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 Space
Ace (Blu-Ray/PS3)
Bringing the classic Laserdisc arcade title to high-definition screens for
the first time, Digital Leisure's latest edition of Space Ace is the
definitive version of this nostalgic title. With an outstanding digital
transfer, you'll be able to appreciate the beauty of Don Bluth and co.'s
animation which has never looked better. The game itself seems to be more
cohesive this time around with better reaction time and a less bumpy feel,
which reflects the advancements between the two titles. It's more complex
command structure and better timing make this a much smoother game, though
there's still some trial and error involved. Space Ace is an entertaining
blast from the past that should appeal to players with fond memories of
the original title. |
Released in 1983 as the follow-up to the
seminal breakthrough Dragon's Lair, Space Ace improved on the formula with
a better sync between the gameplay mechanics and on-screen animation,
slightly more complicated gameplay thanks to the charge feature and a fun,
thrilling storyline involving Dexter, a space hero who finds his friend
Kimberly held hostage by the evil Borf. Unfortunately, he's been zapped by
the Infanto ray. This turns our muscle-bound hero into a seemingly
powerless child, reducing his powers while adding to the comedy. However,
he's still a persistent little character and seems to get his way out of a
jam despite the odds. Space Ace's cast of characters is fun and
interesting, with an array of memorable enemies and scenes that makes the
experience all the more enjoyable. The fact that these characters remain
appealing 25 years after its original release is a testament to the talent
and creativity of its creators, showing that there's still plenty to enjoy
about traditional cel-animation with its personality and creativity that
seems more personal and artistic than many of today's animated features
which seem to emphasize flashy 3D computer generated effects instead of
creating memorable characters and interesting storylines.
While Space Ace's gameplay is fairly
simple and straightforward by today's standards, it remains as engaging
and enjoyable as you remember. In order to help Dexter on his adventure,
you basically wait until an action-point arrives and perform either a
directional or shooting move on your controller. These points are
generally easy to spot and are usually indicated by a moment where a flash
occurs showing you where or when to go. This makes it fairly easy to
understand when to use your moves. Adding to the mechanics of Dragon's
Lair, there are times when you can transform Dexter back into his adult
self, which makes the game more interesting, though these moments are
predetermined, it's still a nice change of pace. Mastering the timing is
what makes things tricky at times, but the structure of the actions feels
less arbitrary than Dragon's Lair. There seems to be less of a delay
between the moment you issue your command and when you see it in action.
The game also seems to rely less on repeat mirror image sections, which
makes it less repetitive. This results in a better overall experience. It
must be pointed out that these changes were evident back in the arcades as
well, so it's not fair to say that the Dragon's Lair translation was any
less accurate, just that Space Ace was a more refined game, and the Blu-Ray
edition reflects these changes. The game itself is somewhat shorter than
you might remember, but it's still fun. There are several modes of play
included, including one that's just like the classic arcade version where
you can set a finite number of lives and receive a score, which is
challenging and enjoyable. Space Ace really is a test of memorization and
timing, which players can find either annoying or challenging. You can
also choose to play with unlimited lives and not see the score, or take
the experience in as a free-view movie where you don't have to interact
with the game at all, just watch and enjoy the story unfold. You can also
set other options including the aspect ratio and other options. Players
can also choose to have an onscreen move indicator if they find the
motions a bit too subtle.
 Like
the previously released Dragon's Lair Blu-Ray, in-game commentary and
extras populate the disc, making for a complete package. These extra
features can be viewed separately or in-game using a pop-in window, which
allows you to see the screens as that are being commented on unfold
simultaneously, one of the unique features of high-def discs. Unlike many
other HD special features, Space Ace's are all-new and were filmed in full
1080p, allowing for a better quality and continuity between the new
transfer and its commentary. During these sequences, several interesting
facts about the game are revealed and many players will be surprised to
learn who the voice of Borf actually was after all these years. These give
you a good sense of the amount of work that went into Space Ace which
makes you appreciate it all the more. One of the more interesting features
in this edition is the evolution reel, which shows you all the different
home versions of the game, ranging from its original Laserdisc form to
consoles like the NES, later versions for the Amiga and PC, and the more
recent DVD versions. Viewing the jump in quality between these editions is
quite astonishing, and this fully restored and remastered version exceeds
even the original in terms of picture quality and presentation. Its colors
seem more vibrant and its lines are cleaner, without the somewhat dark
transfers who's flaws seem more evident. One interesting aspect of the
newest edition is that while it is presented in full 16:9 HD widescreen
mode, the original game was always designed for standard size screens.
This means that some detail on the top and bottom of the image are lost
when playing in widescreen mode. If you want the more authentic 4:3 mode,
it has been included as well - though the HD transfer here is just as
vibrant and colorful, so there's no compromise in image quality. Space
Ace's sound quality has also been enhanced with a superior new 5:1 mix
that truly shows off the technology, making this the best version of the
game ever released, from a technical standpoint. Contrasting the somewhat
glitchy menus that marred Dragon's Lair's Blu-Ray release, Space Ace's
interface is smoother and much easier to use and there aren't any
noticeable playback issues. Overall, the presentation and production
values on Space Ace are superb, making this a joy to watch.
The Blu-Ray Space Ace is a superb,
archive quality release in many respects, and it will probably most appeal
to those who enjoyed the original game. Space Ace has held up better than
Dragon's Lair in many aspects, with a smoother, better gameplay interface
that feels much more organic to the action. The multiple modes of play
allow you to choose either an arcade-authentic experience that's more
challenging and recreates the original or a less-intense casual style with
no limits on lives or score that allows you to enjoy the animation and
storyline more. This is an excellent package and the remastered image
quality is several steps above even the DVD release from a few years ago.
This makes playing Space Ace an absolutely brilliant nostalgic experience
that ultilizes HD technology to effectively showcase the beautiful,
classic 2D animation and breakthrough gameplay that made Space Ace such a
landmark title. -
Michael Palisano
Grade: B+
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