Game: Air Combat
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Namco
Release Date: 29th June 1995
Featured as a launch title for the American market, Air Combat was one of the first fully 3D flying games available since the previous hardware generation was unable to render true 3D graphics. Players take on missions in an attempt to stop some sort of terrorism which is plaguing the skies. The story isn't all that well explained but in the end its only really so you have an excuse to shoot other aircraft down. The game is usually labelled as a flight sim, but it plays more like an arcade game in many ways.
Once in a mission, the player can choose from a cockpit or third person view of the aircraft, as well as viewing a map overlay of enemy planes and targets. Most planes in the game feature rounds of ammunition and missiles as their means of defense. Once an enemy is in range, the plane's systems will auto-target and missiles can be fired much more accurately. Clearing every enemy target/plane brings the level to a close, and sometimes unlocks new planes.
Controlwise, the game is fairly easy; the plane almost flies itself unless you point it directly up or down. The turning controls feel a little more floaty than some later aeroplane games, but its generally good. Musically, the game features a generic rock soundtrack to most missions which is well performed but somewhat forgettable. There's a good range of mission locations and planes featured although most missions generally require you to shoot an amount of things without being shot down.
Graphically the game doesn't look great by today's standards; it's very pixellated in places and the level of details on planes and structures is fairly low. For one of the first games on the Playstation, the graphics may have seemed more impressive at the time, but there are better looking titles later on in the console's lifespan. The game becomes difficult rather quickly in the single player campaign, and the planes in game are single use - if you die in them, you've lost that plane forever.
Overall Air Combat isn't a bad start to the 3D jet fighter genre, it feels very arcade style with the music behind battle and the handling of the planes/mood of the game overall. Another contributor to the arcade feel is that it's possible to lose career mode by running of out lives to play missions with. With a fair selection of planes and missions, the game almost seems to have more to offer than it really does as missions become repetitive and increasingly difficult as the game progresses.
Rating: 65/100
Grade: C
Game: G-Police
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Psygnosis
Release Date: 30th September 1997
G-Police tasks you with becoming a defender of all that is right and good in space. Using your intergalactic helicopter you're asked to perform a number of missions (35 to complete the game) involving everything from escorting important people around to investigating suspicious cargo and covert investigations. Generally missions involve attempting to achieve an ultimate goal whilst various enemy forces attack you and make your mission more complex.
Before each mission there's a briefing and you're kept up to date with the storyline. Whilst its good that not every mission is some sort of "get all the bad guys" type shoot out, the missions still feel repetitive in that you're traversing the same environments, being attacked and getting rid of bad guys in most if not all of them. Of course it'd be ill advised to deviate too much from that structure but the odd delivery or timed mission would break up the gameplay nicely.
The thrust of your ship is controlled by the triangle and square buttons, which seems like an odd choice as the shoulder buttons aren't used and could have easily been assigned to this, making it much easier in combat situations. The speed of the ship is also difficult to get perfect; in combat going too fast or slow can easily get you killed. The movement controls are also very floaty and neither the d-pad or analog sticks feel quite right for controlling the direction.
Graphically there's more detail than in Air Combat however a lot of the environments looks bland and boring with a sort of space colony theme, and the playable area feels small due to walls and ceilings (which seem odd for outer space). The in game music noticeably loops every 2 minutes or so and seems fairly boring for this sort of game.
Overall G-Police is a fun idea with an almost playable control system, featuring far too many samey missions over its two disks. With almost impressive graphics for the era, but a disappointing soundtrack and far too steep of a difficulty curve in later levels, the game feels drawn out as the story is not particularly engaging. Later missions get far too hard to complete, especially with the control system. In the end, the chance to police space might seem like a fun idea but more variety and flair is needed to make a good game.
Rating: 57/100
Grade: D
Game: Colony Wars: Red Sun
Console: Sony Playstation
Developer: Psygnosis
Release Date: 2nd May 2000
Psygnosis's second effort in this series of reviews, Colony Wars: Red Sun is the third game in the Colony Wars Series, which is based around a conflict in space in the 5th millenium. You play as a mercenary for hire, choosing from a selection of available missions which generally involve destroying enemy craft and structures while escorting or protecting allies. There's a fair variety of missions within this spectrum but its understandably difficult to deviate too much.
Gameplay inside of missions is based around using your map to find and neutralise targets. Sometimes you'll have to prioritise targets and work on strategy but generally it's a case of shoot whatever is nearest. Most missions are pretty easy; the AI doesn't fight particularly well and you'll often get a few too many chances when battling with an opponent. This is welcome in missions where you're undercover inside and enemy base and so outnumbered, but one-on-one it feels too easy.
The controls are similar to G-Police, but the thrusters are assigned to the shoulder buttons and instead of setting a continuous level of thrust, the ship moves forward only when you press the thrust button. The turning mechanic is smoother and targeting has been improved also. Whether or not Psygnosis tried to improve due to criticisms of G-Police or just generally felt they could do better, Red Sun's controls make it markedly more enjoyable.
Graphically the game's cutscenes are the best looking element; the gameplay graphics are decent and quite impressive for the original Playstation, but of course by this time in the console race the Dreamcast had been released, so it was outdated even on release. The game's musical accompaniment features sweeping orchestral pieces that wouldn't be out of place in Star Wars and almost feels too epic for the scale of the game.
Overall Red Sun is a fun game, with a great sense of control compared to other space combat games of the time. Missions are generally enjoyable with a good deal of variety in the tasks you're asked to perform which set up the storyline of the game nicely. The choice of ships (all of which look fairly boring, in truth), and lack of AI competence let the game down somewhat but its something that's worth playing to completion at least once.
Rating: 72/100
Grade: C
Also I now have a completely authentic original Playstation to play these on, so thanks to Dan for that and look out for more Playstation reviews coming soon.
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