Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

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Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War
Ac5box.jpg
Developer(s)Project Aces
Publisher(s)Namco
Director(s)Kazutoki Kono
Producer(s)Hiroyuki Ichiyanagi
Designer(s)Natsuki Isaki
Writer(s)Sunao Katabuchi
Composer(s)
SeriesAce Combat
Platform(s)PlayStation 2
Release
  • JP: October 21, 2004
  • NA: October 25, 2004
  • EU: February 18, 2005[1]
Genre(s)Air combat simulation
Mode(s)Single-player

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War[a] is a 2004 combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation 2. The game was developed by Project Aces, an internal Namco group credited with the development of the Ace Combat series.[2] A limited number of the games were bundled with the Hori Flightstick 2 accessory.

Ace Combat 5 features more than fifty licensed real-world jet aircraft.[3] Nonetheless, the game's events and locations are set in a fictional world.[4] The game's main campaign is set during a war between the fictitious nations of Osea and Yuktobania. The storyline revolves around the player character "Blaze", an Osean fighter pilot who leads a four-plane unit known as Wardog Squadron. The Unsung War follows this squadron's exploits as they attempt to ward off the Yuktobanian invasion of their homeland and uncover the truth about the war. Unlike its predecessors, Ace Combat 5 does not include a multiplayer mode as developers did not have enough extended time to implement one.[5][6]

Although a majority of the gameplay in Ace Combat 5 remains similar to that of its predecessor, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, several notable additions were made. Among these additions are an arcade mode and the ability for the player to interact with wingmen. The multiplayer mode present in previous titles, however, was scrapped during development.[5][6] The game received generally favorable reviews, although critics noted that the game was not the "revolutionary step forward for the series" that Shattered Skies was.[7]

Gameplay[]

The player firing missiles at an enemy fighter.

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War is divided into three gamemodes: Campaign, where players progress through story-driven levels; Arcade, which removes most of the story from Campaign mode in favor of gameplay; and Tutorial, which teaches the player the base mechanics. The gameplay in these three modes is largely consistent; players pilot an aircraft and must complete a series of missions that must be completed in the allotted amount of time. Missions feature a wide array of objectives, ranging from destroying all enemy aircraft in a level to protecting a specific target from enemy fire. The game features over fifty playable aircraft, including military and experimental aircraft licensed from the United States and Europe, in addition to original designs created specifically for the game.[8] The majority of these aircraft are unlocked by progressing through the Campaign mode, while others are unlocked while destroying a certain amount of enemies with a particular craft.

In the Campaign mode, the player can issue orders to computer-controlled ally fighters, a method known as wingman interaction. With this, players can have fighters team up to take down a single target or spread out to cover more ground.[9] Wingmen can be assigned specific aircraft before beginning a mission. Completing missions awards money that can be used to purchase aircraft, while certain missions unlock side games like midair refueling.[7] The player's fighter has a limited number of ammunition, which is replenished by destroying enemy fighters. These fighters are also equipped with missiles unique to that fighters, such as those that can be launched at ground-stationed targets or aerial enemies.[8]

Plot[]

Setting and characters[]

The game takes place in 2010 Strangereal, the same fictional setting shared by other games in the series, and depicts the Circum-Pacific War, a conflict fought between Osea and Yuktobania, the two superpowers of the game's universe. Prior to the events of the game, Osea and Yuktobania were engaged in a Cold War during the late 20th century. However, that rivalry ended after the Belkan War in 1995, when Osea and Yuktobania allied to combat the nation of Belka, which was attempting to invade its neighboring countries. During the war, a losing Belka detonated seven nuclear weapons on its own territory in an attempt to keep the advancing coalition at bay, shocking the world into ending the war; since then, many Belkans are vengeful and seek to regain their lost power.

The players control the game's silent protagonist, an Osean fighter pilot with the callsign "Blaze". Blaze is a member of Wardog Squadron, an auxiliary squadron of the Osean Air Defense Force (OADF) stationed on Sand Island. Other squadron members include trainees Kei Nagase ("Edge") and Alvin H. Davenport ("Chopper"); recruit Hans Grimm ("Archer"); Captain Jack Bartlett ("Heartbreak One"); mechanic Peter N. Beagle ("Pops"); and AWACS "Thunderhead". Other characters include Admiral Nicholas A. Andersen of the Kestrel; naval pilot Marcus Snow ("Swordsman"); Sand Island officers Major Allen C. Hamilton and Colonel Orson Perrault; and Osean President Vincent Harling. The game's frame story is told through pre-rendered cutscenes played between missions, mostly from the perspective of Albert Genette, a war correspondent that follows and documents Wardog Squadron's activities.

Synopsis[]

Several unidentified aircraft attack a flight of OADF pilots during a training exercise, killing all except Captain Jack Bartlett and trainee Kei Nagase. Freelance journalist Albert Genette, who was in Bartlett's plane at the time and recorded part of the incident, is detained by Major Allen C. Hamilton while Wardog Squadron—replenished by trainees Alvin H. Davenport and Blaze—engages more unidentified aircraft along Osea's western coast. During one engagement, Bartlett is shot down; search and rescue teams canvass the area but do not find him, and Blaze is promoted to Captain to replace him.

Yuktobania declares war against Osea, and Wardog is quickly thrust to the front lines. Wardog gains a new member, recruit Hans Grimm, and the squadron encounters the OFS Kestrel, which becomes the only surviving Osean aircraft carrier; the Arkbird, an Osean spacecraft repurposed for war; the Scinfaxi, a submarine aircraft carrier with ballistic missile capabilities; Osean President Vincent Harling, who they find on a secret transport mission; and the 8492nd Squadron, a mysterious squadron that arrives to rescue Harling. After the Osean military lands on the Yuktobanian mainland, Wardog is framed for bombing a Yuktobanian university, which was actually performed by the 8492nd; on trial, they are told the 8492nd does not exist. After being acquitted for stopping a retaliatory attack, Wardog sinks the Hrimfaxi, the Scinfaxi's sister ship, and the squadron is given the nickname "Demons of Razgriz", referring to a legend associated with the strait the Hrimfaxi was in. Genette, now an official war correspondent, interviews Sand Island mechanic Peter N. Beagle, who tells him he was once an Osean pilot who was shot down in the Belkan War and was rescued by Bartlett. Wardog assists a raid on a prisoner of war camp, but Nagase is shot down while attempting to find Bartlett among the POWs and is rescued after being pursued by Yuktobanian troops.

While performing a flyby over a peace ceremony at a stadium in southern Osea, Wardog is suddenly attacked by Yuktobanian fighters. During the fight, Davenport's plane is hit, but he manages to repel the attackers long enough for the stadium to be evacuated. However, his ejection seat fails, so he sends his crippled plane into the empty stadium, killing him but preventing civilian casualties. Wardog, shaken by Davenport's death, is ambushed by the 8492nd after returning from an assault on a Yuktobanian fortress, but they manage to escape and return to Sand Island. Meanwhile, Genette and Beagle have learned that the 8492nd Squadron is actually an aggressor squadron composed of the former Belkan Grabacr Squadron; that Major Hamilton was once assigned to the 8492nd; and that President Harling has not been seen since the 8492nd rescued him earlier. Genette and Beagle are called to the office of Colonel Orson Perrault, who—having been manipulated by Hamilton into thinking Wardog and Beagle are spies—interrogates them and reveals Beagle is actually Wolfgang Buchner, a Belkan pilot who was ordered to drop a nuclear bomb during the Belkan War. Buchner declined, fled, and was shot down, where he met Bartlett, who pretended Buchner was his squadron leader to spare him from capture. Perrault attempts to apprehend Buchner and Genette, but they and Wardog escape and flee in trainer aircraft. They are pursued by the 8492nd but are rescued by Marcus Snow, a naval pilot from the Kestrel who fakes their deaths by shooting down their planes after they eject. The squadron is taken to the Kestrel, where they meet Admiral Nicholas A. Andersen, who is also aware of Belkan involvement in the war. Wardog reforms as the Razgriz Squadron, consisting of Blaze, Nagase, Grimm, and Snow.

Razgriz Squadron rescues President Harling from captivity and performs secret missions to combat the Belkans. They learn that the "Grey Men", a Belkan paramilitary group, are planning on utilizing nuclear weapons on Osean and Yuktobanian cities to claim vengeance for their defeat in the Belkan War and to unite Belka once more. After a Yuktobanian resistance cell defuses one of the nukes, Grey Men operatives hijack the Arkbird and attempt to use it to deploy their remaining nukes, but Razgriz intercepts and destroys it over the ocean. Razgriz receives a message from Bartlett, who is alive and working with the resistance, and Razgriz rescues him and Yuktobanian Prime Minister Nikanor. Razgriz learns the Grey Men have taken control of the Strategic Orbital Linear Gun (SOLG), an Osean orbital weapons platform developed during the Cold War. They plan to use it to deploy the V2, a nuclear MIRV, and destroy Osean and Yuktobanian cities. The Kestrel is suddenly attacked by Yuktobanian vessels; Andersen persuades some of the Yuktobanians to join their side, but the Kestrel is sunk from the attack.

Harling and Nikanor hold a televised press conference where they reveal the true nature of the war and call on the Osean and Yuktobanian militaries to join forces and defeat the Grey Men. Osean and Yuktobanian forces, led by Razgriz, lead an all-out assault on the SOLG's control center. Razgriz and Bartlett fly into the control center to destroy the control modules, but are pursued by Hamilton; Razgriz and Bartlett escape the destroyed facility, and Hamilton is killed. Razgriz learns the SOLG has a failsafe: if its controls are cut off, it will plummet to the earth. The Grey Men target the Osean capital of Oured, intending to decimate the city with the SOLG. Razgriz takes down the last of Grabacr Squadron and destroys the SOLG over Oured, thwarting the Grey Men and ending the war. At the end of the game, text reveals that Razgriz Squadron disbanded after the war and was never seen again, and that the identities of Razgriz Squadron are publicly unknown but are believed to be related to Wardog Squadron.

In the Arcade Mode of the game, Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies's protagonist, Mobius 1, engages in combat against the Free Erusea terrorist group in 2006, four years prior to the events of the main game. This storyline occurs separately from the main plot.

Development[]

Namco first announced it was in development of Ace Combat 5 in the 2002 Tokyo CG festival, in a presentation focusing upon computer graphics.[10] Later, in 2003, Namco launched an official website promoting "Project Aces", originally thought to be a working title for Ace Combat 5.[11] "Project Aces" was later revealed to be the name for the internal Namco development team responsible for the Ace Combat series; Ace Combat 5 was the first title to directly credit its development to the "Project Aces" team.[2]

To ensure accuracy in the depiction of the game's aircraft, "Project Aces" was given permission by participating aircraft manufacturers to examine in person the planes that were to appear in the game.[12] The visual team also made use of satellite images from the Japan Space Imaging Corporation in the development of the game's environments. Moreover, "Project Aces" incorporated full motion video into the cut scenes of The Unsung War, as opposed to the still images used in the plot sequences of previous titles.[12]

Hiroshi Tanaka, the Namco localization producer for Ace Combat 5, highlights wingman interaction as one of the key distinguishing features between the game and its predecessors. Tanaka says that the wingman interaction feature introduces a "strategic and fun aspect of battle". Tanaka also states that because wingmen play a role in the story, the player can become more involved with the characters and the drama than in Ace Combat 04.[13] A third fictional aircraft, the ADLER, was planned but not fully developed due to time constraints.[14]

The background music of the game's main campaign mode is primarily orchestral,[15] although the arcade mode features rock music to complement its missions' more frantic pace.[16] The game additionally features three vocal tracks. One is "The Unsung War", a Latin choral piece performed by the Warsaw National Philharmonic Orchestra, that reiterates the "Demon of Razgriz" legend introduced in the game's campaign.[17] Another is "The Journey Home", a recurring song that implies a theme of peace during the campaign. The game also features the licensed track "Blurry" by Puddle of Mudd, which is featured during the game's opening trailer, one cutscene, and the closing credits.[18]

Release[]

Ace Combat 5 saw a PlayStation 4 release in 2019, as part of a pre-order bonus for Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown.[19] Bandai Namco has since clarified that it is not a remaster, but instead a port of the PlayStation 2 original, running natively on the PlayStation 4 at higher resolutions.[19]

Hori Flightstick 2[]

Officially branded as the Ace Combat Flightstick 2, the Hori Flightstick 2 is a game peripheral specifically designed for Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.[20] According to Hiroshi Tanaka, Namco and Hori worked together closely to ensure "that the game, the stick, and the controls matched exactly how it should play".[13] Unlike the original Flightstick peripheral designed for Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, the Flightstick 2 was released in North America in addition to Japan. In the United States, the accessory was released exclusively as a bundle with Ace Combat 5; only 20,000 bundles were made available in the limited edition offer.[20]

The Flightstick 2 connects to the PS2 through a USB port. Unlike the PS2 DualShock 2 controller, the Flightstick 2 uses a HOTAS, or "hands on throttle and stick" design similar to that used in actual aircraft. The right hand controls the flight stick, which controls the plane's attitude; the left hand controls the throttle. Buttons, D-pads, and rudder controls are placed directly onto either the flight stick or the throttle. Although the Flightstick 2 does not offer force feedback, it does have a vibration feature. Although the Flightstick 2 was targeted specifically for use with Ace Combat 5, not all of the buttons on the peripheral are utilized in the game.[21]

Ace Combat 5 is the only game officially sanctioned for use with the Flightstick 2. In a review of the peripheral, IGN commented that although the Hori Flightstick 2 was "nearly perfect in what it does, [...] at the moment it really only does one thing and that's play Ace Combat 5".[21] However, the Flightstick 2 is also compatible with Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies and Ace Combat Zero: The Belkan War.

Reception[]

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War was marked with strong sales, selling over 287,400 copies in Japan[29] and over one million copies in North America,[30] though it undersold Ace Combat 04 by around 800,000 copies.[31] The game was also favorably received by critics. Although reviewers point out that the game is remarkably similar to Ace Combat 04, most also agree that the game's similarity to its predecessor did not detract from its overall quality. According to GameSpot, "this latest installment doesn't do much to change an already-winning formula—but not much was needed to keep this series feeling fresh and exciting".[4]

Overall, critics' reception of the title's gameplay was positive, particularly for the game's intuitive control schemes and large assortment of playable aircraft.[4][27] The gameplay was also applauded for its "ideal" place between "overtly arcadey rubbish and inaccessible hardcore simulation".[7][9] On review aggregator website Metacritic, the game has a score of 84/100, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[22]

Reception of the game's new features, however, was mixed. The game's redesigned "target view" function was decried as "almost broken".[7][9] Although GameSpy welcomed improvements to the game's radar display, other additions such as wingman commands were seen as "gimmicky" and having little effect on gameplay.[9] The game's arcade mode was described as fun but lacking in features and storyline.[4]

The game's presentation was better received. Various critics praised the way that the game's storyline ties cohesively with the missions, allowing for better and more involving gameplay. GameSpot praised the game for its "captivating storyline".[7][27] IGN applauded that the game recognizes the player's accomplishments, adding a "sense of worth" to the campaign. Although GameSpy felt that the menu interface was not optimized in terms of usability, it lauded the look of the game's cinematics and briefing screens. Although others believed that the player's responses to wingmen had little effect on gameplay, Game Informer felt that the feature was a "brilliant way to create atmosphere".[27]

The game was acclaimed for its graphics, particularly its improved special and environmental effects and its authentically modeled aircraft,[4][7] but critics noted that the high level of visual improvement in some areas contrasts with little improvement in others.[7][9] The game's voice acting received mixed reactions. Although some felt that taken as a whole the radio chatter sets the game's atmosphere and creates a "hectic feel",[7][27] most critics felt that much of the chatter was contextually inappropriate or annoying. GameSpy compared the voice work in 5 negatively with that in 04, feeling that the dialogue seemed "forced" and that sometimes "characters start to blabber just because they can".[9]

Notes[]

  1. ^ In Japanese: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (エースコンバット5 ジ・アンサング・ウォー, Ēsu Konbatto Go Ji Ansangu Wō). Known in Europe as Ace Combat: Squadron Leader.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Release Summary". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15. Retrieved 2007-12-31.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "IGN: Project Aces". IGN. Archived from the original on 2008-12-09. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  3. ^ Namco Hometek Inc. (2004-10-25). "Cleared for Departure: Namco Ships Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Kasavin, Greg (October 25, 2004). "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Review". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on July 9, 2008. Retrieved September 13, 2008.
  5. ^ Jump up to: a b Elston, Brett. "Ace Combat 6: Fires of Liberation". GamesRadar+. Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  6. ^ Jump up to: a b Sulic, Ivan (2004-09-30). "IGN: Ace Combat 5: Update". IGN. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  7. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Sulic, Ivan (October 25, 2004). "Reviews: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War". IGN. Archived from the original on February 28, 2007. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b Calvert, Justin (2004-10-21). "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Import Hands-On". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-02-27. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  9. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Schiaparelli, Frank (October 25, 2004). "GameSpy: The Unsung War Review". GameSpy. IGN. Archived from the original on September 16, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  10. ^ Parker, Sam (2002-10-30). "Ace Combat 5 in the works". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  11. ^ IGN staff (2003-01-02). "IGN: Project Aces Page Opens". IGN. Archived from the original on 2008-04-08. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  12. ^ Jump up to: a b Dunham, Jeremy (2004-06-01). "IGN: Ace Combat 5 Screens and Observations". IGN. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  13. ^ Jump up to: a b "GameSpot Video: Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Developer Interview 1". GameSpot. 2004-09-29. Retrieved 2008-10-17.[permanent dead link]
  14. ^ "SOFTBANK GAMES PlayStation2 特集「ACECOMBAT5 THE UNSUNG WAR」開発者インタビュー P.1". nlab.itmedia.co.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-11-21.
  15. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (2004-10-21). "IGN: Ace Combat 5 Playtest". IGN. Archived from the original on 2007-07-13. Retrieved 2008-10-14.
  16. ^ Calvert, Justin (2004-09-29). "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War Updated Hands-On". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-03-01. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  17. ^ "Project Aces" (Namco) (2004-10-25). Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (PlayStation 2). Namco. Level/area: "The Unsung War" (27+). Lyrics and Translation Archived 2008-10-05 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Kohler, Chris (2004-10-18). "Ace Combat 5 lands in Puddle of Mudd". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 2009-03-02. Retrieved 2008-10-16.
  19. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ace Combat 7's PS4 Pre-Order Bonus Ace Combat 5 Isn't a Remaster, but a Port With Improved Resolution". dualshockers.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-23. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b "NAMCO ANNOUNCES ACE COMBAT5 LIMITED EDITION FLIGHTSTICK 2 PREMIUM BUNDLE SET" (PDF). Hori. 2004-09-28. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-10-11. Retrieved 2008-09-18.
  21. ^ Jump up to: a b Roper, Chris (2004-11-02). "Ace Combat Flight Stick 2". IGN. Archived from the original on 26 September 2008. Retrieved 2008-09-17.
  22. ^ Jump up to: a b "Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2008.
  23. ^ Smith, David (October 20, 2004). "Ace Combat 5 Import Review". 1UP.com. IGN. Archived from the original on September 14, 2012. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  24. ^ PSW Staff (February 17, 2005). "PS2 Review: Ace Combat 5". Computer & Video Games. Future plc. Archived from the original on December 2, 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
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  28. ^ Four-Eyed Dragon (October 26, 2004). "Ace Combat 5 Review for PS2". GamePro. Future plc. Archived from the original on February 2, 2006. Retrieved December 19, 2020.
  29. ^ "Sony PS2 Japanese Rankings". Japan Game Charts. 2008-08-26. Archived from the original on 2008-12-30. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
  30. ^ "ACE COMBAT SERIES SURPASSES 10 MILLION UNITS SOLD WORLDWIDE". Namco Bandai Games. 2008-04-16. Archived from the original on 2008-07-03. Retrieved 2008-10-05.
  31. ^ "『エースコンバット』シリーズ全世界累計1,000万本突破!". www.acecombat.jp (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2020-03-11. Retrieved 2019-11-21.

External links[]

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