Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies (PS2)
****1/2

The airplane combat sim. A common sight on the PC, a non-issue on the video game console. Well, yes and no, actually. Namco's popular Ace Combat series has entertained many over the past five or six years, but calling it a plane simulation can't be considered correct. Ace Combat is all about arcade style action, fast paced dogfights, and stunning visuals. Ace Combat 4 is all of that and more.

the game takes place around the fictitious continent of Eugea and its plot unfolds through the eyes of a young boy living in the occupied town of San Salvacion. The entire story is narrated by this boy through a series of beautiful hand-drawn animation stills, and he tells the tale of the occupying force's ace pilot, Yellow 13, and how your actions throughout the 18-mission single-player campaign affect his demeanor. Interestingly enough, you'll get to know more about this boy and Yellow 13 than you will about your own character, who remains faceless and nameless (except for your code name of Mobius One) throughout the entire game. You'll be greeted by these stills, which are further brought to life by a melodic soundtrack and great sound effects at the end of every other mission, and once you finish the game, you'll have the ability to watch any of these clips at your leisure.

The graphics engine is very, very good. Throughout the game you'll see 21 flyable different real-world planes realistically rendered, with real-time shading and reflections. Weather effects come in the form of fog, rain, and snow. Breaking through a cloudy sky at 30,000 feet reveals a beautiful blue sky. Flying around at blistering speeds, narrowly avoiding enemy planes, while blowing them to bits with different varieties of missles, bombs, and even a machine gun (for a last resort, really).

While all 18 of Ace Combat 04's missions are timed, their objectives differ from one level to the next and include everything from standard escort missions to a strike on an air base. These are all very well executed, and always remain interesting. Some notables include providing ground support for troops at a beach invasion, and intercepting cruise missles aimed at your base.

Ace Combat 4 is highly enjoyable, well-executed, and perfectly blends action with a narrative reserved mostly for other game genres.

-James Napier