<s>
is	O
an	O
arcade-style	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
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
third	O
game	O
in	O
the	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
franchise	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
Japan	O
in	O
1999	O
and	O
in	O
Europe	O
and	O
North	O
America	O
in	O
2000	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Namco	O
directors	O
Takuya	O
Iwasaki	O
and	O
Atsushi	O
Shiozawa	O
designed	O
Electrosphere	O
to	O
be	O
visually	O
distinct	O
from	O
other	O
combat	O
flight	O
simulators	O
,	O
using	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
a	O
base	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
ideas	O
and	O
mechanics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
is	O
a	O
combat	O
flight	O
simulation	O
video	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electrosphere	O
adds	O
several	O
new	O
mechanics	O
to	O
the	O
core	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
is	O
set	O
within	O
the	O
United	O
Galaxy	O
Space	O
Force	O
saga	O
,	O
a	O
fictional	O
universe	O
by	O
Namco	O
that	O
connects	O
many	O
of	O
their	O
space-related	O
games	O
into	O
a	O
cohesive	O
timeline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
began	O
development	O
in	O
1998	O
following	O
the	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
of	O
Air	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
and	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Directors	O
Takuya	O
Iwasaki	O
and	O
Atsushi	O
and	O
producer	O
Takashi	O
Fukawa	O
led	O
a	O
team	O
of	O
other	O
Namco	O
employees	O
during	O
production	O
,	O
most	O
of	O
whom	O
had	O
worked	O
on	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Storylines	O
in	O
previous	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
games	O
were	O
seen	O
as	O
unimportant	O
and	O
did	O
not	O
have	O
a	O
direct	O
effect	O
on	O
the	O
gameplay	O
itself	O
;	O
this	O
decision	O
was	O
to	O
help	O
make	O
the	O
story	O
feel	O
like	O
an	O
integral	O
part	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
and	O
to	O
serve	O
an	O
actual	O
purpose	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Drama	O
television	O
shows	O
and	O
the	O
game	O
R4	B-Application
:	I-Application
Ridge	I-Application
Racer	I-Application
Type	I-Application
4	I-Application
(	O
1998	O
)	O
served	O
as	O
inspiration	O
for	O
this	O
idea	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
developers	O
used	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
as	O
a	O
basis	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
leading	O
to	O
Electrosphere	O
borrowing	O
many	O
of	O
its	O
ideas	O
and	O
concepts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hardware	O
limitations	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
and	O
the	O
team	O
's	O
limited	O
skills	O
made	O
them	O
skeptical	O
of	O
their	O
vision	O
and	O
world	O
being	O
implemented	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Graphic	O
designer	O
Minoru	O
Sashida	O
,	O
who	O
worked	O
on	O
the	O
arcade	O
game	O
Techno	B-Application
Drive	I-Application
,	O
designed	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
menu	O
interface	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Namco	O
announced	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
in	O
August	O
1998	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
small	O
sample	O
of	O
video	O
footage	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
presented	O
in	O
a	O
bonus	O
disc	O
shipped	O
out	O
with	O
the	O
Japanese	O
release	O
of	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
Type	I-Application
4	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
months	O
of	O
secrecy	O
,	O
Namco	O
demonstrated	O
Electrosphere	O
at	O
the	O
1999	O
Tokyo	O
Game	O
Show	O
,	O
presented	O
alongside	O
World	O
Stadium	O
3	O
,	O
Dragon	B-Application
Valor	I-Application
,	O
and	O
the	B-Operating_System
Dreamcast	I-Operating_System
conversion	O
of	O
Soulcalibur	B-Application
,	O
taking	O
up	O
most	O
of	O
the	O
Namco	O
's	O
booth	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
was	O
published	O
on	O
May	O
27	O
,	O
1999	O
in	O
Japan	O
by	O
Namco	O
Inc	O
..	O
Its	O
size	O
forced	O
it	O
to	O
be	O
split	O
across	O
two	O
discs	O
,	O
each	O
containing	O
26	O
missions	O
for	O
a	O
total	O
of	O
52	O
different	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Alongside	O
a	O
26-page	O
instruction	O
manual	O
,	O
it	O
contained	O
a	O
30-page	O
promotional	O
booklet	O
called	O
the	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
-	O
Portfolio	O
Photosphere	O
,	O
which	O
details	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
characters	O
,	O
aircraft	O
,	O
storyline	O
,	O
and	O
other	O
information	O
regarding	O
its	O
fictional	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
7	O
,	O
2000	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
re-released	O
in	O
Japan	O
under	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
the	I-Device
Best	I-Device
line	O
of	O
budget	O
titles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Frognation	O
contacted	O
Agness	O
Kaku	O
,	O
a	O
translator	O
known	O
for	O
her	O
work	O
on	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Metal	B-Application
Gear	I-Application
Solid	I-Application
2	I-Application
:	I-Application
Sons	I-Application
of	I-Application
Liberty	I-Application
and	O
D2	B-Application
,	O
to	O
help	O
translate	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Commercially	O
,	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
:	I-Application
Electrosphere	I-Application
under-performed	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
big	O
of	O
a	O
hit	O
as	O
Namco	O
hoped	O
it	O
would	O
be	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
By	O
2008	O
,	O
Electrosphere	O
had	O
shipped	O
1.164	O
million	O
copies	O
worldwide	O
,	O
barely	O
surpassing	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2s	I-Application
1.092	O
million	O
worldwide	O
shipment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
Official	O
Czech	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Magazine	O
reviewer	O
had	O
a	O
similar	O
response	O
,	O
enjoying	O
its	O
futuristic	O
approach	O
,	O
realistic	O
graphics	O
,	O
and	O
refined	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
an	O
early	O
preview	O
,	O
James	O
Mielke	O
of	O
GameSpot	O
commented	O
that	O
,	O
while	O
it	O
was	O
not	O
as	O
fun	O
as	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
had	O
the	O
same	O
ambitious	O
design	O
as	O
R4	B-Application
:	I-Application
Ridge	I-Application
Racer	I-Application
Type	I-Application
4	I-Application
,	O
with	O
personality-driven	O
cutscenes	O
,	O
sleek	O
fighter	O
craft	O
designs	O
,	O
and	O
detailed	O
graphics	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Mielke	O
presented	O
a	O
radically	O
different	O
response	O
to	O
Electrosphere	O
from	O
his	O
preview	O
,	O
writing	O
that	O
its	O
removal	O
of	O
content	O
from	O
the	O
Japanese	O
version	O
and	O
linear	O
approach	O
made	O
the	O
game	O
feel	O
inferior	O
to	O
its	O
predecessor	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Next	O
Generations	O
Eric	O
Bratcher	O
agreed	O
that	O
without	O
its	O
branching	O
level	O
system	O
and	O
additional	O
campaign	O
,	O
it	O
felt	O
boring	O
to	O
play	O
and	O
not	O
nearly	O
as	O
refined	O
as	O
earlier	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Staff	O
for	O
the	O
Official	O
UK	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Magazine	O
said	O
that	O
it	O
felt	O
more	O
like	O
a	O
PC	O
flight	O
simulator	O
than	O
an	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
game	O
,	O
mockingly	O
writing	O
:	O
"	O
Namco	O
prove	O
that	O
yes	O
,	O
it	O
is	O
possible	O
to	O
recreate	O
PC-style	O
flight	O
sim	O
graphics	O
on	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Not	O
all	O
reviewers	O
expressed	O
criticism	O
over	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
Sam	O
Bishop	O
of	O
IGN	O
and	O
a	O
writer	O
for	O
GamePro	O
both	O
praised	O
the	O
gameplay	O
for	O
being	O
solid	O
and	O
energetic	O
,	O
with	O
Bishop	O
in	O
particular	O
commenting	O
that	O
it	O
"	O
delivers	O
the	O
same	O
action-packed	O
air	B-Application
combat	I-Application
experience	O
that	O
you	O
've	O
come	O
to	O
expect	O
from	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
and	O
does	O
it	O
with	O
an	O
unmatched	O
style	O
and	O
flair	O
that	O
's	O
never	O
over	O
the	O
top	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jeuxvideo.coms	O
Kornifex	O
said	O
that	O
it	O
had	O
the	O
same	O
refinement	O
as	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
with	O
a	O
large	O
selection	O
of	O
fighters	O
and	O
varied	O
missions	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Electric	O
Playground	O
complemented	O
its	O
visuals	O
for	O
their	O
high	O
amount	O
of	O
detail	O
,	O
as	O
did	O
Jeuxvideo.com	O
and	O
Official	O
UK	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Magazine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Kornifex	O
also	O
praised	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
usage	O
of	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
DualShock	B-Device
controller	O
to	O
great	O
effect	O
,	O
namely	O
with	O
its	O
rumble	O
feature	O
and	O
smoothness	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
Next	O
Generation	O
praised	O
the	O
graphical	O
style	O
and	O
gameplay	O
mechanics	O
,	O
they	O
felt	O
it	O
ultimately	O
fell	O
short	O
compared	O
to	O
its	O
predecessors	O
,	O
writing	O
:	O
"	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
has	O
too	O
many	O
arcade	O
elements	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
serious	O
flight	O
sim	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
3	I-Application
has	O
received	O
better	O
feedback	O
in	O
retrospect	O
,	O
with	O
critics	O
identifying	O
its	O
ambitious	O
design	O
and	O
story	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
celebration	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
20th	O
anniversary	O
in	O
2019	O
,	O
Game*Spark	O
retrospectively	O
compared	O
the	O
complex	O
storyline	O
of	O
Electrosphere	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
VII	I-Application
and	O
Ridge	B-Application
Racer	I-Application
Type	I-Application
4	I-Application
,	O
praising	O
its	O
branching	O
path	O
system	O
for	O
having	O
a	O
meaningful	O
,	O
interesting	O
impact	O
on	O
the	O
plot	O
as	O
a	O
whole	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
also	O
liked	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
futuristic	O
atmosphere	O
and	O
theme	O
,	O
a	O
drastic	O
departure	O
from	O
other	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game*Spark	O
further	O
stated	O
that	O
Electrosphere	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
best	O
and	O
most	O
unique	O
games	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
,	O
showing	O
disappointment	O
towards	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
modern	O
digital	O
release	O
on	O
platforms	O
such	O
as	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sebastiano	O
Pezzile	O
,	O
a	O
writer	O
for	O
Player.it,	O
reviewed	O
the	O
game	O
in	O
2019	O
to	O
commemorate	O
the	O
launch	O
of	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
7	O
:	O
Skies	O
Unknown	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
They	O
compared	O
its	O
story	O
and	O
visual	O
style	O
to	O
that	O
of	O
Neon	B-Application
Genesis	I-Application
Evangelion	I-Application
and	O
Ghost	B-Application
in	I-Application
the	I-Application
Shell	I-Application
,	O
enjoying	O
its	O
larger	O
storyline	O
for	O
being	O
far	O
darker	O
than	O
its	O
predecessors	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
they	O
praised	O
its	O
Wipeout-influenced	O
soundtrack	O
,	O
Player.it	O
was	O
critical	O
of	O
the	O
international	O
version	O
for	O
being	O
inferior	O
to	O
Air	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
and	O
Ace	B-Application
Combat	I-Application
2	I-Application
from	O
a	O
content	O
standpoint	O
.	O
</s>
