Ace Combat 2

"The best flight game for PSX yet!"

Ace Combat 2 (08.15.97, Namco) is the sequel to Air Combat, the launch-day title also for the PlayStation game console. I have always loved flight sims, especially those tuned towards arcade physics and flight rather than simulation, so I played Air Combat to death. Ace Combat 2 is another wonderful installment in Namco’s series.

Graphics: 9/10
Ace Combat 2 features some of the best graphics I have ever seen on the PlayStation, and we should expect no less from Namco. The plane models are nothing less than extraordinary, and the visuals and backgrounds in play are at times breathtaking. The only thing keeping me from rewarding the graphics with a perfect score is the fact that the landscape rendering leaves much to be desired. For example, cities consist of 3D buildings surrounded by 2D “suburbia” – lines with shadows made to look like 3D objects from a distance. As a result flying close to the ground often brings you back to reality, and this occurs with normal, non-city terrain as well.

Audio: BGM: 10/10 Sound: 8/10
I have always been a huge fan of Namco’s Sound Team – Ridge Racer, Air Combat, whatever. The music in this installment of the Air Combat series, while in a sense more hollow (possibly because the music is no longer read directly off the CD), tends to be more complex and mood-setting. Also, there seem to be a few more tracks than the original.
. . . I felt the sound left a little to be desired... it seemed rather mediocre. Nothing that really detracts from gameplay, but nothing particularly good either.

Gameplay: 9/10 subscores: Control: 10/10 AI: 8/10
Gameplay is where this game really sparkles, especially in terms of improvements from the original. The control is much easier to master, especially for beginners, and is generally very simple to use. The direction of the plane I’m controlling seems to just flow from my fingertips, whereas in Air Combat some effort was required to get even the best planes to do exactly what I wanted.
. . . Enemy AI leaves a bit to be desired. For beginners and even intermediate players, the enemy aircraft AI should be challenging enough that combat remains engaging, but for more experienced sim warriors, the AI may not offer much. I often found the aircraft making the same moves over and over, and as such enemy planes became very predictable even on the hardest difficulty setting.
. . . In terms of general gameplay, this game is plain out fun. You go through some 30-odd missions with many differing scenarios, and there are a multitude of planes to use, so there is plenty of variety.

Length/Replayability: 9/10
The game does not take particularly long to complete, but going through 30 missions will keep you busy. There is actually significant replay value, as there are three difficulty levels, and you will have to go through the game at least twice in order to unlock all the stages. Also, you will have to beat the extra mode of the game to unlock all the special features. So... to beat the game once, won’t take long; to completely finish the game and get everything cool, will take a while.

FINAL SCORE: 9/10
Grats to Namco for another successful game. This is one for simulation and arcade flight sim fans alike; I believe that both types of players will enjoy this game. Definitely worth consideration by every PSX owner – I bet we’ll see this as a Greatest Collections eventually.
(originally written 10.17.97)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 07/16/01, Updated 07/16/01