“Achtung Spitfire!” is a game set during World War II and is based on the aerial battles between the Luftwaffe and Allied Air Forces. It was designed as a prequel to "Over the Reich", covering the time period between the start of the war to just prior to the D-Day assault by the allies.
The controls for “Achtung Spitfire!” mirror that of its predecessor, so anyone who played "Over the Reich" will immediately be at home and can jump straight into the cockpit.
The game is not a 3D First person flight simulation, but is actually a top down strategic view of an aerial battlefield. The game is turn-based with each player taking turns at the easiest difficulty levels. At a harder difficulty, there is an initiative system which means the order each aircraft acts is dependent upon the pilot.
The game has several points to recommend it, one of which is its historically accurate depiction of the aircraft themselves. Each aircraft in the game was designed from real statistics, from the arc of fire for different guns to the differences in speed, rate of climb and manoeuvrability. Another selling point is the different difficulty levels. On easiest, the game is very simple to play and can be picked up
very quickly whilst still remaining a challenge. Hardest is very difficult, with the player having to manage altitude, G-forces and limits on engine power from height.
Whilst it is an excellent game, it does have its downsides too. The campaign mode follows the different phases of the early part of World War II, including the Battle of Britain and the results of the players missions do somewhat affect the historical outcome. But after a while it becomes just more of the same, with nothing to do but watch the screen until you need to fight. Then is becomes a series of manoeuvres which distinctly resemble watching the washing machine work as the player continually circles around and around hoping to finally be in a position to fire. I also found at the hardest levels, preventing your pilots from blacking out was incredibly difficult.
All in all, “Achtung Spitfire!” is a worthwhile game if you are an aircraft lover or just a World War II buff. Other players may find it a bit tedious, resulting in a short life span for the game. I personally enjoyed it however and recommend it to anyone.
