Lethal Skies II

 PlayStation 2
Metascore
73

Mixed or average reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 26
  3. Negative: 2 out of 26
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  1. Cheat Code Central
    90
    If there's a better game for beginners or intermediate virtual fighter pilots out there that want to have a lot of fun flying the unfriendly skies, I haven't heard about it.
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  2. Game Chronicles
    88
    Easily equals the quality of "Ace Combat 4" and in some ways it may even surpass the competition.
  3. Next Level Gaming
    87
    Asmik deserves credit for looking at the first Lethal Skies, knowing they can do a better job, and then actually doing it.
  5. GameZone
    84
    Sammy Studios and Asmick Ace have done a remarkable job in creating a fast-paced aerial combat game that is easy to jump into and play, and looks amazing to boot.
  6. GamingTrend
    83
    The sound that was used before is here to stay, so I hope you enjoy Japanese Techno-Rock because that is what is coming in the future after the apocalypse...hmmm...guess that makes sense on second thought.
  7. PSX Nation
    80
    Once you complete each campaign mission, the game unlocks an alternate campaign that allows you to switch sides and fight for the forces of evil! How cool is that to get to be the bad guy after you save the day!
  8. eToychest
    80
    The music is pretty cheesy, but the sound effects are spot on perfect. From the radio chatter to the roar of the engines, the audio in Lethal Skies II is a rich tapestry of eardrum nirvana.
  9. PSM Magazine
    80
    Not as pretty as "Ace Combat 4", but the gameplay has serious teeth. [Nov 2003, p.40]
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  10. Yahoo!
    80
    The pendulum has swung the other way and the game now favors arcade stylings... but it hasn't lost sight of its sim heritage... A great improvement over the original, Lethal Skies II is one of the better arcade-style aerial combat games out there.
  11. G4 TV
    80
    Keeps a tight formation between fun and realism and is a great start to the year's run of PS2 air-combat games.
  12. Game Over Online
    80
    The control scheme goes a long way in marring what would’ve been a great game for fans of flight sims or novices looking to get into the genre.
  13. GameSpot
    79
    A well-crafted, entirely satisfactory arcade-style flight combat game--much like its predecessor. In fact, Lethal Skies II is so much like its predecessor, in so many significant ways, it's largely the same game.
  14. TotalGames.net
    79
    The question on everyone's lips though, is whether all of this is enough to take it up to the heights of Ace Combat? Well sadly no and we get the feeling that this is never going to be lethal enough to take on the Namco shooter.
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  15. IGN
    77
    Though this new sequel does teeter on a line of repetition, there are enough improvements and cool presentation elements to warrant some tries from curious wannabe jet pilots.
  16. GameSpy
    75
    Other than its "Janglish"-infused plot and low-altitude issues, Lethal Skies II is an excellent air-combat game; the arsenal of real-life and fictional planes is outstanding, and the action is doled out in perfectly sized chunks.
  17. Game Revolution
    75
    Everything has been improved over the original, and yet nothing reaches the heights of greatness. Graphics are better but not perfect, gameplay is more fun but still bogs you down sometimes, and multiplayer is finally here but it's not the online dogfighting it clearly should be.
  18. Armchair Empire
    71
    If you can deal with the occasional frustrating roadblocks you'll face, then Lethal Skies II will probably be a somewhat enjoyable, if not particularly engaging, way to waste a few afternoons, even if you can't tell a MIG29 from an A-10.
  19. netjak
    70
    It is a little light on the value side, and you're going to have to put up with a couple of doozies in the way of missions.
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  20. Official U.S. Playstation Magazine
    70
    If there were an award for Most Improved Sequel, Lethal Skies II would be a serious contender. Not for its gameplay, sadly, but most definitely for its presentation. [Nov 2003, p.132]
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  21. Play Magazine
    67
    True, there's nothing special at work here but it more than gets the job done. [Nov 2003, p.92]
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  22. GamingWorld X
    65
    The loose analog control allows for some pretty crazy, law of physics-defying maneuvers in the open sky. But once you approach the ground, it simply isn't responsive enough.
  23. Game Informer
    60
    It just doesn't feel like I'm screaming through the great blue yonder. In this case, it seems more like I'm driving a Lincoln Continental with some guns strapped to the hood. [Nov. 2003, p.151]
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  24. GMR Magazine
    60
    The game is good, to be sure, but only good enough to be mundane. [Nov 2003, p.81]
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  25. Gamer's Pulse
    50
    While it looks great, the sound effects and music are terrible and the plot is poorly written and actually confusing at times.
  26. GameCritics
    45
    Dull, mediocre games… well these games are like a painter's palette filled with nine shades of gray. There isn't much to work with, so the end result is as lifeless and flat as a Midwest landscape study in wintertime.
  27. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    42
    Offers some decent (yet uninspired) missions to fly, but...true thrills are in short supply. [Nov 2003, p.184]
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Awards & Rankings

94
#94 Best PS2 Game of 2003

User Reviews

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User Score
7.3

Mixed or average reviews- based on 4 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 4
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 4
  3. Negative: 0 out of 4
  1. MatthewS.
    Sep 20, 2005
    7
    I thought that this game is good. Some times the leavels are hard like leavel 3.I think people under the age 6 would get bored because it I thought that this game is good. Some times the leavels are hard like leavel 3.I think people under the age 6 would get bored because it will be too hard.… Full Review »
  2. DGDrocks7
    Jan 14, 2014
    8
    Lethal Skies II is a perfect marriage between arcade and realism. Not too much gamey and not too much realistic. "This one is just right!", asLethal Skies II is a perfect marriage between arcade and realism. Not too much gamey and not too much realistic. "This one is just right!", as Goldilocks would say. The story takes place in the future, where global warming has melted the polar caps, submerging majority of the Earth. Taking place two years after the first game (which I've never played), you are a pilot of the Frontier Nations (the good guys) fighting a war against a group of rogue nations intent on conquering the world. The background is nice, but I think the story could be fleshed out more. The graphics are decent, but even during its time, it could have been improved. The music in this game is mostly heavy metal, which is good, but sometimes it doesn't fit the mood of some missions. You can change the background music from the tracks the game has to offer to suit the mood. But the voice acting in this game is atrocious, seriously, That said, the story's mood was ruined due to the narrator's terrible acting. And grammar is bad too. Seeing that this is a game from Japan, they probably ran the dialogue through a word-by-word translator. Now for the gameplay, it is great. Because I love flying games, I can forgive the problems of the game mentioned above. As I've said, this game is realism and arcade combined. My main problem is the difficulty. Early in the game, you are given missions which should have been in the second half. The 4th mission is a canyon run mission, and in the 6th mission, you're facing an enemy elite squadron flying F-22 Raptors. It could be difficult for beginners, even on "Easy". It's kinda short too, but you have 2P dogfights and tons of extras, like playing certain missions on the enemy's side. Overall, this game is fun, even a decade later. Buy a used copy somewhere, or if it's released on PSN (hopefully).… Full Review »
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