This is a game that I remember playing, and eagerly waiting for, on its release all those years ago, and recently I downloaded another copy of it. Although seriously showing its age now it still has elements of gameplay that are missing from many of the other better known flight simulator titles.
You start off as a lowly 2nd Leutenent flying for either France of England. Shooting down enemy planes, and especially their aces, lets you advance through the fame game, and eventually become the most famous pilot of the First World War.
Graphics for the time were outstanding but looking at it again now is mainly for nostalgia. Buildings tend to be blocks of color, although the planes themselves are shown in good detail. Flying is with either a mouse, joystick or my preferred is the keyboard, and due to the simple flying of the real planes of the First World War, controls are very easy to master as well.
5 difficulty levels enhance the experience, and in the many years I've known this game I've still never won on level 5! Completing missions allows you to advance the ranks, from Captain, Major up to Colonel. A choice of a vast number of airfields, lots of airplanes, and the ability to play against another computer all enhance the enjoyment.
A typical
mission would be along the lines of: Bomber Escort:- Protect the other plane from enemy attack. Remembering that these machines are capable of little more than 100mph doesn't make for a high-speed flight fight, but it does mean that air resistance, landing, and general flight characteristics are very different from any other game. Continuing with the example, the other plane takes off directly in front of you, and with no radar it's very hard to keep tabs on where he is! With up to ten planes + on screen at a time it can be a hellish time making sure that you're not blown out of the sky let alone him. Once he's safely back home, and providing you've got enough fuel and ammo left you can take on the rest of the German air force, destroy their buildings, or just fly for the fun of it. Crash behind enemy lines and you're left wondering if you'll be home for dinner, or shot. Then you get to see if you've been rewarded for your efforts.
A fantastic all round, very easy to master, flight sim that although showing its age, is still just as entertaining as I remember it all those years ago. A must for any gamer to try once.
