Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War

Ace Combat 5
Developer(s)	Namco
Publisher(s)	Namco
Platform(s)	PlayStation 2
Release	October 21, 2004 October 24, 2004 February 18, 2005
Genre(s)	Simulation
Mode(s)	Single player

Ace Combat 5: The Unsung War (エースコンバット5 ジ・アンサング・ウォー) is a game for the PlayStation 2 developed by Namco. It is a semi-realistic fighter pilot simulation. It is part of the Ace Combat series of games. In Europe and Australia this game was released under the title Ace Combat: Squadron Leader.

Storyline

The beginning of the game starts with a cutscene, where Captain Jack Bartlett (Heartbreak One) of the Ocean Air Defense Force (OADF) at Sand Island airforce base, is leading a squadron of trainees on a routine flight until a squadron of fighters from an unknown origin are detected, heading for the Osean shoreline. Bartlett's squad was the only squadron close enough to intercept them, so he and the two training instructors engage them while Bartlett sends the trainees to a lower altitude zone; unfortunately, this zone was directly in front of another enemy squadron, and though they won the battle, six trainees were killed along with one instructor. The second instructor crashed on landing. Because of the engagement, the Sand Island base sits on alert while Osean Command searches for the origin of the fighters. Lieutenant Kei Nagase (callsign Edge), the only surviving trainee, is made Bartlett's wingman, along with Second Lieutenant Alvin H. Davenport (callsign Chopper), and a rather quiet unnamed pilot, callsign Blaze, whom the player controls. Osea encounters more strange recon activities by an unknown nation, which is believed to be the nearby Yuktobania, a massive superpower that matches Osea in military might and are supposed to be allies with Osea since the Belkan War. Tensions rise between Osea and Yuktobania as recon activities increase on the Osean shoreline. During the third campaign mission, Heartbreak One is shot down after taking a missile that was aimed at Nagase and he bails out. Immediately after, the remaining pilots are ordered to return to Sand Island; the Union of Yuktobanian Republics had just declared war on the Osean Federation.

Yuktobania declared war and launched a blitz attack simulatneously on several ports. Port St. Hewlett, an Osean naval harbor, is one of them. Wardog squadron was called in to defend the ships in St. Hewlett, specifically the aircraft carrier Kestrel. Edge is ordered to lead the formation by AWACS Thunderhead, but she refuses and gives the lead to Blaze, who performed much better than both she and Chopper in the previous two missions. After Wardog assists the carrier planes in defending the ships, a provisionary fleet of the surviving ships is formed under the commander of the Kestrel, Captain Andersen. The recovery team sent to rescue Bartlett do not find him. Bartlett was taken prisoner by Yuktobania.

After Wardog returns to Sand Island, there is an air raid launched on Sand Island by a squadron of bombers and many fighter planes who seek to destroy the base. Wardog launches and engages the planes while covering Pops, their mentor and instructor who trained them in basic fighter maneuvers. Pops takes off and Chopper directs the squadron's attention to a fighter plane heading to the runway to take off. Hans Grimm, callsign Archer, a pilot not out of replacement pilot training, is taking off in an F-5. Wardog engages the incoming wave of pilots to cover Archer's launch, who then joins the Wardog Squadron. The squadron commander, Lieutenant Colonel Ford who comes from central command to assume command of Wardog, attempts to land in Sand Island, but he is shot down and killed by the third wave of fighters. Wardog clears the airspace of enemy fighters.

Wardog is then called on to defend the three aircraft carriers in the Osean naval fleet, including the Kestrel, as they are evacuated to the inland sea, along with every other fighter command could call in. Many of the fighters are given clearance to return to their bases once the carriers are out of enemy attack range. Wardog is waiting to return home when they detect enemy planes on radar, and the carriers are attacked. After successfully defending the carriers with the aircraft launched from the carriers, Thunderhead detects a ballistic missile heading for the engagement zone, it explodes, destroying all of the carrier aircraft and damaging or sinking several of the ships sent to guard the carriers. Wardog and a pilot named Captain Snow (callsign Swordsman) escape the second ballistic missile by climbing to a higher altitude, but the second missile strikes the engagement area, sinking the remaining ships. Only Wardog, Swordsman, and the carrier Kestrel survive the attack. Analysis of the battle reveals that a giant carrier submarine, the Yuktobanian submarine, Scinfaxi, was responsible for the launched aircraft and for the two ballistic missiles that were launched. Wardog is then called on a mission to defend a space center to launch a laser cannon onto the orbital plane Arkbird for use against the Scinfaxi. After which, the Sand Island faces an invasion fleet seeking to capture their base. Wardog and several trainees fly out to intercept the fleet, and after successfully destroying a large part of it, they were warned of an incoming ballistic missile. The Arkbird, deployed over the battlefield shoots down the missile, and the battlefield is safe until the Scinfaxi launches multiple missiles at once. The Arkbird managed to shoot down two of them, but one was still flying. The missile struck; Wardog evaded the missile's blast zone, but the trainees were killed. Wardog continues to engage the ships and evade the missile blast zones until the Arkbird fires its laser into the water, damaging the Scinfaxi and forcing it to surface. Wardog then engages the Scinfaxi with the help of the Arkbird, and the submarine is destroyed. Sand Island is safe from the enemy's attack.

Wardog is then called out on a routine patrol of terrain on the Osean mainland, when they receive a distress signal from a craft in their vicinity; a unregistered military transport, Mother Goose One- needs navigational help to fly through the AA zone Wardog is patrolling due to a top secret mission they are undergoing. The Osean AA guns wouldn't recognize Mother Goose One since the aircraft wasn't a registered flight, and thus- Osean AA guns will fire on it. Blaze safely navigates the craft though the AA zone and Wardog successfully defends it against enemy air attack. It is revealed that the craft is carrying the Osean President, who is flying into neutral territory to meet with Yuktobanian leaders for peace negotiations. Nagase asks him why he had to use the Arkbird in the war, since the Arkbird was a symbol of peace. It was for a bargaining chip in the negotiations, and the President promises that the space program will start up again. Following this, the plane suffers an attack from an onboard spy which results in the pilot and copilot being killed. The plane is successfully brought under control and lands, thanks to the President's secretary, who has never flown or landed an aircraft before. A squadron of fighters relieve the Wardog on station- the 8492nd Squadron (who are in reality- the Grabacr Squadron, a group of former Belkan Air Force aces employed by Osean and are directly responsible for all of the actions happening in this game. Pops and Captain Bartlett knew about this group, as Pops was also a former Belkan ace and Bartlett was a former Belkan pilot/soldier). The Squadron promises to take good care of the President's aircraft, and are left to defend the transport as the Wardog Squadron exits the airspace.

It is revealed in the cutscene before the next mission, though, that the Arkbird had been sabotaged by hidden explosives in the cargo shipment. The balance of power had slipped into Yuktobania's hands once again.

Wardog is then called on their next mission; an attack on the Yuktobanian mainland, where Wardog is called in to assist the ground forces in occupying a beach. Such an action sharply contrasts with the peace process the President was proposing. Chopper is disgusted by the mission, angry that the President authorized an escalation of the war such as that. Wardog returns to base after the mission is complete.

In their next mission, Wardog is called in to destroy a convoy of retreating enemy aircraft that are carrying enemy forces, but their efforts are hampered by jammer aircraft. After destroying the jammers, Wardog overhears the enemy radio that alerts the enemy to a flight of Osean fighters (who signify themselves as the 8492nd squadron) who are attacking an engineering college full of civilian students, killing a large number of noncombatant Yuktobanian civilians, which is located within flying distance of Wardog's engagement area. Wardog is wrongly accused of attacking the college, and are called to the Osean capital Oured for interrogation during the next cutscene. When telling what happened during their mission, and informing the interrogation commitee of the squadron that committed the atrocity, they are told that there is no Osean squadron with that number designation. During the interrogation, though, there is an alert of enemy planes inbound to the capital, and there are two attacks to deal with. Yuktobanian aircraft are attacking the capital, one attack is at an airport, the other is a chemical attack on a college town.

Completing either mission sets the Squadron back in good graces with command, but only barely- unfortunately, later on in the game, Hamilton asserts that the Wardog Squadron are Belkan spies- members of the aforementioned "Grabacr" Squadron. This leads to Wardog having to desert the Sand Island Base with Pops. After a brilliant demonstration of Pop's TRUE flying skills, the Wardog Squad meets up with Marcus Snow to stage their deaths and shelters them onboard the Kestrel under orders of Captain Andersen.

In a last ditch effort to restore peace, Wardog successfully manages to come to the aid of the imprisoned Osean President and free him from his captors, likewise- Capt. Bartlett does the same, staging the rescue of the Yuktobanian Prime Minister. The Osean President acknowledges the debt he owes to the Wardog Squadron, and they are reinstated officially under their nickname, the new Squadron being known as the 'Razgriz'. Their colors change too, all aircraft are now black with a grey nose cone and red markings. In battle, many of the Yuktobanian forces begin calling them the 'Ghosts of Razgriz', and the fear and awe which preceded them as the Wardog Squadron continues in battle. Following the death of Chopper, Snow is added as the Razgriz' fourth pilot- having flown sorties from the Kestrel until he alone was the sole flight pilot for the carrier.

In a significant show of peace, the Yuktobanian Prime Minister and the Osean President stand together and announce what has been happening in both countries, after their abductions. This display causes many Yuktobanian and Osean pilots, soldiers, even fleet commanders to question the validity of their orders and many desert, opting for peace rather than war. But the Grabacr & Ofnir Squadrons- the Belkan Factions providing the fuse of the war, are not ready for their long planned war to be undermined and reveal their last trump card: SOLG.

The remaining Belkan forces deploy the MIRV (Multi Independently Targetable Re-Entry Vehicle) Nuclear weapon 'V2' on SOLG, as the last ditch effort in inciting a fullscale war- their plan is to use this weapon against either Osea or Yuktobania. The Osean President and the Yuktobanian Prime Minister assert that regardless of which country is targeted, it would be an attack against all of humanity as a result.

Incidentally, the flagship carrier Kestrel is sunk following a surprise missile attack, and Captain Anderson orders the ship to be abandoned. He does, however- also tell the men tasked with being on the flight deck to launch the Razgriz Squadron before they abandon ship. His orders are carried out, even as the Kestrel is sinking under the force of the sea water which is flowing into it. In the sky, the four aircraft perform a fly over of the personnel in the escape boats, who salute the massive ship as it silently sinks into the water. Looking up, Captain Anderson tells Pops that his mission is finally complete. Even with the Kestrel having sank, he was able to get the fighters into the air, ready for their next mission. Their new mission is to destroy the SOLG's control core, which is located deep underground via a series of complex tunnels.

With a last push for restored peace, the Osean President and the Yuktobanian Prime Minister announce the details of this mission to the world, and urge any of their pilots loyal to the cause of peace to stand along with the Razgriz Squadron and stop this terrible event from taking place. In the air, the four aces are joined by a joint taskforce made up of Yuktobanian and Osean aircraft. The taskforce fly support for the Razgriz, all the while singing the national anthem over the open airwaves in a stunning show of support for peace. The Razgriz squadron are able to complete their mission, but Captain Hamilton, their former commander and Belkan faction pilot- follows them into the tunnels. He dies down there in the process, his aircraft coming into contact with aircraft that had riccocheted through the tunnels.

With one last mission before them, the Razgriz now are forced to face off against the last of the remaining Grabacr & Ofnir Squadrons, and SOLG itself as it reenters the planet's atmosphere.

With the arcade mode the player takes on the role of Mobius 1 from Ace Combat 04 in a more fast-paced game with different missions and objectives than the campaign mode.

Gameplay

During the course of the game, the player has the opportunity to buy 53 different planes (however the player and his wingmen are restricted to the F-5E for the first four missions since you're not the captain of the Wardog squadron yet), from those that actually exist to prototypes to fantasy planes. All planes have alternate paint schemes, gained by meeting certain goals in missions, such as shooting down "ace" pilots. There are a total of 32 missions in the campaign mode, but due to multiple mission paths, there are a total of 28 missions flown in a single campaign.

The difficulty mode affects how many enemies are in a stage, how smart/accurate the enemies are, how much damage the enemies can take, and how much damage the player's airplane can take. On the hardest difficulty level a single missile from the enemy will down the player's airplane, whereas on the easiest level it takes several missiles.

The player ultimately gains control of a squadron of his own, and must purchase planes for squadron members. When preparing for a mission, the player gets to pick each airplane that each squad member will use. During missions, some orders can be given to wingmen, such as whether to actively engage enemies, spread out, and use special weapons.

The player must purchase all airplanes that he wants to use — up to four of each model (one for each squad member). Players gain money by destroying enemies. Once the mission objectives are complete, the player is awarded bonus money for performing above and beyond the requirements of the mission objectives. With missions that require landing or refueling in mid-air, bonus money can be earned by doing them quickly.

Ace Combat 5 lacks the two-player mode present in Ace Combat 4, it's predecessor. This mode is reinstated in its successors, Ace Combat Zero, Ace Combat X, and Ace Combat 6.

Differences between Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat 5

There are a number of key changes between Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat 5. These include:

• Removing two-player support.
• Allowing the player to give orders to the player's wingmen.
• Not allowing the player to rearm his airplane during missions.
• Awarding medals for accomplishing various goals.
• Unlocking planes through an experience system, where using a plane's predecessor in a family will unlock its successor.
• Awarding credits to the player for wingmen kills (because they are squadron kill points); allied non-wingmen kills remain unrewarded.
• Allowing wingmen to destroy mission objective targets.
• Allowing the user a choice between two missions at points in the game.
• Giving players the option to select their wingmens' planes for optimal air-to-ground or air-to-air combat for each mission.
• Restricting the player to one aircraft (F-5) for the first four missions.
• Providing two missions in addition to the first four that restrict the player to use a preselected aircraft, mission 11B (Mirage 2000D), and mission 19 (Hawk T.1R).

Aircraft

The following aircraft are pilotable. Other aircraft are in the game, but are not pilotable.

A-6E Intruder EA-6B Prowler A-10A Thunderbolt II YA-10B F-5E Tiger II F-20A Tigershark F-4E Phantom II F-4G Phantom II (Wild Weasel) F-4X F-14A Tomcat F-14B "Bombcat" F-14D Super Tomcat F-15C Eagle F-15E Strike Eagle F-15S/MTD F-16C Fighting Falcon F-16C Block 60 Fighting Falcon F-16XL

F/A-18C Hornet F/A-18E Super Hornet F/A-22A Raptor FB-22 F-117A Nighthawk MiG-21bis Fishbed-L MiG-21-93 Fishbed-J MiG-29A Fulcrum-A MiG-31 Foxhound-A MiG-31M Foxhound-B F-2A EA-18G Growler Mirage 2000C Mirage 2000D Tornado-GR.1 Tornado-GR.4 Tornado-F3 Tornado-ECR

Su-27 Flanker-B Su-32 Fullback Su-35 Flanker-E Su-37 Terminator Su-47 Berkut S-32 JAS-39C Gripen EF-2000 Typhoon R-M01 Rafale M R-B01 Rafale B F-35C Lightning II YF-23A Black Widow II MiG-1.44 Flatpack T-1.A Hawk X-02 Wyvern X-29A ADF-01F Falken

Non-pilotable aircraft

• The Arkbird
• Avro Vulcan
• Hawker-Siddeley Nimrod
• AV-8 Harrier II
• B-2 Spirit
• B-1B Lancer
• B-52 Stratofortress
• C-5B Galaxy
• C-130 Hercules
• SR-71 Blackbird

Operation Katina

Ace Combat: Operation Katina is the arcade mode version of the game puts the player in control of Ace Combat 04's pilot "Mobius 1," the legendary Ace fighter pilot who brought the ISAF to victory singlehandedly. The player's mission is to play through a number of stages filled with enemies and defeat a certain number of them in order to advance to the next stage. As the player progresses the game naturally gets more difficult and the player will have to adopt new techniques for countering the increasingly aggressive enemies' attacks. The mini-game is split into four branches, levels 1-4: 1 being the least difficult and 4 the most challenging. "SkyEye", the AWACS from Ace Combat 04 returns as well and provides mission support for the duration of the game.

Unlike the Campaign Mode of Ace Combat 5, the player starts off with a low ammunition count and must carefully make his or her shots meet their mark. However, throughout the various levels there are different aircraft and ships that can be destroyed by the player to collect extra weapons from these special targets. The special target will be marked as for example, "C-130 M." In this case the C-130 is carrying extra missiles and shooting it down will result in the player being restocked with 10 missiles. The player can refill missiles and special weapons only; the machine gun uses unlimited ammunition.

It has a gameplay similar to Sega's G-LOC: Air Battle

Background

During the Usean Continental War (see Ace Combat 04) that spanned from late 2004 to mid 2005; the nations of Erusea and the ISAF (Independent States Allied Forces) fought a long and vicious conflict. Erusea was trying to crush the ISAF resistance and totally conquer the Usean continent whereas the ISAF was struggling to liberate their constituent states from the Erusians' clutches. Eventually the ISAF were victorious, but at an enormous cost in lives. About a year after the ISAF's hard-earned victory, there are still remnants of the Erusian military that refuse to accept the surrender and are calling for uprisings across the land. After some time, they have succeeded in capturing an old military factory and a very large quantity of weapons.

It seems that only one person can stop this rising threat. That person is a quiet pilot that goes by the callsign of Mobius 1.

List of major characters

Main article: List of Ace Combat characters

File:Razgriz Logo.jpg

Insignia of the Razgriz squadron

Wardog/Razgriz Squadron

• "Blaze" is the callsign of the player, his real name is not revealed and his appearance is rarely revealed. Blaze rises from trainee to squad captain of the Wardog squadron after Bartlett is shot down. Blaze only talks at the 2nd part of mission 3.
• Captain Jack Bartlett, 42, callsign "Heartbreak One", is the leader of the Wardog squadron. He has been a Captain in the Osean army for many years. Additionally, he helped Pops after they were both shot down over enemy territory. During the events of AC5 he is shot down and was thought to have been captured, until is revealed that he escaped before he was placed in an internment camp, and rejoins his former pupils after helping in the rescue of Yuktobania's Prime Minister.
• Kei Nagase, 23, callsign "Edge", is the only female pilot in the Wardog squadron. She remains dedicated to protecting Blaze after seeing Bartlett shot down. She is shot down during a mission to rescue Osean POWs (Ice Cage), but is rescued shortly thereafter.
• Alvin H. Davenport, 29, callsign "Chopper", is a member of Wardog squadron. Very talkative, Bartlett refers to him as "Motormouth" during the first mission, he is often the favorite of many a player. Enjoying Rock and Roll music, he collects albums and holds them in the "Crews Quarters". He is killed in action when he intentionally crashes his badly-damaged aircraft in the middle of November International Stadium, rather than risking having it crash into the evacuating crowd while flying cover for the Osean Vice President's speech in the stadium (Journey Home).
• Hans Grimm, 19, callsign "Archer", is a reserve pilot who ends up taking the fourth spot in Wardog squadron after Bartlett is shot down. He has a brother who is part of the ground forces.
• Captain Marcus Snow, 34, callsign "Swordsman", is leader of Kestrel's air wing (CVW-7, VFA-206). He joins Wardog squadron after helping them fake their deaths (Final Option).

Other Characters

• Captain Nicholas Andersen, 61, is the Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier Kestrel.
• 2nd Lieutenant Peter N. Beagle, 56, a.k.a. "Pops", a.k.a. "Huckebein the Raven", is a mechanic for the Wardog squadron, but was a very accomplished ace many years prior when fighting for the Belkans. Ace Combat Zero suggests his real name is "Wolfgang Buckner", and that he was pursued by Schwarze Squadron during the events of 'Mayhem'.
• Albert Genette, 32, is a photojournalist assigned to Sand Island. He covers many of Wardog squadron's battles and turns them into living legends. Albert is also the voice narrating most of the game.
• Captain Allen Hamilton, 28, is the Adjutant Base Commander at Sand Island. It is revealed that he once flew with the Grabacr Sqaudron, and that he is actually working for the Belkans ( Final Option ). He was killed during operation Aces by a richocheting plane in the tunnel.
• Vincent Harling is the president of Osea who was kidnapped by the 8492nd Squadron and later retrieved by the Ghosts of Razgriz.
• Seryozha Viktrovich Nikanor is the Prime Minister of Yuktobania.
• "Major", a.k.a. Nastasya a female Yuktobanian Army intelligence officer that was rescued along with Prime Minister Nikanor by Captain Bartlett. She was also the one who broke Bartlett's heart 15 years ago and was referred to by "Pops" as Bartlett's lady friend during a discussion with Genette.
• Colonel Orson Perrault, 48, is the Commander of the Sand Island base. He is duped into thinking that Wardog squadron are spies, forcing them to escape with Pops' help (Final Option).
• AWACS Thunderhead is the Osean AWACS for Wardog squadron.
• AWACS Oka Nieba is the Yuktobanian AWACS for Razgriz squadron's last official and bonus mission. (Oka Nieba translates to 'Eye of the Heavens' in Polish and 'Sky Eye' in Yuktobanian, which is also the name of the AWACS in Ace Combat 04 and Ace Combat: Operation Katina)
• Kirk is Alvin's beloved pet Labrador retriver and Sand Island base's unofficial pet[1]. He is seen in many cutscenes, at Sand Island and the Kestrel. He escapes with Pops and Wardog in the mission "Final Option."

Reviews

• GameSpot - 8.3/10 (great)
• IGN - 9.3/10 (outstanding)

External links

• Ace Combat 5 official site
• The Electrosphere - the largest AC Database on the net
• AceCombatSkies, AC Fan Site and Forum
• AceCombat.net