Ace Combat 2 is a 1997 combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation. The player controls one of 24 different fighter jets through 21 different missions with certain objectives to fulfill, such as protecting a base from enemy fire, intercepting a squadron of enemies, or taking down an aircraft carrier.

The Story Behind Ace Combat 2

A simplistic law of physics system was implemented in their place, which kept the game's realism while still providing a user-friendly experience. The development team experimented with a level design that would involve the player attempting to de-rail a trail through a mountain valley, but it was ultimately dropped due to technical and graphical restraints. Missions were designed to be exciting and fun to play, and when new fighters were added the team determined if they would make the missions more interesting or not.

At the beginning of development, the team wanted the game to support analogue control, adding support for both the PlayStation Analog Joystick and Namco's NeGcon, and later the Dual Analog Controller. Environments were created to be visually-impressive and interesting. Ace Combat 2 was the creation of Namco designer Masanori Kato, who previously worked on the game's predecessor Air Combat, and a small team of others.

How Ace Combat 2 Plays

New to this game are "aces", elite enemy pilots that can be fought to unlock special medals and their special aircraft for play later. It is the sequel to Air Combat and the second in the Ace Combat franchise. A fuel meter acts as a time limit and will deplete as the player flies around the level and attacks enemies; the mission will automatically end if the meter fully depletes.

Along with a small group of others, Kato set out to create a follow-up that greatly improved on the original, featuring improved graphics, a variety in missions, and providing a true sense of flight for the player. is a 1997 combat flight simulation video game developed and published by Namco for the PlayStation. The composers also made sure it reflected the designs and objectives of each mission.

Why Players Still Load It Up

Crispin Boyer of Electronic Gaming Monthly applauded the draw distance, while Computer and Video Games called it "the most intense flight experience to ever grace a console". The game's consistently high frame rate and environmental visuals were subjects of praise. Many publications agreed that Ace Combat 2 was a vast improvement over its predecessor, with IGN, Electric Playground and GamePro all commending Namco for successfully updating the gameplay in the original to make it much more action-packed and entertaining.

Electric Playground and AllGame both praised the large selection of playable fighters, with AllGame also applauding its usage of secrets and unlockable extras. However, the majority of critics contended that the enemy artificial intelligence is extremely advanced and responds to player movements, making the game's difficulty, if anything, overly high. The four reviewers of Electronic Gaming Monthly felt the game's strongest point was its variety, with multiple planes to choose from and unlock and widely varying mission objectives.

Ace Combat 2 — Frequently Asked Questions