Ace Combat 5

[Druna Skass]

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.

Yeah I saw that over at acecombat.net, I wonder how Namco pulled that off with so few buttons to work with.

I'd like to see an Ace Combat on the PSP. I'm sure they could find some way to compensate for the lack of an R2 and L2 buttons.

[Coota0]

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.

PC has a campaign mode. The game itself is enjoyable, definatly BF:1942 meets Starwars, but I hate the online play on PC. Once you get in the game it's fun, but the interface to find a server is horrible, nearly every server kick you after every round (I thought it was just me, but others have said the same thing) in some cases the patches make things worse. The interface for the finding servers never has the ping right and often doesn't even have the right amount of players listed. Horrible lag in most games.

These are all PC problems Xbox or PS2 might be better.

Simply: Gameplay is good and pretty

Multiplayer interface is bad

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

what the? Namco chose ace combat on DS over PSP? wow. Hope it is good and somehow I think it's AC4 related. Wouldn't be surprised if an ace combat shows up on PSP though.

BTW razgriz scheme IMHO is tons better than MObius 1's ribbon!! whoo hoo!! Yellow 13 is most prolific though.

[David Hingtgen]

Yeah, a PSP makes 1000x more sense. I doubt I'll buy a DS, but a PSP is a defintely possibility, ESPECIALLY if there's an AC game.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

Guys just went to Acecombat.jp to see qwhat the buzz was about. There is a new wallpaper of a Razgriz F-14A. Blaze's!!(red trim). Very nice!!! And I have figured it out. The poster plane and main plane in this game for Blaze and wardog is definitely the F-14A. It's in almost every official wallpaper, it's in the commercial and it's prtty much prominent everywhere even in the magazine ads, and hell it's even on the cover. All because of a great plane and possibly honoring it's time in service since it's retirement is only a short time away. BTW razgriz F-14A is VF-11 "red rippers" color scheme with black and jolly roger's nose stripes.

Hopefully in Ace Combat 6(assuming there will be one), they have an F-14A in VF-1 "wolfpack" colors and a F-14D "VF-101 GRim Reapers" CAG (red).

Flanker and fulcrum colors from the next game should include ukranian operational high viz and the russian knights demo team colors. I mean come on someone in namco's obviously got a flanker fetish and I am surprised these schemes were not implemented. And a green camo F-15S/TMD.

Anyone notice the YK F-15E is in israeli F-15I colors? and the F-15C YK is JASDF Hiko kyodotai brown colors!!

and Falken hasa cockpit like in AC3. Although kicks way more ass than anyother plane in AC3. I hope the next installment also has SEAD weapons rather than some ECCMP.....ECCMP should be an additional pod not a special weapon. ALL SEAD/EW planes should just have automatic jamming all the time and have some REAL special weapons like ALARM missles or shrikes.

[David Hingtgen]

I have no problems in turning this into a "What do you want in AC6?" thread.

Anyways--a high-vis F-14A VF-1 Wolfpack would require a lot of different parts, to be accurate. VF-1 and VF-2 first planes were Block 70 and Block 75, quite different externally from your "standard" F-14A's of Block 90 to 115. Different nose, gun vents, v.stabs, rear fuselage, drop tanks, wheels, cockpit.

I spent like an hour last night in the "hangar" really looking at the planes. Things I found:

1. F-15C is more like an F-15J with a USAF left v.stab. It's ONE piece away from a J.

2. ECM antennas (glove, intake, and nosegear ones) on all the F-14's are messed up. So are the gunvents--they seem to be non-existent.

3. F-14D has A/B seats. Strange that they got the new HUD right, but missed the much more obvious seat change.

4. Flankers are surprisingly accurate, ECM antenna variations, v.stabs, ventral fins, IRST's, etc. Even tail-stings seem to vary.

5. F-16C is still the "impossible" mix of F-16 parts that AC4 used. It's like a Block 25 tail on a late Block 30 body with Block 50 details all with a Block 15 cockpit. ::grumble grumble:: (I am a big F-16 fan, it just never comes up here on MW)

[Jolly Rogers]

Whoa, AC5 for 5 bucks?!

[hellohikaru]

Does anyone also think that Nagase "Edge" is looks alot like Rena Hayami from R: Racing Evolution ?

[Gaijin]

Does anyone also think that Nagase "Edge" is looks alot like Rena Hayami from R: Racing Evolution ?

She looks more like Reiko Nagase from Rage Racer/Ridge Racer Type 4. Reiko was Namco's "poster girl" and was quite popular...she even had calendars. Incidently, speaking of Ace Combat and the PSP...RidgeRacer for the PSP will feature Reiko again....

Edited November 16, 2004 by Gaijin

[mikeszekely]

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.

I'm afraid it'll be like the Airforce Delta game for the GBA.

[mikeszekely]

I have no problems in turning this into a "What do you want in AC6?" thread.

Anyways--a high-vis F-14A VF-1 Wolfpack would require a lot of different parts, to be accurate. VF-1 and VF-2 first planes were Block 70 and Block 75, quite different externally from your "standard" F-14A's of Block 90 to 115. Different nose, gun vents, v.stabs, rear fuselage, drop tanks, wheels, cockpit.

I spent like an hour last night in the "hangar" really looking at the planes. Things I found:

1. F-15C is more like an F-15J with a USAF left v.stab. It's ONE piece away from a J.

2. ECM antennas (glove, intake, and nosegear ones) on all the F-14's are messed up. So are the gunvents--they seem to be non-existent.

3. F-14D has A/B seats. Strange that they got the new HUD right, but missed the much more obvious seat change.

4. Flankers are surprisingly accurate, ECM antenna variations, v.stabs, ventral fins, IRST's, etc. Even tail-stings seem to vary.

5. F-16C is still the "impossible" mix of F-16 parts that AC4 used. It's like a Block 25 tail on a late Block 30 body with Block 50 details all with a Block 15 cockpit. ::grumble grumble:: (I am a big F-16 fan, it just never comes up here on MW)

I want different planes for each army. Say, one army gets American and Japanese planes (since the Mitsubishi F-2 is always in it, but the F-2 is really an F-16 anyway), and the other gets Russian/Soviet and European Fighters.

Bigger campaign mode! Play through the game as either side. If Namco is lazy, they could have a set story and recycle missions for both sides, and only occasionally have unique missions. That'd be more fun than simply having A missions or B missions.

More different planes, instead of just more versions of the same plane. Include both older planes (I would love to fly a Draken or a Viggen) as well as experimental types, like the HiMAT and the X-44.

[Gaijin]

All that was said already for AC6...and I want online squadrons dogfighting!

[hellohikaru]

I want more missions where you have to use the more specialise aircraft like the Prowler, A-10 or F-117(stealth missions ?). This use whatever you please is a bit too easy but OTOH allow missions to be replayed to try the other planes.

[mikeszekely]

All that was said already for AC6...and I want online squadrons dogfighting!

Well, if they're going to bring Ace Combat online, I would actually prefer the next installment of Ace Combat to be on Xbox or Xbox Next. I really don't feel like fussing to bring my PS2 online for one game when Xbox Live's infrastructure blows PS2's out of the water.

Actually, Xbox Next would be better than Xbox. I could make due with Xbox, since I have one of those adaptor thingies so I can use my PS2 controller on the Xbox. But on the Xbox Next's controller, they're supposedly moving the black and white buttons up onto the shoulder.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I want the next Ace Combat has more MIG-29 love! Seriously, that plane is overlooked more than any other plane. I mean NO variants in AC5? What the hell? They could have put in the MIG-29K, MIG-29SMT, and MIG-35!!! Carrier, Multirole, AND super fulcrum!! I'd also like to see the A-4 skyhawk return(was in AC2) and a swing wing stealth fighter. F-22 would ave been awesome with NATF variant upgrade.

I would also want to see a YF-23 with higher stats than the F-22. WEll in most areas but not all. Take out the SU-35 and retain the 37.

[David Hingtgen]

Take out the Su-37 and give us the 30MKI.

Anyways, my want list:

Multiple weapons per plane, like AC4.

If the planes are to "evolve", have it happen a LOT faster.

I personally would like planes to simply "appear" like in AC4, but have the WEAPONS evolve. Think about it--the F-15C would start with AIM-9J and AIM-7E, but would eventually have AIM-9X and AIM-120C (for a QAAM/XMAA combo), and would be top of the line--just like today!

And the Hornet could start with like Harpoons and Walleyes, and move up to the JSOW and SLAM-ER.

The military upgrades weapons a lot more often than planes. And most plane upgrades don't upgrade the PLANE, but the weapons it can carry. The F-14B is a rare example of a plane that performs significantly better than the predecessor, and only because the original was never supposed to have that engine permanently in the first place. The F-16's engine growth is constantly countered by its weight growth, which is only used to carry new weapons. Nowadays, high-tech avionics are equal to, if not more important, than speed/agility. A passively-tracked target targeted at long range by an AMRAAM, will counter most anything else. You don't NEED a EF-2000, you just need a fancy radar and AMRAAM's--the latest upgraded F-4F's have that, and are considered to be about as good as it gets for long-range fights. That'd be AWESOME in AC6----you start out with an F-4F, and over the course of the game continually upgrade it, until it can hold it's own with an F-22 (so long as you don't get in close).

Also, I would like more "restrictions" on planes. AC5 had a LITTLE bit, as in Flanker OR F-15 on the first run, but AC4 did it better IMHO---simply by PRICE. In real life, you can't pick from all the world's planes on every mission. I did like in AC5 how you (usually) had to pick a Naval plane for missions from the carrier. AC6 should have more expensive planes, so that you can't buy 4 of every new plane that shows up. Either make new planes fairly expensive, or limit to a certain nation's planes or military branch, or something. That'd greatly enhance replay value---one run, only US planes, one run only Russian planes, and another run only European planes. By the 4th run, you've unlocked like 95% of the planes and can use most anything you want, which then unlocks the all-purpose JSF.

Edited November 16, 2004 by David Hingtgen

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I think being able to play from the enemy side would be cool too. As well as having not 1 but 2 secret planes. 1 for the enemy and one for the good guys., Hell maybe even a 3rd country. More rock music as well. And more epic orchestra symphonies near the end...unsung war is an EXCELLENT song and stuff lke that would be awesome. Less futurist influence from AC3. The upgrade system David proposed. MORE missions. More replay value and a more in depth arcade mode.

[Drad]

Just to clarify, please.. to unlock the X-02, you have to own one of every plane in the game and pay something like four million for it?

Edited November 17, 2004 by Drad

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

no not 4 million. You pay an ungodly amount for the falken but the X-02 is just a little bit more than the F-22.

[Duke Togo]

no not 4 million. You pay an ungodly amount for the falken but the X-02 is just a little bit more than the F-22.

All planes unlocked and owned (not including the Falken). It costs somewhere in the neighborhood of 35,000.

[Shin Densetsu Kai 7.0]

I realized that it take MUCH longer to unlock everything in the game than it did in AC4. Im stuck trying to unlock all planes in arcade mode. THought I beat it in all 4 tracks but I guess I need to beat it once AGAIN. MUH~!!!

[Druna Skass]

I just got the Falken last night and man I feel kind of ripped off. I mean the performance is great and Mega Cannon is nice, but it's not worth the price. If it had an energy shield or something then jeah it'll be worth it.

I want see a plane with bits next.

[mikeszekely]

Out of curiousity, has anyone played Energy Air Force? It only made it out in Japan, but I heard it was reviewed fairly well there. If anyone's played it, how's it compare to Ace Combat? Is it worth importing?

[Duke Togo]

I just got the Falken last night and man I feel kind of ripped off. I mean the performance is great and Mega Cannon is nice, but it's not worth the price. If it had an energy shield or something then jeah it'll be worth it.

I want see a plane with bits next.

Have you tried using the Falken against naval targets or clustered ground targets? You can wipe out an entire fleet in under a minute... a few sweeps of the beam, and its over. I own 2 at the moment, and am looking to purchase 2 more once I get back to the game (playing San Andreas and then MGS3).

[Druna Skass]

I just got the Falken last night and man I feel kind of ripped off. I mean the performance is great and Mega Cannon is nice, but it's not worth the price. If it had an energy shield or something then jeah it'll be worth it.

I want see a plane with bits next.

Have you tried using the Falken against naval targets or clustered ground targets? You can wipe out an entire fleet in under a minute... a few sweeps of the beam, and its over. I own 2 at the moment, and am looking to purchase 2 more once I get back to the game (playing San Andreas and then MGS3).

Yup and I took the SOLG out in around 3 minutes with that thing.

Still don't think it's worth 800,000+

[Gaijin]

Out of curiousity, has anyone played Energy Air Force? It only made it out in Japan, but I heard it was reviewed fairly well there. If anyone's played it, how's it compare to Ace Combat? Is it worth importing?

I heard it was a great game too...and supposedly the Flightstick works with it.

[Jolly Rogers]

Thanksgiving came early this year, thank you Sears for the doorbuster ad. Thank you Walmart for price matching. Thank you CAG for spreading the word.

Best 5 bucks ever spent. Glad I held out for only a few weeks.

[mikeszekely]

How'd you pull that off?

[Coota0]

Could you expand on that please?

[Jolly Rogers]

Go back to the last page (p43), I posted the link for the deal early last week. There was a Sears doorbuster ad for last Saturday (7AM - noon), most papers had the ad in it between last Wed - Fri. Just take the ad to a competitor's store and have them price match the ad. Some people even managed to get it for 49 cents due to the "10% difference refunded" clause of some store's price match policy:

price difference: $49.99 - $4.99 = $45

10% of $45 = $4.5,

$4.99 - $4.50 = $0.49

I came out ahead already so I didn't want to be too greedy, and bought their SW DVD box, which was on sale as a manager's special, so they didn't end up losing too much.

You should see a lot of cheap copies being sold on eBay now with the final bid being lower than usual due to the massive supply of cheap copies people picked up over the past weekend.

[mikeszekely]

Go back to the last page (p43), I posted the link for the deal early last week. There was a Sears doorbuster ad for last Saturday (7AM - noon), most papers had the ad in it between last Wed - Fri. Just take the ad to a competitor's store and have them price match the ad. Some people even managed to get it for 49 cents due to the "10% difference refunded" clause of some store's price match policy:

price difference: $49.99 - $4.99 = $45

10% of $45 = $4.5,

$4.99 - $4.50 = $0.49

I came out ahead already so I didn't want to be too greedy, and bought their SW DVD box, which was on sale as a manager's special, so they didn't end up losing too much.

You should see a lot of cheap copies being sold on eBay now with the final bid being lower than usual due to the massive supply of cheap copies people picked up over the past weekend.

I'm still not sure I get that. Sears was advertising it for $4.99?

[Jolly Rogers]

I'm still not sure I get that. Sears was advertising it for $4.99?

Yeap. Some people managed to find it at Sears but one guy had no luck and found girls screaming at a huge rat shopping at Sears early Saturday morning isntead. I didn't feel like getting up to get there at 7AM so I went to Walmart later instead.

[Gaijin]

Ooooohhh...they messed up big time with that one....

[Graham]

Still haven't got round to playing AC5 yet, except for the tutorials (as a refresher). The little time I've had for gaming has been spent on killzone.

Anyway, a quick question. How soon into the game do you get to buy the EF2000 Euro Fighter Typhoon? Being British, I tend to favor British planes like the Tornado, Typhoon, Lightning etc.

Graham

[Jolly Rogers]

Anyway, a quick question. How soon into the game do you get to buy the EF2000 Euro Fighter Typhoon? Being British, I tend to favor British planes like the Tornado, Typhoon, Lightning etc.

Graham

I believe it gets unlocked in Mission 16A, one of those branching missions where you have to flip the coin (determined by your response to a Yes/No question in an earlier mission).