Apache Havoc (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.1 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Michael Ryan
• Reviewed on: 06/15/1999
• Updated on: 04/29/2000
• Released on: 04/30/1999
• Originally published on GameSpot: Apache Havoc (PC) Review

If you take a look at combat helicopter sims, you have two fairly distinct categories. On the one hand, you have Longbow 2, a hard-core sim of the highest order that comes replete with excellent realism, top-notch graphics, and a relatively steep learning curve. On the other hand, you have games like Comanche 3 and Team Apache, which sacrifice varying degrees of realism in favor of fast-paced, easier gameplay and (in the case of Team Apache at least) multiplayer action. Now, along comes Apache Havoc, from Empire Interactive and Razorworks Studios. Where does this two-in-one sim fall along the spectrum of helicopter sims? Right smack in the middle.

Apache Havoc offers a great mix of realism and approachability, so that hard-core fans and novices alike should find a lot to like in the game. Not only do you get to fly either the AH-64D Apache Longbow or the Mil Mi-28 Havoc B, but you also get to take part in three different dynamic campaigns as well as some memorable multiplayer airborne deathmatches.

The game does not include an instant-action feature per se, but you can take off for free flights, dynamic missions, dynamic campaigns, or multiplayer missions (co-op or competitive). Free flight is a good place to start for novices, as the game's flight engine is reasonably accurate and therefore requires some practice to master. Most of the individual realism settings (wind, retreating blade stall, and ground effect, among others) can be dialed up or down to accommodate your skill and preference. Also, the game includes a basic three-level difficulty setting that affects the overall challenge of the missions and campaigns.

The campaigns in Apache Havoc take place in three global hot spots: Cuba, the former Russian state of Georgia, and the "Golden Triangle" of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos. Each campaign is dynamic and somewhat reminiscent of EF-2000 and F-22 Total Air War. The unique twist to Apache Havoc's campaigns is that you begin with only one and a half hours on the campaign clock. That clock ticks down as you fly missions - you gain some time if you accomplish a mission, and you lose extra time when you fail (extra, meaning time beyond what you spent trying to accomplish the mission). When you run out of time, the campaign is over, and whichever side is closest to its objective goals wins. A clock may not be the most exciting of motivators, but it works well in Apache Havoc.

One thing I didn't much like about the early stages of each campaign (dynamic or not) was that the missions are all pretty dry. Recon, scout, and combat air patrol are the rule of the day, and for a while these missions tend to come up empty in terms of targets, let alone excitement of any kind. Even worse, when you complete some of the basic scout missions, the computer maps an insanely long return route to a base several map grids away. The result is not only a boring mission, but also a very, very long boring mission. The "skip ahead" feature from F-22 Total Air War would be welcome in Apache Havoc. Still, once the campaign heats up a bit and you complete some of the simpler hops, you'll have better missions to fly.

Continue reading