Arnold-KatayevOne of the games we were looking most forward to playing was Ace Combat 5. While we didn't get to check out the game in its online form, we still played the single-player and came away very impressed. Ace Combat returns fiercely. Not only does it look great, but it plays even better. For the most part, the game felt like Ace Combat 4, which isn't a bad thing. The controls clicked instantaneously and as soon they did, it was smooth sailing from there on. Visually, Ace Combat 5 looks quite better than AC4. The planes are more detailed, and the backgrounds are especially more detailed. We didn't have a chance to see if the ground is one flat texture, or if the objects on the ground are actually made up of polygons.
The game itself played great, altogether. There was lots of action going on. Enemy aircrafts were coming around my squad from all over the place. The squad was incredibly smart and managed to take out a sizeable chunk of the enemies. The A.I. has been really worked on since the fourth, which is very commendable. Ace Combat 5 promises to be the best in the series, and that promise is looking very likely. Coupled with the online mode (which is compatible with a USB headset), Ace Combat 5 may very well end up being one of the best flight shooters of all time. Stay tuned for more details on Ace Combat 5.
