If you're a long-time fan of the EGM Ranks series, then you've seen us countdown Namco's most popular fighting games, as well as tackle Ridge Racer, their number-one racing franchise. So where do we go from here? We take to the sky, of course! That's right, it's time to jump in the cockpit and get serious about the Ace Combat series. What did Electronic Gaming Monthly think of these games when they first came out? What was their favorite installment?
Before you ask, EGM reviewed a total of seven Ace Combat games between 1989 and 2008. That includes pretty much all of the main-series games, along with one of the handheld releases. Unfortunately, the magazine chose not to review the first installment, Air Combat, and then went out of business before games like Joint Assault, Infinity and Skies Unknown were released. That's a shame, but we still have a great list of games to talk about. What we're going to do today is count down the best and worst Ace Combat games using Electronic Gaming Monthly's own words and scores. There's no editorializing here, we're just going to focus on what the critics said back when these games first came out. So, with one hand on the eject button and the other clutching a barf bag, this is EGM Ranks Ace Combat.
Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War (PlayStation 2)
#7
“If this is what it's like to pilot multimillion-dollar jets at Mach whatever, put me down for a deferment. Zero inspires the invention of new swearword combinations thanks to its no-checkpoint philosophy and plain crappy targeting. Strangely, Zero sometimes forgets that your missiles can actually lock on to targets, and I often had to switch weapons back and forth before it would remember. An insipid story and fun-for-five-minutes splitscreen multiplayer don't help the war effort much either.” (5.3 out of 10)
Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere (PlayStation)
#6
“This would be far more worthwhile if it was a bit more challenging. It looks fantastic, boasts lots of good stuff to keep you excited, but if you're a halfway competent game player, you'll whiz through it in no time. Certainly more imaginative than previous Ace Combats, it tries very hard to blend the ‘cool' bits from PC sims with arcade-game sensibilities. Things like the padlock view make a big difference to the feel of the game. Something to rent.” (6 out of 10)
Ace Combat X: Skies of Deception (PSP)
#5
“The Ace Combat series has always been in the tough spot of being a reliable series that provides solid air combat while offering precious little exposition. With each episode, Namco has pumped more and more story into the game – and you know what? It makes little difference. It's hard to get it up for fictional nations going after other fictional (but presumably bad) nations. That doesn't detract from the solid single-player campaign, which, despite some cringe-worthy voice acting in debriefings, still manages to convey a thrilling sense of being in the cockpit during aerial sorties. Make sure you have enough friends in wireless multiplayer, though, or expect long episodes of high-speed meandering in the skies.” (6.3 out of 10)
Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation (Xbox 360)
#4
“Frequent fliers of the Ace Combat series will feel like they've been on this flight before. Yeah, you get sorta-fun multiplayer modes and a better - although largely superficial - sense of participating in an all-out war, but the game still has the same too-dramatic plot and the same ground-pounding and dogfighting missions (with the occasional flying fortresses or Death Star trench-style tunnels). Still, this first 360 installment looks so breathtaking - from the all-hell-breaking-loose battles to the way the sun suddenly dazzles you when you break above the clouds - that it all makes for beautiful déjà vu.” (7 out of 10)
Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies (PlayStation 2)
#3
“Its gameplay isn't revolutionary, and a couple of its missions get a tad tedious, but Ace Combat 4 sure looks pretty - which is half the reason flying buffs play these air-combat games anyway. Terrain is photorealistic (until you swoop too close to the blurry ground), and the game packs slick effects like billowing clouds and blinding downpours, not to mention loads of authentic radio chatter. That's not to say Ace Combat 4 dishes out nothing but eye candy. Enemy Al is the best in the series, making for intense dogfights. Most of the missions pack a solid variety of objectives, although you can re-arm and get repairs anytime you want, which makes things kinda easy.” (7.2 out of 10)
Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (PlayStation 2)
#2
“Ace Combat 5 is not any kind of quantum leap over Ace Combat 4. The new prerendered cut-scenes are nice, but not necessary, and while it's a cool idea in theory, the highly touted Wingman Command system doesn't really give a measurable feeling of control over the rest of the squadron. That said, if you liked Ace Combat 4, this is more of the same good stuff - gorgeous planes, complex missions, and a real feeling of being in the middle of a war, thanks in part to scripted events, radio chatter, and the massive scale of it all. My biggest beef is with the checkpoint-less, multipart missions. They offer a rewarding challenge, but when the first half ain't so tough while the second is, you will likely be replaying them more than you'd like.” (8 out of 10)
Ace Combat 2 (PlayStation)
#1
“I wasn't a big fan of flight/combat games, up until now. Ace Combat 2 is the cream of the crop. Why? One simple word: Variety. Ace Combat 2 has several planes that all behave differently and plenty of non-linear missions that are long and challenging. Your primary objectives are always different and the occasional optional wingman makes things interesting. My only complaint is that it's too hard to get many machine gun kills on a flying enemy. But then again, missile kills are slightly harder to get, too. The enemies in Ace Combat 2 are smart – most of them will try to evade your missiles, if they can. This tiny bit of realism makes the game all the more enjoyable.” (8.4 out of 10)
