Aero Elite: Combat Academy

"Heavy training...but no Ace Killer"

Flight simulation games pretty much start and end with the Ace Combat series and that has been a long-standing rule since the series was induced on the original Play Station. With the games becoming more realistic in the way that they are played and the actual game play itself becoming more and more intense there is something here that could be the considered a sleeper hit. Although the game play is fairly weak, the training modes are probably your best bet when you start playing the game because you’ll learn to play the game in a way that you probably haven’t thought of before. Considering that there is a ton of things to do, it still won’t stack up against the mighty giant that is Ace Combat 4.

Flight simulation games have all the makings of being something very deep and very impressive if you allow them the chance to grow on you. Where you would drive cars all over the place to learn the physics of the car that you’re in, you are now in the air and the physics of flying the fighter jet is something completely different. Filled with plenty of missions that you can undertake, or an in-depth training mode, there are several different ways that you can attack this title and have a little fun with it. If you can get into the simulation mode, you’ll find more depth to it with the testing than you will with the arcade mode that simply has you blazing through the skies at top speed.

The pilot-training courses have plenty to do with the game overall and this is where you’ll be spending most of your time if you’re really into the intricacies of piloting an airplane. These courses teach you how to brake in mid-flight, keep a lock on and go through several different types of aircraft including a very impressive and hard to complete training mission with a helicopter. If I could compare this game and the way that these training modes fall into place, I would liken it to the Pilot Wings for the old Super Nintendo Entertainment System. Some of these missions are hard while others are exceptionally easy once you’ve learned how to control your jet.

The overall difficulty in the game is unforgiving and you’ll find that to be extremely true with the arcade mode. If you happen to make one mistake in the air and let your opponent get around you, you’ll find yourself in a world of hurt without having a chance to strike back. Even though I enjoy a strict challenge like that, I do have a tendency to get irate when I know I hit the bastard and I end up going down in a wall of flames because it didn’t hit and I screwed up. Hence, the training courses turn from being an option into being something that you almost have to invest your time in to be able to complete and play the game correctly.

It is easy enough to get into the basic controls, though you have to learn how to use them in advanced situations. Movements and tactics such as missile firing with a lock-on and advanced dodging of your opponent when they’re looking to take you out are imperative to be successful. All of the advanced moves are taught in the training mode as long as you’re willing to go through the strict guidelines to learn the maneuvers. For those of you who are veterans to the genre, there should be little or no problem picking up on what it is that you have to accomplish, though working with the Dual Shock analog sticks might get a little confusing.

The appealing part of the game that caught my eye, were the sweet and fast visual displays of aerial combat. With several different jet designs in the game and the true sense of speed, there is plenty here that will greet you with eye-candy to rival that of Ace Combat 4. The weapon effects really do plenty to immerse you into the game and the crazy camera angles will give you motion sickness if you’re not prepared. There are some points that I really did enjoy with the training missions, with the explanation of the helicopter to be one of the shining moment. Dedicated fans to the genre will see the realism in the way that the combat is presented and the way that the fighter jets react in the middle of an intense firefight.

Getting into the audio themes of the game, the only thing that I can say is that this has to be one of the best audio tracks that I’ve heard in an aerial combat simulation game. The constant rocking tunes of heavy metal bands and the heavy guitar rifts will keep you in tune with the overall speed and combat of the game. Some of the sound effects get lost in the wave of rifts though and you might be straining to hear a little gunfire and some missiles going off in the distance. However, if you combine the two and you lighten the music up a little bit, you have the perfect combination of hard-hitting music and heavy-duty battle sounds.

Aero Elite is the game that you should try out if you’re looking for something new after beating on Ace Combat 4 and you think that you’re really a top-notch aerial combatant. While it doesn’t have quite the expansive game play options that other flight simulation games do, there are some merits to the way that the game handles in the training modes that will keep you glued. Even though you might never use the actual techniques in the game, you might be tempted to try it out somewhere else other than this game. Good visuals and a theme inspiring music gives way to a great sensory presentation, but you might find that the control takes some work and the game play is just a little too difficult for beginners.

Reviewer's Score: 8/10, Originally Posted: 03/19/03, Updated 03/19/03