Ace Combat 2

Is there a developer on the planet that understands the PlayStation better than Namco does? How has the company managed to consistently introduce superior 3D games since the introduction of Sony's system back in 1995? Namco's dominance of the PlayStation's 3D world began with Ridge Racer and Tekken, and now, they are back to show us how much they've learned about flyin' and fightin' in the wild blue yonder.

Not to take anything away from 1995's pretty good Air Combat, but Ace Combat 2 is more than just a generational leap in quality. Ace Combat 2 is so much better than its predecessor, it's as if Namco has created a whole new fight n' fly series.

Steeped in quality design, brimming with intelligence, and showcasing an integrity only the very best videogame makers can hope to achieve, Ace Combat 2 is an exceptional accomplishment. This is one ride any PlayStation owner would be a fool to miss.

Details

Presentation. While it's not everything in the videogame world, it can certainly go a long way towards supporting the enjoyment of an interactive product. I think Namco knows this better than anyone (well, perhaps they have worthy competition in EA, Psygnosis and Square). Ace Combat 2 has presentation that is good enough to liquify anyone who's ever hesitated long enough to flicker through the thought of being a Top Gun.

An intro movie that features intricately rendered jets, going through acrobatic aeronautical maneuvers, is churned up by a Van Halen-like rock soundtrack. Explosions abound.

Then you are rushed into the mission briefing screens and are privy to an animated description of the anxiety that lies before you. As arrows plot your course, informative details about your targets and objectives spring up to reveal the depth of this disc's inner workings.

Once airborne, we are free to bank, roll and dive through discovery. Ignore the gauges and meters in the Heads Up Display (HUD), just have fun flying for a while. The missiles won't come for a few more seconds.

A Skyfull Of Pain

The polygonal world of Ace Combat 2 is electrifying. Day missions reveal sectioned farmland, vaulted cliff sides, enemy infested craters and unsuspecting cityscapes. Meanwhile, night missions concoct a magical spell of pockets of artificial light, incoherent radar screens and enemies that appear out of nowhere. Don't be surprised if, through much of Ace Combat 2, you find yourself holding your breath.

Explosions in this title are without peer - both in their artful presentation and in their comforting satisfaction. It gets pretty harry up there when you're chasing bogeys who are feverishly chasing you, and the ground placements below have taken up a multi-million dollar duck shoot. The combat in Ace Combat 2 is authentic.

Your Choice

The flight stick for Ace Combat 2 can be one of any number of PlayStation peripherals. Personally, I'd stay away from the NegCon or the regular PSX controller for this game. Ace Combat 2 screams out for analog control, whether in the form of the Dual Analog Controller or any of the fine analog flightsticks making the rounds these days.

Put it this way, if you stick with the digital pad of the pack-in controller, you may as well play Ace Combat 2 in the Novice mode and never appreciate the finer points of the barrel roll.

Once you've chosen your peripheral, be prepared for a game that could give lessons in intuitive control. Missiles and machine guns are at your finger tips (yeah, I would have liked more weapons too), as are an instantly accessible ground map and a button for switching between your targets. Acceleration and deceleration is the key to keeping your targets in range, so you'll have to practice your speed and tracking maneuvers.

Regardless of which controller you end up playing Ace Combat 2 with, you'll discover a game that is effortless to enjoy.

High Sky Harmony

The music for Ace Combat 2 is an agreeable mix of styles. The Top Gun soundtrack guitar riffs will never be escaped by combat flight sims, no matter how fast the jets fly, but with this game, the metal-lite didn't seem to hurt as much. What got me though, were the catchy Ridge Racer-esque techno tunes, as well as the somewhat ludicrous tranquility of the Spanish guitar I heard flittering through the devastation. Peaceful music to kill by. Hmm.

As you may have guessed, judging by Namco's audio work on previous PSX games, the cacophony of aerial combat has been well represented on this disc. Wingpeople yelping out congratulations, or pleading for your assistance, battle for your attention over the snip, snip, snip of enemy machine gun bullets piercing your fuselage, or, hopefully, the car-runch of a bogey feeling the impact of your last missile.

Ace Combat 2 needs a healthy volume and a full sized television set to appreciate its grandeur. If you don't have the right equipment to compliment the size and scope of this game, you may as well head to your nearest audio/video store and flex your credit line.

Deadly

Ace Combat 2 is another superlative PlayStation game from Namco. There has not been a flight combat sim released on any console system that can even come close to the quality and value of this title. I would have enjoyed a few more weapons and a two player linked mode but the plentiful missions (more than 30), hidden secrets, and loads of different aircraft to tinker with makes Ace Combat 2 a knockout.

Even if there's not an ounce of fighter pilot in your blood, Ace Combat 2 is good enough to turn anyone into a Mach 1-craving lunatic. Lock your sights on this one.

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