USAF (PC)

GameSpot editors' review

• CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
  Detailed editors' rating
  Overall score: 8.4 (4.0 stars)

• Reviewed by:
  Tony Lopez
• Reviewed on: 10/20/1999
• Updated on: 05/02/2000
• Released on: 10/20/1999
• Originally published on GameSpot: USAF (PC) Review

A straight line runs from Chuck Yeager's Air Combat, one of the most revered and influential PC flight sims, to Jane's new survey sim USAF. The Jane's tradition of accessible flight simulations with plenty of planes and options has given us Air Combat, US Navy Fighters, Advanced Tactical Fighters, and Israeli Air Force, with steady improvement and little deviation from the formula. USAF is no exception, but is poised to take the survey sim into new territory.

The appeal of this sort of simulation is because of several factors: It has a lot of planes, numerous gameplay options, and moderate realism levels. Together these three elements create a package that gives the more casual fan a taste of air combat without the burden of too much detail. Hard-core simulation fans often shun such games for these same reasons, because the generic controls and lack of extreme realism or detail seem too far removed from the real-world complexities of in-depth sims like Flanker 2.0 and Falcon.

There's no question that USAF falls in the midrange on the realism scale. With eight flyable planes, you can't expect the refined flight model and sophisticated avionics of a stand-alone simulation. But for this trade-off you get those eight planes, each with unique cockpits and distinct, if not precise, flight models. To simplify things, controls are shared among the eight planes, so that the F-117 uses the same radar functions as the F-16, and so on.

USAF pushes the envelope by taking on several generations of air combat. Planes and missions come from Vietnam, the Gulf War, and the near future, creating a broad canvas of action rarely seen in a flight sim. You can fly in the F-15, F-16, F-22, F-117, F4, MiG 29, F-105, and A-10, plus some variations on these. This diversity serves as a sort of history lesson on the development of jet combat, as you go from the fast gunfights and rudimentary radar of the F-105 and F4 to the hi-tech stealth precision of the F-22. All three eras (past, present, and future) are ably served by full-blown campaigns illustrating the many roles of air combat. The four campaigns include a present-day training situation, Vietnam, the Gulf War, and a hypothetical near-future European conflict. Campaigns are semidynamic, meaning the missions are scripted with some randomization, and resources are tracked throughout the course of the campaign. If you use missiles and lose airframes carelessly, you'll probably find yourself short on funds later in the campaign. It's not the true dynamic battlefield found in the likes of Longbow and Falcon, but the missions are tight and the campaigns are satisfying.

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  "Fantastic! Well Developed, bound to blow your mind."

  by Marine21 on November 3, 2009

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  "USAF Rocks"

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