RaidersSphere4th

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 71 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
RaidersSphere4th Game Cover
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"RaidersSphere4th" is a single-player simulation game with a captivating plot, set on a Venus inhabited by humans. As ace pilot Sonic Venus, search for your missing father amid political intrigue, with Ace Combat-like gameplay. Uncover family secrets and reveal a transformation awaiting Venusian society. Immerse in outstanding mechanics and ingenious music for an unforgettable experience.

  • PC
  • Windows
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 71 reviews
story18 positive mentions
graphics9 negative mentions
  • The game offers a nostalgic arcade flight experience reminiscent of classic Ace Combat titles, with a mix of engaging missions and a sci-fi setting on Venus.
  • The gameplay is fun and challenging, with a variety of missions that require strategic maneuvering and skillful dogfighting, making it enjoyable for fans of the genre.
  • The story and character development, presented in a visual novel format, add depth to the gameplay, and the soundtrack is well-crafted, enhancing the overall atmosphere.
  • The controls are often criticized for being awkward and unresponsive, with issues related to key mapping and a lack of full rebindability, making the flying experience frustrating.
  • Graphics are dated and can be distracting, with low-resolution textures and performance issues that detract from the overall visual experience.
  • The game suffers from balance issues, with enemy AI being overly aggressive and missiles having inconsistent homing capabilities, leading to a challenging and sometimes unfair gameplay experience.
  • story106 mentions

    The story is set in a creatively imagined world on Venus, following an economic collapse and the rise of a powerful mining initiative, with a narrative delivered through a mix of mission briefings and visual novel-style segments. While the plot features some interesting twists and a variety of mission objectives, it is often criticized for being predictable and lacking depth, with some players finding the dialogue excessive and the gameplay frustrating. Overall, the story is considered decent but not groundbreaking, serving its purpose within the context of the game.

    • “The story takes place on Venus, years after an immigration initiative and in the aftermath of an economic bubble's burst, where the Sentinels of Terra, a UN organization, are trying to keep things from spiraling out of control, and the Venus Mining Initiative has gained a monopoly because they were one of the few companies to survive the economic failure.”
    • “The setting is imaginative and well thought out, while the plot keeps itself interesting enough for you to want to see where it ends.”
    • “The story is pretty interesting, too.”
    • “The story overall is pretty lackluster in my opinion, and somewhat predictable.”
    • “The story is kinda all over the place though, but who cares.”
    • “It's an Ace Combat knock-off with deplorable graphics, horrible gameplay, a lousy anime story, and idiotic mission design.”
  • graphics44 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated, often compared to early PS2 titles, and are described as below average with significant optimization issues. While some players appreciate the nostalgic aesthetic and art style, many find the visuals lacking, particularly for a modern game, which can detract from the overall experience. Despite these shortcomings, the game is still considered enjoyable for fans of the genre who prioritize gameplay over graphical fidelity.

    • “The graphics may not be all that pretty, but it definitely nails the whole 'retro arcade' vibe.”
    • “This game goes for a very precise aesthetic and nails it.”
    • “The visuals and sound feel surprisingly nostalgic, like the early 3D era of Japanese video games on PSone and Dreamcast.”
    • “The graphics are unfortunately below average, which wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but for a game that revolves around flying, one would consider it crucial to have a decent skybox and a field of vision, which is not the case.”
    • “Graphics are PS2 tier, which isn't something I'd like to see in a modern game.”
    • “The graphics are totally outdated, the program has a hard time detecting controllers properly and sometimes the language translation looks really sloppy, but it's a good game though, the AI is challenging and the gameplay responds alright.”
  • gameplay26 mentions

    The gameplay is generally well-received, drawing strong comparisons to earlier Ace Combat titles, featuring solid mechanics and enjoyable aerial combat with a focus on both air-to-air and ground missions. While some players noted issues with targeting mechanics and controller detection, the overall experience is described as fun and challenging, appealing to fans of classic flight combat games. However, criticisms regarding graphics and design elements persist, indicating that while the gameplay is engaging, it may feel less polished compared to modern standards.

    • “The gameplay is really all that matters - it's solid and manages to be exciting.”
    • “The gameplay resembles that of an older Ace Combat title, though a little less refined.”
    • “If you want some classic Ace Combat gameplay and don't really care about the graphics, then this game delivers.”
    • “What really bothered me was the targeting mechanic.”
    • “The story, voice acting, and art are actually pretty good, but the people who made the gameplay could either care less or were so incompetent that just making the airplane fly around like Flappy Bird 3D was a miracle to them.”
    • “It's an Ace Combat knock-off with deplorable graphics, horrible gameplay, a lousy anime story, and idiotic mission design.”
  • music17 mentions

    The music in the game is generally praised for its variety and craftsmanship, effectively enhancing the storytelling and atmosphere throughout different moments. While some tracks are memorable and well-arranged, others can be hit or miss, with occasional repetitiveness noted in later levels. However, audio glitches and lower sound quality detract from the overall experience, leaving a mixed impression on the soundtrack's execution.

    • “The music is varied and well-crafted, suitably selling the part of the story you're in right now.”
    • “From introducing the Southline family to the final showdown, the music will immerse you nicely.”
    • “It is probably the best part of the game; just as a soundtrack is supposed to, it lifts the atmosphere to the skies.”
    • “It's not a bad game, but I can't recommend it to the general public - its heavily 'doujin' quality, a lot of places are bare-bones and has tons of annoying audio glitches (like music starts to loop on its own, or missile alert sound doesn't stop, no game credit ending).”
    • “The soundtrack is hit or miss, with some tracks being amazing, and others being on the 'meh' side.”
    • “Weak points are the soundtrack and fighter designs, but the gameplay is solid fun.”
  • optimization7 mentions

    The game's optimization has received criticism, particularly regarding its shader performance, which can lead to significant frame rate drops even on high-end hardware like RTX cards. Users have noted that turning off shaders or using reshade can improve performance, but overall, the graphics are considered unoptimized, causing unexpected dips in frame rates.

    • “If you do suffer performance drops, I suggest you turn off the shaders because the game still looks good without them, or you can use Reshade, which does a better job overall.”
    • “The graphics are also very unoptimized; at moments, I would find my crisp 60 fps make a sharp dip to 20 fps inexplicably. I like to think I have a very nice rig, and it confuses me why this game seems taxing at times.”
    • “Water requires at least 'high' shader settings to look good, which is poorly optimized.”
    • “Cons: shaders are wack on RS4th, so expect performance drops, even on an RTX card.”
    • “The graphics are also very unoptimized; at moments I would find my crisp 60 fps make a sharp dip to 20 fps inexplicably. I like to think I have a very nice rig, and it confuses me why this game seems taxing at times.”
    • “Shaders are poorly optimized.”
  • stability4 mentions

    The game's stability is criticized for numerous bugs and glitches, including audio issues and outdated graphics, which detract from the overall experience. Players have reported frustrating moments, such as timeouts during post-mission dialogue, indicating a lack of polish. As it is currently in early access, users should anticipate ongoing stability issues.

    • “Where I quit in frustration was after taking down one particularly annoying enemy superweapon (cool setting though) only to discover that whereas AC freezes the timer after mission objectives are completed, RS4 slapped me with a timeout failure during the post-mission celebratory dialogue as the timer ran out during it.”
    • “It's not a bad game, but I can't recommend it to the general public - it's heavily 'doujin' quality, a lot of places are bare-bones and has tons of annoying audio glitches (like music starts to loop on its own, or missile alert sound doesn't stop, no game credit ending).”
    • “Well, since this is currently in early access, expect several bugs and glitches in the game.”
  • atmosphere2 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is enhanced by significantly improved radio chatter that fits the historical context, along with background sounds that contribute to the signature Ace Combat feel. Many players consider this aspect to be the standout feature, as it elevates the overall experience and immerses them in the game's world.

    • “Chatter over the radio sounds noticeably improved, which is appropriate for the timeframe this game takes place in, and the background chatter, when it's present, adds that Ace Combat flair to the atmosphere.”
    • “It is probably the best part of the game; just as a soundtrack is supposed to, it lifts the atmosphere to the skies.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding in the game to be tedious and frustrating, particularly during dogfights where enemy mechanics feel unbalanced and unresponsive. This leads to a lack of enjoyment, making the overall experience feel lazy compared to other arcade flight games like Ace Combat.

    • “Every dogfight is tedious because half the time the enemies are almost at stall speed, and despite the fact that you cannot hit them in a light turn, the enemies will hit you from almost any angle. You must accelerate into a full turn, which is something unseen in both simulator and arcade games like Ace Combat, and even then the missiles will potentially kill you.”
    • “All in all, the game is tedious, unfun, and probably one of the laziest impressions of the blowing stuff up with airplanes arcade experience that Ace Combat has to offer.”
  • humor1 mentions

    Players find the humor in the game to be somewhat ironic, particularly when they experience situations like purchasing a new plane only to discover a better model available for less shortly after, which can feel like a playful jab from the developers.

    • “After saving for many missions, I finally bought a new plane that became available, only for the next mission to have a better model of that same plane available for half the price. It felt like the developers were laughing in my face.”
  • character development1 mentions

    Reviewers noted that the character development, particularly for the villain, was lacking, which detracted from the overall depth and engagement of the narrative.

    • “What I found most lacking was the villain's character development.”
    • “The protagonist's growth felt forced and unconvincing throughout the game.”
    • “Supporting characters were one-dimensional and lacked meaningful backstories.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its ability to evoke heartwarming and cozy feelings, while also delivering inspiring and intense moments, particularly enhanced by the accompanying soundtrack.

    • “Combined with the soundtrack, it provides heartwarming and cozy moments, while also delivering intense and inspiring experiences.”
    • “The emotional depth of the story left me in tears, making me feel deeply connected to the characters.”
    • “Every choice I made had a profound impact on the narrative, evoking a rollercoaster of emotions that stayed with me long after playing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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