Ace Combat 5

[mikeszekely]

I'll say it again--if you didn't know that this was an ARCADE-STYLE game set in THE FUTURE with FICTIONAL NATIONS at war with FICTIONAL SQUADRONS, it's your own fault. Ace Combat is well-known and well-liked with nearly a half-dozen games now. This is not some obscure series nobody knows what it's like. Anybody could have told you what it's like, or any magazine, or a demo, or the previous games.

PS---the really big tip-off that it's not going to be a realistic sim is the fact that a PS2 only has like 12 buttons. Not a keyboard+throttle+joystick and 500-page manual. Has there EVER been an even half-assed realistic sim-style game on any console ever? Why expect one now? Not until we get an 85-button controller.

Besides, I don't see how going up with only four missiles could be any fun.

[Wumzi]

Today, the unthinkable happened... I saved over my latest save with a fresh game

Granted, it's not so bad considering I have another one which I did right after I finished the game the first time. But I lost all of my upgraded planes. Man, that was a lot of kills to get that damn F-16 upgraded.

[Keith]

Hmm, so should I take it to believe that Halo 2 is a realistic military sim, or Transformers is a realistic transforming robot sim??

[David Hingtgen]

Besides, I don't see how going up with only four missiles could be any fun.

You don't really need any missiles. Average mission for an F-15C in Desert Storm:

Fly CAP for 4 hours, circling around the border. Bug AWACS occasionally. Come home, repeat.

99.99% of the time in real life, nothing happens. If something happens, there's a fair chance of dying. Even a Jane's-level sim will have a lot more "stuff happen" than really does in a typical life/career/mission/campaign.

Then we can have "real" bombing missions with B-2's!!! Take off from Missouri, fly to Iraq, bomb from 50,000ft up, turn around, land. 20 hours of autopilot (minus refuelings), woo-hoo.

::edit:: Darn, Keith already made a Halo 2 realism comment.

Edited November 14, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[Keith]

Besides, everyone know's that in the future, avionics will be so advanced that they will be able to maintain the beauty of the F-14, while hallowing out the body enough to stow 60+ missles....duh!

You know what, I think we need a realistic driving sim, where you have to ride in a car for 16 years before you can get your learners permit, and then since you don't have enough money to buy a car, you have to work in an auto-factory & assemble cars while scrimping & saving to buy one for the next 20 years. And then you get "downsized" because your position has been replaced by robots who do your job much more effectively. Then you steal a car & go to jail. That'd be realistic!

Did I mention how much I love the Ace Combat series?

[Skull Leader]

Ace Combat 5 sucks!!!!!!!

The only thing cool about it is the graphics.

Totally unrealistic. It's definitely made for the mainstream kids and not for the hardcore fighter enthusiast.

How the hell can a fighter have 50 air-to-air missiles?

How the hell can you concentrate on flying with those annoying idiots constantly squaking on the radio? Shut the hell up already.

What a waste of $45.

I will never listen your hype ever again.

I think I'll reinstall Falcon 4.0 and play a real combat aircraft game.

You went as far as to register a handle just to tell us how wrong we are? Get a life or go back to "lurking" then. Most of us love the game as it is an ARCADE STYLE game. It was never meant to be a simulator, only have very realistic looking aircraft models (which it does)

Uhhh... yeah..as oppose to you replying to me and YOU posting here all the time. Do I need to get a life? by the way, since you like ARCADE fighter games, I suggest you buy the old "AFTERBURNER". That's better than this stinker.

I'm amazed that you can't see that a series like Ace Combat evolved out of games like Afterburner. I don't see where any of us claimed to be "experts", and it's always been the assumption (here or anywhere else) that "let the buyer beware". If we told you jumping off a cliff was cool, would you do it? Then again, I'm probably better off not knowing the answer to that question.

It's people like you who make me question how we judge if something is "good" or not... so many people don't buy things because they've researched them and decided for themselves... they wait and see what all of the gaming magazines are gonna say about it. They say "Hmm, EGM, PS magazine, and GameInformer all say this game is the best! I should get it so I can be "133+" like all my friends" instead of saying "hmm, I like arcade-style flyers, and AC4 was pretty bitchrod, maybe I should give AC5 a spin...". If I tell you that HALO2 is little more than ass in a can, would you avoid it at all costs? (that was my weak poke at Halo lovers, I really don't mind it), Gods above I hope you wouldn't take MY word for it, you'd really be missing out.

Don't take our word for it, and most certainly don't take a gaming magazine's word for it, DECIDE FOR YOURSELF. What's more, it's not like anyone here told you to go out and buy it, you made the fool move of wasting your money without looking in to it more.

Edited November 14, 2004 by Skull Leader

[Gaijin]

Ace Combat 5 sucks!!!!!!!

The only thing cool about it is the graphics.

Totally unrealistic. It's definitely made for the mainstream kids and not for the hardcore fighter enthusiast.

How the hell can a fighter have 50 air-to-air missiles?

How the hell can you concentrate on flying with those annoying idiots constantly squaking on the radio? Shut the hell up already.

What a waste of $45.

I will never listen your hype ever again.

I think I'll reinstall Falcon 4.0 and play a real combat aircraft game.

It's a video game...relax.

Relax?

You guys have been hyping this stupid game for months and it turn's out to be a freaking disappointment.

Never again will I waste money because of you "experts"

I could have bought Halo2, Transformers, or Star Wars III for that $45 bucks.

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahhahha....

Anyways, I also own all 3 consoles (and quite a few more...'cept the PCFX and Supergrafx consoles) and I like AC5 most right this moment...yes, even more than Halo 2 and Metroid(loved the 1st but am kinda luke warm on Echoes for some reason...may not even get it).

Edited November 14, 2004 by Gaijin

[Dangaioh]

... or Transformers is a realistic transforming robot sim??

Actually, that would be the Armored Core series.

I'm am part of a group called the "Raven".

back to the game... hmmm, if console equals gamming machine... and game disc equals games, then wouldn't it be logical that any softwares made for the console be a game.

btw afterburner is not a bad arcade shooter as well, granted you only fly one way which is whatever the screen points your jet.

Now, if you want realistic flight sim, then I do recommend any flight sim programs made by Microprose, they do a good job of it. Microsoft is ok, and I usually stay away from EA flight sim titles as much as I can.

[mikeszekely]

Hmm, so should I take it to believe that Halo 2 is a realistic military sim, or Transformers is a realistic transforming robot sim??

I think Halo 2 is pretty realistic. I mean, if I ever see any nasty-looking aliens, clobbering one, taking its pink needle-shooting gun, and using it to shoot more aliens is definately the way I'd approach them.

[That NOS Guy]

I think Halo 2 is pretty realistic. I mean, if I ever see any nasty-looking aliens, clobbering one, taking its pink needle-shooting gun, and using it to shoot more aliens is definately the way I'd approach them.

Dude, I had to fight off a bunch of those losers in my shield regenerating suit on my morning commute, they cut me off.

-NOS

YOU WILL BUY ACE COMBAT 5! I COMMAND YOU DR. GERO!

[Coota0]

Ace Combat 5 sucks!!!!!!!

The only thing cool about it is the graphics.

Totally unrealistic. It's definitely made for the mainstream kids and not for the hardcore fighter enthusiast.

How the hell can a fighter have 50 air-to-air missiles?

How the hell can you concentrate on flying with those annoying idiots constantly squaking on the radio? Shut the hell up already.

What a waste of $45.

I will never listen your hype ever again.

I think I'll reinstall Falcon 4.0 and play a real combat aircraft game.

It's a video game...relax.

Relax?

You guys have been hyping this stupid game for months and it turn's out to be a freaking disappointment.

Never again will I waste money because of you "experts"

I could have bought Halo2, Transformers, or Star Wars III for that $45 bucks.

Dude......................YOU CAN RENT IT BEFORE YOU BUY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And do you really think the Reveng of the Sith game is going to be that good? Did you play the Episode I game (I'll admit however that I enjoyed the Starfighter games for PS2. Wait...are those arcade style?!?!?!) Have you played Battlefront? I was hyped I thought it was going to be incredible, there is so much wrong with the server browser alone! Please LA don't screw up Cammondo. I also enjoy simulators, but I'm open minded enough to enjoy arcade style flight games too.

Edited November 14, 2004 by Coota0

[mikeszekely]

And do you really think the Reveng of the Sith game is going to be that good? Did you play the Episode I game (I'll admit however that I enjoyed the Starfighter games for PS2. Wait...are those arcade style?!?!?!) Have you played Battlefront? I was hyped I thought it was going to be incredible, there is so much wrong with the server browser alone! Please LA don't screw up Cammondo. I also enjoy simulators, but I'm open minded enough to enjoy arcade style flight games too.

Well, I got what I expected with Battlefront... me as a Storm Trooper shooting Rebels by the dozen, with all of the story removed and sold seperately on DVD. And I love that god-like feeling you get when you're driving an AT-AT. Anyway, fun, for a little while anyway... but I played it on Xbox. I have no idea if the PS2 or PC versions were any good or not.

I liked Starfighter and Jedi Starfighter a lot. In fact, dare I say it, better than the Rouge Squadron games. The flight physics just seemed better, and it always bothered me that in Rouge Squadron, you can't target an enemy and have them lit up in your HUD.

I never liked any of the Jedi Knight/Dark Forces games. Just couldn't get into them.

KOTOR was amazing... even if you remove it from the Star Wars universe and just look at it as a sci-fi RPG, it was and still is easily one of the best games available on the Xbox. Naturally, I have high hopes for KOTOR II.

The Clone Wars wasn't bad. Racer Revenge wasn't all that hot.l

TIE Fighter is still the best Star Wars game ever. X-Wing Alliance is fun, but just not the same.

As for Revenge of the Sith, it's too early to tell. I know nothing about the game, and I've deliberately avoided anything about the movie. The Phantom Menace wasn't that good, but I liked Attack of the Clones. I think the prequels suffer a lot from early hype and expectations.

Haven't played any other Star Wars games.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

HAH funny. Someone didn't know it WASN'T a realistic sim till they played it. HAHA. David that quote you made about 12 butten controller vs keyboard was excellent and dead on!!

DR. Gero sounds like one of those guys over@gamefaqs boards and acecombat.net that says AC5 sucks and AC4 was way better or flight sims totally own it. Besides he lurked here so lord knows why he bothered even listening to us.

And yes I agree with the others, DR. Gero it's your OWN fault for believing all the hype. Ace combat(since the first air combat on ps1) as a series has NEVER EVER EVER EVER EVER been about realism. It's all about fun and arcadeyness.

geez play falcon2.0 or something.

olh wow and star wars III? really? you mean its OUT? wow!

[mikeszekely]

Besides, everyone know's that in the future, avionics will be so advanced that they will be able to maintain the beauty of the F-14, while hallowing out the body enough to stow 60+ missles....duh!

Wait, I thought there were nanorobots involved. Like, they sucked up air, broke the oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and other trace elements down into individual protons, neutrons, and electrons, and then reassembled the particles into new missiles. But everytime they do, some of the robots wear out, and when they're all worn out, no more missiles.

[Dangaioh]

Okay, the post made have pretty much killed the preverbial "Beating the dead stick with a dog".... now that he understands that we knew the game is arcadey since it's first PS1 creation during the original ps1 launch and we enjoy the series and pretty much told what we had to say has just gone off a wee bit to much...

so can we get to the business at hand on some of the cool stuff that has been done, tips and tricks or... who's in for a game of "Macross VFX series, Macross VOXP or Armored Core Nexus".

Edited November 15, 2004 by Dangaioh

[David Hingtgen]

I'm currently alternating between Ace mode and Arcade mode. Has SSS ranking in Arcade for Route 1 and 2, still can't use anything but F-22.

YA-10B rocks. SP scheme is the best of them all, and the FAE has a HUGE blast radius. Doesn't do much damage though. I'm sure it can take out tanks, but nothing more--don't expect the Hrimfaxi to go down or anything. Can't take out the bunkers in Mission 9.

Have 950,000 credits, think I'll buy a full squadron of YF-23's.

Anyone else notice that there's actually 2 Razgriz schemes? If YOU pilot the plane, the accent color (usually white) changes to red. Very noticeable on the Su-47 especially. So there's the "normal" Razgriz scheme, and the slightly more colorful scheme just for Blaze.

PS--Su-37 Yellow is Yellow 13.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

whoa didnt notice that!! DAvid for arcade mode you have to beat it through all 4 routes to enable any plane in arcade mode. What does the YA-10B color scheme look like?

[David Hingtgen]

YA-10B: Dark blue with white lightning crackling all over.

PS--the Razgriz color change for Blaze doesn't show up until you're actually in the mission. So take a good look in the hangar/selection screen, then look at it in the mission (assuming you have Blaze flying it).

And like for the YF-23, the normal scheme is PURE black if Grimm flies it etc, while Blaze will have the red tips on the stabs.

Edited November 15, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[Druna Skass]

I'm currently alternating between Ace mode and Arcade mode. Has SSS ranking in Arcade for Route 1 and 2, still can't use anything but F-22.

YA-10B rocks. SP scheme is the best of them all, and the FAE has a HUGE blast radius. Doesn't do much damage though. I'm sure it can take out tanks, but nothing more--don't expect the Hrimfaxi to go down or anything. Can't take out the bunkers in Mission 9.

Have 950,000 credits, think I'll buy a full squadron of YF-23's.

Anyone else notice that there's actually 2 Razgriz schemes? If YOU pilot the plane, the accent color (usually white) changes to red. Very noticeable on the Su-47 especially. So there's the "normal" Razgriz scheme, and the slightly more colorful scheme just for Blaze.

PS--Su-37 Yellow is Yellow 13.

Well you've got to have commander's colors for Blaze.

So far I've found the best thing to kill the Synfaxi-classes is the base model Tornado. Line it up right and you can kill those subs in around 3 passes.

[mikeszekely]

I'm currently alternating between Ace mode and Arcade mode.  Has SSS ranking in Arcade for Route 1 and 2, still can't use anything but F-22. 

YA-10B rocks.  SP scheme is the best of them all, and the FAE has a HUGE blast radius.  Doesn't do much damage though.  I'm sure it can take out tanks, but nothing more--don't expect the Hrimfaxi to go down or anything.  Can't take out the bunkers in Mission 9. 

Have 950,000 credits, think I'll buy a full squadron of YF-23's. 

Anyone else notice that there's actually 2 Razgriz schemes?  If YOU pilot the plane, the accent color (usually white) changes to red.  Very noticeable on the Su-47 especially.  So there's the "normal" Razgriz scheme, and the slightly more colorful scheme just for Blaze. 

PS--Su-37 Yellow is Yellow 13.

Well you've got to have commander's colors for Blaze.

So far I've found the best thing to kill the Synfaxi-classes is the base model Tornado. Line it up right and you can kill those subs in around 3 passes.

No, I still think the F/A-18C (or eventually the Rafale M, since I think it has the same weapon) is the best for the subs. One shot will cause it to submerge, two more shots will kill it's ability to submerge, then two more to sink it... and all from a ridiculous range with almost no chance of missing.

David- actually, I noticed that Blaze has red accents with his Razgriz colors. It was very noticeable on the mission where you have to take the photoes of the base. I just never realized that Blaze was the only one with the red!

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Hmmm. More prolific than MObius 1' blue ribbon!!! I dunno lots of people love mobius 1 but I think blaz is better. I mean in AC4 and 5 Namco makes Mobius godlike. In the arcade mode intro theres something about "since your skills outrival the whole squadron, you mobius 1 will take on free eurusea". At least in 5, you start as a team player and build your way up. just MHO.

Tornado is just fun as helll to use on scinffaxi. Dodging SAMS and flak is all part of the game and makes it more fun. Especially whjen the BDSP trakes out so much stuff with a parallel shot.

[mikeszekely]

Hmmm. More prolific than MObius 1' blue ribbon!!! I dunno lots of people love mobius 1 but I think blaz is better. I mean in AC4 and 5 Namco makes Mobius godlike. In the arcade mode intro theres something about "since your skills outrival the whole squadron, you mobius 1 will take on free eurusea". At least in 5, you start as a team player and build your way up. just MHO.

Tornado is just fun as helll to use on scinffaxi. Dodging SAMS and flak is all part of the game and makes it more fun. Especially whjen the BDSP trakes out so much stuff with a parallel shot.

See, that's why I liked being Mobius 1. I kicked ass, and everyone knew it. I was mysterious. Blaze... he was amazingly skilled, ala Mobius 1, but only his wingmen seemed to recognize that. To everyone esle, it was the entire Wardog/Razgriz squadron that was godlike. Then you go and look at their kills after campaign, and find they shot down between 5 and 15 targets, while you bagged like 700. Face it man... Blaze loses points because his wingmen steal his glory.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I like both, but I like how Blaze' capability is more human like than MObius 1. Mobius 1 is godlike in comparison to Blaze. And having a whole Squadron named after Mobius was a bit much too. Don't get me wrong both are cool, I just like Blaze much better.

BTW it's implied in AC4/5 that Mobius preferred plane is the F-22. What is Blaze's prolific plane? Scarface in AC2, his was implied to be an SU-35.

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, I thought for a while everybody had red accents too. Wasn't until recently I noticed it was ONLY Blaze.

Scinfaxi--yup, I've said for a while now nothing beats the Tornado's bomblet dispenser. Actually, still haven't tried a Hornet-C for it, the Tornado's just SO good at it.

Only got SS on Arcade route 3. Last 2 missions took longer than usual.

Mobius--that's not his name, nor even his callsign. It's simply Mobius squadron, plane #1. We don't know ANYTHING about the pilot. It's the same as if instead of Blaze/Kid, you only ever got called "Wardog 4", which is what you go by in the beginning of mission 1. Wardog 2 is Edge, 3 is Chopper. It's like if a Jolly Rogers pilot calls in as "Victory 106"---that's the plane, not him.

Edited November 15, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[mikeszekely]

Mobius--that's not his name, nor even his callsign. It's simply Mobius squadron, plane #1. We don't know ANYTHING about the pilot. It's the same as if instead of Blaze/Kid, you only ever got called "Wardog 4", which is what you go by in the beginning of mission 1. Wardog 2 is Edge, 3 is Chopper. It's like if a Jolly Rogers pilot calls in as "Victory 106"---that's the plane, not him.

Which is a point well-made... except for the fact that Mobius 1 is all he/she went by, and hence, all we know him/her as.

Man... in a way, it's kind of impressive to see this thread still alive and active while the San Andreas and Halo 2 threads fade into obscurity.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

WEll I think most macross fans in general are drawn to it by the aviation aspect...perhaps this is why this thread is still around, since most of us are military aviation junkies.

I really wish the wardog emblem on the Bombcat was white rather than yellow. Today I got the hawk's SP coilor and it is just gray. So borin looking.Anyone notice how true to life the Razgriz Su-47 scheme is like? SHARK mouth decal intakes!!

[Gaijin]

WEll I think most macross fans in general are drawn to it by the aviation aspect...perhaps this is why this thread is still around, since most of us are military aviation junkies. 

Nail on the head.

And it may just be the box art, but I'll say the preferred plane for Blaze and Wardog squadron is the F-14D...I mean, they really seemed to give it a bit more attention this time. You see Tomcats in the commercials, most of the promo art, seemed to be prominent in the trailers etc. Least that's what I'm sticking to.

And I needed a new memory card so I wound up ordering the Hori AC5 one with dogtags...gotta have the AC5 swag!

Edited November 15, 2004 by Gaijin

[Jolly Rogers]

Well, I got what I expected with Battlefront... me as a Storm Trooper shooting Rebels by the dozen, with all of the story removed and sold seperately on DVD. And I love that god-like feeling you get when you're driving an AT-AT. Anyway, fun, for a little while anyway... but I played it on Xbox. I have no idea if the PS2 or PC versions were any good or not.

Since I also love TIE Fighter the most, I'll trust your review.

So is Battlefront worth the money, or should I wait until it drops to Greatest Hits $19.99? Target has it on sale for $39.77, but I'm not too sure if it's worth the dough considering MGS3 is coming out on Friday. So many darn games...

Back on topic, how is the music of AC5? I loved AC4's music, but when I heard they licensed some rock band's music for AC5, I get a bad vibe...

[Gaijin]

I loved the music in 5.

[mikeszekely]

Well, I got what I expected with Battlefront... me as a Storm Trooper shooting Rebels by the dozen, with all of the story removed and sold seperately on DVD.  And I love that god-like feeling you get when you're driving an AT-AT.  Anyway, fun, for a little while anyway... but I played it on Xbox.  I have no idea if the PS2 or PC versions were any good or not.

Since I also love TIE Fighter the most, I'll trust your review.

So is Battlefront worth the money, or should I wait until it drops to Greatest Hits $19.99? Target has it on sale for $39.77, but I'm not too sure if it's worth the dough considering MGS3 is coming out on Friday. So many darn games...

Back on topic, how is the music of AC5? I loved AC4's music, but when I heard they licensed some rock band's music for AC5, I get a bad vibe...

Well, the thing is, Battlefront is immensely fun and easy to play... for about a day or two.

With no story or campaign mode, there's not a ton to do in single-player. And once you're done, you're basically done.

Multiplayer is still fun, but there are just other games out there that are more fun multiplayer, depending on your system of choice.

Target's price isn't bad if you really want it now... but if you can wait, it'll definately drop in price eventually.

I remember the music in Ace Combat 5 as being similar to Ace Combat 4... it's good, it suits the series, but it didn't really stand out. As for Puddle of Mud, you only hear them twice. Once is in the intro movie, which is easily skipable. The other is in a cutscene, but it's appropriate, since Chopper was supposed to be listening to rock music anyway.

[Jolly Rogers]

Thanks, I think I'll wait for SWB's price to drop to 20 bucks, since my PS2 is not online yet - haven't found a game worthy of the hardware upgrade.

How tough is AC5 on the DualShock 2's pressure sensitive buttons? I nearly wore my controller out with AC4, if it's as bad with 5, I may have to take the plunge and get that flight stickl controller with the game.

[David Hingtgen]

I think AC4 had more "memorable" music, with more clearly defined melodies. AC5 is more "ambience". Think of a movie--sometimes the music is "obvious" and closely tied to the action onscreen---that's AC4. Sometimes, it's just "background noise" while characters are talking--that's AC5.

However, the best of AC5 beats the best of AC4's music, and AC5's good music still beats AC4's "good" music. Heck, I think a lot of it is that both have the same number of good/great songs, but AC5 has a dozen more missions, those dozen songs are "meh". It's like Namco can only come up with a dozen good songs for a game, which means that's enough for most AC4 missions to be good, while AC5 is filled out with some blander stuff.

All in all, it's definitely along the same idea, but you'll probably have a distinct preference for one. It's like comparing Star Wars and Indiana Jones music. Very close in some aspects (for obvious reasons) but you'll rarely confuse the two.

[Jolly Rogers]

I guess I'll just have to find out for myself, since music preference is always subjective. The AC5 OST CDs (4 discs!) won't be out for another 5 weeks, I'll have time to cancel my pre-order if I get the game and hate the music.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

welll the music is good and better than 4. Seems to be done by the same team only more orchestral and monumental. Puddle of mud actually sounds good in it(I HATED the notion of them in there but when I realized they are only in the game twicce....it no longer mattered and it's keyed in at the right moment in he intro trailer). Arcade mode has the hard rock not as good as AC2(is anything?), but some good rock tracks are in campaign as well.

My fav songs are

"rendzevous", "ice cage", "unsung war" and the "2nd briefing theme" after becoming razgriz.

[David Hingtgen]

Hey, anybody take a look at Nintendo's GBA SP release list? Copied this from Gamespy:

February: Ace Combat (Namco)

Hmmmm. More Mobius 1? Blaze? Of course, it PROBABLY WON'T BE A REALISTIC SIM, since there's only 4 buttons.