The Ace Combat series has long led the assault for combat flight simulators and the series has landed on the PlayStation 2.

It's in the winged form of Ace Combat 4: Distant Thunder.

The series has been around for years on the PlayStation and brought playable combat flight simulators to gamers who simply wanted to spread their wings, rather than having to memorise masses of dials and switches to become fully-fledged pilots.

Distant Thunder takes place on a distant world similar to Earth. The planet's precarious peace is shattered when a meteor hits and one of the superpowers, Eurasia, uses a powerful anti-asteroid weapon to take control of the skies.

Players become the newest recruit in the Independent States Allied Force, fighting to overthrow the Eurasians and save the rest of humanity.

There are about 20 missions to fight your way through, covering everything from good old-fashioned dog fights and escort missions to providing air support for ground forces.

The enemies range in difficulty from the plain stupid to the aces, who manage to evade your best moves while firing back. There are also land-based enemies to worry about, from missile installations to anti-aircraft gun batteries.

The superb graphics include photorealistic snowcapped mountains, vast plains and ravaged landscapes, amazingly detailed aircraft and dazzling explosions - when you can see them through the all-too-realistic simulated weather.

The sound is also excellent, with atmospheric music, clanging sound effects and radio chatter from your allies and your enemies, helping to fully immerse you in the game.

There are 20 aeroplanes available in the game, including an array of fighters, bombers and stealth aircraft. Each successful mission earns you money which you can use to buy newer planes and better weapons.

The only criticism might be the mission mode doesn't last very long but the multi-player options, especially the one-on-one dogfights, help extend the life of the game.

So, if you fancy yourself as the next Top Gun, climb into Distant Thunder's cockpit and open the throttle.

Chocks away for what will be one of the best action games of the year.

Price: £39.99
Contact: www.playstation.com
Feel good factor: 8 out of 10