IL-2 also shines in the graphics department. The planes look great,
reflecting battle damage and sporting a variety of camouflage schemes.
Players can even design their own camouflage patterns or download new ones from
the internet. Multiple cameras are provided so that players can even enjoy
looking at their plane in flight if they'd like. The skies are filled with
billowing clouds and the weather effects are particularly well-done. One
mission has the player taking off in a rainstorm and flying into a thunderstorm
on the way to the target. Sheets of rain, flashes and forks of lightning,
and dark, ominous clouds work together wonderfully to convey a sense of
foreboding and a feeling that the weather is just as dangerous an adversary as
the enemy. If there is a knock against IL-2's graphics it is that the
screens used to select missions are functional, but quite plain and stand in
stark contrast to the wonderful in-mission graphics.
All of this beauty comes at a price of processing power. Systems which
do not significantly exceed the minimum system requirements will be relegated to
playing the game at resolutions of 800x600 or 640x480. The highest
resolutions supported are reserved for the most cutting edge high-end
systems. If the game doesn't like the current game settings on your
system, it will refuse to run until you find the combination of graphics and
sound options that will let it run. Once players get past this initial
hurdle, though, the game is stable and runs just fine.
The game's sounds are excellent. Each gun and weapon has its own
distinctive sound and bombs land with a satisfying blast. Missions are
filled with realistic radio chatter - so realistic that it is all in German and
Russian. Luckily the game provides subtitles so that you'll be able to
tell when your squadron mates are beginning their bombing runs or have sighted
enemy fighters.
IL-2 can be played as individual missions, a campaign, or multiplayer mode
over the internet. There are a variety of missions on both sides of the
conflict, although there is a strong emphasis on ground attacks. The
campaign game feels more like a string of individual missions than an actual
campaign. Feedback on the reasons for mission failure is poor, as are the
statistics tracked over the course of a campaign. For a game that spent so
much energy on details, it is a bit of a disappointment. Luckily the
game's single missions and quick mission builder will provide plenty of action
to those who find the campaigns frustrating.
In The End, This Game Hath Been Rated: 90%.
If you're a fan of flight sims, buy this game. You'll most certainly enjoy
it and appreciate its attention to details - just be sure that your system can
handle it first. Gamers looking for more of an arcade experience should
look elsewhere, though.
System Requirements: 400 MHz Pentium II CPU; 128 MB RAM; 16 MB
Video RAM; 4x CD-ROM; 340 MB Hard Drive Space; Mouse.
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