Steiner
03-22-2006, 09:40 AM
http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1140/Blazing-Angels-Squadrons-of-WWII/p1/
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Review (Xbox)
By: Dale Nardozzi - "Legba"
March 21st, 2006
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (Xbox)
SCORE 8.3 out of 10
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII isn’t the first WWII-era flying game for a Microsoft console, and it surely won’t be the last, although Ubisoft Romania could care less where their new franchise falls within this chronology. This savvy development house does, however, care deeply about how Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII will be acclaimed, especially when compared to the previous WWII fly-boy lot; Secret Weapons over Normandy and Heroes of the Pacific.
But it is perhaps Crimson Skies that is Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII’s benchmark, even though FASA Studio’s title was devoid of any historical WWII material. Can Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII match the offline and online prowess of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, while at the same time capturing the historical allure of WWII aviation? A tall order, for sure, but one I think Ubisoft is surely capable of filling…
Gameplay
The first thing that players will notice about Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is that you won’t be flying solo, ripping through gads of enemies like some airborne Rambo. On the contrary, you’ll have a strong support system in the air, thus the word “squadron” in the title. You’ll be flanked by a few friendly A.I. journeymen can be given direct orders.
The wingmen in Blazing Angels have three basic functions: to protect, to fight, and to heal. Each wingman is better at one task than the others, but each can perform every command available in your repertoire. Tom is the protector of the squadron, and therefore always stays within view of your bird. Once given the D-pad command, Tom will be shown as awaiting a specific order from you. Pressing left on the D-pad will command Tom to defend your bird. This comes in handy when there’s a lot of activity behind your ship, or when the sky is filled with enemies, as it becomes difficult to keep an eye on incoming fire. Under certain circumstances, Tom can also pull off a “taunt” move, which is basically like human chaff. Tom will create a diversion which usually makes the enemy forget about your fuselage for a bit, thus setting up easy counter-attack situations.
Frank is the closest thing to a one-man-wrecking-crew of the bunch, treating any attacker that is thrown his way with extreme prejudice. Pressing right on the D-pad will call Frank to attention, and it’s usually a good idea to send him after other targets with the “engage all” command. You can also order Frank to hone in on your current target with the ‘my target” command. My target command comes in handy when the chosen enemy is a real flying ace; Frank is the most competent dogfighter, so it only makes sense to send him on these missions. Frank can also pull off a Blitzkrieg-like lightning attack if his icon is full (these special moves must recharge over time). The all-out attack by Frank is what makes heroes, as he’ll usually take out three or four enemies before the rest of the crew shoots down one.
Last but not least is Joe, who plays the role of air medic in Blazing Angels. He doesn’t do much, other than fix your plane in mid-air, which is no small feat. When Joe’s wrench icon is lit, you can summon him to repair everything from a ruptured fuel line to a faulty rudder. Fixing your plane is as easy as calling Joe, then entering simple face button commands as they appear on the screen. Your success in entering this combo determines just how healed your bird becomes. Nail the combo and your plane will go from burning heap to sleek killer in no time.
You can issue each wingman a task separate of their special tasks too. For example, you can summon all three men to engage targets while you sent up a flank, or lead the brigade with each man behind you protecting that tail. Similarly, all targets can be engaged for a no-holds-barred offensive attack. You’ll need to rely on your wingmen in Blazing Angels, or, quite simply, you’ll perish. The simple is system and effective, so make sure you remember about your flying buddies when completing the tough Campaign objectives. You can even summon your human teammates in the multiplayer arena, just as you would the A.I. units in Campaign. The difference is that once the order is given, the human player will have to accept it, then choose to carry it out or ignore it (that’s called insubordination, son).
The eighteen mission Campaign mode is the historical backbone of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII. You’ll fight in the Battle of Britain, as the Luftwaffe attempts to wipe London off the map. Or be a part of infamy as a Blazing Angel in the thick of things during Pearl Harbor. Midway, Rabaul, the liberation of Paris and more are played out in Blazing Angels’s Campaign mode, all with moving cut scenes and historical in between. You won’t just be fighting other planes in these missions. In fact, you’ll be using the over forty era-authentic birds in a variety of objectives, including bombing runs. Your plane will be loaded with munitions, and a special bombing reticle will keep you abreast of remaining payload as well as serving as a pinpoint targeting system.
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII goes well beyond the single player campaign aspect by including a multiplayer arena too. The game packs most of the features you’d want for Blazing Angels’s multiplayer area, including solo and team-based competitive action, as well as co-op missions against the CPU. 16 player action is enabled via Xbox Live and System Link and split screen action are givens as well. Multiplayer includes teammate and solo modes, both with some interesting match types. Kamikaze pits Zeroes versus the heroes in team mode, while Capture the Base requires gamers to land on neutral and enemy airstrips for complete occupation. Up to four player co-op not only includes historical missions, but also features bots for dogfights, Kamikaze missions, bombing runs, and more. Our only gripe with the multiplayer modes is that it could offer up a bit more customization, as far as game modes and options.
Gameplay Controls:
Controlling a bird in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is fairly simple. The left thumbstick controls both the elevator and rudder for easy maneuverability, with little risk of running into a building. Ailerons, or those things that make a plane barrel roll, are controlled with the right stick. Unless you do a complete loop, it’s hard to become disoriented in Blazing Angels with just the left stick. Gamers can learn the simple controls first and ease into rolling with the right stick, which keep the control scheme learning curve shallow.
Up and down movements on the right stick act as throttle up/down for each bird. Most of the time you’ll want to be at full thrust (pushing up past 100% is like a short speed burst), but evasive or dramatic turning maneuvers call for far less power. Slower speeds allow the planes to turn and roll at extreme angles, thus allowing fast escapes and quick direction turns (too many extreme g’s though, and your pilot may “black out” for a stint). Once the plane is flying straight again, throttle up can commence for escapes or pursuits.
The targeting system in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is just as slick as the plane controls. The issue in most dogfighting games prior is that the 2D image of a flying space created by a TV is not exactly desirable when most real-life fighter pilots have such a wide peripheral view. For example, an enemy could easily be off your nine in real life, and most likely your peripheral vision would pick the bogey up. Such is not the case in most videogames. To combat this lack of periphery, Ubisoft Romania invented the Follow Camera. The Follow cam switches the main view to the targeted enemy, instead of the normal front-on view through the cockpit. No matter where the enemy is located, the cam locks on so that you can perform the necessary yoke twitches to draw a bead on the baddie. Let’s say an enemy is behind you and to the left, say about 7 o’ clock. Pulling the left trigger will activate the Follow cam, showing the enemy and your plane relative to his position (instead of the other way around). Now it’s quite easy to pitch, turn, and roll the plane to put the business end of that .50 cal on the enemy’s tail. You won’t have to feverishly search the skies to find the enemy, nor will you have to become frantic when incoming fire can’t be spotted. Just pull the trigger and fly to your target’s general vicinity. The B button will make the Follow Cam “lock on” to the closest threat, while the A button will quickly cycle through all of the targets available.
Let’s take a quick look at the complete control scheme for Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII:
* Left thumbstick â€" pitch and turn
* Right thumbstick â€" roll and speed, secondary fire (click)
* D-pad â€" squadron orders
* Left trigger â€" follow camera
* Right trigger â€" primary fire
* A button â€" next objective
* Y button â€" display score
* B button â€" closest threat
* White button â€" retract/lower landing gear
Overall Gameplay Impressions:
Whether in a heated with your Axis dogfighting equal, dropping megatons worth of explosives on enemy ground emplacements, or saying “hello” with a little air-to-sea torpedoing, you’re sure to have fun if flying the unfriendly skies is part of your inherent method of operations.
The control scheme takes the tedium out of non-flight stick games involving dogfighting. While an argument could be made for having a cockpit view in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, the Follow Cam pretty much satisfies without having to go completely first-person. With the Follow Camera, gamers can “look” as if they were in first-person mode, while still having a large view of the atmospheric real estate. The only downfall of the Follow Cam is that sometimes it can be overused. We’re creatures of habit, so there are instances when the normal view would suffice, but the mind says “pull that left trigger”. Once you learn to balance your time between the Follow Cam and the normal cam, the fun truly begins.
From a technical standpoint, Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is virtually flawless. There are no framerate hiccups to talk about, online lag, or graphical anomalies that sometimes spill over into the gameplay. The aircraft control believably as well, without being technical to the point that an actual pilot’s license is necessary for respectable play. For almost pick-up-and-play entertainment, with nary a technical hiccup, Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is your huckleberry.
Graphics
While not quite the visual equal of its Xbox 360 sidekick, there are definite similarities in the overall look of the two titles. Both have a gritty style that is showcased with a dark and muted color palette. Backgrounds are wonderfully modeled and look pretty good at the lower resolution. The smoke and fog effects are less spectacular, as the Xbox doesn’t seem to have the ability to compute such visually complex structures.
Plane models appear dead-on, and are thankfully devoid of that sheen of newness that sometimes plagues historical games. The planes used in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII show wear, as they should, since it’s inconceivable to think that these vessels are off on their maiden voyage. Form subtle wear to blatant battle damage, the planes of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, look anything but angelic, which is perfect for the hell that was the dark skies above the Second World War.
Audio
Please turn up the suitable 5.1 system when you play Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, as this game’s audio begs to be played at eardrum-shattering levels. The deep hum of propellers cutting through the air, coupled with the roar of crude pushrod engines huffing and puffing at altitude is, in a word, intoxicating. Machine gun fire, and both in-air, and on-the-ground explosions are quite nice too, as they both have a nice bottom end to compliment the soaring high frequency material.
The soundtrack is straight Hollywood, and may even remind some gamers of that heard in the epic Pearl Harbor. Orchestral movements ebb and flow with the action, which is particularly well executed in the Campaign action. The soundtrack blends in a bit more during multiplayer action, but most will appreciate the professional string, woodwind, and brass work thrown down during historical missions, and the accompanying load screens.
The Bottom Line
Fans of flying games and WWII buffs should already have Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII pre-ordered, and if y’all don’t, then pick this title up, post haste. Those that question whether a flying game can be impressive without a flight stick will also want to at least give Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII a rent. The Follow Camera system nips the enemy tracking problem in the bud, making dogfighting with a controller thoroughly enjoyable instead of completely frustrating. Graphically, this title does not look bad for a regular Xbox game, but, if you have a choice, definitely opt for the 360 version (these are, for all intensive purposes, the same game minus the visual differences).
With no glaring shortcomings, it’s easy to justify a purchase of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, even if, for nothing else, than a thorough playable history lesson and to pay homage to some damn courageous men.
SCORE 8.3 (out of 10)
Considering I'm a purist when it comes to flight simulations with a sh!tload of console compatible flightsticks that are sitting around collecting dust, ...I think this score of 8.3 has to be modified:
No cockpit / HUD / firstperson or look-around view, ...deduct 2 points.
No flight stick support, no reconfigurable button mapping options and no replays and/or replay saves, ...deduct another 2.3 points.
Revised Overall Score:
4.0 (out of 10), ...a possible rent or wait until the price comes down to $9.99 usd.
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII Review (Xbox)
By: Dale Nardozzi - "Legba"
March 21st, 2006
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII (Xbox)
SCORE 8.3 out of 10
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII isn’t the first WWII-era flying game for a Microsoft console, and it surely won’t be the last, although Ubisoft Romania could care less where their new franchise falls within this chronology. This savvy development house does, however, care deeply about how Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII will be acclaimed, especially when compared to the previous WWII fly-boy lot; Secret Weapons over Normandy and Heroes of the Pacific.
But it is perhaps Crimson Skies that is Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII’s benchmark, even though FASA Studio’s title was devoid of any historical WWII material. Can Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII match the offline and online prowess of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge, while at the same time capturing the historical allure of WWII aviation? A tall order, for sure, but one I think Ubisoft is surely capable of filling…
Gameplay
The first thing that players will notice about Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is that you won’t be flying solo, ripping through gads of enemies like some airborne Rambo. On the contrary, you’ll have a strong support system in the air, thus the word “squadron” in the title. You’ll be flanked by a few friendly A.I. journeymen can be given direct orders.
The wingmen in Blazing Angels have three basic functions: to protect, to fight, and to heal. Each wingman is better at one task than the others, but each can perform every command available in your repertoire. Tom is the protector of the squadron, and therefore always stays within view of your bird. Once given the D-pad command, Tom will be shown as awaiting a specific order from you. Pressing left on the D-pad will command Tom to defend your bird. This comes in handy when there’s a lot of activity behind your ship, or when the sky is filled with enemies, as it becomes difficult to keep an eye on incoming fire. Under certain circumstances, Tom can also pull off a “taunt” move, which is basically like human chaff. Tom will create a diversion which usually makes the enemy forget about your fuselage for a bit, thus setting up easy counter-attack situations.
Frank is the closest thing to a one-man-wrecking-crew of the bunch, treating any attacker that is thrown his way with extreme prejudice. Pressing right on the D-pad will call Frank to attention, and it’s usually a good idea to send him after other targets with the “engage all” command. You can also order Frank to hone in on your current target with the ‘my target” command. My target command comes in handy when the chosen enemy is a real flying ace; Frank is the most competent dogfighter, so it only makes sense to send him on these missions. Frank can also pull off a Blitzkrieg-like lightning attack if his icon is full (these special moves must recharge over time). The all-out attack by Frank is what makes heroes, as he’ll usually take out three or four enemies before the rest of the crew shoots down one.
Last but not least is Joe, who plays the role of air medic in Blazing Angels. He doesn’t do much, other than fix your plane in mid-air, which is no small feat. When Joe’s wrench icon is lit, you can summon him to repair everything from a ruptured fuel line to a faulty rudder. Fixing your plane is as easy as calling Joe, then entering simple face button commands as they appear on the screen. Your success in entering this combo determines just how healed your bird becomes. Nail the combo and your plane will go from burning heap to sleek killer in no time.
You can issue each wingman a task separate of their special tasks too. For example, you can summon all three men to engage targets while you sent up a flank, or lead the brigade with each man behind you protecting that tail. Similarly, all targets can be engaged for a no-holds-barred offensive attack. You’ll need to rely on your wingmen in Blazing Angels, or, quite simply, you’ll perish. The simple is system and effective, so make sure you remember about your flying buddies when completing the tough Campaign objectives. You can even summon your human teammates in the multiplayer arena, just as you would the A.I. units in Campaign. The difference is that once the order is given, the human player will have to accept it, then choose to carry it out or ignore it (that’s called insubordination, son).
The eighteen mission Campaign mode is the historical backbone of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII. You’ll fight in the Battle of Britain, as the Luftwaffe attempts to wipe London off the map. Or be a part of infamy as a Blazing Angel in the thick of things during Pearl Harbor. Midway, Rabaul, the liberation of Paris and more are played out in Blazing Angels’s Campaign mode, all with moving cut scenes and historical in between. You won’t just be fighting other planes in these missions. In fact, you’ll be using the over forty era-authentic birds in a variety of objectives, including bombing runs. Your plane will be loaded with munitions, and a special bombing reticle will keep you abreast of remaining payload as well as serving as a pinpoint targeting system.
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII goes well beyond the single player campaign aspect by including a multiplayer arena too. The game packs most of the features you’d want for Blazing Angels’s multiplayer area, including solo and team-based competitive action, as well as co-op missions against the CPU. 16 player action is enabled via Xbox Live and System Link and split screen action are givens as well. Multiplayer includes teammate and solo modes, both with some interesting match types. Kamikaze pits Zeroes versus the heroes in team mode, while Capture the Base requires gamers to land on neutral and enemy airstrips for complete occupation. Up to four player co-op not only includes historical missions, but also features bots for dogfights, Kamikaze missions, bombing runs, and more. Our only gripe with the multiplayer modes is that it could offer up a bit more customization, as far as game modes and options.
Gameplay Controls:
Controlling a bird in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is fairly simple. The left thumbstick controls both the elevator and rudder for easy maneuverability, with little risk of running into a building. Ailerons, or those things that make a plane barrel roll, are controlled with the right stick. Unless you do a complete loop, it’s hard to become disoriented in Blazing Angels with just the left stick. Gamers can learn the simple controls first and ease into rolling with the right stick, which keep the control scheme learning curve shallow.
Up and down movements on the right stick act as throttle up/down for each bird. Most of the time you’ll want to be at full thrust (pushing up past 100% is like a short speed burst), but evasive or dramatic turning maneuvers call for far less power. Slower speeds allow the planes to turn and roll at extreme angles, thus allowing fast escapes and quick direction turns (too many extreme g’s though, and your pilot may “black out” for a stint). Once the plane is flying straight again, throttle up can commence for escapes or pursuits.
The targeting system in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is just as slick as the plane controls. The issue in most dogfighting games prior is that the 2D image of a flying space created by a TV is not exactly desirable when most real-life fighter pilots have such a wide peripheral view. For example, an enemy could easily be off your nine in real life, and most likely your peripheral vision would pick the bogey up. Such is not the case in most videogames. To combat this lack of periphery, Ubisoft Romania invented the Follow Camera. The Follow cam switches the main view to the targeted enemy, instead of the normal front-on view through the cockpit. No matter where the enemy is located, the cam locks on so that you can perform the necessary yoke twitches to draw a bead on the baddie. Let’s say an enemy is behind you and to the left, say about 7 o’ clock. Pulling the left trigger will activate the Follow cam, showing the enemy and your plane relative to his position (instead of the other way around). Now it’s quite easy to pitch, turn, and roll the plane to put the business end of that .50 cal on the enemy’s tail. You won’t have to feverishly search the skies to find the enemy, nor will you have to become frantic when incoming fire can’t be spotted. Just pull the trigger and fly to your target’s general vicinity. The B button will make the Follow Cam “lock on” to the closest threat, while the A button will quickly cycle through all of the targets available.
Let’s take a quick look at the complete control scheme for Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII:
* Left thumbstick â€" pitch and turn
* Right thumbstick â€" roll and speed, secondary fire (click)
* D-pad â€" squadron orders
* Left trigger â€" follow camera
* Right trigger â€" primary fire
* A button â€" next objective
* Y button â€" display score
* B button â€" closest threat
* White button â€" retract/lower landing gear
Overall Gameplay Impressions:
Whether in a heated with your Axis dogfighting equal, dropping megatons worth of explosives on enemy ground emplacements, or saying “hello” with a little air-to-sea torpedoing, you’re sure to have fun if flying the unfriendly skies is part of your inherent method of operations.
The control scheme takes the tedium out of non-flight stick games involving dogfighting. While an argument could be made for having a cockpit view in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, the Follow Cam pretty much satisfies without having to go completely first-person. With the Follow Camera, gamers can “look” as if they were in first-person mode, while still having a large view of the atmospheric real estate. The only downfall of the Follow Cam is that sometimes it can be overused. We’re creatures of habit, so there are instances when the normal view would suffice, but the mind says “pull that left trigger”. Once you learn to balance your time between the Follow Cam and the normal cam, the fun truly begins.
From a technical standpoint, Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is virtually flawless. There are no framerate hiccups to talk about, online lag, or graphical anomalies that sometimes spill over into the gameplay. The aircraft control believably as well, without being technical to the point that an actual pilot’s license is necessary for respectable play. For almost pick-up-and-play entertainment, with nary a technical hiccup, Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII is your huckleberry.
Graphics
While not quite the visual equal of its Xbox 360 sidekick, there are definite similarities in the overall look of the two titles. Both have a gritty style that is showcased with a dark and muted color palette. Backgrounds are wonderfully modeled and look pretty good at the lower resolution. The smoke and fog effects are less spectacular, as the Xbox doesn’t seem to have the ability to compute such visually complex structures.
Plane models appear dead-on, and are thankfully devoid of that sheen of newness that sometimes plagues historical games. The planes used in Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII show wear, as they should, since it’s inconceivable to think that these vessels are off on their maiden voyage. Form subtle wear to blatant battle damage, the planes of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, look anything but angelic, which is perfect for the hell that was the dark skies above the Second World War.
Audio
Please turn up the suitable 5.1 system when you play Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, as this game’s audio begs to be played at eardrum-shattering levels. The deep hum of propellers cutting through the air, coupled with the roar of crude pushrod engines huffing and puffing at altitude is, in a word, intoxicating. Machine gun fire, and both in-air, and on-the-ground explosions are quite nice too, as they both have a nice bottom end to compliment the soaring high frequency material.
The soundtrack is straight Hollywood, and may even remind some gamers of that heard in the epic Pearl Harbor. Orchestral movements ebb and flow with the action, which is particularly well executed in the Campaign action. The soundtrack blends in a bit more during multiplayer action, but most will appreciate the professional string, woodwind, and brass work thrown down during historical missions, and the accompanying load screens.
The Bottom Line
Fans of flying games and WWII buffs should already have Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII pre-ordered, and if y’all don’t, then pick this title up, post haste. Those that question whether a flying game can be impressive without a flight stick will also want to at least give Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII a rent. The Follow Camera system nips the enemy tracking problem in the bud, making dogfighting with a controller thoroughly enjoyable instead of completely frustrating. Graphically, this title does not look bad for a regular Xbox game, but, if you have a choice, definitely opt for the 360 version (these are, for all intensive purposes, the same game minus the visual differences).
With no glaring shortcomings, it’s easy to justify a purchase of Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII, even if, for nothing else, than a thorough playable history lesson and to pay homage to some damn courageous men.
SCORE 8.3 (out of 10)
Considering I'm a purist when it comes to flight simulations with a sh!tload of console compatible flightsticks that are sitting around collecting dust, ...I think this score of 8.3 has to be modified:
No cockpit / HUD / firstperson or look-around view, ...deduct 2 points.
No flight stick support, no reconfigurable button mapping options and no replays and/or replay saves, ...deduct another 2.3 points.
Revised Overall Score:
4.0 (out of 10), ...a possible rent or wait until the price comes down to $9.99 usd.