<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shattered	I-Application
Skies	I-Application
(	O
released	O
as	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
:	I-Application
Distant	I-Application
Thunder	I-Application
in	O
Europe	O
)	O
is	O
a	O
2001	O
combat	O
flight	O
simulation	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Namco	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
fourth	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
series	O
and	O
the	O
first	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
2	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
plot	O
,	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
fictional	O
alternate	O
universe	O
where	O
Earth	O
has	O
been	O
ravaged	O
by	O
asteroid	O
impacts	O
,	O
follows	O
the	O
player	O
character	O
"	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
"	O
,	O
a	O
fighter	B-Application
pilot	I-Application
in	O
a	O
multinational	O
military	O
coalition	O
who	O
spearheads	O
the	O
liberation	O
of	O
the	O
fictional	O
continent	O
of	O
Usea	O
from	O
the	O
expansionist	O
country	O
of	O
Erusea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
features	O
arcade-style	O
gameplay	O
with	O
elements	O
of	O
both	O
realism	O
and	O
fantasy	O
;	O
for	O
example	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
game	O
has	O
realistic	O
flight	O
controls	O
and	O
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
modern	O
day	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
aircraft	O
can	O
carry	O
dozens	O
of	O
missiles	O
in	O
hammerspace	O
and	O
conduct	O
difficult	O
flight	O
maneuvers	O
such	O
as	O
flying	O
through	O
tunnels	O
,	O
and	O
superweapons	O
such	O
as	O
massive	O
railguns	O
appear	O
in	O
certain	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
began	O
development	O
as	O
a	O
reboot	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
,	O
following	O
the	O
lukewarm	O
reception	O
of	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
developed	O
by	O
"	O
AC04	B-Application
Project	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
developers	O
who	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
was	O
critically	O
acclaimed	O
at	O
launch	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
praising	O
its	O
gameplay	O
,	O
controls	O
,	O
plot	O
,	O
graphics	O
,	O
and	O
music	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
the	O
highest-selling	O
entry	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
until	O
it	O
was	O
succeeded	O
by	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
7	O
:	O
Skies	O
Unknown	O
in	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
role	O
of	O
a	O
fighter	B-Application
pilot	I-Application
through	O
18	O
story	O
missions	O
and	O
a	O
split	O
screen	O
versus	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Special	O
weapons	O
including	O
air-to-air	O
missiles	O
,	O
air-to-surface	O
missiles	O
,	O
rockets	O
,	O
and	O
bombs	B-Device
can	O
also	O
be	O
equipped	O
,	O
though	O
their	O
availability	O
depends	O
on	O
each	O
aircraft	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
is	O
set	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
fictional	O
universe	O
of	O
Strangereal	O
,	O
where	O
Earth	O
has	O
entirely	O
different	O
nations	O
,	O
geography	O
,	O
and	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
story	O
details	O
the	O
2003	O
Continental	O
War	O
,	O
fought	O
between	O
the	O
Federal	O
Republic	O
of	O
Erusea	O
and	O
the	O
Independent	B-Application
State	I-Application
Allied	I-Application
Forces	I-Application
(	O
ISAF	O
)	O
coalition	O
over	O
territory	O
on	O
the	O
continent	O
of	O
Usea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Players	O
control	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
silent	O
protagonist	O
"	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
"	O
,	O
an	O
ISAF	O
fighter	B-Application
pilot	I-Application
who	O
leads	O
ISAF	O
's	O
counterattack	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Other	O
characters	O
include	O
AWACS	O
SkyEye	O
,	O
an	O
AEW&C	O
operator	O
who	O
coordinates	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
's	O
deployments	O
;	O
Yellow	O
13	O
,	O
an	O
Erusean	O
ace	O
pilot	O
who	O
leads	O
Erusea	O
's	O
elite	O
Yellow	O
Squadron	O
;	O
and	O
Yellow	O
4	O
,	O
Yellow	O
13	O
's	O
wingman	O
and	O
close	O
friend	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Cutscene	O
interludes	O
are	O
narrated	O
by	O
a	O
man	O
from	O
San	O
Salvacion	O
writing	O
a	O
letter	O
to	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
after	O
the	O
war	O
,	O
recalling	O
his	O
childhood	O
memories	O
of	O
life	O
in	O
San	O
Salvacion	O
's	O
occupied	O
capital	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
and	O
ISAF	O
repel	O
Erusean	O
bombers	O
from	O
destroying	O
ISAF	O
's	O
headquarters	O
,	O
allowing	O
ISAF	O
troops	O
to	O
safely	O
evacuate	O
to	O
North	O
Point	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
then	O
takes	O
part	O
in	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
air	B-Application
raids	I-Application
to	O
disable	O
Erusea	O
's	O
"	O
invincible	O
"	O
Aegir	O
Fleet	O
,	O
halting	O
Erusea	O
's	O
attempts	O
to	O
invade	O
North	O
Point	O
by	O
sea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
gains	O
a	O
reputation	O
as	O
a	O
promising	O
ace	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
boy	O
speaks	O
of	O
Yellow	O
13	O
's	O
desire	O
to	O
face	O
a	O
worthy	O
opponent	O
and	O
praise	O
for	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
's	O
growing	O
skill	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
daughter	O
bombs	B-Device
Yellow	O
Squadron	O
's	O
airfield	O
,	O
damaging	O
the	O
aircraft	O
flown	O
by	O
Yellow	O
13	O
and	O
Yellow	O
4	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
ISAF	O
then	O
launches	O
an	O
attack	O
on	O
Stonehenge	O
in	O
which	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
disables	O
the	O
railgun	O
array	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
resulting	O
dogfight	B-Device
,	O
Yellow	O
4	O
is	O
shot	O
down	O
by	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
and	O
fails	O
to	O
eject	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
spearheads	O
the	O
siege	O
of	O
Farbanti	O
and	O
engages	O
and	O
defeats	O
the	O
remainder	O
of	O
Yellow	O
Squadron	O
,	O
including	O
Yellow	O
13	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
leads	O
the	O
newly	O
formed	O
Mobius	O
Squadron	O
into	O
battle	O
against	O
the	O
rogue	O
officers	O
while	O
a	O
special	B-Application
forces	I-Application
unit	O
infiltrates	O
the	O
Megalith	O
facility	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
flies	O
into	O
the	O
missile	O
ports	O
to	O
destroy	O
Megalith	O
's	O
generators	O
,	O
the	O
special	B-Application
forces	I-Application
unit	O
opens	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
's	O
escape	O
route	O
at	O
the	O
last	O
moment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
Megalith	O
destroyed	O
,	O
the	O
squadron	O
celebrates	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
's	O
heroism	O
as	O
they	O
return	O
to	O
base	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
He	O
finishes	O
his	O
letter	O
to	O
Mobius	B-Application
1	I-Application
,	O
stating	O
his	O
belief	O
that	O
the	O
rivalry	O
between	O
the	O
two	O
pilots	O
gave	O
Yellow	O
13	O
"	O
an	O
unexpected	O
joy	O
,	O
 [ ... ] 	O
at	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
that	O
meaningless	O
war.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
's	O
development	O
began	O
as	O
a	O
reboot	O
of	O
the	O
franchise	O
after	O
the	O
lukewarm	O
reception	O
of	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
initial	O
title	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
01	O
,	O
though	O
this	O
was	O
eventually	O
changed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Development	O
was	O
led	O
by	O
"	O
AC04	B-Application
Project	O
"	O
,	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
developers	O
who	O
had	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
team	O
eventually	O
evolved	O
into	O
Project	O
Aces	O
,	O
Namco	O
's	O
dedicated	O
development	O
team	O
for	O
the	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
"	O
Strangereal	O
"	O
,	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
the	O
fictional	O
universe	O
in	O
which	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
series	O
is	O
set	O
,	O
originated	O
in	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
's	O
development	O
to	O
describe	O
the	O
"	O
strange	O
,	O
real	O
world	O
"	O
created	O
for	O
the	O
series	O
 '	O
setting	O
,	O
which	O
was	O
left	O
vague	O
in	O
prior	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
term	O
was	O
used	O
in	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
's	O
marketing	O
and	O
first	O
appeared	O
in	O
a	O
trailer	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
shown	O
at	O
the	O
2000	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Internally	O
,	O
Project	O
Aces	O
uses	O
the	O
term	O
"	O
True	O
Strangereal	O
"	O
to	O
describe	O
the	O
specific	O
version	O
of	O
Strangereal	O
depicted	O
in	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
and	O
shared	O
by	O
most	O
other	O
mainline	O
titles	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
opposed	O
to	O
the	O
Top	O
Gun-inspired	O
rock	O
music	O
in	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
and	O
the	O
electronic	O
music	O
in	O
Electrosphere	O
,	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
's	O
soundtrack	O
features	O
a	O
blend	O
of	O
rock	O
,	O
orchestral	O
,	O
and	O
synthesizer	O
music	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
song	O
featuring	O
a	O
Latin	O
chorus	O
,	O
which	O
cemented	O
the	O
style	O
of	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
soundtracks	O
going	O
forward	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shattered	I-Application
Skies	I-Application
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
success	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
2008	O
,	O
it	O
shipped	O
2.64	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
,	O
making	O
it	O
the	O
highest-selling	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
game	O
until	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
7	O
:	O
Skies	O
Unknown	O
surpassed	O
it	O
in	O
2021	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
04	I-Application
:	I-Application
Shattered	I-Application
Skies	I-Application
was	O
critically	O
acclaimed	O
at	O
launch	O
,	O
being	O
given	O
the	O
Gold	O
Hall	O
of	O
Fame	O
award	O
from	O
Famitsu	O
and	O
listed	O
as	O
an	O
Editor	O
's	O
Choice	O
by	O
IGN	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
GameSpots	O
annual	O
"	O
Best	O
Story	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Best	O
Shooting	O
Game	O
"	O
prizes	O
among	O
console	B-Application
games	I-Application
,	O
which	O
went	O
respectively	O
to	O
Final	O
Fantasy	O
X	O
and	O
Halo	O
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
.	O
</s>
