A few months ago, when mindlessly browsing the internet, I stumbled upon a relic from my childhood- Ace Combat 3: Electrosphere, a combat flight game released for the Playstation 1 on 1999/2000. It’s one of my favorite games that, despite never playing it extensively myself, remains one of the most vivid memories of my childhood gaming experiences.

Ironically, I didn’t play it a lot - my brother did, and neither of us ever finished the game. That was because the memory card issue we had on our console. Whenever we boot up a game or any other, we have a funny situation where we had to restart the game from scratch every time. In Ace Combat 3 case, this meant I watched the same missions play out on a loop. A lot of loops. Those endless replays engraved the game’s details into my memory as if I were just watching it yesterday.

Among all of missions, there was one that always stood out for me: Zero Gravity. This is a unique mission, being the only mission to be set on space throughout the entire Ace Combat series. This isn’t a climatic mission. We were tasked with launching into space to destroy some enemies’ satellites. The challenge lay in precisions - taking down orbiting satellites with missiles. It was a quick but tricky mission, but what truly captivates me was the atmosphere. The darkness of space, the eerie soundtracks, and the mission intro saying “leaving atmosphere” always sent shivers down my spine.

For the sake of that single mission, I decided to replay the entire game with the intention of finally finishing it. And I did, all in a day. When I completed the ‘zero gravity’ mission, a smile spread across my face. I was pleasantly surprised that it had the same impact on me as it did years ago. There was no exaggeration of past memories; it was simply a masterful sequence.

However, as I delved deeper into the game, I began to realize its shortcomings. While the game mechanics were undeniably fun, the storyline left me baffled. It felt… off, with numerous ‘to be continued’ messages that I don’t quite comprehend.

I was thinking: Is there any sequel to this game? Indeed, there was, but it was completely unrelated story wise. Is this game is just not finished?

And then, to my surprise, I discovered I played was in fact, incomplete. There are two versions of the game: International version and the original Japanese version. The one I had played was the international version, and it had suffered major cuts. A quick comparison revealed the extent of the alterations:

It’s a complete murder. For reasons unknown, Namco had decided to slash the budget, leading the developers to remove features that were the original version’s main attraction. This decision came despite Namco’s earlier advertising of the game’s expansive stories. Various speculations emerged, including low sales of previous installments or project prioritization. Whatever the cause, the result was disappointing. By 2006, players were clamoring for a remake, and I wholeheartedly agreed that it was a wasted potential.

Comparison of ‘Zero Gravity’ Japanese Version vs International Version

Can you tell which one is which?

Nonetheless, if you haven’t played the original version, I recommend you to try it; I wouldn’t spoil any further. Project Nemo is a fan translation project of Japanese Ace Combat 3. While it doesn’t feature translated voice acting (for now), it includes subtitles, ensuring no part of the experience is lost.

I played it myself, and… I’m not sure how to describe it but it reminds me of “Neon Genesis Evangelion.” It was a psychologically exhausting experience, one of those stories that you’d love to experience only once and would never return to - it’s simply amazing. I won’t spoil any longer. So if you haven’t, you should experience it for yourself. It will take time to explore all the routes, complete all the endings, and finally reach the true ending, but the journey is well worth the effort. Buckle up for a memorable ride.