Game SummaryGAME REVIEWGAME REVIEW OFDon Barnes: 9/29/03CIS 487: Fall 2003 Assignment 2Basic InformationGame Title: Ace Combat 04: Shattered SkiesCompany & Author: NamcoType of Game: Flight SimulatorPrice: $19.99Minimum HW Req: PS-2 Console SystemActual HW Req: PS-2 Console System, Control Pad, Memory card (for saving game files)Game SummaryQuick Overview: You are a fighter pilot whose mission is to make it through 18 breathtaking levels which include such acts as intercepting nuclear missiles, providing ground support to friendly allies, escorting a non-military plane safely to it’s destination, and so forth. Each of the missions are timed, however the allotted time given is very generous and allows for the player to complete the level and all objectives without being rushed.Story Line: The storyline is probably one of the most appealing aspects of the game. Throughout the game you play the role of a fighter pilot (Mobius One) for ISAF (Independent States Air Force) – the good guys, facing the Erusians – the bad guys. The interesting part of the story, however is that during the game, you view what’s happening through the eyes of a young boy in San Salvacion, who lost his family in an explosion caused by a plane that was shot down by “Yellow-13”, one of the ace-pilots of the Erusians. The narrative of the story is told through the perspective of this young boy and you will see hand drawn animation stills (see Figure 1.1) as you progress through the story mode. One of the interesting things about this story is that you will discover more about this young boy and “Yellow-13” than you will about your own character. The interesting twist to the story mode is that the story of this young boy, “Yellow-13” and “Mobius One” will become apparent as the story unwinds.Fig 1-1Player’s Role: You are “Mobius One” and your mission is to follow the order’s given to you by your command (ISAF), You may be asked to providesupport to fellow pilots on an air strikes, or to destroy multiple ground structures and units. All of the missions include some type of “Seek and Destroy” concept and the player must meet the goal (usually scoring a certain amount of points) for the level to advance.Installation: Since this is a console game, there is really no installation needed. The saving for the game is done automatically after each level where you are asked if you would like to save your progress.User Interface: The User Interface allows the player to take a first person or third person perspective in the single player mode depending on their preference. Also there are a couple different third person views allowed in the game and include a close-up view and far view from the rear of the plane, also a side view of the plane. Another Nice feature of the game is thatall the information that the user will need is displayed in a neat and consistent manner, for example, Time Remaining, radar, points, remaining missiles/ammo and the damage of the plane is all displayed in the corners of the screen (See Figure 1.2).Fig 1-2Game Play: Ace Combat 4 has a real time system and is pretty straightforward. Throughout the game you are in the cockpit of some advanced planes and you have complete control of maneuvering along with throttle and braking of the plane. Beyond control of the plane, you also are given control of the weapons, which will vary depending on the plane but usually includes ammo for a machine gun, some sort of standard missiles and unique missiles/bombs associated to each plane. Of course the weaponsare limited and once you deplete the supply, that’s it, YOU ARE OUT OF AMMO!!!Scoring: The scoring system implemented in AC-4 is very simple, you destroy something, you are given a certain number of points which are displayed on the screen when you blow it up. All targets have three categories of scoring and are associated with a color – White, Yellow and Red. White targets range from 0 – 39 points, Yellow targets between 40 – 69, and Red targets are 70 and above. Whether the targets are air or ground or sea they always have a color associated with them and once destroyed the points will be displayed to the screen and will accumulate to the total points for the current mission.Artwork: The artwork in the game is very well done and is done in 3-D, Even the animation stills are very nice looking and can immerse the user intothe story. For the most part the in-game graphics are exceptional from the explosions of aircrafts (See Figure 1.3) and ground units to the background scenery involved. One minor note on the game is the close-up views of the scenery such as the ground, water, and building where the image becomes somewhat blurred and distorted, however this is a very minor flaw in the game and for the most part is not very noticeable.Fig 1-3Sound and Music: WOW, the music and sound effects in the game are great simply put. The music tracks are chosen appropriately for each of the missions and keep the user interested for the most part, also the sound effects are very well done from the roar of the engine when traveling at fast speeds, to the sounds of the afterburner and to the explosions of enemy targets. The commentary used is decent in the beginning of the game, but after a few levels of hearing “Mobius One shot one down” can become very annoying, since each level usually has 10 or more planes that you will end up destroying.Special Features: A really nice feature of the game is the ability to choose multiple aircraft to fly and being able to select the aircraft which will best suit a mission based on it’s capabilities and the weapons for that plane. Alsothe game does not allow you to just pick any plane and weapons you want, instead you must earn money by completing each mission and gaining pointswhich is converted into money and then you may purchase aircraft and weaponry for each of your aircraft that you own. Another interesting featureof the game is learning different maneuvers with each of the planes and being able to master these techniques as they make the missions a lot more fun. Techniques include the SU-27 Cobra maneuver and the A-10 will flip upside down to acquire their target.Manual: The supplied manual is decent and provides basic information that will help with the game if needed. It also describes the different game modes and some of the aircraft in the game. For the most part, it is more useful to someone
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