Crimson Skies 1.02
Crimson Skies 1.02
| by Dale Farris,
Secretary Golden Triangle PC Club May 2002 Game Overview Microsoft's Crimson Skies is an all-new experience in flight combat! Crimson Skies puts you in the cockpit for thrilling dogfights and aerial adventure. In this alternate history, the year is 1937 and the United States is fractured into squabbling nation-states, brought about by the weight of the Great Depression, regional prohibition, and mounting isolationism. Giant Zeppelins crisscross the skies carrying both passengers and cargo, and airborne bandits are a constant threat. Crimson Skies is a neat flight simulator game that weaves the intricacies of complex flight simulation games with a super back story that results in a successful, different game that will definitely appeal to computer gamers with special interest in the flight sim genre of games. What sets apart this new flight sim, that takes a retro approach to the plot, is the combination of action and adventure, along with the thrill of piloting various planes. The story begins like one of Errol Flynn's more successful, swashbuckling adventures that combines comedy, romance, and action-packed adventure. These types of adventure movies have inspired this super story that includes some of the best action arcade flight simulation in any flight simulation now on the market. The Backstory Crimson Skies introduces a whole new universe created by the same folks that produced the MechWarrior game. The setting is a very different 1930's America, where plague and isolationism has split the United States into 23 different countries, each at odds with one another and beset by aerial pirates. The player assumes the role of the leader of one of these pirate groups, a sort of Robin Hood in fact, as he lines his own pockets at the expense of the corrupt and powerful. Basics of Play The game focuses on the simulated flying of 11 different fantasy planes, and includes a lot of quick, arcade style action. The flying of the planes is less complex than more serious flight simulators, especially those from Microsoft, but the fun comes from the video game action, not unlike the Star Wars games. Rather than concentrate on learning all the complex commands required to fly a plane, the game is more concerned about quick action, as you strafe, bomb, and attack other planes in the air. The default flight view mode is an external camera behind the plane you are flying. You can fly in a first person view, as well as in a cockpit view, but it seemed to me that the external view is the best one to play with. This view gives you the better view for all the crazy maneuvers, and allows you to see where your wings are in relation to tight spots and so on. The game is mission based, and before each mission you get a briefing that describes the mission objectives. You can choose the plane you wish to fly from the planes available in your hanger. More choices open to you as you succeed with the missions, and you can even buy custom rides with the cash you earn. The weapons and ammo also open up as you achieve the succeeding missions. The missions have a variety of objectives, from shooting everything that moves, to disabling zeppelins, picking people up from moving trains, stunt flying, and more. The variety of missions is where the game really shines, and the missions also have optional stunts you can perform. These might mean flying under a bridge, or through a tunnel, and when you perform one of these, a picture is snapped of your maneuver and added to your scrapbook. The scrapbook is similar to the medal case in other flight sims. Here you'll find newspaper clippings describing your exploits, your in-flight snapshots, as well as statistics for the missions, including gunnery accuracy, planes downed, and so on. Combat is arcade like, but you will need to spend some time getting used to the controls. As in any flight simulation game, learning how to fly the plane is of course the first objective, which may take some players more time to master than others. In addition to controlling the flight of the plane, you also will need to learn how to shoot in the missions. This action component thankfully fills the simulated air time in the missions, and you mostly just point and shoot (after you learn how, of course). Since this is a game, with more concern for action and fun, than realistically flying the planes, this does seem a bit unrealistic. The planes can fly straight up for extended periods, pull crazy maneuvers, and otherwise defy the laws of nature in ways that even today's ultra powerful jet fighters cannot. However, this is a game, after all, not an American Airlines pilot training simulation program. In combat you have both missiles and guns at your disposal. You can only fire one type at a time, and you cycle through your options with keyboard commands. If you have 8 guns you can only fire two at a time at most. There are three difficulty settings, but I did not challenge all. In all three, the enemies are not very smart and your wingman is nearly useless. You almost always have to kill all the opposition, as well as do the hard bits like disabling engines, in order to complete each mission. The wingman seems there to draw enemy fire, until they have to bail out. If there is a mission that really annoys you, there is an option to skip it if you fail it three times in a row. You can always go back and fly any mission later, so you are never completely stopped. This is a neat feature, that will allow novice action arcade players to have more fun with the game. The game is filled with classic 1930s style Hollywood banter, and the interactive dialog with the other characters stays in the character of the game. The story line is interesting, and the action keeps things moving at a swift pace. There are 25 missions, and most missions can be flown in under 10 minutes or so. There is some replay value as you try to perform all the possible stunts, but to gamers skilled with split-second keyboard controls may find the total game a bit short. Multiplayer The multiplayer mode includes death match, teams, and the always popular "Capture the Flag." All of the modes are intense, and more like a first person shooter (FPS) than a flight simulation. The matchmaking works in the MSN Gaming Zone, and of course this online performance will vary, depending on connection speeds, CPU speeds, web traffic, and volume of players hitting the Gaming Zone servers. Design and Layout This game is well designed, and nicely displays the various terrain types and atmosphere conditions, including soaring high in the clouds, tropical islands below, and a movie studio. The planes, in all their crazy variety, look great. Effects like smoke, fire from burning engines, explosions, and flak are done well, if you have any time to enjoy this in the often nonstop action of the game. The sound effects and mission are also well done. The wingman chatter is convincing, and the dialog is humorous and the voice acting is perfectly in setting for the 1930's era. The included game player manual is also well done, presented in an in-character manner, as a series of magazine articles for the air pirate enthusiast. Game Features Harrowing aerial action 11 tricked-up planes 24 missions Full cast of dangerous characters Snatch famed scientists out of lumbering zeppelins Steal secret prototypes Perform barrel rolls as you down the enemy Full customizability Choose and outfit planes with 1937 hi-tech aerial wizardry 50-caliber machine guns, nitro boosts, flash rockets Personal scrapbook Capture aerial exploits with mementos from your many adventures Gripping multiplayer combat Go one-on-one, or pit squadron against squadron via the Internet Authentically recreated planes, terrain, atmosphere Conditions such as snow, rain and time of day affect your performance Realistic experience of air combat Authentic sound effects Variety of air combat challenges Classically designed in the superior "Microsoft Flight Simulator" heritage Based on unique design to optimize simulated air combat Extensive manual designed in keeping with the theme of the game Sounds enhance the simulated experience Some Game Concerns While this very brief overview conveys but the merest of the rich, dynamic nature of this fascinating new simulation, nevertheless there are some key points here that need further discussion. Notice that this new simulation focuses on actual, real-world air flight and especially combat, and the emphasis is to present situations that require the player to both fly these zany planes while engaging in air combat. This means the controls are as realistic as possible, and in addition, as complete as would be seen in one of the planes. For anyone with any flight simulator experience, including Microsoft's own Flight Simulator, these gamers have likely become accustomed to the complexity of the controls, and are adjusted to having to learn the controls for the keyboard keys. In Crimson Skies, Microsoft has worked hard to make the initial learning of these many complex controls as easy as possible, including an excellent keyboard shortcut section in the manual, and a super summary of these many commands. However, novices to simulator games are forewarned that it may take a while, and much practice, to learn these controls. While all this may intimidate novice gamers or folks that have never played any PC simulation game before, I think the many gamers with expertise with other Sim games will thoroughly enjoy this super collection of realistic flight operations. Those gamers skilled with working with Flight Simulator, or other aerial combat sims games will likely find Crimson Skies to be one of the most easy to learn of these types of games. The intent to simplify the controls in the game has succeeded, but those brand new to this type of game will likely need to prepare for a learning curve. However, this learning curve is not the steepest found in today's flight or aerial combat sim games. Targeted Customers With Crimson Skies, Microsoft clearly is focusing on the highly unique interests of the many times quirky group of customers referred to as simulator gamers. In my opinion, some of the most complex, difficult games now on the market are the simulator programs that have long since moved beyond the limited definition of being a "game," to being something totally unique. While operating these various simulators may be considered gaming, in actuality I think simulators are designed for folks that are interested in what it is like to actually fly an airplane, or in this case, fly and engage in combat at the same time. The flight sim market continues to grow, and with this growth comes increased interested in this group of gamers for something different. Crimson Skies provides a lot of unique, different qualities I think any serious flight sim gamer will enjoy. The interesting, humorous story line, and the included intense arcade style of action will give flight sim gamers something they have been waiting for, a fun flight simulator that also provides intense action. Concerns Regarding Operations I found learning the multiple keyboard controls that are used to drive the trains too tedious and complex. However, that's just me, and I suspect many experienced simulator gamers will not find learning these controls to be any more difficult than what they have likely already done many other times with many other simulator games. This game will definitely be a hit with flight sim gamers, who I suspect will gladly spend the time required to master the controls. Game Price $24.95 Minimum System Configuration Requirements Multimedia PC with 266-MHz Pentium II for software-only mode Or, 266-MHz Pentium II with 8MB 3D video acceleration Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000, XP 32MB RAM for Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Me 64MB RAM for Windows 2000 96MB for multiplayer mode 450MB free hard-disk space for typical install 125MB free hard disk space for swap file 4x CD-ROM drive or higher Direct3D 7.0 or later compatible 3D graphics card Super VGA, 16-bit color monitor PCI or AGP video card, 640 x 480, 256 color resolution, or higher Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device DirectX 7.0a or later compatible sound card Speakers or headphones required for audio DirectX 7.0a or later API (included on CD) Multiplayer Play 28.8 Kbps modem, local area network with TCP/IP or IPX protocol Null-modem cable required for connection to other systems Internet access required for Internet play (May require payment of a separate fee to an Internet Service Provider. Local and long-distance telephone toll charges may apply.) To Play in Zone.com Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or later browser software or Netscape Communicator 4.0 or later This system configuration indicates the minimum and recommended hardware and hard disk space requirements. Note especially that this game will NOT run in Windows NT, and also note the relatively steep CPU requirements. Also, as any gamer well knows, playing any computer game requires all other TSR files to be closed, including virus checkers or other utilities designed to work in the background. This train simulator game will significantly stress minimally configured systems, so the more power you have in your entire system, the better this and any PC game will play. Update Available At the time of this writing, Microsoft had released the Crimson Skies v. 1.02 Update. This update includes the earlier save game fix, and also addresses issues with multiplayer, stability, and performance problems, including reduction in players dropped when launching multiplayer games via the MSN Gaming Zone, improved stability in multiplayer games, harder to use hacked planes in multiplayer games, reduction in swap file size, improved mission load times, and improved performance in building custom plane user interface. Contact Order Online at Microsoft Corporation http://www.shop.microsoft.com You can also order from other retailers or online vendors. |