Not sure if that’s a problem with GDEmu or the game, but I had to go through three different versions until I found one that’s working. First version would show “Please insert a disc”, second version would show the logo on the gamepad, but black screen. Turns out not HDMI adapter uses VGA interface, and not all of Dreamcast games were VGA compatible 🤯
Technically, it’s such a blatant Ace Combat clone I’m not even sure how it exists. The setting of a aerial border conflict between two imaginary nations, the style of the briefings, the music. Even how the reticle changes once you get into machine gun range.
Visually, it is what you’d expect: not as sleek as Ace Combat 4 on PS2, but obviously much more detailed than Ace Combat 3 on PSX. One example is how cockpit hood is transparent here, something PSX wouldn’t be able to pull.
They adopted a system from Ace Combat 2, where if you lose a plane, you need to buy it again. Which is a bit pointless, since you can always load your game.
Like Ace Combat, you carry ridiculous number of missiles. They home much better than in Ace Combat, but it’s a blessing and a curse, because they are also much harder to evade. One quirk I have is how it’s also hard to tell you were hit, there is almost no visual indication.
Of course there is a ravine flight mission. What kind of Ace Combat clone that would be without one?
Ironic that I’ve made the same mistake in this game I’ve once made in Ace Combat 2: kept playing on Novice controls for multiple missions until I understood what’s going on.
Speaking of controls, since Dreamcast didn’t have shoulder buttons, whose aren’t as good as Ace Combat. And unfortunately they also can’t be remapped.
One bit the game added is showing you the attack route on the map. That’s actually a nice touch.
The mission with the trains is impressive. There was a train in Ace Combat 3 already, but here you need to intercept multiple trains coming from different directions.
