Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

Combat flight simulators are a genre that is woefully underrepresented. It is rare that a game in this genre is released, and even more rare that the game released is any good. There is something about a good combat flight simulator game that is difficult to crack for most developers, but something the developers at Project Aces have down pat. Each game Project Aces releases is a revolution and an evolution of their patented gameplay formula that always excited fans of the combat flight genre. One of Project Aces greatest hits, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War, continues to be one of the best examples of the genre, and a game that is infinitely replayable, even now. If you’re looking to experience Project Aces’ magnum opus from 2004, then here is everything you need to know about Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War.

Multiple Game Modes

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War is broken up into three gameplay modes. The story campaign, which tells the story of several ace pilots as they deal with the Yukotbanian invasion of Osea, The bare-bones arcade mode, and the tutorial which teaches you how to play. For players who are new to the Ace Combat series and didn’t experience the awesomeness that was Ace Combat 04: Shattered Skies, you’ll want to check out the tutorial mode. The gameplay of Ace Combat isn’t super difficult, but there are many interlocking systems that need some explanation. The Arcade mode takes you through the stages from the campaign, but drops the story so that you can experience the raw gameplay of Ace Combat 5.

Each of the game modes is fun in its own right, mostly due to the strength of the base Ace Combat gameplay. There are some features that are exclusive to certain modes, however. For instance, in the campaign mode, you can issue orders to your fellow pilots to better coordinate attacks in wingman interaction. Completing certain missions will also unlock minigames like midair refueling, which nicely breaks up the standard gameplay.

An Arsenal Full of Realistic Aircraft

To engage in fights above the clouds, Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War features over 50 licensed aircraft for you to unlock and pilot. To ensure each jet in the game is as faithful to its real-life counterpart as possible, Project Aces was granted special access by the aircraft manufacturers featured in the game to examine the crafts up close. Each jet that appears in the game is constructed with information gained on-site at the manufacturers. The environments, while set in a fictional country, were made using satellite imagery obtained from the Japan Space Imaging Corporation.

Pros

• Excellent dogfighting gameplay
• Lots of aircraft to unlock and pilot
• Interesting story campaign

Cons

• The story campaign is quite short
• Doesn’t feature the multiplayer mode that other games in the series have