Aero Elite: Combat Academy

 PlayStation 2
  • Publisher: Sega
  • Release Date: Mar 10, 2003
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 11 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 11
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 11
  3. Negative: 2 out of 11
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  1. Flyer
    Sep 13, 2010
    5
    The game is truly held back by it's frustration factor. The game itself tries to be a more realistic sim, in which it does succeed. The scramble missions are a lot of fun and the flight model itself is fairly responsive. However, the arbitrary speed limit is a huge downer. Even in electrical system failures which knocks out your airspeed indicator and altimeter (Something that wouldn'tThe game is truly held back by it's frustration factor. The game itself tries to be a more realistic sim, in which it does succeed. The scramble missions are a lot of fun and the flight model itself is fairly responsive. However, the arbitrary speed limit is a huge downer. Even in electrical system failures which knocks out your airspeed indicator and altimeter (Something that wouldn't happen in a real aircraft as the pitot-static system is mechanical) you still have that asinine speed limit. To make matters worse, there's an aircraft that needs you to hit Mach 2 to acquire it. Have fun constantly going into free flight over and over and over again trying to break mach two, but not go over the speed limit. This strikes me as the developers attempt to add challenge and it just comes off as inane. The murky scenario descriptions do nothing to aid you at all and the finicky system in which the completion of objectives comes off absolutely arbitrary as well. This is especially an issue in the Recon missions. The rotary winged vehicles are beyond awful. Why did they even bother adding them to the game? To try and squish down the complex workings of a helicopter's throttle collective into two buttons is, in itself, unrealistic and stupid. They should have either just kept the controls simple (as they did with a jets and not include a spool up time) or not include the choppers at all. The visuals are lack luster but given it's age that is to be expected. The aircraft are modeled very accurate and it doesn't look so bad as to repulse, so the visuals have aged in a satisfactory fashion. What good can be said about the game is often over shadowed by the bad. Enemy aircraft all seem to handle the same and enemy ground targets see you through mountains and hills (yet another reason why the rotary winged section is not worth your time. The developers should have spent more time with making missions for the utility craft (US-1A and C-1) and perhaps a campaign as opposed to even including helicopters. In the end, AECA tries to appeal to both Ace Combat and Sim fans, and fails at both. AC fans will cling to their great trilogy on the PS2 and sim fans are incredibly better off with Lock On: Modern Air combat.… Expand
  2. Pierre-MarcB.
    Apr 26, 2003
    9
    Best sim ever.
  3. RickR.
    Jul 30, 2003
    10
    For those of you who are into aviation this one is for you.
  4. AnonymousMC
    Feb 10, 2004
    10
    I think AE is the closest thing a console can get to a true flight sim, and acurately re-creates aircraft to their preformance, even taking into account airframe age (the Tomcat for example can't pull 9g's anymore. likewise, in the game, it's limited to 6.5). This is definately not a game for people into arcade-like "sims".
  5. [Anonymous]
    May 8, 2003
    9
    This game is the only true flight sim on any playstation console. The challenges are very hard but not impossible. If you practice, you will surley be a ace at this game.
  6. SteveL.
    Jun 29, 2003
    4
    Fun for about 3 hours. Then the gameplay just starts to get repetitive and boring. It's defintely worth a rent, but in my opinion not a buyer at all, unless you are a HARDCORE flight-sim fan.
  7. EfeB.
    Jul 14, 2006
    8
    The score i gave is pretty high, im considering the game for what it is and grading it on that premises, being a console flight sim. this is not a fun game, it is a fun simulation. there is a huge difference. your avarage joe will play this one maybe for 5 minutes and hate every minute of it. but flight sim lovers who have a ps2 must own this game, this game seems very basic and dumb atThe score i gave is pretty high, im considering the game for what it is and grading it on that premises, being a console flight sim. this is not a fun game, it is a fun simulation. there is a huge difference. your avarage joe will play this one maybe for 5 minutes and hate every minute of it. but flight sim lovers who have a ps2 must own this game, this game seems very basic and dumb at first but as you play it, the game makes you feel dumb thinking that you only had a rental in your hands. this is the best console flight sim out there no daubt. i just wish the graphics were better...because in the end...thats all that matters, i mean...if you are joy flying over a canyon...that canyon must be pretty damn nice looking...right? i must say this...if they ever make a ps3 version of this, using all its technology...it will make gaming history. so, see past the horrible presentation and package design and horrible sound and mediocre graphics...this is a good and deep game.… Expand
  8. Dingytheman
    May 19, 2019
    10
    Forget the bad reviews, this game is by far the best sim on console, I played Wing Over 2 back on PS1, Energy Airforce and also Birds of Steel on PS3. Aero Elite beats each one of them when it comes to flight physics. Cockpits aren't too special that's its biggest downside and BoS does that better but If what you're looking for is the best simulation of flight then look no further.

    Each    Forget the bad reviews, this game is by far the best sim on console, I played Wing Over 2 back on PS1, Energy Airforce and also Birds of Steel on PS3. Aero Elite beats each one of them when it comes to flight physics. Cockpits aren't too special that's its biggest downside and BoS does that better but If what you're looking for is the best simulation of flight then look no further.

    Each plane feels different and they take practice to land, specially carrier landings, there's also a pretty decent roster that includes some popular planes like the F86, Mirage2000, F104, Harrier, and so many more, there's also a couple choppers and heavy planes. You can change the loadout of your craft too effectively changing its weight and feel, for example, landing an F4 Phantom fully loaded on a carrier is really difficult. If you compare it to Energy Airforce, in EA it's a walk in the park.. this is the ultimate sim for console and a real shame SEGA abandoned the series.    … Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
64

Mixed or average reviews - based on 18 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 18
  2. Mixed: 13 out of 18
  3. Negative: 1 out of 18
  1. GameZone
    64
    A realistic flight sim. Sometimes realistic games can drive people away, which is what Aero Elite did for me. Most of the time I was doing nothing but trying to get in range of my target, then shot a missile.
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  2. GamePro
    40
    Aero Elite’s true failure, though, is its boring gameplay. Dog fighting and attacking ground forces just isn’t entertaining.
    Read full review
  3. Village Voice
    70
    While cheesy flight simulation goes back to the original PC, this incarnation's technical detail brings CNN's gee-whiz graphics-and-stats fighter plane descriptions—indicative of our fascination with death from above—to life.
    Read full review
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