Ace Combat 3

Infobox VG| title = Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere


developer = Namco
publisher = Namco
designer =
engine =
released = vgrelease|JP=May 27, 1999|NA=March 20, 2000
genre = Flight simulator
modes = Single-player
ratings = vgratings|ESRB=Everyone
platforms = PlayStation
media = CD(x2 in Japan edition)
requirements =
input = nihongo|"Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere"|エースコンバット３ エレクトロスフィア|Ēsu Conbatto Surī Erekutorosufia is the third installment in the "Ace Combat" series of games. A major departure from every other game in the series, it featured a futuristic storyline involving a war between a group of multinational corporations.

Plot

The plot, taking place in the future (between January 1 [The interface in the main menu screen is dated 2040.] and July 21, 2040 [Late in the game (in any ending), a news story says that Aldair Carlos Nascimento (the executive director of General Resource) died at 3:56 PM, in an unknown date in 2040. His age was mentioned as 75 years old. According to the in-game archives, Aldair was born on July 21, 1964.] ), revolves around a war between a group of corporations fighting over territorial disputes, and eventually a prototype fighter known as the X-49 Night Raven. During a period of financial chaos, the many governments of the world have eroded to nothing but corporatocracies. These corporations, not unlike the governments they control, have disputes often, and eventually a war is sparked.

Gameplay

"AC3" was the first game in the series to feature a third-person 360-degree camera that could be rotated on all three axis with the right thumbstick; allowing the player to keep enemies in constant sight. A welcome feature, this was carried over to later games. It was also the first game to allow the player to choose their aircraft's armament.

It is the only game in the series so far to feature a mission in outer space. Although there is only one, it featured a reasonably accurate physics model of a zero-gravity situation. The game was also a departure in other ways; the style is reminiscent of the "Wipeout" series of games, especially the Head-Up Display (though some found it was too bulky and interfered with the player's view). The company logos of Neucom, Ouroboros, General Resource and the UPEO bear resemblance to the works of The Designers Republic. The soundtrack consists of a variety of electronic music, largely ambient mood setting tunes (as opposed to the rock music found in "Ace Combat 2"), composed by much of the same team responsible for the critically-acclaimed "Ridge Racer" soundtracks.

Development history

Released in 1999, the Japanese version is extremely story-driven, featuring anime cutscenes, detailed characters, and 52 missions, with multiple paths through the game and 5 possible endings. The Japanese version introduced some elements carried over to "Ace Combat 04", including radio chatter between comrades and enemies, and intelligent wingmen. The American and European versions, released a year later, have been extremely criticized for removing almost all of the story elements, including all of the cutscenes, and cutting the game down to 36 missions. The anime cutscenes and the fictional aircraft also alienated Japanese fans of the series, who were expecting something closer to the arcade style of Ace Combat 2. However, sales in Japan were still strong (though still 100,000 copies less than ace combat 2), but the cutting down of the storyline led to a lack of success in other markets.

References

External links

* [http://namco-ch.net/acecombat3/index.php Official Japanese "Ace Combat 3" site]
*GameFAQs|type=/console/psx|num=196536|name="Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere"
*moby game|id=/ace-combat-3-electrosphere|name="Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere"
* [http://acecombat.wikia.com Ace Combat Wiki]