As Ace Combat: Squadron Leader is now out in the shops, any jet fighter game is going to have one hell of a dogfight on its hands. Energy Airforce Air Strike has offered up its best shot, but the smoking wreckage of the game is falling in a terminal flat-spin over yet another suspiciously familiar war-torn landscape.

Ace Combat provides high-octane thrills without dumbing down the action. Air Strike, however, offers dull flights over repetitive countryside and uninteresting battles against distant little specks on the horizon. On take off, watch out for the inexplicably lethal flat ground that surrounds the runway and bring a book to read while looking for 'bogeys'. Or buy Ace Combat - it's better.

Overall 40%
Slightly faster and more exciting than a paper plane. But not by much. Wise gamers with pounds in their pockets will surely take off with Ace Combat instead.