offspringer's Full Review: Ace Combat 2 for PlayStation 1
Ace Combat 2 may be almost three years old, but it's still the best of Namco's Ace Combat series and ranks up there as one of the best games of its type, with great play control, above-average graphics, and branching missions and hidden goodies for added replay value. Interestingly, this title was never re-released as one of Sony's Greatest Hits titles, so finding this title may be a bit tough, but you'll find that it just might be worth the effort, especially for dogfighting fans.
Keeping in mind that the game came out nearly three years ago, rating this game's graphics is a bit tough. Many gamers today might see Ace Combat 2 as looking a bit grainy and somewhat pixelated; however, the game does a good job representing many different real military aircraft, like F-14s, F-16s, F-22s, MiG-29s, and more. The backgrounds are also functional, although they are somewhat pixelated, as well. The light-shading that Namco has generally used in a lot of its titles is not here, either; however, the backgrounds, including cities, targets, and times of day are convincing enough that they set the proper mood for your attack. Everything on-screen tends to move at a steady frame rate, with little to no slowdown. Little details, like smoke trails from missiles and lights on some city buildings are also nice to see. Basically, while the graphics aren't exactly state-of-the-art, they are functional and convey the game's aircraft and surroundings well. The game's sound and music also fit nicely, with booming explosions, decent chatter from wingmen and from your co-pilot, and some good music to keep you pumped up while on your mission. The only fault that I have with the music is that it tends to loop around too quickly, and during longer missions, it can be slightly annoying.
Gameplay is where Ace Combat 2 excels. The game controls are easier to learn than in most combat/flight sims that are out there, and there are different control schemes for different skill levels. It's thrilling to line up a bogey, lock on, and take that missile shot without having to concentrate too much on the controls. The enemy's artificial intelligence ranges from average to ace, depending not only on which skill level that you choose, but also on the pilot of the craft, itself. There are enemy aces out there, which are identifiable by call sign or the Z.O.E. designation, which not only are tough kills, but can help you to score higher and unlock hidden features in the game, like new aircraft, mission select, and more. The mission structure is also designed so that there are branching options. This means that you can choose one mission or another, based on money earned or based on mission objective, for example. Obviously, money earned is important because pilots can use that money to buy new (and much better) aircraft. There are enough missions that most gamers won't be able to play all the way through Ace Combat 2 in one sitting, and the branching missions and hidden goodies give enough reason to play through the game at least a second time.
Finding a copy of Ace Combat 2 may be a tough mission in and of itself, but the rewards are big. This game is fun to play, and there's always something special to be said for planting a missile up the tailpipe of an enemy aircraft. This is the closest to Top Gun nirvana that you will find on the PlayStation, and in some gameplay respects, bests even Konami's Air Force Delta for the Dreamcast; in fact, more than a few of Air Force Delta's missions closely resemble missions found in this game. As with most games of this type, Ace Combat 2 is not for everyone; however, if you've ever had the urge to shoot down some bogeys, Ace Combat 2 is your vehicle, and it's a fun ride to take.
(This is a repost of an Epinion that I wrote that had technical problems.)
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