Combat in most single-player missions revolves around reaching a checkpoint, watching an in-engine cutscene of planes flying to their target, followed by shooting a number of enemy planes or destroying a number of sea and land targets. This discrepancy between realism and arcade sadly permeates most of Birds of Steel‘s offerings. There is always the option to switch to one of the other three planes in your wing, but crashing four times in a row when you are merely trying to make a turn is a less-than-welcome slap on the face if you are struck with a gamepad. Even the slightest nudge to the side at the wrong time can lead to a complete loss of control and a seemingly inevitable drop towards death.
#Steel assault destructoid simulator
Meanwhile, the Simulator option may offer exactly what the “hardcore” crowd is looking for, but feels made for flightstick and throttle controls rather than a gamepad. The caveat of the distinction between the different control difficulties is that most players who are more casual fans of the genre will stick to the Simplified scheme, rendering most of the game a rather boring and unimpressive chore.
Try to make a dive-bomb run on Simulator, and you’ll even need to extend the air-brakes to control your speed lest the stress of aerodynamic physics turns your plane into a heap of metal, crashing to the Earth below.
Flying feels dangerous, as if humankind wasn’t meant to be inside a tin can with wings and guns attached to it, let alone using it to wage war in the skies over conflict zones. The flight control systems that lie beneath the hood make for an impressive feel, turning the mere act of controlling your airplane into as much of a challenge as actually completing objectives. On the other hand, Simplified mode is what anyone new to the genre will feel most at home with, removing stall issues and generally feeling more like your typical arcade World War II flight sim. Simulator mode cranks the physics up a notch, and removes HUD info to make it nearly impossible to tell your airspeed without looking down at your instruments in the cockpit view. G-forces will blacken or redden your screen, which is a nice visual touch that is long overdue on consoles. Planes will shake under the strain of speed and winds, making it hard to aim and lead your targets, while overzealously trying to make turns without regard for aerodynamics and airspeed will see you unceremoniously stall and spiral out of control. Realistic mode is the go-to mode Birds of Steel feels best tailored to, even if it is undeniably hard. The dedication to such authenticity also impacts the controls and combat mechanics which, depending on what you are looking for in a console flight sim, may put you on either end of the fun spectrum.ĭifficulty is defined by the flight controls, and comes in three variations - Simplified, Realistic, and Simulator - while options for limited fuel and ammo are also at your disposal. Players who look to Birds of Steel for historical authenticity will feel rewarded to say the least. That Gaijin really loves their aircraft comes as no surprise, and they truly deliver in this regard.
Set during World War II, Birds of Steel offers a huge array of aircraft to unlock and fly, each with their own specific feel, stats, and a high level of interior and exterior detail. With Birds of Steel, they have finally steered well into simulator territory, only offering a half-hearted attempt at appeasing the arcade crowds.īirds of Steel (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3) Gaijin Entertainment, on the other hand, has made some good sim-heavy console titles with an arcade feel in the past ( IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, Apache: Air Assault). A mouse and keyboard control scheme is almost always preferred over a gamepad when it comes to fast-paced strategy games, and flight sims really need a flightstick if you are going to opt for a realistic feel.Ĭonsole flight sims traditionally veer into the arcade space ( H.A.W.X., Ace Combat, Secret Weapons over Normandy) to try and create a fun experience for all, or try to satisfy both the arcade and simulation fanatics at the same time, usually without success. Combat flight simulators, like real-time strategy games, are a resilient breed which has always struggled to find its place on consoles.
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