Ace Combat 2
Ace Combat 2 | ||
---|---|---|
Composer(s) Kohta Takahashi | Nobuhide Isayama Hiroshi Okubo Tetsukazu Nakanishi | |
Series | Ace Combat | |
Platform(s) | PlayStation | |
Release | ||
Genre(s) | Air combat simulation | |
Mode(s) | Single-player |
Ace Combat 2[a] is a 1997 air combat video game developed and published for the PlayStation by Namco. It is the sequel to Air Combat and the second in the Ace Combat 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 games.
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, Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy, was released in 2011.
Gameplay
Ace Combat 2 is a combat flight simulation game but it is presented in a more arcade-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.[1] Completing missions awards the player money which can be spent on new aircraft in their personal hangar.[1]
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.[1] The game begins in a mostly linear format, with branching mission paths being available later on.[1] 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.[1] New to this game are "aces", elite enemy pilots that can be fought to unlock special medals and their special aircraft for play later.[1] Two difficulty options are present, "Novice" and "Expert", with Expert allowing for realistic aircraft maneuvers such as rolls and high-g turns.[1]
Development
Ace Combat 2 was the creation of
Kato and his team used books on planes and aviation-related magazines as reference when creating new fighters.[2] They also watched several films on air combat and traveled to the American Armed Force airshow to take photographs of the planes on display.[2] 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.[2] A simplistic law of physics system was implemented in their place, which kept the game's realism while still providing a user-friendly experience.[2] 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.[2] Environments were created to be visually-impressive and interesting.[2] 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.[2] The overall level structure was tweaked slightly so that the strategy in missions would not feel awkward or unnatural.[2] 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, and later the PlayStation Analog Joystick.[2]
Ace Combat 2 was released in Japan on May 30, 1997,[3] later released in North America on August 21 and in Europe on October 24.[4][5][6] The game was re-released as a budget title in Japan on July 29, 1999, as part of Sony's The Best budget label.[7] It is included in the 2005 video game compilation NamCollection for the PlayStation 2 alongside four other Namco PlayStation game ports, in celebration of the company's 50th anniversary.[8]
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 and largely features funk rock music.[2][9] 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.[2] In addition to the rock tracks that comprise the majority of the soundtrack, there are also a handful of drum and bass and techno tracks to express the science fiction elements;[10] 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.[2]
No soundtrack was released for the game around its time of release, despite high demand from fans.[10] 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.[9]
Reception
Aggregator | Score |
---|---|
Electric Playground | 9/10[18] |
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.[19] It won several awards from video game publications, including the "Silver Hall of Fame" from Famitsu,[7] "Editor's Choice" from IGN,[16] and "Game of the Month" from Electronic Gaming Monthly.[14] It holds an 83 out of 100 on reviewer aggregator website Metacritic, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[11]
The game was well received by critics. Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly applauded the draw distance,
Many publications agreed that Ace Combat 2 was a vast improvement over its
Remake
A remake for the
Notes
References
- ^ a b c d e f g Ace Combat 2 instruction manual (PDF). North America: Namco Hometek. 31 July 1997. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2017. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ EMAP Images. Computer and Video Games. pp. 36-39. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- Namco Bandai Games. Archived from the originalon 28 November 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ "GameSpot: News: Archive". 2002-06-12. Archived from the original on 2002-06-12. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ "Ace Combat 2 Arrives". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
- ^ "Ace Combat 2". Sony Computer Entertainment Europe - Virtual Press Office. Archived from the original on 19 December 2008. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "エースコンバット2 (PS)". Famitsu. Kadokawa Corporation. Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ GameSpot Staff (24 March 2005). "Namco celebrates 50th birthday with compilation". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 24 March 2014. Retrieved 11 October 2019.
- ^ a b Greening, Chris (August 1, 2012). "Ace Combat 2 Music Collection". VGM Online.
- ^ a b Greening, Chris (June 15, 2011). "Kohta Takahashi Interview: Cutting-Edge Namco Scores". WGMO.
- ^ a b "Ace Combat 2 for PlayStation Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 3 January 2019. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ AllGame. Archived from the originalon November 15, 2014. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Randell, Kim (August 15, 2001). "PlayStation Review: Ace Combat 2". Computer and Video Games. Archived from the original on June 3, 2008. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Review Crew: Air Combat 2". Electronic Gaming Monthly. No. 97. Ziff Davis. August 1997. p. 50.
- ^ a b c d e f Gerstmann, Jeff (July 2, 1997). "Ace Combat 2 Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 8 November 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f "Ace Combat 2". IGN. August 23, 1997. Retrieved August 9, 2019.
- ^ Imagine Media. November 1997. pp. 189–190.
- ^ Electric Playground. Archived from the originalon 2 July 2004. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
- ^ Johnston, Chris (May 18, 1998). "Sony Awards Top PlayStation Games". GameSpot. Archived from the original on March 8, 2000.
- ^ a b c d e f Bro Buzz (September 1997). "PlayStation ProReview: Ace Combat 2". GamePro. No. 108. IDG. p. 92.
- ^ a b c d Jones, James (28 November 2011). "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Review". Nintendo World Report. Archived from the original on 27 May 2019. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
- ^ emilygera (14 January 2015). "Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Plus is coming to 3DS on Feb. 13". Polygon. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2019.