Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies

"A beautiful sequel that surpasses its predecessors"

Ace Combat 4 ,the fourth installment within a long running series is finally out. Having played through Ace Combat 1-3(Japanese version) this game really surprised me and manages to beat its predecessors in almost every way.I
will breakdown the review into the categories of story,
graphics,sound,control and gameplay.

Story: I won't write much about the story as I don't want to spoil it for you. I will ,however, give a short summary.
The story takes place in a world that has the misfortune of being hit by meteor showers. On one fateful day, a large meteor hit and threw the world into chaos. It was then that
a nation built Stone hendge ,massive rail guns that could shoot down meteors. It wasn't long before this nation realized the potential of their weapon to useful as anti-aircraft guns. In time, other nations subjugated for fear
of being targeted by Stone hendge. But a rebellion was on the rise and it is where you ,Mobius 1 and your fellow wing men will embark on high risk missions to liberate your countrymen and eventually become heroes..

As stated before by the previews Ace Combat's story is told in stills to accompany the narration. This makes a simple story all the more compelling. It must be stated that AC 3's story was deeper than this one. AC 3's story and setting were very unique. Being set in the future it involved many different characters(all of which were memorable), different plot branches and fantasy aircraft.
I would have loved to see that level of story and character interaction in Ace Combat. Nonetheless, Ace Combat 4's story and setting are still great and shouldn't deter AC 3
fans from obtaining this gem.

Graphics: Well what can I say? It's really amazing to see each visual leap Ace Combat sequel is compared to its predecessor.Now Ace Combat 3 was gorgeous but Ace Combat 4
is really out there in terms of visuals. Maybe it's because I'm an art major that makes me so impressed because I know how long it takes to render out these planes and their environments using Maya or 3D Studio Max and I'm at complete disbelief at these visuals.Gone is the old cardboard look from Ace Combat 1, 2 and 3 as well (as it was noticeable on some planes).The planes are tirelessly rendered including such details as complete look around cockpits for each plane.Missile deploys light up the underside of your plane.Their contrails are even more realistic this time around. Air resistance can be seen on your wing whenever you turn hard or slow down.Reflections from different light sources run smoothly over your plane. Even the discoloration of metal on some planes such as the F-14 can be seen.

The planes animate smoothly as well. With flaps reacting to user input. Engine modulators retract or expand again in sync with user input. All of this is placed in a photo realistic environment that varies upon each mission.
Not to mention that this runs all at 60 frames a second. This is level of detail is only equaled by such games as
Gran Turismo 3.

Sound:This game has a great soundtrack consisting of dramatic scores,techno,rock and roll,and opera. Yes, even opera. A note to AC 2 fans, in mission 8 : Shattered Skies
you'll hear a great remix of Warning Line . While the music is great, the soundeffects are fantastic. Aside from accurately recreating engine noises, Namco included a lot of friend and enemy chatter. You'll hear them respond to your actions. And it will really give you an immersing feel as you'll get the sense of how many people are depending on you to come through for them in these missions. Just Awesome.

Control:It's not often that I find a game that makes smart use of the Dualshock's features but Ace Combat 4 does it so well that it's worth talking about.Every button responds to analog input. You can zoom in to the map, break hard ,accelerate hard and keep track of your current target.
You can even follow your missiles as they seek out their destination.
In addition, every shock wave can be felt. If jets pass by at supersonic speeds you'll feel it. If you turn hard you'll
feel it. If you use afterburners you'll feel it. Even the shock waves from Stone hendges rail blasts are enough to violently destabilize your plane.The controls are in short, dead on. Fantastic job.

Gameplay: The heart of Ace Combat 4. To tell you the truth, I was very skeptical of Ace Combat 4. I mean what was so different? What was new? The story and setting from Ace Combat 3 were gone. I would have to fly planes that I used in Ace Combat 1 and 2. So what made me keep it? Well, I'll tell you.

Having played through the other three ACs I immediately started a game on Hard and hours later I finished(exhausted). As expected the first two missions were standard AC fare. Every mission from then on was completely different. I had to destroy oil rigs.Intercept fighters with no radar. Provide air support for ground troops(I swear that that mission looked like a scene from Saving Private Ryan). Defend defectors from enemy aces.Destroy satellite targeting systems. Shoot down well hidden target jamming blimps. The missions were so varied that I jokingly asked myself '' When am I going to fly through valley?''I did actually, but this time not to track down a submarine, or chase a spy F-117 as in the other Ace Combats ,rather, I had to scramble for cover from Stonehedges blasts. This was so well integrated within the mission that it was at that moment that I realized that Namco did more than just spend time on graphics and sound.

In addition, the fighter planes are all unique. The different armament and capabilities make you think twice before picking a plane and going off on a sortie.You'll have to think about ground targets as well as enemy aircraft. The wrong choice will be definitely be felt through these missions.Another great touch that breaks the monotony of just going around and shooting things down.

Another thing is that the enemy fighter planes really flew well.I could really get a sense that they were using skill to avoid lockons and missiles and not some cheap computer enhanced maneuvering. This was my biggest gripe with Ace Combat 3,while it was cool to launch 6 missiles at once(Macross Style)on the harder difficulty none of them would hit.This would reduce a payload of 198 missiles to 30 before you eventually shot the plane down.These 'pilots'
could execute maneuvers you couldn't, even if you used the same plane.But in AC 4 you really get the feel for what an Ace can do. As they brake,turn hard, stay close,loop, corkscrew, break all in effort to get a better position.
In time and with practice you'll gain enough ability to pull off these maneuvers and shoot down enemy aircraft.I love a game that forces me to get better by learning its language and in this case observing and mimicking enemy fighter plane movement is essential to completing a mission successful.

The game is a bit short but there are modes to play after
finishing it once.Free mission and SP continue will keep you occupied for some time.While two player will definitely
be fun for two. I do wish that Namco allowed for different views in this mode but all in all it is nice to see it make a return.There are also other secrets to unlock but I won't spoil it for you.And lastly, there's the nice music player mode for pure listening enjoyment.

In the end, this game manages to breath new life into an old series and is definitely worth a purchase.I don't play many games anymore but this one is not only stellar in quality but a great example of how with enough time and hard work an old concept can be redone in a totally new way.You would do well to get this game. Namco has truly outdone itself with this title.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 10/28/01, Updated 10/28/01