Ace Combat Distant Thunder PS2

+Manual Complete Cib

Taking charge of a variety of military aircraft with interchangeable loadouts, you'll find a variety of missions to undertake, ranging from combat air patrols to ground bombing and fighter intercepts. Graphically, this is a real gem. The in-game models are very strong and a look out of the cockpit windows at the gorgeous scenery is enough to create a real sense of "being there". This is further enhanced by the radio chatter that peppers the fighting sequences, be it calm messages from the air traffic controllers or the excited shouts of your fellow pilots when they take down an enemy. Control is nicely done through the DualShock 2 with the flight controls on the left analogue stick and cockpit view controlled from the right; the button assignments have been strategically designed to be comfortable and easy to remember in the heat of battle.

Flight combat games are quite a niche market, even on the next generation consoles, so it's nice to see Ace Combat 4 acting as ambassador for the genre. For those tired of platforms, car racing and the martial arts there's enough here to provide entertainment way beyond expectation. --Chris Russell