High above the action

Lock On: Air Combat Simulation
www.lo-mac.com/Publisher:Ubisoft www.ubisoft.co.uk/

Ubisoft and Eagle Dynamics have recently released Lock On: Air Combat Simulation, a high-reality, high-fidelity flight simulation.

The simulation allows players to fly one of six planes from the Russian and American Stables. Players can select to fly an SU-25, SU-27 or SU-33 or the MIG-29, or chose between the F-15 and A-10 to fly over the Crimean Peninsula.

Lock On has wonderfully detailed terrain, including rolling hills, highly rendered buildings and detailed road networks and power lines.

The 3D modelling of the planes is also a masterpiece and is only matched by the intricate cockpit detail of each of the six different planes. Players have a range of mission options to select from including extensive training missions, quick action missions, open missions and one of four campaigns based on aircraft type.

The campaign missions are linear in their presentation and progress players through a build up of hostilities in the Crimea. A pilot’s log allows players to track their mission regardless of type and provides a detailed flight history for each player.

The mission editor, along with the pilot’s log means that a player can continually progress their pilot through countless missions.

Lock On’s multiplayer allows players to make additional missions and then fly with or against friends. Lock On is for high end PCs.

Its highly detailed graphics, flight modelling and game play make it a must have modern flight sim.

Lock On requires at least a PIII800 or better running WinXP/2000/ME/98SE with a 32MB 3D Card, Direct X 8.1 and 256MB RAM.

Airborne Assault: The Highway to the Reich

www.highwaytothereich.com/Developer: Panther Games www.panthergames.com/

The Australian company, Panther Games, have released what can best be described as an extension to their highly successful Airborne Assault.

Airborne Assault: Highway to the Reich covers the major Market Garden battles including Eindenhoven, Nimjegen, Grave and revisits the Arnhem battles presented in the original. Highway to the Reich is a company- level tactical wargame.

The game is played in real time with the ability to speed up time during the slower moments of the battle.

The unit icons are the familiar square counters with detailed unit data included for each unit.

There is little gameplay difference between this game and Airborne Assault. The map graphics have been impressive friendly and enemy AI tweaked.

The scenarios provided are numerous and cover each of the battles in detail and provide a range of “what-if” scenarios. Unfortunately, the battles are not linked, leaving players to play each area in isolation, which is the major detractor of the game.

The game’s outstanding command and control functions – allowing players to command at divisional, regimental, battalion or company level – its smooth easy to use interface, its outstanding AI and a plethora of information make Highway to the Reich an exceptionally good gaming system.

The wide selection of battles and a game editor provide players with hours of challenging gaming either against the PC or a human opponent.

If Panther Games can come up with a system that links the battles together in a future upgrade, Highway to the Reich will be the ultimate Market Garden wargaming simulation.

Highway to the Reich requires at least a PII500 running WinXP/2000/ ME/98SE with a 8MB Video Card, Direct X 8 and 64MB RAM.

Competition
We have a copy of each of the games reviewed up for grabs this edition. Entries should be e-mailed to ADFgamesmen@telstra.com with the name of the game you would like to win in the subject line.

Only one entry per person, subsequent entries will be discarded.

Please include your full name and mailing address in the e-mail or your entry won’t be accepted. Recent winners: Congratulations to D. Alcock and R. James for winning prizes in our recent giveaways.

Keep an eye out for more winners soon.

What’s new on PS2

Rainbow Six 3
www.rainbowsix3.com/uk/home.php
Publisher: Ubisoft

The game that took realistic CT gaming from the PC to the console is now available on the PS2.

Essentially the same game ported across the Sony platform, Rainbow Six 3 PS2 does offer something new for those who have played through the game on another system.

The PS2 version offers a new map, based Trieste in Italy, for the single-player campaign and use in the multiplayer arena.

It also includes some new cinematic sequences and other tweaks for the new console.

Like the XBox version, Rainbow Six 3 can be played against other gamers using the PS2 online system.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time prince-of-persia.com/uk_html/
Publisher: Ubisoftt

I saw this game debut at an Ubisoft function last year and, like most others there, was completely gob smacked by the way I could control the Prince throughout the game.

He is an amazingly athletic sword-wielding hero that is out to save the world.

Set within the extremely atmospheric Arabian kingdom, Prince of Persia: Sands of Time allows older gamers (who first played with the Prince in side-scrolling 16-colour beauty years ago) and newer ones to see just what a console is capable Ubisoft have also released Sands of Time on XBox and as this goes to print have announced a sequel at this year’s E3.

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