"400k sales, all at full price, for a game with a non-exsistant marketing budget is definitely a success. Not the sort of success you can build a transnational company like EA or Activision on, but the foundations for better things for sure."
Again, the biggest games are an exception when it comes to SD, but the Ace Combat series wasn't really a huge franchise, although on bigger than most.
A flashy-first game is awesome when it comes out. A great-first game is awesome forever.
Plus, just for the hell of it: Kelly Brook at the 2008 BAFTAs