The effects, almost everything about the helicopters, and the attention paid to realism is most appreciated.Īs you might expect, the sound effects go stride for stride with the graphics in terms of authenticity, with a few minor stumbles. The view from either inside or outside your complicated war machine is actually quite fitting – visibility is appropriately limited from inside the cockpit – and while the animations of the ground soldiers and the cut-and-pasted grass from 1995 might be jarring, the good stuff comes to the forefront. On the other hand, what we see on the ground often fails to impress and the drab, washed-out landscape can’t really be called “eye candy.” This dichotomy confused me at first, but then I realized that despite the rather bland backdrops and environments, you don’t think much about it when playing. On the one hand, the helicopters are meticulously defined and even refined in presentation, and some of the special effects are both authentic and fulfilling. We also get a co-op mode that greatly adds to the experience as well as a campaign that, while almost entirely devoid of story, delivers on depth and intricacy. The most surprising part of Apache is the featured realism, which is both demanding and satisfying. In fact, they’re big-time pluses and exactly what they desire. But then again, such complaints – with the exception of the lackluster backdrops just mentioned – are often associated with simulators, and really aren’t drawbacks for the fans.
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment and specifically catering towards flight aficionados, this is a game that boasts a steep learning curve, a few disappointing environments, and a lot of “oh what the hell did I do wrong now ?!” moments. The other is the under-the-radar yet still worthy of attention Apache: Air Assault.
#Apache air assault ign review simulator#
Physics behave differently based on the difficulty, and the tutorial stage is a must for new and experienced players alike.Gran Turismo 5 isn’t the only simulator that arrives this month.
While most of the flying is controlled with the analog sticks, the real challenge comes in overcoming the game’s realistic physics system. Physics and controlsĪs a realistic combat helicopter simulator, controls in Apache: Air Assault takes some getting used to. On the one hand, those looking for a complex look at helicopter combat will be ecstatic with this game’s combat, but it will scare away those players that aren’t used to realistic experiences such as this. This doesn’t feel like an arcade shooter at all, and that’s both a blessing and a curse. Unlike H.A.W.X, however, this game offers a somewhat more realistic approach to combat simulation. A helicopter might not look as cool as a jet fighter, but it’s every ounce as difficult to control as your everyday F-16 (if not a bit more.) Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X might be the industry standard for jet dogfighting, and that’s why it’s great that Apache: Air Assault tackles the military helicopter niche. This is all made more severe by the game’s choice of military vehicles: choppers. Weather also plays an integral role in how your vehicle behaves: some levels have snowstorms that will limit your mobility, making it harder to evade fire and aim correctly. But, let’s be honest: if you’re looking at the ground up close in a flight simulator, you must be doing something wrong. As is the case with many flight simulator games, terrain looks incredible, as long as you’re not looking at it from a short distance. These missions will have you visiting all sorts of environments that all look great, from a distance.