Ack! Been a while since I've updated this, been busy with school and uhmm.... Warcraft 3. :-P

Also finished Ace Combat 5 on PS2. Really quite a good game, despite the weird "hippie" story and dialogue. You see, the game has a pacifist bent to it, which is very odd considering you're ace pilots flying state-of-the-art war machines, blowing up hundreds of people. Throughout the game, your wingmen state their remorse over all the killing they're doing.

Still, I recommend the game for the fantastic visuals, huge selection of planes, some creative and exciting missions, and spiffy music. I never managed to unlock the Super Hornet featured in the picture above, nor the Dasault Rafale (one of my fav planes from Fighters Anthology). But I did get to fly a lot of funky prototype stuff I didn't even knew existed, such as the Su-47 (pictured below).














The F-22, Typhoon, Gripen, and F-35 all make an appearance too.

Despite being on PS2, the game looks incredible, especially in Replay mode, which replays each mission from cinematic external cams. The game can be played in HUD-only view, cockpit view (very detailed and accurate cockpits, too!), and external camera view. Btw, the gameplay is pure arcade console action, so if you're looking for a flight sim experience, look elsewhere.

How Not to be Seen

Funny BF2 Monty Python video ;)

Blast!

I got my copy of Battlefront 2 in the mail yesterday, and was quickly let down by the experience.

First off, it was a pain in the ass just to run the game in the first place. I had to set the game to a Win2000 compatibility setting just to get it to launch. Apparently I'm not alone in frustrations with this game in regards to bugs... the Lucasarts tech support forums are overflowing with frustrated posters who claim half the people who bought Battlefront 2 for the PC can't even play the game. They're all clamoring for a patch that has been delayed, but should be out soon.

For me, besides that Win2000 thing, the game works fine. The problem is that the game is just not that fun or deep. It's a very arcadey, simple, straightforward FPS game for the most part. Extremely simple. So simple, in fact, that I can't think of a professionally made FPS game that provided a more dull experience. The levels are vast and... bland... and empty. You have a gun, you shoot at your enemies while strafing back and forth. Not Counter-strike or Rainbow Six, of course. But, this ain't no Quake-quality deathmatch style exciting shooting match, either. It's just.... boring.

Even as a die-hard Star Wars fan, I can't recommend this game. Stay away! Especially if you've played any of the great Star Wars games, like the X-wing series of games, or Jedi Knight games, or Republic Commando. These all have excellent gameplay and do the Star Wars name justice.