Known in Japan and North America as The Unsung War, Ace Combat 5: Squadron Leader is the follow up to the amazing Ace Combat 04: Distant Thunder (also known as Shattered Skies in other areas of the world). The series leaves many things the same, continuing with a winning formula but making excellent additions to the game to make for a much more intense experience overall.

Ace Combat 04 was the first installment to hit the PS2 back in 2001 and is considered the high point of the series. The game was simply phenomenal and this one picks up right where it left off. Like Distant Thunder, Squadron Leader takes place in a near future alternate reality where two great nations are at war. Caught in the middle of it are a group of pilots, one of which is Blaze, the character you play. As the story progresses, the secrets behind the war and the relationships behind the characters really come to life; the characters in this game are actually incredibly memorable, thanks to some great voice acting and conversations you have in the sky with them.

Probably the most drastic change to the gameplay is the new ability to control your team in the air. You'll almost always have three of your closest pilots with you: A smart-mouthed but loveable pilot who seems highly against the war (which is a refreshing character direction) named Chopper, a young but brave pilot willing to help out in any situation named Hans "Archer" Grimm, and the emotional but hard-as-nails girl of the group, Kai "Edge" Nagase. You'll almost always have these guys at your side and they always have something to say, which is fantastic. Being in a huge dogfight and hearing your team shout out constantly really helps get you into the battle, plus you'll also hear the base communicating with you, the enemy coming through on your frequency, other pilots, friendly tanks on the ground and even the local police force. Namco has done a fantastic job with the voices, using them to make the game even more intense that ever before.

Early in the game you are one of the bunch, flying under the command of Captain Bartlett, until he has to bail out in the midst of battle, disappearing unexpectedly. The mystery of what happened to him will weigh on your mind throughout the game, while you also have to worry about the current war at hand. The air force takes notice of how well you can command your fellow fighter pilots, so after the captain's disappearance you are promoted to leader of the Wardog Squadron. From here on out your entire team can be commanded by using the d-pad, telling them to disperse, cover you, or directly attack. These options are handy, however if you simply don't tell your team to do anything then they suggest a command for you on their own, which you accept or reject.

That's another new thing; often times during battle a pilot asks you a question or asks your opinion and your yes/no response can even change the outcome of your next mission. The gameplay hasn't changed a lot otherwise, but that isn't too much of a bad thing; this is arcade flying at its very best, matched with some of the greatest storytelling you could ask for. Those who played and completed Ace Combat 04 know how well that game did at making you feel like a true hero, offering numerous moments that send shivers down your spine (the warm, fuzzy kind!) Squadron Leader is no exception to this and really makes you feel like a huge hero when you're up there in the sky.

Unlike AC04, which featured anime-like stills with a voiceover, the story between missions is now told via short cinematic sequences that all look absolutely gorgeous. We don't often see the faces of the fellow pilots in the scenes, not until later into the game anyway, but this just helps you keep your own image of them from what they're like in the sky. To be honest, one of the things that kept me coming back to Squadron Leader wasn't just the addictive gameplay, but the joy of listening to my co-pilots shoot the breeze while cruising the skies.

If you're looking for a realistic flight simulator then look elsewhere. Though it looks great and all the different planes are beautifully modeled with cockpits and a nice HUD, the most drastic differences between the planes are simply their weapons load out. They control differently, but all are very responsive and graceful, not differing from each other nearly as much as they would in real life. Switching between different planes is easy and learning how to play is as well. In fact, overall the whole game isn't terribly difficult, just loads of fun, only near the end does it become challenging. The controls in Squadron Leader are very similar to Distant Thunder, but didn't need much change as they worked great before.

Players who don't have the slightest interest in planes can pick up and play this game; stalling or blacking out aren't issues here. If you understand that planes roll, pitch and yaw then you'll easily get to grips with the controls and you can also use the rudders to control the plane slightly. Every button on the controller is used and sometimes you'll find yourself pushing three at once to accomplish one task; on top of this, most of them are even pressure sensitive, including the thrust, rudders and even a mini-map display that grows to show the entire battlefield with the square button.

For the plane buffs out there, you're in for a treat as Squadron Leader comes packed with plenty of planes to purchase, including some secret ones. Included are Russian planes like the MiG-29 and Su-27, American fighters like the F-16 Fighting Falcon and state of the art fighting jets such as F-22; even some classic jets are included here as well.

The missions in Squadron Leader are well varied and go by incredibly quickly, despite some missions taking at the very least 10 minutes (no matter how you go about it). Most of the time you have to destroy enemies, however lots of surprises are thrown at you just when you think a mission is over. Sometimes you'll have to soar the skies, listening to forces on the ground taking care of business while you wait for your next orders or for them to give the command to help out, and you can even watch their vehicles do battle down below.

Which brings me to the graphics - the planes themselves look fantastic like I mentioned, as do the explosions in the sky and your fellow pilots. However, when you get close to the ground you'll see plenty of flaws with the graphics engine. This becomes even more apparent when the game shows close-ups of vehicles driving across pixilated textures and flat trees. I admire the dedication to story telling and it really is a nice addition, but anything not in the sky just doesn't look very good. Likewise, everything in the sky looks absolutely fantastic and I suppose that is what is more important.

If you haven't gathered already, I love the sound in Squadron Leader. The music is highly memorable and fits every scene perfectly; in fact I'd be willing to even match it up against Halo 2's soundtrack. The explosions, the planes, they all sound great and the voice acting is superb and really enhances the gameplay experience, adding a true sense of drama. Namco knows how to use sound to help the overall experience and have done a fantastic job here. Anime-buffs will recognize the voices of all your main pilots, which includes anime voiceover extraordinaire Steven Blum (Cowboy Bebop, Big O, Ratchet & Clank, Knights of the Old Republic II, Metal Gear Solid and countless other anime and games), Johnny Yong Bosch as the young Hans Grimm (Vash from Trigun, Wolf's Rain, Witch Hunter Robin, LastExile), Crispin Freeman (.Hack, Xenosaga, Witch Hunter Robin), Eddie Frierson (.Hack, Tenchi Muyo, Cowboy Bebop), and Jessica Straus (Witch Hunter Robin, Wolf's Rain, Diablo II, Everquest). Plenty of other familiar voices also will show up throughout the game and you'll even notice a couple of actors doing double duty if you listen closely.

Ace Combat 5: Squadron Leader is another great addition in one of gaming's best series. The intensity the radio chatter brings, matched with amazing music, exciting missions and fantastic storytelling makes one game that every gamer looking for a great action game should not miss, despite the short nature of the main story.

Reviewed by Christopher Martin for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).