After spending most of the PSX's days ignoring the first three Ace Combat games, I finally looked past the lack of industry buzz and dove straight into Ace Combat 04 some two years ago. I came out thinking that it was one of the greatest games of all time. The formula for the game's success was simple in writing, but much more difficult in practice: combine fast-paced, approachable gameplay with realistic flight mechanics, offer scores of aircraft to choose from, and add a timeless story for just the right touch of emotion, and you have a recipe for a history-making video game.

Namco obviously wants lightning to strike the same spot twice, so they've tried to follow the same exact recipe, except with updated ingredients. In regards to the graphics, the developers are working hard to insure that the photorealism of the previous game remains intact. The backgrounds of AC5 now look more lush than ever, with painstaking detail applied to the giant mountains and the tiny buildings. A great deal of attention has also been devoted to the units, such as the lavish aircraft (obviously), but particular attention has also been paid to the ground units, which no longer look like Altoids boxes with wheels.

As for the aircraft themselves, AC5 boasts over 50 different planes to choose from, which is over 30 more than what was available in the previous game. Obviously, many of these planes never appeared in 04, but some are even making their appearance in the Ace Combat series for the first time. Old favorites like the F-16C, the A-10A, and the SU-35 will be returning, of course, but the game must also make room for newcomers like the R-B01, the Hawk T.1A, and the Tornado GR.1.

For AC5's story, it looks like the writers have really been working hard to make a well-rounded story by concentrating on the background of the squad members you'll be flying with. Each pilot seems to have a different personality and back story, so there may be opportunities within the game to ally with pilots you like or keep your distance from pilots you loathe. This opens up the possibility of multiple endings (like there were in Ace Combat 2 and 3), but we won't know for certain until the game's release. We do know, however, that the game offers over an hour's worth of CG cinematics to look forward to.

So what is "completely new" in Ace Combat 5? Well, the developers are implanting a "wingman system" that makes it necessary to reciprocate cooperation with your teammates. Unlike in AC:04, where your character was required to take on the entire Erusean military completely by himself, AC5 finally makes it possible to issue orders to your wingmen. From the demo that I played at the Tokyo Game Show, this feature seems a lot more important than one may realize, as there are several tasks within each mission and little time and ordnance to go around. One plane can not win this war by itself.

Overall, this game looks to be just like the successful AC:04, but even moreso. There's still a little bit of time left before the game finally gets released, but when it does, the long wait for a new Ace Combat game will finally be over.