 |
  |
 |
  
   |
|
RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome) (No Rating Assigned)
|
IN BRIEF
Pros: Stylish storytelling, gameplay bonuses, good flight simulation. Cons: If you're a hardcore gamer, this one is defintely not for you. In a nutshell: Great flight sim with beautiful graphics, but not enough of a challenge for the hardcore gamer. Multiplayer: Up to 8 over Internet or LAN *ESRB rating: T (Teen) |
FACTS
Game Title: Crimson Skies Platform: PC Developer: Zipper Interactive Publisher: Microsoft Release Date: September 5, 2000 Price: $35.99 |
THE REVIEW by Steven Kent for Gamers Today
Step into the boots of Nathan Zachary-ace pilot, daring swashbuckler,
celebrated air pirate, and hero Crimson Skies.
Zackery lives in a time-twisted version of the 1930s, a time when zeppelins patrol the air like great dinosaurs and all of the world seems hypnotized by the thrill of flight. Crimson Skies' version of history minces into a sort of succotash of fact and fiction in which authentic planes battle fictional aircraft that were carefully engineered to reflect the technology of the times. Hence it should be no surprise to find Zachary in his rear-engine fighter chasing Howard Hughes in the Spruce Goose.
Crimson Skies is a very story-driven flight simulation. Broken up into five chapters and 24 missions, the game is related through radio drama-esque that include cinematic animations. In the spirit of the times, Zachary collects photographs of all the women he conquers along with other mementos. Fly carefully, never run from a challenge, and you can help the dashing pirate-pilot collect 300 items to show for his daring exploits.
Of course Crimson Skies' stylish storytelling and gameplay bonuses would be wasted if the game did not support them with good flight simulation. The levels I have seen are a cross between Red Baron and USAF with fast and maneuverable experimental planes, hulking zeppelins, and rolling one-on-one-style dogfights that seem unique to the World War I era.
After all is said and done, however, Crimson Skies is a Microsoft game-i.e., it was designed with casual gamers in mind. The hardcore flight sim crowd may be challenged with collecting all 300 trinkets for Zachary, but the game, according to the team who developed it, 85 percent of the people who buy this game will be able to finish it-they just may have less mementoes at the end.
A question for Crimson Skies designer Jordan Weisman
[Note: Many gamers will be familiar with the work of Jordan Weisman. As one of the founders of FASA, he created the BattleTech universe of giant combat robots called "Mechs."]
GT: How realistic is the flight model in Crimson Skies?
JW: We modified the game to help the player. It's a hyper-reality. If you're not a pilot, you will think this is real. If you are a pilot, you will wish flying was this fun. Crimson Skies is about bringing the fantasy of being a fighter pilot to life more than the realities.
GW: Isn't this a departure from the realistic physics model of the Mechwarrior games?
JW: When you think about it, there is no place a 100-foot Mech could walk without sinking into the ground. I've always tried to stress plausibility over reality.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.
