8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Hardcore sim!!, April 1, 2002
This review is from: Jane's Combat Simulations: F-15 (CD-ROM)
"Jane's F-15" answers the ages-old question of "what if my new computer becomes too obsolete to fly the hot new games?" If you manage to overcome a murderous learning curve and a textbook sized manual, you'll quickly find yourself so engrossed in this game that you'll never have to worry about newer and possibly better (though not necessarily more realistic) games.
In short, "Jane's F-15" is probably one of the most complex sims ever published. Though called F-15, this sim zeros on the F-15E, the so-called "Strike Eagle" built for ground-target attack missions. Unlike air-superiority (which the F-15E is capable of in both real life and this game, but not ideally suited for it in either) ground attack missions are more complex, requiring the player-pilot to navigate at low altitude and deal with a myriad of different threats from above and below. That is, you'll not only have to deal with swarms of MiG fighters, but also with clouds of enemy missiles and hostile terrain.
If that sounds like a single-plane version of the survey sims published in the "Jane's Fighters" Franchise - i.e. ATF, IAF and USNF '97 to name a few - forget it. "F-15"'s emphasis on this single airplane is comprehensive. Instead of a generic and non-functioning cockpit with common pop-up windows as in those other titles, "F-15" has a fully functioning cockpit with a mouse-click interface and an extremely complex sensor/weapons suite. Tired of radars that come in only one mode for ground or air attack? (I'm sure real pilots would appreciate the simplicity) "F-15" has numerous sub-modes for either counter-air or ground-strike sensors, including one based on the Strike Eagle's famous SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) in which a high-frequency beam almost draws a radar-photographic of ground targets. As for the flight model - forget about "Fighters Anthology". Stalls are nasty, directional coupling (in which clutzy control inputs on one directional axis destabilize your control on another) is common and the default setting is Hi-Fi.
On the minus end, the game lacks a training module - which would be okay for a sim with as undemanding as "F-22 Raptor" or "iF-22" or "F-22 Lightning 3" or some WWII sim. Instead, F-15 offers a few single "training" missions which look like watered down versions of the game's real missions. Ofcourse you can look at the single missions and instant action as training-simulation, but that only waters down the sim as a whole - it's all a simulation when you come right down to it. Instead, the game could have offered some state-side training on conspicuously mock-targets using practice weaponry and in planes with high-viz skins, something that would have made the "real missions" stand out. By limiting your options to the traditional "single missions, instant action, campaign and MP", "F-15" unnecessarily steepens the learning curve and dumbs down the game's premise of being a higher-minded sim. That is, on the one hand, it beats down on you relentlessly with its realism, and then gives you nothing better to do than blast something.
PROS - Incredibly realistic and engrossing.
CONS - a high-maintenance sim that will monopolize your computer time; lack of a training module deprives game of substance to back its complexity; Jane's manual is in depth but, on this edition, on-disc rather than paper - you can print it out, but hopefully you've got a friend at Kinko's or otherwise get your ink cartridges at cost.
System issues: F-15 ran well on my P200MMX (with 32mb RAM and a 12mb Voodoo2 card). Moving up to my newer machine, I found no compatibility issues with WinXP
IN SHORT: If you want the most complex sim of a modern jet fighter, but your system can't run "Jane's F/A-18", the this is the game for you.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great "study" sim with some limitations, June 20, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Jane's Combat Simulations: F-15 (CD-ROM)
F-15 is an indepth "study" sim that requires some practice in order to get things done right. Arcade players can turn down the difficulty if they prefer. I really enjoy the complexity of this sim, and the challenges it presents. This sim is now a few years old, but it is a good value at $13.
I gave it four stars since it only supports hardware acceleration of Voodoo cards. Newer accelerated cards will not help this sim, and it will default down to the older style software rendering.
Still a lot of fun, and not a bad price.
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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Intense, June 14, 2000
By A Customer
This review is from: Jane's Combat Simulations: F-15 (CD-ROM)
This is a very realistic game but also not one that is easy to learn in the first couple of hours. I have just ordered the text/manual to try and learn how to play. It is definately complicated and seems that it will be alot of fun once the learning curve is mastered.
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