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RATING: (weak) 1 2 3 4 5 (awesome)
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IN BRIEF
Pros: Plenty of weapons ranging from bombs to plasma guns, loaded on dozens of different aircraft; lots of challenging campaign-based missions; superb graphic detail. Cons: Steep learning curve; restarting missions gets old, fast. In a nutshell: Half space combat, half flight sim, Echelon is more than the sum of its parts. Multiplayer: Yes (Internet/Network) *ESRB rating: E |
FACTS
Game Title: Echelon Platform: Windows 95/98/2000/ME Developer: Buka Entertainment Publisher: Bethesda Softworks Accessories supported: Joystick (configurable), mouse or keyboard Release Date: May, 2001 Price: 39.95 |
THE REVIEW by Nate Heasly for Gamers Today
Echelon is a futuristic flight combat/sim game in which you, fearless pilot, must take on a variety of different missions to retain control of the breathtaking, beautiful planet Velian. Unfortunately for you, there are some highly skilled Velian pilots that have other ideas.
The year is 2351, and the Velians are an alien race intent on destroying the Federation. As you might guess, it's up to you to open up a can of 24th century Raid on the buggers, using highly sophisticated and customizable aircraft. In any mission, there are several different kinds of aircraft you can choose, with names like Vampire, Doomsday, and Supernova. Each one has advantages and disadvantages -- the VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) ones can hover behind a mountain and pop up unexpectedly on the enemy. The fixed wing planes have greater speed and power, allowing you to pull some hard-G turns to bring your homing missiles to bear.
The missions involve different targets and goals -- some are straight "defend the base" missions, while others involve hitting enemy ground targets. For each mission, the choice of the right aircraft and the right weapons is essential. Each of the aircraft can load a variety of weapons like heavy cannons, plasma guns, guided missiles, and rockets. The larger the aircraft, the more weapons you can load. As you succeed at the missions, you are promoted to tougher missions, with a greater variety of planes and weapons at your disposal.
Because of the sophisticated physics engine, gameplay is both fairly realistic and unforgiving. Larger aircraft like the Armageddon are about as maneuverable as a '74 Lincoln, while ones like the light fighter Tempest handles more like a Miata. If you are hit by enemy fire on one of your wings, you'll find that the aircraft lists to one side, making it difficult to control. And once you lose control, there is nothing less forgiving than the cold, hard Velian dirt, where all chump pilots are quickly buried in their own wreckage.
The graphics are the top-notch, with highly detailed enemy aircraft and ground targets, and well-textured terrain. Other elements like fog, smoke, and glare from the sun add a degree of realism that is extremely engrossing. Luckily for those with less than 1-ghz systems, each of the detail elements can be tuned down to keep the action quick.
The sound effects are up to par, though not exceptional. The sound effects of battle are good, especially when the enemy's plasma gun starts taking distressing chunks out of your already damaged aircraft. There are occasional voice radio transmissions from base and wingmen, and some voice warnings, though there is no "pull up" like in some other flight sims. That's unfortunate, since you may find (as I did) that the ground is often much closer than you think.
To really appreciate the game, you'll need a good joystick, preferably with a "hat" switch. Using that, you'll be able to look around while your aircraft flies straight -- this is very useful for checking your "six" while keeping your sights on the enemy. You'll also need plenty of other buttons on your stick for switching between weapons, acquiring targets, controlling airspeed, and sending custom text messages to your wingmen or opponents. The complexity of control adds realism, but makes for a steep learning curve.
Once you get the hang of the controls and get used to the slightly
more realistic flight engine the game is plenty of fun to play.
Single player campaign mode and "instant action" are entertaining
enough, though it's initially frustrating to start missions over and
over until you finally get the proper combination of plane and
weapons. Multiplayer mode obviously adds the most to the game, with
up to 16 players competing in teams against each other on the Net.
Although the realism of the flight-engine may make you feel you're in flight school -- and that you might as well be learning to fly a real F-1 -- the fight-engine is enough fun to shoot at the buggers for hours. And you'll feel all the more worthy when you finally liberate Velian. So grab the stick and hit the afterburners -- the Federation needs YOU.
*For a complete explanation of ESRB ratings, check out the official ESRB Web site.
