels in which you can play them. These are not your run-of-the-mill tasks either. Sometimes you are going up against over 100 separate targets on land, sea and air while trying to beat the clock and reach your main target before time expires. Although this may be daunting, your plane is able to house enough weaponry to handle most missions and if you run out of ammo you can always land and rearm your plane. Be advised that the clock does not stop, so precious seconds, or minutes, may be ticking away because of an itchy trigger finger.

Computer AI opponents are not dead-in-the-water targets that wait for you to shoot them down. Underestimate their abilities or ignore their presence and you will be decorating the landscape with your prized plane. Concentrate too much on a single target and someone will slip in on your six. I’ve even experienced where the yellow squadron will bait you with one plane while another two are circling around to get the proper angle to reduce you to rubble. Lock-on missile shots are not a done deal, as planes will maneuver after you have fired. Then don’t forget about the ground forces while you are dogfighting as a SAM site is just waiting for you to get within range. This is one title that is not lacking for having plenty of action going on around you at all times. 

AC 4 gives the player 20 different aircraft from which to choose from. Most of these are instantly recognizable including the F-15E Strike Eagle, the MIG-29A Fulcrum and the tank busting A-10A Thunderbolt. Some of these are unlockable only after the game has been completed. Others must be purchased with credits that you earn while completing missions. Each plane also has unique secondary weaponry that can be bought to make life a little bit easier. Nevertheless, even with the best plane and the most powerful explosives don’t expect to turn any of your assignments into a walk in the park. You’ll have to earn your stripes the hard way.  

While most gamer pilots would drool at the opportunity to play a flight game with the song Danger Zone blasting in the background, Ace Combat 4 leans more towards the light opera-styled rock that adds, but doesn’t distract, to the game. Simulated voice contact with your fellow wingmen and bogeys is crisp and can be understood clearly. If fact, you can feel your chest swell with pride as the ground forces call over the radio their thanks for your timely arrival. All of the different sound aspects have an individual volume control so you can set the sound to your own personal liking. This is one game that you definitely won’t be hitting the mute button to listen to your own selection of tunes. 

Visually, AC 4 doesn’t fail to impress. Your line of sight is completely to the horizon. There is no clipping, slowdown or draw-in evident at all. The graphics are topnotch and offer some of the best to be seen this side of an actual PC Flight Sim. Some of the night missions can be difficult to see where you are, however I would expect that to be the way it is in real life screaming at 500 knots in pitch blackness. 

There are 3 different views that you can choose from and each plane has a unique cockpit view which can be exceptionally challenging. Some of the plane’s cockpits are very claustrophobic and visually limiting, just as they are in real life. If you can beat the game using this option on the Ace difficulty then you really need to contact your local Air Force or Naval Recruiter immediately.

There is also one of the neatest extras ever seen in a PS2 game. I call it the missle-cam. If you hold down the fire button when releasing a missile, your point of view changes and you actually get to see your shot fly through the air towards your target. By using this, you can relish in the kill. Nevertheless, it is not recommended to be used when you have a dozen angry fighters buzzing you from every direction unless you would like to join your most recent conquest in a parachuting race to the ground.

Since AC4 was released before the network adapter, there is no online play in this version. Hopefully this will be something that Namco adds in its future renditions. However, there is a 2-player verses mode where you can take on a friend to find out who is the true ace of aces. There also is an excellent flight tutorial which can turn most flight rookies into professional dogfighters within mere minutes.

Namco gives us a well-rounded product that towers over the competition. The shelf-life of the game is above average and only the most dedicated player will actually complete the game on its highest difficulty. If you are looking for a topnotch flier, you can call off the search. This one is a must-have for any PS2 owner.

Difficulty: 9

Control: 10

Visual: 9

Sound: 9

Replayability: 9

Overall: 9.5