Tom Clancy's H. A. W. X. 2
For: Xbox 360
From: Ubisoft
The graphics are basic, the gameplay is quite repetitive, and the less said about the sound-effects the better - it is 20 years old, after all.
But KOTS grabbed me then and it would still grab me now, if I could get the darn thing to work.
My point is that in the many years since that game's release, and since the likes of Afterburner and Ace Combat appeared in arcades, I really struggle to think of any other flying game that I enjoyed for more than about five minutes.
Blazing Angels: Squadrons of World War 2 is possibly the only contender.
And even that felt kind of shallow.
So here is a Tom Clancy title - yes, usually they feature ground warfare - to try to have some sort of impact on a very limited genre.
And you know what? It KIND of works.
Part simulation, part arcade fire-'em-from-the-sky, H. A.W. X. 2 does a reasonable job at recreating modern air combat and making it exciting and varied.
The missions are nicely varied, with some aerial espionage and ground targeting mixed in with all the dogfighting.
The planes look shiny and sleek, the missiles and cannons pack a punch and the scenery is photorealistic.
Control-wise, the game takes a deliberately simplistic approach.
Handling is a breeze thanks to the absence of complicated button layouts, and most of the time all you need to worry about is the left stick and the fire button.
Enemy AI is reasonable, and you find yourself having to think about where the next bogey is coming from and how you will evade/pursue them.
Hardcore flying fans can get more realism by activating a mode called Off, which presents a third-person camera and is a much more challenging simulation.
Like other games of its type, H. A.W. X. 2 gets repetitive fairly quickly.
But otherwise it's as good a flying title as I've seen since those British chaps headed off in their Sopwith Camels in pursuit of the Red Baron.
