GAME REVIEW: Dog Fight 1942

WHY aren’t there more flight simulation games around?

And the ones that are always feel and look the same, other genres are improving at a rapid rate yet the old flying simulator just plods along doing the same old stuff with mediocre graphics and uninspiring game play.

So when I came across DOGFIGHT 1942 developed and published by CITY INTERACTIVE and all it had to offer, I thought could this be it? A new slant on the flight sim genre? , well after playing this for five minutes “here we go again” popped into my head, DOGFIGHT 1942 has taken the safe road like many before it.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Personally I haven`t come across any descent flight simulators for a while now so I looked forward to dusting down the old CYBORG F.L.Y. flighstick, and going out into the bright blue yonder to cause mayhem and carnage.

Unfortunately my CYBORG F.L.Y. for all its fancy technology wouldn`t work with this game, which instantly put me on a negative footing, out came the controller (after 10 minutes of watching my plane spin out of control) and I was back in the driving seat again (even though there is no cockpit view).

The game works well, it’s more arcade than flight sim really, simple controls once you are used to them, with a choice of arcade or simulation modes, arcade is much easier for the novice flyer, whereas Simulation gives you full control, but can get a shade on the dodgy side during a dog fight.

With the introduction of a Killcam which is a new idea, this enables you to watch your enemy burn to death in slow motion, or be blown into a million pieces; fortunately this can be turned off.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The voice overs are tongue in cheek with over the top stylised accents; the British pilots are the funniest with plenty of un-pc comments, mainly about our Lederhosen wearing European cousins.

You play as one of four pilots and with 20 aircraft to choose from, flying dangerous missions, going on bombing runs and getting involved in dog fights, during four different air campaigns, the aircraft and the graphics in general are pretty low resolution, so not really awe inspiring, yet better than some of the more expensive flight sim games out there, on the up side there is no shortage of action, with a few tricky little tasks (like landing) just to keep the player on his toes.

A reasonable variety of weapons are available (depending on the aircraft you are using), usual stuff of the day ,machine guns, bombs and missiles, and as this is 1942 no laser guided smart bombs neither, you have to judge the distance for rocket attacks, nice feeling when you eventually pull it off though.

There is a good multiplayer option available made up of two modes Dogfights and survival and are great fun playing with another player, or on line and with the addition of a local co-op mode, enabling two players to play the campaign this game isn`t short of content.

Summary

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

DOGFIGHT 1942 isn`t going to break any new ground, but it is fun to play and for an download game you do get value for money, this is the best of its genre out at the moment and cheaper, if you just want to fly around shooting and blowing up stuff, then this game is for you, it’s fun and you can even download a demo of the game, so it’s worth a go.

• Dogfight 1942

• Developers: City Interactive

• Publishers: City Interactive

• Xbox 360®

• Playstation 3®

• Pc

• Genre: Flight simulation

• Release date: 5th August 2012

• Score 8/10