Birds of Steel

by Konami

• Over 100 real life planes - Dog fight and dive bomb in actual WW2 planes and rain down terror from above. Determine for yourself which plane is the ultimate bird of prey.
• Navigate through hundreds missions - Embark on 20 historical missions, hundreds of procedural missions scattered throughout 16 different locations. All are inspired by real life campaigns such as Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal and the battle of Wake Island.
• Pioneering online and multi-player modes for flight sims - Enjoy 4 player co-op or go into the new and unique online ware mode to compete against up to 16 aviators across world. More exciting details to come!
• Key innovations - The finest details are the most critical in the new physics and damage models. Controlling speed is a direct result of effect manipulation of the ailerons, and rudders.
• Fun for all gamers - Multiple levels of realism offer a gameplay experience for gamers of all walks: Simplified, Realistic up to Simulator for the serious flight-sim aficionados.

Product Details

• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0057PERIY
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches ; 3.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: March 13, 2012
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,895 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #1 in Video Games > PlayStation 3 > Games > Simulation > Flight

Product Description

Platform: PLAYSTATION 3

From the Manufacturer

Product Overview Get ready to strap in, go back in time and take stick in the most pivotal battles in the history of air combat. Birds of Steel puts you right in the crosshairs of WWII's most intense skirmishes. This original IP blends next gen supremacy and the fine details of aerial combat into a historical recreation fit for flight sim fans and history buffs alike. Use your skills to pilot the top planes from all combatants in WWII to recreate history or to change the outcomes of the most prolific battles in history. Online and offline elements add an entire new element to the game which will ensure Birds of Steel remains a fresh combat experience long after you've played for the first time. Features Over 100 real life planes - Dog fight and dive bomb in actual WWII planes and rain down terror from above. Determine for yourself which plane is the ultimate bird of prey. Navigate through hundreds of missions - Embark on 20 historical missions, hundreds of procedural missions scattered throughout 16 different locations. All are inspired by real life campaigns such as Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal and the battle of Wake Island. Reality is reflected using real life maps and actual satellite photos of these areas. Pioneering online and multi-player modes for flight sims - Enjoy 4 player co-op or go into the new and unique online war mode to compete against up to 16 aviators across world. Key innovations - The finest details are the most critical in the new physics and damage models. Controlling speed is a direct result of effect manipulation of the ailerons, and rudders. Each plane has over 100 hitpoints where each part of the plane has its own health and damage detection. Fun for all gamers - Multiple levels of realism offer a gameplay experience for gamers of all walks: Simplified, Realistic up to Simulator for the serious flight-sim aficionados.

Product Description

Get ready to strap in, go back in time and take stick in the most pivotal battles in the history of air combat. Birds of Steel puts you right in the crosshairs of WWII's most intense skirmishes. This original IP blends next gen supremacy and the fine details of aerial combat into a historical recreation fit for flight sim fans and history buffs alike. Use your skills to pilot the top planes from all combatants in WWII to recreate history or to change the outcomes of the most prolific battles in history. Online and offline elements add an entire new element to the game which will ensure Birds of Steel remains a fresh combat experience long after you've played for the first time.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Hands Down Best Game Out There! No need to be flight enthusiast.. perfect for all! March 24, 2012

By C. Marquez

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

This game has taken the PS3 to the next level and shows what this system is capable of with the right innovators with great attention to detail. Graphics are beautiful, making you feel like your right there experiencing it hands on. Storyline is astonishing with amazing history and historical missions. Gameplay is spot on letting the user be a youngster or a retired war veteran picking up a controller and going to town. Wireless Controller is easily handible but for a real experience plugging in a Flight Stick puts you right in the cockpit with an option menu allowing for over 10 compatible joysticks. I am currently using a Thrustmaster T-Flight Hotas X Flight Stick sold online for $50 that is perfect and smooth but I'm sure most compatible flight sticks will be just as good. The Online gameplay is ridiculous where you can join quick 4 player missions, head to head, 16 player battles and many others including dynamic missions where you can work on completing missions with partner online. The fact that you have 100 authentic planes makes this game just even more jaw dropping with obviously some planes being more ideal than others. During dogfights there are times when you may clip your wing with another plane and next thing you are spinning down and crashing into a building that explodes upon impact... So Real! The Replay is breathtaking being able to change to what seems a limitless amount of views and feeling like your watching a movie. This game does not disappoint for one second. The amount of work that was put into a game that has a lesser fan base is just insane. I give the developers mad props and know even thought it may have been released under the radar it will soon pick up popularity through word of mouth. So if hanging on the fence on purchasing this one do yourself a favor and purchase it, you won't look back even if like myself and not your normal genre you will find this disc always being left inside your PS3 when powered on.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I wanna visit Wake Island March 29, 2012

By The cimmerian

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I`ve never been to Wake Island. I think, before playing this game, that I didn`t even know that it is located in the pacific and it is so small that maybe 1000 people couldn`t live in it.
But now I know all of this (is that really something?) and, if the images of Wake Island depicted in this game are true, I wish I could visit this tiny piece of land.
The sea around Wake Island looks so beautiful with its blue/green colors and reflections all over its surface that I dare anyone tell me what other game has better images of the sea than Birds of Steel.
Nor only does it depicts all the pacific islands very vividly during the WWII, but it also drops your jaw to the floor and leaves you yearning for more.
This game is that beautiful.
After completing the second level of the Wake Island missions, I got happy just to know there wasn`t anything else to do and that I could just fly all over the place and watch, mesmerized, all the details put into the game`s visuals, before landing my aircraft.
I`m not kidding: when I bought it, I wasn`t expecting it to be better than IL 2 Sturmovik, a game that I love. But it is. It runs on a 720p resolution. It does not have the 1080p resolution option, but, baby, it runs butter smooth. Dozens of planes all around the sky, lots of explosions and things happening? No problem, it runs smooth, framerate is there, steady as ever, steadier than Sturmovik.
I don`t want to extend myself too much, nor is my intention to comment every aspect of this experience. I just wanted to drop by and pay a visit for all you guys that are thinking about buying this game: you won`t be disappointed, there are many, many modes - like having the possibility of changing History and editing missions the way you want them to be played (climate, enemies numbers and experience in combat, war scenarios, day time, plane types, altitude where the fights will happen, etc) - 100+ planes that you can customize, the possibility of editing every button of your controller the way you wish is there too... It plays like Sturmovik, which is a real plus, and the framerate this time does not drop... oh, well... I`m going back to playing it, I`m just taking a brake.
If you liked Sturmovik, don`t miss this one. If you are only interested in flying games, buy it too. You won`t regret it.

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing deal on this great game! April 1, 2012

By LSUfan78

Platform for Display:PLAYSTATION 3

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

First let me say that I don't like spending $60 on a game that you beat in a few hours and there is no replay value at all. I like to feel i am getting my money's worth in a game, which is why i usually buy used. After playing the demo, I decided to check this game out and was shocked to learn it was only $40! I'm not a huge expert on the flying genre, but I do enjoy a good ACCURATE flying sim. First and foremost is the graphics in this game, speaking about the planes and the water. i don't remember seeing the ocean recreated in a game like it is in this game. The planes look so amazing and accurate in details. After an intense air battle, it is cool to spin the camera around your plane to see the actual bullet holes and gapping holes ripped into the sides. (Battles are INTENSE!) Sometimes the battle is over and on your way back to the carrier, engine damage will cause your plane to finally die out and you fight to stay airborne to reach the carrier. The missions make you feel like you are right there, really in the thick of these intense air battles. Your mission might be to bomb a carrier and in route I find myself switching to rear gunner to knock the bandits of my tail, then get back to the mission at hand, only to get more and more bandits tailing me. Meanwhile ships are firing anti-air fire at you. Love the intensity of the battles and makes you feel outnumbered just as the actual historical battles were. Then, you can watch a replay of your entire battle and even save it to view later. You really get so much for your money in this game. There are a ton of missions in the historical campaign, then you can switch to dynamic campaign which gives you the chance to play out the battles your way and change history. Each battle will reflect on the next and so on. Then there is a mission editor to create your own scenarios. You really get your money's worth out of this game. If you have any interest in flying combat sims or WWII or just a solid fun game that is a STEAL at $40, you gotta check this one out.