Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (PS2) - 4. First Flight [Hard]

If Ace Combat 04 was the demonstration of Namco’s ability to bring together a compelling fusion of storytelling, arcade action, and slick production values, then Ace Combat 5 is that x10. It is hard to believe we are reaching yet another milestone but Ace Combat 5 is now also reaching two decades in age.

Although, truth be told, Ace Combat 5 could be released in any decade and leave a lasting impression. Like it’s predecessor, this entry into the series has seemingly stood the test of time for many, with an astounding original soundtrack, and high quality CG cutscenes, that continue to receive high praise from combat flight sim fans, all these years later. For me, the instant accessibility of its scenarios and controls keep it feeling infinitely repayable as well. Ace Combat 5 is a “Short” game, supposing you only want to bother playing through the main campaign once, and only once, but that misses out on the fun of getting the best possible scores, unlocking new planes and pulling off the maddest of manoeuvres in order to dodge missiles or get a lock-on against bogies during a dogfight. It is fair enough beating the campaign on Hard but can you beat It on the highest difficulty? These are facets to Ace Combat that I never made too much of in the past, but they do explain why the series has a lasting appeal, even all these years later.

Also, unlike Chopper, we don’t need to flip a coin on how things should be done: I aim to complete Ace Combat 5 on Hard, then Expert, and finally on Ace difficulty. There is an additional Arcade Mode, a direct sequel to the events of Ace Combat 04, however this will be explored separately when the time is right.

Anyway, let’s blast out some Puddle of Mud and shove it in those Yuktobanians’ faces!

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A LEGAL NOTICE:
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Any copyrighted footage I use is covered under fair use laws, or more specifically those listed under Section 30(1) of the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1989 and under section 107 of US Copyright Act 1976. This video exists purely for the purpose of research and criticism. I do not make a profit from any uploaded content, nor do I intend to. Thank you for watching.