JANES

Publishers of a long row of deeply professional encyclopedias on airplanes, ships, weapons, and military vehicles, JANES also publish a series of very competent flight simulator games, all of the combat type. In general JANES put much emphasis on flight realism, putting their simulators in a special class.

Apache Longbow

Gunship helicopter simulation. For helicopter simulation, only dedicated simulators will really do.

Realism

With convincing aircraft handling and complex weapons and navigation systems this game gives a very realistic feel. And a long learning curve! Don't expect to be good at this after one evening. There is a good tutorial which will do much to help you through the ropes.

Graphics

This game already has a few years on it and it shows! Battlefields are rather coarsely textured and cockpit graphics are definitely blocky on a modern 17" monitor. Ground objects (and other aircraft) are really represented in good detail, but none of this is visible unless you get very close.

Gameplay

A series of action-packed missions helps make the game somewhat arcade-like, but the complex handling and control of the gunship give plenty of intelligent challenges.

Hardware requirements

Not too demanding. This is an advantage of a slightly old game; the hardware it was developed for has become mainstream. A 100MHz machine with a normal good graphics adaptor will do. No fun without sound-card and joystick. 8 spin CD ROM.

(More to follow)