Inmate #10943
CAGiversary!
ACE COMBAT 5 (PS2)
Well here's a game you'll either "Love" or "Like" or maybe even "Hate" depending on what you're looking for in a game.
If you're expecting a flight sim you're going to be sadly disappointed. Ace Combat 5 (AC5) is an Action Game
that involves unrealistic flight.
There's a multitude of aircraft to fly once you unlock them. Including the Falken which has a laser gun. D'OH!
That's right, a laser gun that has 14 shots. Really stupid! You have to believe the aircraft engineers that designed this plane could not find a way to have the laser recharge for unlimited firing. But hey, on the bright side you do get up to 97 missiles (now that's realistic) on your aircraft and (on most difficulty levels) unlimited gun ammo. You'll need all the firepower you can muster because it's non-stop action with an overwhelming number of enemies. So if you're looking for action you'll definitely find it in the 30 missions.
The multitude of aircraft mentioned above are not that much different to fly. If you like the F-15 for example, you'll see it in the hangar, in the game with external view and in the so-so film replay after the mission. Other than that it's hard to tell whether you're flying an F-15 or an F-14.
You do get wing persons (2 guys and 1 gal) which you can give commands to. They do OK but are extremely annoying. You have to listen to their totally stupid pacifistic rants during the heat of battle. They go on and on about how war is "bad" blah blah blah. Why did the join the military as a fighter pilot if they're so anti-war!
But there's plenty of action as you and your 3 pacifist comrades take on the entire military might of your enemy. You'll blow up bunkers, sink ships, shoot down hundreds of enemy aircraft, and fly through tunnels (gasp) ala Star Wars final assault on the Death Star.
The game is fun the first time you play it but, you have to replay it 3 or 4 times to unlock all the aircraft and to get the money to pay for them.
If you played any of the prior Ace Combat games then you know what you're getting here. If you liked the previous games in the series then you'll enjoy this one.
There is a "Bundle" for AC5 that includes a Throttle and Flightstick nearly identical in appearance to the Saitek X45. This 2 piece controller is known as a Hand-On-Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) in flight-sim lingo. The Bundle which includes the game and a large cloth military patch sells for around $120. The HOTAS adds to the "immersion experience" in the game. There is no calibration available for the Stick and your aircraft drifts/rolls slowly to the right - which is pretty annoying. Especially when you're attempting to do a mid-air refueling of which there are 2 in the game. There are only a couple of games that currently support the HOTAS so unless you're a die-hard AC fan, I'd pass on getting the HOTAS.
Also, not all the buttons, switches, and knobs have any function in the game.
As far as aerial action games go, I personally liked "Crimson Skies" a lot more.
I'd give AC5 6 out of 10
Well here's a game you'll either "Love" or "Like" or maybe even "Hate" depending on what you're looking for in a game.
If you're expecting a flight sim you're going to be sadly disappointed. Ace Combat 5 (AC5) is an Action Game
that involves unrealistic flight.
There's a multitude of aircraft to fly once you unlock them. Including the Falken which has a laser gun. D'OH!
That's right, a laser gun that has 14 shots. Really stupid! You have to believe the aircraft engineers that designed this plane could not find a way to have the laser recharge for unlimited firing. But hey, on the bright side you do get up to 97 missiles (now that's realistic) on your aircraft and (on most difficulty levels) unlimited gun ammo. You'll need all the firepower you can muster because it's non-stop action with an overwhelming number of enemies. So if you're looking for action you'll definitely find it in the 30 missions.
The multitude of aircraft mentioned above are not that much different to fly. If you like the F-15 for example, you'll see it in the hangar, in the game with external view and in the so-so film replay after the mission. Other than that it's hard to tell whether you're flying an F-15 or an F-14.
You do get wing persons (2 guys and 1 gal) which you can give commands to. They do OK but are extremely annoying. You have to listen to their totally stupid pacifistic rants during the heat of battle. They go on and on about how war is "bad" blah blah blah. Why did the join the military as a fighter pilot if they're so anti-war!
But there's plenty of action as you and your 3 pacifist comrades take on the entire military might of your enemy. You'll blow up bunkers, sink ships, shoot down hundreds of enemy aircraft, and fly through tunnels (gasp) ala Star Wars final assault on the Death Star.
The game is fun the first time you play it but, you have to replay it 3 or 4 times to unlock all the aircraft and to get the money to pay for them.
If you played any of the prior Ace Combat games then you know what you're getting here. If you liked the previous games in the series then you'll enjoy this one.
There is a "Bundle" for AC5 that includes a Throttle and Flightstick nearly identical in appearance to the Saitek X45. This 2 piece controller is known as a Hand-On-Throttle-And-Stick (HOTAS) in flight-sim lingo. The Bundle which includes the game and a large cloth military patch sells for around $120. The HOTAS adds to the "immersion experience" in the game. There is no calibration available for the Stick and your aircraft drifts/rolls slowly to the right - which is pretty annoying. Especially when you're attempting to do a mid-air refueling of which there are 2 in the game. There are only a couple of games that currently support the HOTAS so unless you're a die-hard AC fan, I'd pass on getting the HOTAS.
Also, not all the buttons, switches, and knobs have any function in the game.
As far as aerial action games go, I personally liked "Crimson Skies" a lot more.
I'd give AC5 6 out of 10
Overall I'd say it was a good deal.