Rise of Flight: The First Great Air War Review

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(More customer reviews)I got Rise of Flight about a week ago and I liked it just fine, but now they released two additional planes for FREE, the Albatros D.5 and the Nieuport 28! Now I really like this simulation and the developer posted a very nice statement about future plans and I like what I see. Plus they recently rolled out a patch that fixed issues with joystick inversion and TrackIR. Also, I've never seen a product like this generate such passionate and harsh comments amongst us flight-simmers. Weird.
Anyways, here's what I like and dislike about it.
Likes
- Very pretty visuals. 3D Models, lighting, explosions, clouds, weather are all top notch.
- Awesome damage model. Canvass did not stop bullets very well. The best damage model in the genre by far in my opinion.
- Fantastic Flight Model.
- Good sounds.
- Animated pilot with hand signals.
- Once in cockpit a very high level of immersion.
- Dogfights are a ton of fun. You're sweating by the end.
- Flexible view system with TrackIR 6DOF support.
- Many tweakable settings and cheats to make it a little easier.
All these positives combine to make the flying and fighting experience in ROF one of the best I have ever had.
Dislikes
- Activation scheme. Seems excessive, but I see why they did it. Hope they lighten up a bit.
- Multi-play is not that popular yet. Maybe now that they added more planes it will pick up.
- Hard to hit targets. Maybe the flight model is too real?
- Can't adjust stick sensitivity.
- GUI needs tweaking.
- Missing good mission de-briefs.
The negatives make some of the outside the cockpit experiences not as fun or as polished as it could be, but all this can be fixed.
Overall I really like flying ROF. Most of the complaints I see are about things outside of the cockpit. I do most of my flying in the cockpit not in the GUI, so personally I am happy with my purchase of ROF and recommend it to my simmer friends. It's not perfect by any stretch, but I like the direction the developer is going. Just like many other flight-sims the best is yet to come, but this one should get there pretty quick. I respect those that disagree though.


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Red Ace: Squadron Review

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(More customer reviews)Since the dawn of computers with graphics cards, WWI combat games have been a favorite genre with few standouts. "Red Ace Squadron" (RAS), an early entry in the recent revival of this style, achieves what few others do: riveting and enjoyable gameplay without the complexity of either flight simulators or the lengthy and involved "plot" scenarios that are darlings of game magazines and no one else.
The designers of this game realized the task was play, and thus hybridized flying games with flight simulators to produce what might be called a flight combat toy, meaning that it represents reality instead of trying to duplicate it so that users can quickly get into the game and begin enjoying WWI-style aerial combat.
It recreates the fun and strategy of flying without representing the true complexity of an airplane, reaching a new height of playability. Fly with a joystick, or keyboard, or as most do keyboard and mouse, and control will be intuitive. Your missions appear on intro screens in abrupt phrases like "Defend base" and "Destroy tanks," but the translation of this to gameplay requires more tactical precision than one might think.
Maneuvering is the most immediate fun for the user, since once airborne one handles a plane that reacts like a barnstorming psychopath is driving. Pull rolls and take a steep dive - you'll be able to turn away from earth in time. Your plane isn't "fast" in the sense of breathtaking speed of screen display, but events happen quickly enough that the pacing will seem appropriate. In the same way that the designers were realistic about the market for a flying game, they are realistic about missions and make them basic exercises which get complex in their own ways.
The architects of adventure in each of the ten levels in two difficulty modes, through a desire to provide a distinctive type of narrative in each level, give each a basic story: rescue the scientist, protect the plane, bomb things, or mixed combat. Two different worldspaces give different experiences, with most Allied missions set in the fjords of Scandinavia and Axis missions correspondingly served in a desert setting. These missions are designed to allow the user to get immersed quickly into them and begin the process of aerial combat.
Adversaries are not as much smart as they are persistent and accurate, which makes them ideal sparring partners, and the addition of anti-aircraft batteries adds layers to the quick mental plans a pilot makes before a run. There are two characters that are arguably level bosses, in the difficult Axis mission five and the surprisingly easy "secret mission," which is mainly an endurance test. Bombing targets and aiming machine guns is intuitive and addicting.
What is most exciting about the game is how easy it is to maneuver like a professional pilot, but how useless that in itself is because your adversaries are equally empowered. Therefore one quickly learns to take on multiple adversaries and outmaneuver them, catapulting gameplay into the realm of dogfighting, which has been the eternal allure of the simpler days of biplanes and machine guns. Tactical supremacy and an ability to choose targets strategically becomes important here.
The game itself is not perfect; it requires a good video card and a fair amount of processing power, but it is delightful to be able to quickly leap into a game and take on opponents without wading through plot contrivances or setting dials. Some glitches annoy; players get turned back at the outer edges of each level, but enemies can and do take advantage of their ability to do so. Sometimes the game drops to a crawl, which makes the plane unstable; maneuvering is less than exact with mouse or keyboard and sometimes fine corrections cause instability as well. Otherwise, it's very tightly engineered, and it rarely crashes.
My suggestion for these developers, on their next version, is to make the three demo missions into the "easy" level and to focus on making the harder missions incorporate more than one strategy (evade detection, attack group, etc) per mission. It would be nice also to see some American planes so everyone sick of the Americans can shoot them down (this probably includes most Americans, as self-loathing is a national pasttime). Something that might also be fun would be an "instant play" option, where one could get dropped into a randomized setting with no mission other than patrol, dogfight, kill and avoid being killed. That sort of thing is best for us covert game players whose fun begins when the boss gets on the phone.
A tiny studio, Small Rockets, has taken the lead with this game and is now countered by several larger software groups attempting to intrude on this territory. It's all well and good that competition produce the best game possible, but for now, this game dominates in terms of playability and all-around fun. Where other games either feel unstable with mouse control or are complex in unnecessary ways that make tedium part of the play experience, this one is pure action and makes you almost feel like a point-n-click Red Ace.

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X-PLANE V8 (Mac) Review

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(More customer reviews)There has been a noticeable lack of flight simulators in the Mac software market for a long time. Amid the faltering competition, one developer has stood by the platform through thick and thin - Austin Meyer's Laminar Research and their acclaimed sim, X-Plane.
X-Plane is every bit a simulator but not much of a game. Aviation professionals should be excited by the fact that aerodynamic performance is accurately simulated using a complex physics engine. Believe it or not, most sims cheat by depending on pre-defined data that is used to estimate aircraft behavior in different configurations. It is such an accurate simulation that you can even fly on Mars or guide the Shuttle Orbiter from orbit to landing!
Superior accuracy is teamed with above-par graphics too. With satellite derived terrain, detailed aircraft models, realistic clouds, and high-resolutions, X-Plane holds it's own visually against most Windows flight sims. Though turning the settings all the way up can challenge even a G5, the graphics are scalable to support even old and low-end machines. This leaves load times the only real frustration.
With its technical emphasis, X-Plane can be very useful to aircrew as well as certified or aspiring private pilots. The program keeps a logbook of all flights, offers true to life system failures, air traffic control, airfields, charts, instrument panels, and aircraft checklists to practice with. Approaches and takeoffs can be practiced repeatedly with easy menu commands and there's a "get me lost" feature for challenging navigation skills. Two computers can even be networked in an instructor mode for training purposes.
While X-Plane isn't a combat sim and doesn't provide a real gaming experience, hobbyists and aviation enthusiasts can still enjoy experimenting with the wide variety of included aircraft - including airships, helicopters, gliders, and more. There's even an active community that uses the included content creation tools to churn out an ever-wider variety of downloadable aircraft (both real and fictional), flight plans, and scenery. Add to that a variety of challenging scenarios like water bombing, tanker rendezvous, and carrier landing, and X-Planes appeal grows.
Thanks to the author's secret weapon (http://x-plane.com/weapon.html) X-Plane is in a perpetual state of rapid development. That means regular bug fixes and feature additions. Not that it needs more! It can even playback real blackbox recordings, has both ambient ATC recordings and real-time ATC interaction thanks to OS Xs built-in speech software.
One of X-Planes coolest extras is the ability to capture the screen to a QuickTime movie. Though there is no indication that you are recording and no sound will be saved, there was little affect on the sims performance with default settings on an iMac G5.
Simple menus are always available and offer a lot of flexibility, but since development is simultaneously cross-platform, command-key shortcuts don't exist and the interface makes use of non-standard elements that may take some getting used to. Fortunately the menus and dialogs are fairly intuitive and require few trips to the minimalist printed manual or the more thorough version on disc.
X-Plane is a valuable tool for professional aviators and engineers yet it is affordable and accessible enough to appeal to anyone with an interest in aviation. Besides, it's the only civil aviation sim for sale on the Mac since Microsoft, Flight Unlimited, and Fly! faded away with Mac OS 9.
All aircrew should have a copy and visit XPlaneFreeWare.net (http://www.xplanefreeware.net/~barry/) to download relevant airframes and anyone involved in air operations should at least give the demo a try. X-Plane isn't priced like engineering software or marketed like a just-for-fun flight sim, but it succeeds as both!

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X-Plane 8.0 is the ultimate in general aviation simulators. With a wide range of airplanes,all-new helicopters, dynamic speech synthesis and full-planet terrain-mapped scenery will keep your eyes popping out for hours!

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IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is such a fun game, and since it has all 5 IL2 based games in it there are many planes to choose from. The dynamic campign allows you to choose between many different nations and with the Pacific Fighters game allows you to fight in pacific battles using carrier aircraft. My only gripe with that section is that there arn't many torpedo bombers in the game, and the ones that are, most of the time cannot use torpedos only bombs. But other wise it is a very fun game. It can be set to easy for very inexperienced armchair pilots, or hard for diehard pilots. The aircraft damage looks pretty good and so do the aircraft. The engine sounds do sound a little generic and weak, but overall arn't too bad to deal with. Be sure to play this game with a joystick, because it is almost impossible to get the full experience with the keyboard. Great game.

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DCS: Black Shark Review

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(More customer reviews)There are Survey Sims and there are Study Sims. For example, Microsoft FSX albeit very detailed and allows you to learn aviation in a profound way, it is a "Survey" simulator. DCS Black Shark is a "Study" simulator. This means unless you already know the Black Shark, it is highly doubtful you will be able to jump in and start flying in real simulation mode like you can in FSX. However, Eagle Dynamics provides an accommodating game mode, which will allow anyone to take off with the Black Shark and enjoy a military chopper. Nevertheless, you can easily keep adding real features to the game mode step by step to make it more real as you strengthen your skills. That's the big picture. Now for the review...I have played this Sim for hundreds of hours and every single time I get into the Ka-50 Black Shark I just absolutley love it. I broke up my learning process into fully understanding the startup procedures, then basic flight procedures, then targeting and using the weapons, then shutdown...and on to advanced. I recommend a similar method. The graphics and modeling of the Ka-50 are stellar. The cockpit is stellar just for the fact that EVERYTHING works unlike FSX aircraft. The terrain and other outside eye candy are not really the focus but they are very nice as well. This Sim is foucsed on a real Ka-50 experience and is extremely credible for that point. It is an awesome means to learn to fly a military helicopter. It is absolutely worth every dime in regards to a well crafted simulator. And if you get frustrated, Eagle Dynamics has an excellent forum to help you along the way. This is an absolutely incredible simulator, and I recommend it.

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It also includes a new mission editor including a powerful electronic mapping system that allows user to easily create missions and campaigns, and a campaign system that allows the front line of the battlefield to move back and forth according to your mission success or failure. the Black Shark World DCS: Black Shark operations are based in the western Caucus region and include portions of Russia, Georgia and a small part of Turkey. With Russia, special attention is paid to the Krasnodarskiy, Karachayrvo-Cherkesiya, Kabardino-Balkariya and Stavropol'skey regions. Some of this area will be recognizable from Flaming Cliffs, but DCS: Black Shark has added a considerable new amount of terrain, particularly much of Georgia. the DCS: Black Shark map is approximately 330,000 sq. km of ground and sea area. Comprehensive Access to Kamov-50 Avionics Systems DCS: Black Shark comes packed with a wide range of piloting, navigation,targeting and defensive systems avionics for the Ka-50. Game copies includea detailed flight manual covering these, which include, but are not limitedto: traditional electromechanical cockpit instruments, multifunction advancedmoving map system AMMS (ABRIS), the "Rubicon" targeting-navigation system,the I-251 "Shkval" antitank targeting system, countermeasure dispensers,a head-up display (HUD) and helmet-mounted sighting (HMS). Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aircraft the primary innovation regarding AI aircraft in Black Shark isthe inclusion of a new and improved flight model (FM) system. In previousEagle Dynamics products such as Lock On, the AI-aircraft FM didnot reach a high-level of realism, relying sometimes instead on animationsto supplement flight dynamics equations. This absence of detailed angleof attack modeling and the influence of cross wind led to problems during advancedmaneuvers. To remedy this Black Shark features the same standardflight model (SFM) that was used for player-controlled aircraft in LockOn. With this advancement in AI aircraft flight dynamics it is nowpossible for the AI to conduct more advanced flight maneuvers and combattactics. Ground Vehicles, Ships and Weapons Ground vehicles, ships and weapons such as bombs, rockets, missiles andcannons have been significantly improved in Black Shark. Improvementsinclude: an expanded roster of available active ground vehicles, the abilityof each ground vehicle to use multiple types of weapons simultaneously,an overall increase in the level of detail and the inclusion of infantryunits. Key Game Features:
Advanced helicopter and ground force AI that creates a realistic combat environment.
Twice the ground detail of previous TFC simulations, featuring detailedmodeling of 330,000 sq. km of the western Caucasus region.
Head-to-head and cooperative multiplayer.
Powerful mission editor with advanced scripting capability.
Campaign system with a moving front line that depends on mission results.
Highly-detailed six degrees of freedom cockpit featuring Mouse-clickable instruments.
Unrivaled flight physics system featuring realistic damage model,system cascade effect and more.
Detailed modeling and control of engine, fuel, hydraulics, electrical,navigation, radio, fire suppression, sensor, and weapon systems.
Two gameplay modes: "Simulation" or "Game Console."
Advanced weapon physics for missiles, rockets and cannon rounds including ricochets.
Supports TrackIR, Matrox TripleHead2Go for multiple screens, D-Box motion platform.

System Requirements:

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IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been a pilot for over 40 years and have flown everything from '20s biplanes to Navy carrier jets...and this sim is awesome.
Note: it is on DVD not CD as stated here. And it is NOT a game. There is a significant learning curve involved to successfully fly these aircraft in full-on realistic mode. It does have 'simple' modes that make it possible for anyone to fly, but don't think of this as an arcade game in any sense.
Trust me, if you can fly these birds in full realism mode, with a little time flying under the supervision of an instructor you can fly the real thing. Here there are fewer cues (just sight and sound), but in real aircraft you also have so-called proprioceptive sensations too (the seat of your pants, for one), among others.
Buy it, you'll like it! The graphics are gorgeous, the scenarios are amazing. You won't find modern airliners, but you'll find most of the WW2 machines (Russian, German, Japanese, British and American).
A flight over the cliffs of dover at sunset in a Spitfire may bring tears to your eyes...it did me.

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X-Plane 9 Review

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(More customer reviews)I am neither a pilot nor a "gamer" but I used to enjoy MS Flight Simulator, and when I went exclusively to a Mac several years ago my only regret was that I has to leave Flt.Sim. behind. X-Plane 9, which I just discovered, is even better than I remember Flt.Sim.
I bought an inexpensive joystick (Logitech Extreme 3-D Pro, about $35 at Amazon), and then installed X-Plane 9 on my iMac. The installation took about an hour but it went flawlessly. The joystick was recognized by the program, and I was easily able to calibrate it by following the very clear instructions.
I selected the Cessna 172 as my trainer plane and a local airport as my home field (again following the clear instructions). The first flight was not a thing of beauty but I was able to take off, circle the field, and make a safe, albeit shaky, landing.
This is not a toy and some of the "gamers" who complained about the lack of instructions or the problems in controlling their aircraft were probably using jets and/or multi-engine aircraft for their initial flights, and expecting instant gratification.
I have substantial learning to do (and it's a steep curve) but even at this early stage, I can say with confidence that this is a superb and flexible program which is well worth the investment of money and time for anyone who wants to enjoy a true flight simulator on their Mac.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight Review

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(More customer reviews)I've owned every version of MS Flight Simulator, since years before Microsoft bought Sublogic's Flight Simulator and made it the basis for Microsoft Flight Simulator.
I've spend many entertaining hours playing Microsoft Flight Simulator, and for the most part, they've added new and very, appealing and worth-while features in each new release. This is also the case in Flight Simulator 2004. I upgraded the day FS 2004 was released, and I've never looked back.
Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004 is a highly entertaining, very realistic looking, and quite realistic acting flight simulator. Overall, I consider it the best Flight Simulator out there. Some people will argue that X-Plane has more realistic flight models and they're probably right. MS FS however, is a close second, and when it comes to the overall gaming experience and look and feel of everything - the MS FS is a clear winner!
IF YOU'RE UPGRADING FROM FS 2002:
* Greatly improved dynamic weather system - You can now have the system automatically update itself in the background with real weather conditions as often as every 15 minutes. The clouds look a lot more realistic than in FS 2002.
* New weather themes - Gives you both static and dynamic weather themes such as a brewing thunderstorm etc.
* Enhanced ATC (Air Traffic Control) - Altitude changes in flight, ATC at all airports, request new flight plan en-route (especially useful if your current one gets cancelled).
* Better 3D virtual cockpits
* Some scenery enhancements, such as signs on taxiways. Most scenery changes are quite subtle.
* Old GPS system has finally been scrapped, and instead replaced by two real life looking Garmin GPS's (slightly stripped down versions, but quite impressive still - Color and all).
* The rain has been improved - Looks more realistic.
* New planes of course - all of them are historic aircraft such as Douglas DC-3, the "Kitty Hawk", the "Spirit of St. Louis", Piper Cub etc.
IF YOU'RE NEW TO MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIMULATOR, OR YOU HAVEN'T UPGRADED IN A WHILE:
* Real-World weather - with dynamic updates and dynamic weather changes. Multiple cloud layers. Plain and simple, the clouds look fantastic!!! The rain and snow need some improvement, but is still very good.
* Worldwide scenery with accurate 3D terrain.
* Scenery Auto-Generation - Buildings are generated on the fly based on what type of area you're flying over.
* More than 24000 worldwide airports - a lot of them very realistic looking.
* 2D and 3D cockpits.
* Various types of planes - Boeing 737, 747, 777, Learjet, Cessna 172 and 182, Extra 300, a couple of more propeller planes, a sailplane, a helicopter, and of course all the historic planes that are new to this version.
* Jeppeson NavData database - ILS, VORs, NDB data etc.
* Landmarks all over the world - Eiffel tower, Statue of Liberty, Alcatraz, Empire State Building, USS Nimitz, the Red Square/Kremlin in Moscow etc.
* Multiplayer capability - Can play over network or internet (MSN Zone).
I still miss the World Trade Center Towers, and the Concorde, but realistically enough, they're both gone from this version. *sniff*
Conclusion: I highly recommend this game, both as an upgrade or if you're buying MS FS for the first time... FIVE STARS!!!

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MICROSOFT FLIGHT SIM X DELUXE DVD-ROM Review

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(More customer reviews)I used to own a Microsoft Flight Simulator a few years ago. This is is a later version. I enjoyed the game then and I enjoy it even more now. This game is so realistic. I believe it is more fun than actually flying a plane. You can make mistakes and crash and get up and walk away. You can try things a real pilot cannot. The scenery is authentic. The airport at Kodiak, Alaska is exactly as I remember it. I flew out of there east to "Seal Island", a smallish Rock island inhabited by Sea Lions, off Cape Chiniak. I never expected to see it on a map.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator X Deluxe DVD Review

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(More customer reviews)I am a general aviation pilot, flying single engine fixed wing Cessna type aircraft (4 seater). Flight Simulator X gives the feeling of actually piloting a plane. The plane responds to the controls much like "the real thing".
Like other reviewers, I must agree that you must have a great computer. I have a dual processor Pentium D 940 running 3.2 Ghz, 4 gb RAM, 512 mb NVIDIA graphic card. On my system, with maxed out graphics and scenery, it runs very well, with only an occasional slight bump in frame-rates. I am somewhat disappointed with the scenery, which is good in major cities, but still basic in the country-side. The terrain is good everywhere, but the structures lack detail in other than the cities. The detail on airport runways and taxiways is terrific! Aircraft list is extensive. I recommend it.

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Wings of Prey: WWII Air Combat Review

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(More customer reviews)Here are some things that I would've liked to know about this product before buying:
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Minimum System Requirements For Wings of Prey
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP SP3
Processor: Intel Pentium 4 3200MHz
Memory: 1 GB RAM Hard Drive: 10 GB of free space
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7600 256 Mb or ATI Radeon X1650 256 Mb
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
Sound card: DirectX compatible
Internet connection: 56 kb/s (for online play and to register your copy of wings of prey)
Keyboard, mouse
The Recommended Requirements For Wings of Prey
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP SP3 / Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 / Microsoft Windows 7
Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo 2400 MHz
Memory: 2 GB RAM or more Hard Drive: 10 GB of free space
Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250 512 Mb or ATI Radeon 4850 512 Mb
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c
Sound card: DirectX compatible with support 5.1
Internet connection: 512 Kb/s (for online play and to register your copy of wings of prey)
Keyboard, mouse, joystick (a version of Thrustmaster joysticks, as the game can be configured by one of the thrustmaster joystick layouts, although everything can be customized)Wings of Prey: WWII Air Combat is a combat flight simulator. With the right amount of focus placed on the actual flying of the craft to the extremely well done aerial combat. The game comes with several difficulty levels that increase the actual realism of the flying itself and the enemy's skill. There are a variety of missions, including dog fights, and bombing with a large selection of planes to keep any aviation man happy. The game can be played with keyboard and mouse, but a version of the Thrustmaster joysticks such as Thrustmaster T Flight Hotas X is much better suited to play the game with.
Overall it's an excellent game that any combat flight sim junky will love.
Some off hand thoughts:
No actual taking off/ landing at base
On the harder difficulties there is limited fuel/ ammo (no way to restock) but makes it more challenging
Really good graphics & music (would recommend having above the minimum requirements to enjoy the game even more)
Multiple missions for plenty of fun offline (with good replay value)
Online capable for multiplayer missions/ combat
Roughly 45 different planes to fly
Single Missions and Campaign Mode
--Quick Side Note--
This is a game, and while the realism of the flying can be increased with the difficulty level, it is still meant to be played as a GAME, not an actual full on flight simulation. I see lots of people are rating this game low because it's not a real simulator or because it doesn't fly like a real aircraft. So I feel bad for apparently not making the point clear that this is a game and mimics flight (controlling your pitch, rudders, altitude, so you don't crash or spin out) while getting into dog fights in the sky. Sorry to all you real flight simulation junkies who were let down.

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Lock On Platinum Review

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(More customer reviews)I have tried out various sims, and I've found Lock On and Falcon 4 Allied Force to be the best sims for the money.
Get a TrackIR for these: it will greatly enhance the immersion: you won't feel like flying without it.
Pros:
1. Very realistic.
2. Beautifully detailed cockpit, and weapons system.
3. Flight performance is nicely modeled.
4. AI isn't dumb as a brick: you'll have to earn the kills.
5. Runs on older hardware.
Cons:
1. The menu user interface is slightly crummy.
2. Not available as a game download: you need the physical media.
3. Graphics aren't as good as IL2.
4. Minor glitches: on my setup, after landing if I am looking straight, it looks like the entire field is underwater. Looking slightly up makes the glitch go away.
This game is a lot of I highly recommend getting a copy for yourself and your friends.


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Combat Flight Simulator 3 Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought this for the sole purpose of playing Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven and Hell, a World War I add-on for CFS3 available at www.overflandersfields.com
Despite some known glitches like incompatibility with virus software and jittering with dual core processors (fixed with an AMD dual processor patch) CFS3 was easy to install.
CFS3 is good looking and fun to fly, but due to the limitations of the flight modeling it won't completely satisfy hard core sim pilots looking for the ultimate in WWII realism. For those wanting to add-on WWII planes, scenery, airfields, etc, there are numerous mods for CFS3 available at fan sites like www.combatfs.com (you might try Mediterranean Air War or European Theatre of Operations).
The Over Flanders Field: Between Heaven and Hell add-on is a fantastic addition to the game, and one of the few ways to engage in WWI era flight. The last great WWI flight sim was RedBaron3D, which never reached it's potential while Sierra/Dynamix was behind it. But over the years, a number of mods (Full Canvas Jacket, Western Front, Hell's Angels) made RB3D playable and more historically accurate. The authors of those mods have now taken CFS3 to unbelievable heights through OFF:BHAH, with high resolution scenery, 39 flyable aircraft, 3200+ historically accurate aircraft skins, the best campaign manager I've ever seen, etc., etc. The experience of flying a campaign in the OFF:BHAH world is simply incredible. As realistic as it gets.
I have played dozens of flight sims and FPS games over the years, and have to say OFF:BHAH IS THE BEST MONEY I HAVE EVER SPENT ON A GAME!!!


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As a U.S. Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, or Luftwaffe pilot in Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3 you fly in the historical framework of the tactical air war in northwest Europe starting in mid-1943, but there's a significant difference. The skill and perseverance you and your squadron bring to each battle can alter the tactical situation and the timeline of the campaign. This open-ended and flexible campaign means you can influence events, alter history, and extend the timeline to add new technology to your arsenal. How you handle these tactical and technological advantages will determine the outcome?

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002 Standard Review

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(More customer reviews)I have a private pilot cert. I used FS98 to improve my landings, when I was training. It was just good enough. The thing about landing is you have to gradually pull back on the yoke to stay in a certain configuration, relative to the runway. When you fly around with an instructor, you are paying the big bucks to do something lasting 10 seconds. Anyway, you could get better at doing this with the flight sim.
I didn't like FS2000 because I thought the landing sim was sloppier. The one is 2002 is better, and the graphics are good enough that you can judge where the runway is and just fly down. That means you can turn off the power (to the sim aircraft) and pretend you are doing emergency landings...
A lot of flight instructors have griped that their students come in off of MS FS and they don't look out the window. In other words, they fly the instruments because that's how the flight sim works best. As the graphics improve, you have a better shot at seeing how you are, relative to the horizon, and whether things are going the way you want.
You can get a set of pedals for this sim. The problem is one of using rudder and ailerons in turns. When you get down to the runway, you have to cross control to stay on the centerline. This is tough with a twist control for the rudders.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002, Standard Edition is the latest version of Microsoft's highly realistic aviation simulation--the top-selling PC flight simulation ever produced. FS 2002 introduces many exciting features, including interactive air traffic control (ATC) and auto-generated scenery, plus challenging new aircraft and stunning visual enhancements that truly make Flight Simulator 2002, Standard Edition "as real as it gets."
Flight Simulator 2002, Standard Edition includes a wide variety of aircraft for you to fly--from a new Cessna 208 Caravan floatplane to the Boeing 747-400 jumbo jet. You can splash down in a lake, hover in the Bell 206B JetRanger III helicopter, practice aerobatics in the Extra 300S, or fly like a famous World War II fighter ace in a Sopwith Camel. FS 2002 Standard includes a total of 12 aircraft.
The most dramatic new features common to both the standard and pro editions are the interactive air traffic control system, crowded skies, and auto-generated scenery.
The interactive air traffic control feature adds a new dimension to Flight Simulator. Now you can ask for takeoff clearance, get vectors for an instrument approach, and hear other traffic as you fly. In fact, the "other traffic" is itself a new feature: a new artificial intelligence system generates air traffic around and between airports.
It'll be hard to pay attention to the air traffic, however, as the scenery in FS 2002 is so attractive. As you fly above cities, towns, farmland, and dramatic landscapes, Flight Simulator adds buildings and vegetation appropriate to the terrain below. Office buildings, factories, homes, farmhouses, and trees smoothly blend in on the horizon and fill the entire area with detail that adds unprecedented depth and reality to the game.
Other features include more than 21,000 airports, multiplayer capability, improved weather effects, a moving map and GPS system, in-depth flight analysis, and more.

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Microsoft Flight Simulator X Standard DVD Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Let me get something of my chest first. I have noticed a lot of bad feedback on reviewers who give higher ratings to products that are developed by Microsoft. So just to make it clear - I am not reviewing Microsoft, I'm reviewing the simulator.
So.. how fun is this game? Well it's your system that can actually answer this question. This game is amazing from my point of view. I have used everything, from FS98 to latest X-Plane.. and nothing is as good as this.
The Good:
- Stunning graphics. This is the most beautiful game I have ever played. From the water effects to shadows from the plane.. every effect and particle is breathtaking.
- Gameplay. It is an amazing gameplay, indeed. You can now fly in any seat you like, control literally any view of the airplane, most of the cockpit controls work and function the way they are supposed to. The weather system is amazing.
- Multiplayer. This one speaks for itself: FUN FUN FUN. It is very entertaining since you get to see people from all over the world. However, there are few cons.. like the Bad ATC guys who often mislead you and cause you to crash etc. It was foggy, so I depended on A/P. I was told to turn 074R, which I did. I heard the ILS Frequency so I put it on APP but ultimately, I was put into wrong direction and as much as APP fought to align me to the right direction (while keeping up with sped and altitude) i still landed in the ocean.. and of course crashed (since you're not able to actually land on water in this game). Of course, there are plenty of pefect ATC's out there but even with few that are not as good it's still VERY fun to play. Try it and see for yourself.
The Bad:
- ATC. ATC has not changed much from FS2004 other than a new "window" that it displays in. Still no ability to declare an emergency which is sort of a disappoint since you ARE able to set engines to fail or to run out of fuel (or both). So.. if your engines die out on you don't you think you deserve a right to report the situation to ATC? LOL
- Crash dynamics. If you're hoping to be able to crash your plane into a mountain and see a giant explosion and earthquakes then I have to disappoint you. While I almost never crash in Flight Sims I still wish there were better crashing dynamics to make it more realistic. For example, if I land heavily on my nose I'd love to see my plane's nose gear to fail and act like it would in physics.
Also, why can't we have the ability to land on water? Boeing 737 CAN do that (if propely executed). Here, no matter what amazing pilot you are.. as soon as you touch the water - you crash. Oh well. It's a very small thing but I wish it was improved a bit.
The Ugly:
- System requirements. I agree with what many reviewers said - this game depends more on CPU than it does on video card. This game will most likely NOT work at the Max settings if you have a brand-name PC (eMachines, HP, Dell).
When I first installed the game I had AMD Sempron 3300 (2.01GHz); 2GB DDR, Radeon X1650 Pro with 512MB. I ran the CanYouRunIT tool from System Requirements Lab.. the report said that I exceed RECOMMENDED requirements and should have a great experience with the game. I didn't really believe that since I have a 3rd class CPU but I played FS2004 and HL2 on the HIGHEST settings with absolutely NO lags so I thought it would work fine.
I was.. wrong. The game was not playable unless I set all of the aircraft, transport and texture settings to Minnimum Low. It lagged horribly on my native resolution of 1680x1050 32 which I had to put into 1440x900 16bit.
I purchased a new video card which is Geforce GTX 8800 with 740mb of RAM and can now play without any lags on my native resolution with settings set to Medium High but still not maxed out. Why? Because this game needs CPU. In this case, the CPU is the heart not the video card. If you buy it make sure to get the SP1 for this ASAP.. there are few performance updates which could be crucial if your video card or CPU isn't the best.
So to wrap up - I highly recommend this simulator to any Aerolover as myself. But make sure you have a GOOD CPU and card. If you have them you'll find yourself spending hours and hours flying above gorgeous landscapes, commmunicating with people all over the world, surviving a dead engine and/or faulty mechanics and generally having fun. This amazing software is both entertaining and educational.

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X-Plane v 9.0 Review

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(More customer reviews)I have purchased every Microsoft Flight Simulator since FS '98, and have found each one to have it's own unique quality. So when Flight Simulator X came out, I was eager to see it's contribution to my ever increasing world of flight simulation. While I enjoyed it, it was not as promised. The DX10 feature was the biggest let down, as even on max settings it looked nothing like what we were promised. Oh, it looked okay as flight sims go, but it lacked the real punch I expected from a Microsoft Flight Simulator.
The flight physics are still adequate, set to maximum realism it can be fun, even. However, I still felt something was lacking. So, in a fit of boredom, I purchased X Plane 9. $[...]? "Well", I thought, "we'll see what we can get out of a flight sim that costs a third less than FSX standard."
I installed the program on my PC. It took about 30 minutes to install the primary program, and about 10 minutes to install the North America/Europe scenery disc. That's right, scenery on separate DVDs, and it's all worth it.
I started up the program and configured my graphics settings. Just for a hoot, I set them all to maximum settings. 4X Anti-aliasing, Ansitropic filtering, 1680x1050x32 resolution, turned on the rain and weather effects, and started it up. It loaded in about 20 seconds, which was 3x faster than FSX, and the opening shot was enough to catch my breath. It was superb. I'm not talking just nice resolution, the realism was astounding. Everything looked and moved like I was actually flying through a real world environment. So I flew around for a while, and the handling feels better. It responds more like an aircraft would whether it be rainy, sunny, windy, what have you, the plane behaved accordingly. FSX had done this also, but it was only mediocre compared to the flight physics this program was employing.
I wasn't won over yet. I wanted to see if I set FSX to the exact same specs, how it would respond.
Firstly, FSX doesn't have the same detailed customization as X-Plane 9. You have about half those settings. However, what I came to see was whether FSX could produce a visually stunning image as X-Plane 9. I set everything up, maxed out, as best as I could. There weren't as many visual options either for FSX as there were for X-Plane.
After I mimicked the settings for FSX as I had for X-Plane, I started up the simulation.
I was disappointed. FSX didn't do too bad, but when I tried to take off, I was rewarded with frame skips and stuttering. FSX couldn't reproduce the visuals and physics without cutting it's own performance. This was supposed to be the power of DirectX 10? Pfft. At max settings in X-Plane, I had seamless flying, with rain and thunder, lightning, drops splattering the windshield and shearing up the side, off the wings, too. Unlike FSX where you just see gray colored lines and a reflective runway as if it were wet.
I will state one thing, however: If you like using your keyboard, you can in X-Plane, it's just a little tougher to use. X-Plane does mouseflight (which is neat once you get the hang of it) and Joystick control, which I highly recommend. You will find a more satisfying experience that way.
I am now an X-Plane fan, and unless Microsoft can give me their performance, physics and detail, I'm not sure if I'll even be interested in their next release. Who knows. In the meantime, I'll be flying X air. ;)
~Pastor J

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Attack on Pearl Harbor Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a great game ! The graphics are great and very simple to play. This game isn't like some air combat games that you need a photographic mind to remember all the controls to operate.
I recommend this game to everyone. 14 years old to ninety !!

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