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is a 1997
combat flight simulation Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and milit ...
video game A video game or computer game is an electronic game that involves interaction with a user interface or input device (such as a joystick, game controller, controller, computer keyboard, keyboard, or motion sensing device) to generate visual fe ...
developed and published by
Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company founded in 1955. It operated video arcades and amusement parks globally, and produced video games, films, toys, and arcade cabinets. Namco was one of the most influential c ...
for the
PlayStation is a video gaming brand owned and produced by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), a division of Japanese conglomerate Sony. Its flagship products consists of a series of home video game consoles produced under the brand; it also consists ...
. It is the sequel to ''
Air Combat ''Air Combat'' is a 1995 Combat flight simulation game, combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation, and the first title of the ''Ace Combat'' franchise. Players control an airc ...
'' and the second in the ''
Ace Combat is an Arcade video game, arcade-style Combat flight simulation game, combat flight simulation video game series by Project Aces, an internal development team of Bandai Namco Entertainment, formerly Namco. Debuting in 1995 with ''Air Combat'' fo ...
'' franchise. The player controls one of 24 different fighter jets through 21 different missions with certain objectives to fulfill, such as protecting a base from enemy fire, intercepting a squadron of enemies, or taking down an aircraft carrier. Conceived by Namco designer Masanori Kato, ''Ace Combat 2'' was created out of Kato's dissatisfaction with the original ''Air Combat'', feeling from a technical standpoint it was severely lacking. Along with a small group of others, Kato set out to create a follow-up that greatly improved on the original, featuring improved graphics, a variety in missions, and providing a true sense of flight for the player. Missions were created to be exciting and fun to play, with the gameplay itself being designed to mimic the typical style of
arcade game An arcade game or coin-op game is a coin-operated entertainment machine typically installed in public businesses such as restaurants, bars and amusement arcades. Most arcade games are presented as primarily game of skill, games of skill and in ...
s. ''Ace Combat 2'' was a commercial success, selling over 500,000 copies in Japan by May 1998. It was commended by critics for its gameplay, graphics, variety in missions, and improvements over its predecessor. Some also called it one of the best flight-sim games on the PlayStation. The lack of a multiplayer mode and its high-difficulty level were the subject of criticism. A remake for the
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
, '' Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy'', was released in 2011.


Gameplay

''Ace Combat 2'' is a
combat flight simulation game Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and mil ...
but it is presented in a more
arcade Arcade most often refers to: * Arcade game, a coin-operated video, pinball, electro-mechanical, redemption, etc., game ** Arcade video game, a coin-operated video game ** Arcade cabinet, housing which holds an arcade video game's hardware ** Arcad ...
-like format than other flight-sim games of the era. The player controls one of 24 different fighter jets through 21 different missions, each having different objectives to complete; these include intercepting a squadron of enemies, destroying a specific aircraft carrier, or protecting a base from enemy fire. Completing missions awards the player money which can be spent on new aircraft in their personal hangar. Beginning at the game's fourth mission is the ability to allow a wingman to fly with the player, which provide additional support and will help them in completing the objective. The game begins in a mostly linear format, with branching mission paths being available later on. A fuel meter acts as a time limit and will deplete as the player flies around the level and attacks enemies; the mission will automatically end if the meter fully depletes. New to this game are "aces", elite enemy pilots that can be fought to unlock special medals and their special aircraft for play later. Two difficulty options are present, "Novice" and "Expert", with Expert allowing for realistic aircraft maneuvers such as rolls and high-g turns.


Development

''Ace Combat 2'' was the creation of
Namco was a Japanese multinational video game and entertainment company founded in 1955. It operated video arcades and amusement parks globally, and produced video games, films, toys, and arcade cabinets. Namco was one of the most influential c ...
designer Masanori Kato, who previously worked on the game's predecessor ''
Air Combat ''Air Combat'' is a 1995 Combat flight simulation game, combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation (console), PlayStation, and the first title of the ''Ace Combat'' franchise. Players control an airc ...
'', and a small team of others. The idea for the game came from Kato's dissatisfaction with the outcome of ''Air Combat'', which he saw as incomplete from a technical point of view. Kato and his team decided to create a follow-up to make the best use of the PlayStation's hardware as possible, with an emphasis on graphics and making the player feel as if they're really flying a fightercraft. One of the first things the team wanted to improve on were the graphics, doing technical research on how many polygons the console could display. The team created a program that was able to output as many polygons as possible without causing strain on the hardware, which allowed the graphics to be of significantly higher-quality than most other games. The team also looked into including a large variety of missions, as opposed to ''Air Combat''s two mission types. Missions were designed to be exciting and fun to play, and when new fighters were added the team determined if they would make the missions more interesting or not. The gameplay itself was designed in the style of an arcade game instead of being strictly a flight-simulation game, which they felt made the game much more fun. Kato and his team used books on planes and aviation-related magazines as reference when creating new fighters. They also watched several films on air combat and traveled to the American Armed Force airshow to take photographs of the planes on display. To make the game less complex for their target audience, the team decided that the fighters would have different data from that of their real-world counterparts. A simplistic law of physics system was implemented in their place, which kept the game's realism while still providing a user-friendly experience. The team looked into getting advice from a real airplane pilot to refine the gameplay, but were unable to do so. Ideas for missions were from Kato and the team's imaginations, although he stated he wished they were able to travel to real-world places to gather data and references. Environments were created to be visually-impressive and interesting. The development team experimented with a level design that would involve the player attempting to de-rail a trail through a mountain valley, but it was ultimately dropped due to technical and graphical restraints. The overall level structure was tweaked slightly so that the strategy in missions would not feel awkward or unnatural. At the beginning of development, the team wanted the game to support analogue control, adding support for both the PlayStation DualShock and the Namco
NeGcon The , stylized as neGcon, is a motion-based game controller manufactured in 1995 by Namco for the PlayStation. One of the first third-party peripherals for the system, the controller is connected by a swivel joint, allowing the player to twist the ...
, and later the
PlayStation Analog Joystick The PlayStation Analog Joystick (SCPH-1110) is Sony's first analog controller for the PlayStation, and is the precursor to the PlayStation Dual Analog Controller. It is often incorrectly referred to as the "Sony Flightstick" (not to be confused w ...
. ''Ace Combat 2'' was released in Japan on May 30, 1997, later released in North America on August 21 and in Europe on October 24. The game was re-released as a budget title in Japan on July 29, 1999, as part of Sony's ''
The Best Best or The Best may refer to: People * Best (surname), people with the surname Best * Best (footballer, born 1968), retired Portuguese footballer Companies and organizations * Best & Co., an 1879–1971 clothing chain * Best Lock Corporatio ...
'' budget label. It is included in the 2005 video game compilation ''
NamCollection is a video game compilation released in July 2005 by Namco in Japan only to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary. The compilation contains five ports of various PlayStation titles created by the company with added analog support and retexturi ...
'' for the
PlayStation 2 The PlayStation 2 (PS2) is a home video game console developed and marketed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, Sony Computer Entertainment. It was first released in Japan on 4 March 2000, in North America on 26 October, in Europe on 24 Novembe ...
alongside four other Namco PlayStation game ports, in celebration of the company's 50th anniversary.


Music

The soundtrack for ''Ace Combat 2'', composed by Kohta Takahashi and Nobuhide Isayama along with contributions from Hiroshi Okubo and Tetsukazu Nakanishi, was heavily inspired by ''
Top Gun ''Top Gun'' is a 1986 American action drama film directed by Tony Scott and produced by Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, with distribution by Paramount Pictures. The screenplay was written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr., and was inspired ...
'' and largely features
funk rock Funk rock is a fusion genre that mixes elements of funk and Rock music, rock. James Brown and others declared that Little Richard and his mid-1950s road band, The Upsetters (American band), the Upsetters, were the first to put the funk in the ...
music. While the soundtrack was originally going to be a continuation of ''Air Combat'''s upbeat rock sound, Takahashi wanted the music to be 'stimulating' and intense to convey a sense of anxiety, while making sure it had its own distinct flare to prevent it from sounding too similar to ''Top Gun''. The composers also made sure it reflected the designs and objectives of each mission. In addition to the rock tracks that comprise the majority of the soundtrack, there are also a handful of
drum and bass Drum and bass (commonly abbreviated as DnB, D&B, or D'n'B) is a genre of electronic dance music characterised by fast Break (music)#Breakbeat (element of music), breakbeats (typically 165–185 Tempo, beats per minute) with heavy Bass (music) ...
and
techno Techno is a genre of electronic dance music (EDM) which is generally produced for use in a continuous DJ set, with tempos being in the range from 120 to 150 beats per minute (bpm). The central rhythm is typically in common time ( ) and often ...
tracks to express the
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
elements; this direction was further explored for the soundtrack of '' Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere''. Most of the sound effects were directly taken from a sound effects CD one of the composers had, while others were entirely original. No soundtrack was released for the game around its time of release, despite high demand from fans. However, in 2010 a soundtrack CD was included as a bonus with the Deluxe Pack of '' Ace Combat: Joint Assault''; it includes two CDs, one for the main soundtrack and the other featuring bonus arrangements, an unused track, and a selection of tracks from ''Joint Assault''. Digital soundtracks of ''Ace Combat 2'' have since been released on
iTunes iTunes is a media player, media library, and mobile device management (MDM) utility developed by Apple. It is used to purchase, play, download and organize digital multimedia on personal computers running the macOS and Windows operating s ...
.


Reception

''Ace Combat 2'' was a commercial success; in May 1998, Sony gave the game the "Gold Prize" award for selling over 500,000 copies in Japan. It won several awards from video game publications, including the "Silver Hall of Fame" from ''
Famitsu , formerly , is a line of Japanese Video game journalism, video game magazines published by Kadokawa Game Linkage (previously known as Gzbrain), a subsidiary of Kadokawa Corporation, Kadokawa. ''Famitsu'' is published in both weekly and monthly f ...
'', "Editor's Choice" from ''
IGN ''IGN'' is an American video gaming and entertainment media website operated by IGN Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Ziff Davis, Inc. The company's headquarters is located in San Francisco's SoMa district and is headed by its former e ...
'', and "Game of the Month" from ''
Electronic Gaming Monthly ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' (''EGM'') is a monthly American video game magazine. It offers video game news, coverage of industry events, interviews with gaming figures, editorial content and product reviews. History The magazine was fou ...
''. It holds an 83 out of 100 on reviewer aggregator website
Metacritic Metacritic is an American website that aggregates reviews of films, television shows, music albums, video games, and formerly books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created ...
, indicating "generally favorable reviews". The game was well received by critics. Crispin Boyer of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' applauded the draw distance, while ''
Computer and Video Games ''Computer and Video Games'' (also known as ''CVG'', ''Computer & Video Games'', ''C&VG'', ''Computer + Video Games'', or ''C+VG'') is a British-based video game magazine, published in its original form between 1981 and 2004. Its offshoot web ...
'' called it "the most intense flight experience to ever grace a console". ''
Next Generation Next Generation or Next-Generation may refer to: Publications and literature * ''Next Generation'' (magazine), video game magazine that was made by the now defunct Imagine Media publishing company * Next Generation poets (2004), list of young ...
'' said that it would "keep a whole bunch of weekend warriors strapped in to the TV", while ''IGN'' labeled it "one of the best flight simulators ever to come to the PlayStation" and said that Namco went "all out" with its visuals. The four reviewers of ''Electronic Gaming Monthly'' felt the game's strongest point was its variety, with multiple planes to choose from and unlock and widely varying mission objectives. Publications commended the quality of the gameplay for its fast-pace and variety in missions, although ''
AllGame RhythmOne , a subsidiary of Nexxen, is an American digital advertising technology company that owns and operates the web properties AllMusic, AllMovie, and SideReel. Blinkx was founded in 2004, went public on the Alternative Investment Market, ...
'' and ''Computer and Video Games'' felt it became "monotonous" and tiring after a while.
Jeff Gerstmann Jeff Gerstmann (born August 1, 1975) is an American video game journalist. Former editorial director of the gaming website ''GameSpot'' and the co-founder of the gaming website '' Giant Bomb'', Gerstmann began working at ''GameSpot'' in the fal ...
of ''
GameSpot ''GameSpot'' is an American video gaming website that provides news, reviews, previews, downloads, and other information on video games. The site was launched on May 1, 1996, created by Pete Deemer, Vince Broady, and Jon Epstein. In addition ...
'' argued that the low difficulty level ensures the game is over too quickly in spite of the large number of missions. However, the majority of critics contended that the enemy
artificial intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computer, computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making. It is a field of re ...
is extremely advanced and responds to player movements, making the game's difficulty, if anything, overly high. The game's consistently high
frame rate Frame rate, most commonly expressed in frame/s, or FPS, is typically the frequency (rate) at which consecutive images (Film frame, frames) are captured or displayed. This definition applies to film and video cameras, computer animation, and moti ...
and environmental visuals were subjects of praise. Many publications agreed that ''Ace Combat 2'' was a vast improvement over its predecessor, with ''IGN'', ''
Electric Playground ''EP Daily'' (formerly ''The Electric Playground'') is a daily news television show that covers video games, movies, TV shows, comic books, collectibles and gadgets. Created and executive produced by host Victor Lucas, and his Vancouver, British ...
'' and ''
GamePro ''GamePro'' was an American multiplatform video game magazine media company that published online and print content covering the video game industry, video game hardware and video game software. The magazine featured content on various video ...
'' all commending Namco for successfully updating the gameplay in the original to make it much more action-packed and entertaining. ''Next Generation'' said it was an excellent follow-up to ''Air Combat'', with ''Famitsu'' adding that it made for one of the best sequel games the company had put out on the PlayStation. Several also liked the game's controls for being responsive and smooth; ''Next Generation'' credited the game's support for the
PlayStation Analog Joystick The PlayStation Analog Joystick (SCPH-1110) is Sony's first analog controller for the PlayStation, and is the precursor to the PlayStation Dual Analog Controller. It is often incorrectly referred to as the "Sony Flightstick" (not to be confused w ...
, which they felt made the game even more realistic than it was before. While some criticized the lack of a multiplayer mode, ''Computer and Video Games'' argued that the removal of a two-player option was a good idea, feeling that it allowed Namco to refine the gameplay and stages in general. ''Electric Playground'' and ''AllGame'' both praised the large selection of playable fighters, with ''AllGame'' also applauding its usage of secrets and unlockable extras.


Remake

A remake for the
Nintendo 3DS The is a foldable dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo. Announced in March 2010 as the successor to the Nintendo DS, the console was released originally on February 26, 2011 and went through various revisions in its lifetime, ...
, '' Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy'', was released in 2011 in North America and Europe, and in 2012 in Japan, where it was renamed ''Ace Combat 3D: Cross Rumble''. ''Assault Horizon Legacy'' features a complete revamp of the game's storyline, alongside the addition of cutscenes, voice acting and remade level designs. It also adds several new fighters not found in the original, including the Boeing F-15SE Silent Eagle and the
Sukhoi PAK FA The Sukhoi Su-57 (; NATO reporting name: Felon) is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter aircraft developed by Sukhoi. It is the product of the PAK FA (, prospective aeronautical complex of front-line aviation) programme, which was in ...
. Despite its namesake, it has very little in common with its predecessor '' Ace Combat: Assault Horizon''. It was followed by a 2015 update called ''Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy +'', adding
amiibo (, ; stylized as amiibo; plural: ''Amiibo'') is a toys-to-life platform by Nintendo, which was launched in November 2014. It consists of a wireless communications and storage protocol for connecting figurines to the Wii U, Nintendo 3DS, Ni ...
support and updated control handling for the
New Nintendo 3DS The is a clamshell design dual-screen handheld game console produced by Nintendo, originally released on October 11, 2014 in Japan and rolled out to all major global markets by September 25, 2015. It is the fourth system in the Nintendo 3DS fam ...
.


Notes


References


External links


Official Japanese website
{{Authority control 1997 video games Namco games Ace Combat Combat flight simulators PlayStation (console) games Video games developed in Japan Single-player video games Sony Interactive Entertainment games