Ace Combat 4 & 5 - Opinions?

[Accutron]

I've never played any of the Ace Combat games, but they seem to get good reviews. How realistic are they, in regards to physics, damage, weapons, etc? Which is the better game, 4 or 5? I'm looking for more sim, less arcade. I don't care about things like plot or character development. I just want to shoot down MiGs in the most authentic way possible. Are there any better PS2 alternatives? My only experience with current-gen flying games is Top Gun: CZ, and it was a steaming pile of crap that left me a bit gun-shy for the whole pseudo-sim genre.

[Ghegs]

Ace Combats are pretty much arcade. Not to say they aren't fun (I had a blast with AC4), but if you're looking for a sim, go elsewhere.

You'll want to look into PC gaming for the sim-like approach.

[Accutron]

You'll want to look into PC gaming for the sim-like approach.

I don't have a PC

I'm still using an old OS9 Mac and have no plans to upgrade. This severely limits my flight sim options. I'm looking for a PS2 game that I can find easily at a used game store, so I can introduce my kid to flying combat. I'd prefer he not think a F-15 can carry 50 missiles, but I'll take what I can get as long as it's a quality game. I was hoping for something with realistic detail, like stalling, takeoff and landing procedures, etc. It doesn't have to be precisely realistic, but the closer the better.

[Ghegs]

Well, AC4 does have takeoff and landing as optional procedures if I remember correctly. No stallling, though.

Haven't played AC5 so I can't say anything about that.

[Last Guardian]

If you put hard mode on it becomes pretty sim-like (as in: too much for me to remember). They aren't overly simple games though; there's buttons for bank, roll and all those things for you to fiddle with, if you wan't.

I personally enjoyed AC4 quite a bit more then 5 but mainly for it's storyline and the way it's presented. Almost poetic stuff. AC5 has a more gritty story with lots of heavy guitars and stuff and only improves on it's predesessor by featuring more plane/armament options and a tiny graphical update (both look awesome though).

[Thunder Force]

I've never played any of the Ace Combat games, but they seem to get good reviews. How realistic are they, in regards to physics, damage, weapons, etc?

Little to no physics or weapons damage simulated in the series. Totally unrealistic.

Which is the better game, 4 or 5?

Ace Combat 4 has a beautiful narrative so I'm going to say that one.

I'm looking for more sim, less arcade. I don't care about things like plot or character development.

Then Ace Combat 4 or 5 are not for you.

I just want to shoot down MiGs in the most authentic way possible. Are there any better PS2 alternatives?

Go now and import Taito's absolutely amazing PS2 flight combat game Energy Airforce II: Aimstrike, and never look back.

[MSZ]

AC4 > AC5 period.

[TWITCHDOCTOR]

Ace Combat 5 was pretty boring...almost as much fun as watching golf on TV.
I didn't play all the way through...the first 45 minutes pretty much convinced me to turn that sucker off.

[Accutron]

I stopped by a game store today, got a copy of AC4 for a good price. It seems pretty okay so far. The arcadey-ness isn't too overwhelming, and I discovered that you can stall your plane by braking hard. I like the fact that it starts you out with an F-4, my favorite military fighter, though I wish they had selected a variant other than the F-4E, which has the slim nose, rather than the cool fat nose of the C/D/J etc.

I also picked up Tempest X3. Does anybody know if there's a way to unlock Tempest 2000 without earning 500k points? I'd rather not have to bust my balls in X first, just to unlock 2000.

Are there any other changes in 2000 from the Jag version, other than the hard spikes problem?

[Thunder Force]

I stopped by a game store today, got a copy of AC4 for a good price. It seems pretty okay so far. The arcadey-ness isn't too overwhelming, and I discovered that you can stall your plane by braking hard.

That's correct, although once you get more modern planes it seems to let you get away with a lot more erratic manuevers. In a way, flying the Phantom is more satisfying because there are still limitations placed on your flight. But if you're able to enjoy the arcade aspects of AC4 then it's really an incredibly immersive aircraft game, which I enjoyed greatly. One of Namco's best titles this gen, I think. The thought they put into level design and missions is unmatched, and although it's linear you can actually keep playing the game over again repeatedly at higher difficulties for new custom aircraft paintjobs which gives good replay value. I had a great time with this game, although eventually felt the need to play stuff with better physics and difficulty like Sony's Dropship (VTOL fans check this out) and of course the aforementioned Aimstrike, which is one of my favorite games of all time...

I also picked up Tempest X3. Does anybody know if there's a way to unlock Tempest 2000 without earning 500k points? I'd rather not have to bust my balls in X first, just to unlock 2000.

No there's no other way. You have to reach that score threshold and then enter the secret initials (then remember to save your game). Tempest X isn't an overly hard game though, so that score mark is not as high as it looks (I didn't have trouble doing it and am probably only an average Tempest player).

Are there any other changes in 2000 from the Jag version, other than the hard spikes problem?

None that I can think of other than the hard spikes, which is a pretty big bug sadly, but it's also worth noting - so you're not too disappointed - that this version of Tempest 2K once you unlock it, only features the authentic primitive OST of the Jag cartridge version, and doesn't let you play to the high quality CD audio soundtrack of later versions, even though that CD soundtrack is used for Tempest X mode.

(Then again, the CD audio music looping in Tempest X mode screws up constantly on my version anyway when playing it on a PS2...)

[Accutron]

I also picked up Tempest X3. Does anybody know if there's a way to unlock Tempest 2000 without earning 500k points? I'd rather not have to bust my balls in X first, just to unlock 2000.

No there's no other way. You have to reach that score threshold and then enter the secret initials (then remember to save your game). Tempest X isn't an overly hard game though, so that score mark is not as high as it looks (I didn't have trouble doing it and am probably only an average Tempest player).

Oh well...guess I'll just have to buckle down and get it done.

Are there any other changes in 2000 from the Jag version, other than the hard spikes problem?

None that I can think of other than the hard spikes, which is a pretty big bug sadly, but it's also worth noting - so you're not too disappointed - that this version of Tempest 2K once you unlock it, only features the authentic primitive OST of the Jag cartridge version, and doesn't let you play to the high quality CD audio soundtrack of later versions, even though that CD soundtrack is used for Tempest X mode.

(Then again, the CD audio music looping in Tempest X mode screws up constantly on my version anyway when playing it on a PS2...)

Yeah the music glitches some on my PS2 too...in much the same way as R-Type Delta, though the music in Tempest X doesn't have as much of a presence as Delta's so it's not nearly as concentration-breaking when it skips.

I suppose there wasn't enough room on the disc to include 2K's CD audio?

[Last Guardian]

Go now and import Taito's absolutely amazing PS2 flight combat game Energy Airforce II: Aimstrike, and never look back.

Cheers, was going to ask you if this was text heavy but saw it also got a PAL release, so will prolly pick this up later.