On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and the world was
on the verge of war. The combined might of the German units was awesome to
behold and Western Europe was quickly in the grasp of the enemy juggernaut.
Winston Churchill allowed for the creation of the SOE, a special
unit was created to undermine the German war machine. Another unit, the
Battlehawks, was a multi-nation force of elite pilots whose job it was to search
out and destroy the terrifying secret weapons of the Luftwaffe. The courage of
those chosen for this rank would be tested to the fullest.
Welcome to Secret Weapons Over Normandy, a PlayStation2 title
from LucasArts and Totally Games, which is set for release in mid-November. This
game places players in the seat of some of the aircraft of World War II, but
rather than being a flight sim, it is an action game. You are thrust into the
fighters, given an evolving campaign to work through, time limits to meet and
then it is into the heat of the battle.
Using terrific diary accounts, photos and a rich historical
overlay, this game plays out in third-person mode. It is not a flight sim. Your
perspective is from behind the plan, almost in arcade mode. But this game is
taut, action-packed and challenging. There is no aimless searching for the
enemy. It is in your face, almost constantly.
From flying fighters in missions to protect, or to search and
destroy, or to being the gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, Secret Weapons Over
Normandy pulls all the elements together to make an adrenaline rush that is
thoroughly intoxicating.
It all begins in May 26 of 1940. Your first mission is to
provide air cover for British transports during troop evacuation and delay the
German advances on Dunkirk. Stukas are converging on the town, and the German
ground forces are also moving in. Time is short. You must protect the
transports.
The radio crackles. You can hear the Germans barking commands.
The rising panic of the British ship captains under attack, the musical score –
rich and dynamic – pumps the blood. The air is filled with enemies, but what of
the ground. Decisions must be made, and it seems that you are alone up there.
One ship is lost, others are calling for help. The sky is filled
with Stukas, tanks are closing on the docked forces …
The game follows the story of an American pilot with the
Battlehawks. Through 15 missions of the story and a host of side missions,
players will find themselves in a variety of settings, approximately a dozen,
and there are 20 historically accurate aircraft which can be flown during the
game.
Each mission is rated, in terms of primary and secondary goals,
mission time and accuracy and targets destroyed. A HUD will allow you to lead
the enemy with your gunfire. Arrows point the way to the next target. The AI
evolves and each of the story-driven missions gets harder as you move along.
The control elements are simple and players can jump right into
the battle with little training.
What really pushes this game are the graphical elements and
sound. The latter is richly textured and has a strong feel for the time period
and emotions. The graphics are nothing short of amazing. From planes catching
fire and exploding into chunks of twisted metal, or the parachutes of pilots who
have ejected, to the ground forces and environments, this game is a real treat
for the eyes.
The game features unlockables with movies, ranks, new planes and
a bonus point system that allows players to upgrade planes.
Having played the beta builds of this game, there was some
thought over how different the review build would be. The answer is simple:
amazingly different. The graphics, sound and cutscene totally create an
atmosphere that gets the blood pumping. The game is fully three-dimensional and
you have to be cognizant of so much that is happening around you. Focusing on
one target or one element of the mission is tantamount to failure. This is
almost a case of having to be in several places at once. But therein lies the
challenge.
But enough of this. It’s time to start writing about it and play
it some more. Secret Weapons Over Normandy is quite arcade-like in some regards,
with the general look and unlockables, but this is a game that somehow defies
categorizing. It is a third-person flight combat action/adventure game, and if
that is a new genre, then this title has raised the bar to an incredible high
standard.
Gameplay: 9.4
This is taut and gripping. The game is seamless and action packed once a mission
is launched. The cutscenes are very well done and really set up the action.
Graphics: 9.4
The special effects are realistic, and the overall look of the game is amazing.
You can also set your own camera angles for replays of the action.
Sound: 9.8
The audio track of this game is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Every element
works so well to create a true sense of the time frame and mood.
Difficulty: Medium
This score is misleading. The game’s first missions are tough, but can be easy
once you figure out what needs to be attacked in what order. But the game gets
progressively harder as you go.
Concept: 9.7
This is a very well designed game, from the player interface to the mission
briefings to the actual combat.
Multiplayer: 8.5
Split-screen multiplayer action is not bad, but it tends to rob the game of the
richness of the look and feel of the game. Multiplayer scenarios include
player-versus-player dogfights, as well as cooperative missions.
Overall: 9.5
This is an amazing game that is a joy to play and very addicting. While not a
huge fan of flight combat games, the look, mood and feel of this title was so
compelling it was almost impossible to put down.
