Customer Reviews

Pacific Fighters

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

Note: this is out in Australia and I have played it, and I did pay for it:

The latest instalment of the IL-2 Sturmovik line of combat flight sims. First released in October 2000 IL-2 Sturmovik was met with praise for it's attention to detail and also for covering a area of conflict (the eastern front) that has up to that point been ignored. Following this was the release of IL-2 Sturmovik -Forgotten Battles (from this point on referred to as FB) in 2003. This was initially expected to be a add on to the original game, however this developed into having a greatly improved version and was released as a stand alone install. Earlier this year a expansion to FB was released; Aces Expansion Pack (from this point forward referred to as AEP). This included a new Western Europe theme with new maps and new aircraft.

Shortly after the release of AEP it was released that the next project would be a pacific theme combat flight sim called Pacific Fighters (PF). This was based on the FB game engine but would include aircraft carriers which was something that was missing to this point (no need for a aircraft carrier on the eastern front) along with a host of other refinements and additions to make it truly a Pacific combat sim.

I must admit that I have followed the development of this game with much anticipation and had high hopes for it. I really enjoy the FB + AEP (this refers to the game Forgotten Battles with the add on aces expansion pack) and am a regular online flier. So how did it hold up when I played it; love it!

But before I go on any further I need to clarify something. There are 2 options for installing this game.

1. install PF as a stand alone game
2. install it over FB+AEP

If you choose the stand alone option you get the aircraft that were developed for PF. The important thing to note is if you intend to fly online you can only play with others that have the PF stand alone install (sorry, no joining games that are FB+AEP+PF based.

The second option of installing the game over your FB+AEP installation will give you one mighty combat flight sim. You will have all of the content from the previous install plus everything new to PF. This gives you approximately 200 flyable aircraft! The same online restrictions apply for this install, you can not join a game on the internet that is a based on the PF stand alone install. Now with the Forgotten Battles Gold pack (this has FB + AEP bundled) out at a good price this option of installation is the way to go.

Moving along with the review. The level of playability is scalable to match different levels of skill. New people to this series of games have a entry level difficulty setting which will allow them to enjoy the game without getting frustrated. On the other hand if you want to change the settings to their hardest level you give yourself a challenge, and a step learning curve. Overall, a very flexible game to match all peoples wants.

How does it look? Fantastic is the word for it. The attention to detail in this game is amazing and the effects such as the water, smoke, explosions, clouds, not too mention the look of the planes is great. A great thing about this series of games is the ability to configure the graphics to match your PC. You don?t need a super computer to run it, but be warned. If you want the eye candy level up, you better have a machine that is has at least a 2.8Ghz CPU, 1Gb of RAM, and a video card along the lines of a ATI X800 (9800 line is good as well) or a NIVIDA 6800. It's a compromise on the look of the game and the playability. The only real concern that I have with the game is all of the anti aircraft fire from the carriers. While it looks impressive, it can cause you PC to chug along a bit.

The aircraft; a good selection of the important aircraft in the Pacific theatre during WWII though a little thin of the different types for the Japanese. My biggest gripe at the moment is that there are no carrier borne torpedo bombes in the game that are flyable (they are their, but they are AI controlled by the computer). In saying this however, there has been a long history of releasing free patches for the game that include new aircraft. In fact, there is a patch due very soon that will include more aircraft to fly. The word is that more planes were developed, they just couldn't fit them on the 2 disks. So expect over time new aircraft to be released (along with maps and bug fixes) and for free. The commitment to this game from the developers is well known, this is no drop it in the market and leave it with all it faults game, it's a evolution of the best combat flight sim ever made.

Carrier Operations - this is the new part of the game that I've personally being looking forward to, and it doesn't disappoint. Take off is the easy part, landing it isn't. But it is fun, and the rolling motion of the ship adds to the level of immersion (the amount that the ship rolls is weather dependant, so bad weather leads to a one rocking ship). Arrestor wires are fully animated, along with folding wings (for the aircraft that had them), tail hooks (to catch the wires with), and a new raise seating position (again, for the aircraft that had them). This last bit helps see over the nose when on approach to the carrier.

Training- This has always been a issue with the game. The training is bear bones and the manual is very light on information (something more and more common now days). There is some more information with the installation of the game (as pdfs) but it still leaves you wanting to know more. In saying that, there is a great community out there on the net with sites that provide guides and there is much help from people on the UBI forums. Don?t be afraid, ask them for help if you need to.

So there you have it, long winded (but I only covered the tip of the iceberg) but I think the game is fantastic. Well worth it regardless of whether or not you have FB+AEP installed. If you love flying, or have had a interest in combat sims, this is the one to get.

PS - I realise that I refer to PF as a game and a sim throughout this review, it's up to you as to what you think it is. To me, it?s a lot of fun!

Firstly, I am writing this from the point of view of someone who has installed the game on top of Forgotten Battles and the Ace Expansion Pack - a feature that needs to be advertised more prominently in the box art literature. It can also be installed as a stand-alone.

Pacific Fighters introduces carrier and carrier operations into the 'Forgotten Battles' series. It does so quite entrancingly with astonishing graphics and a level of realism that completely eclipses that found in the older Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2 game. I found myself captivated as I wobbled down to a carrier landing in my little Wildcat - this game is first and foremost a lot of fun.

A number of features new to the IL-2 game engine appear - reduced and less blinding muzzle flashes, aircraft landing and staying on the airfield rather than just disappearing (a definite improvement for strafing missions), a 'skip' feature that allows you to jump rapidly from waypoint to waypoint - amongst more specific carrier functions such as arrestor hooks, wheel chocks and opening/closing cockpits.

With a GeForce 6800 GT card, I can get an astonishingly real looking ocean - sadly at maximum settings my hardware runs rather slow (Athlon64 3200), and it is more fun to watch the game play out rather than be an active flyer under those condtions.

The only major problem with the game is it currently being sold is that it is incomplete - a major and extensive patch should be available shortly to increase the aircraft complement and address a number of bugs. The post-release support offered by 1C:Maddox is second to none, and I am totally confident that all problems will be fixed based on my experience with prior releases.

If you want a WWII combat flight sim, look no further! The graphics engine is a few years old, this game is an extension of Ubisoft's IL-2 flight sim. The textures, light and shade are excellent in the game. Game play is very scalable as well. There are a variety of missions included, and it can have multiple players on a LAN or the internet. There seems to be quite a community on the Ubisoft forums- where one can find custom plane skins, community-authored missions, and a screenshot thread in the forum at is over 118 pages and growing.

I can't say enough about this game. One of the more unique aspects about it is that it it isn't socio-centric in any sense: if you want to be German, Finnish, whatever-- you are not locked into just being American, or Russian. Most all the participants of WWII are represented. It is one of the good watersheds of globalization!

The only qualification I can think of is this: if you want the best performance and graphics, be prepared! A machine running 2+ghz processor and a 256mb video card will go a long way toward enhancing your immersive experience.

Buy it and enjoy! It is not the type of game you will play for a couple of months and put away. The publisher also offers free patches AND enhancements.

Triad

Although this game is rated for 12 yrs. and older don`t let it fool you. I am not new to flight nor am I new to computing. Yet their are tricks to be learned everyday. This simulation
Is as detailed as your graphics card and computer knowledge makes it. You are able to go into the (configurations files)and adjust the settings w/o having to use possibly damaging hardware
accerlerators on your PC. All the models perform close to if not exactly like their real life counter parts. I reccomend a Joystick at least, a graphics card with at least 512mg ram and
computer with type 4 processor 1 gig or better of on board memory to start with. I started w/less and was disappointed I did not see what all the fuss was about these (simulations that
appeared to be flat and rather boring!). Than I upgraded my system Imagine my suprise when Nuts and bolts started popping off my aircraft, oil leaks and spatters on my windscreen, poor handling characteristics from combat damage all this with a determined enemy hammering me on my six. Buy the IL-Sturmovik Gold Pkg. This will allow you to have one version of PF as a stand alone install and merge another into IL-2 which comes with an Aces expansion component that then gives you more flyable models as well as more scenery and the ability to fly aircraft from one theater of Ops to another. Have Fun.

This is a good game. Not perfect by any means, but good and solid. If you'll read the negative reviews, it's pretty clear people only don't like it because they have unrealistic expectations. The game features are clearly written right here on this page, and they're also listed on the box. I have no idea why say the TBF Avenger isn't flyable, but it isn't listed on the box; so why are people complaining? If you want a TBF simulation, then by all means find one, and don't buy Pacific Fighters. And if you're interested in Pacific Fighters, read the feature list. They list all their features clearly. By the way, just to correct another reviews, Pearl Harbor is in there (the map is called Hawaii), and you fly over it in campaigns, as well as single missions.

And regarding the 'patches' that are supposedly needed for this game. Those aren't patches; they're free add-ons. The game is perfectly playable out of the box, and these downloads are only needed to add new content to the game, which includes tons of new flyable aircraft, as well as new maps and campaigns such as Singapore for Japan and Great Britain.

The game looks amazing. No other flight sim comes close. The water is beautiful, aircraft and cockpits are highly detailed and meticilously historically accurate, and the special effect are amazing. The game plays great and is incredible fun. The range of possibilities is unmatched, from taking off a carrier in a fighter and intercepting kamikazes, to strafing and dropping para-frags on enemy airfields.

And best of all, this game can be merged with the ETO / Russian Front variant (Forgotten Battle) to create an incredibly detailed, realistic flight simulation covering virtually the entire WWII air war, with well over a hundred flyable aircraft. No other sim does anything remotely close.

In short, if your idea of a flight sim is to absolutely, positively have to fly the TBF Avenger, and stall out of the sky, then unfortunately you'll have to wait for some flight sim not yet released. And if you want to fly beautiful aircraft around beautiful scenery, and take part in all sorts of air combat done as realistically as it ever got on the PC, Pacific Fighters is definitely a great game for that. Just read the game description. They deliver everything they promise.

While some may complain about patches being released, the simple fact is that the game developers of Il-2 listen to their customer base and make the sort of updates that players request.

With the number of flyable airplanes growing with each free upgrade in addition to the number of maps and ground targets, the mission opportunities for this game are limitless. A mission builder allows you to set-up exactly the sort of missions that you want to fly.

Excellent and effortless multiplayer support is simply the jewel in the crown of this excellent game. I can't recommend it highly enough.

OK, I've waited until patch after patch, listened to the people saying that 1C gives more than expected in continued product support, but now I have to rate this.

Pacific fighters is exactly what one expects ,, simply an add-on for their russian front game. It adds "Pacific fighters" to the eastern front struggle, with the added bonus of limited carrier operations.

That is also what's wrong with this product. Advertised as a stand alone game, it doesn't have the aircraft, ships, or terrain to recreate even a single battle historically. Pearl Harbor is "simulated" by using british or russian battleships, anchored along aan "Oahu" with no diamond head, but you can't fly a Kate against them, in fact, you can't fly any carrier based torpedo planes! I'm not talking about just missing sub-types either, although those exist (F4F-3A?), but where are the late war japanese strike planes? Or the SB2C, the major dive bomber of the last two years? What about the TBD's at Midway? It can't be simulated, they don't exist, and neither do three of four kido butai carriers! As for ships, probably the critical aspect to simulating any pacific theater combat, you get an essex, a repainted essex, a pre-war Lexington, a cheesy knock off Saratoga, in an incorrect configuration for any period, and an escort carrier in two paint schemes. Missing are all US battleships, all but one US cruiser, and all japanese cruisers and battleships. Japanese carriers are shorted as well, with a zuikaku class, and an Akagi, that's it! How can you release a pacific theater game without the Enterprise? Really, who wouldn't notice?

Terrain is also poorly, almost insultingly done, no slot, no Phillipines, no Java area, and Oahu has already been covered as a poor representation.

On top of all that is missing, one must wonder about the vaunted flight modeling, when an A6M2 zero outruns an F6F-5 in level flight. Radial engine planes suffer catastrophic engine damage, while the inlines seem invulnerable.

Also completely missing is weather. Oh, be sure, you can select varying levels of single layer cloud cover, but wind makes an appearance in only the heaviest overcast, and only as some sort of turbulence factor, no where is it singly selectable, nor are speeds and directions at altitude configurable. That makes what few opportunities for carrier operations exist limited to the speed the ships can generate. I've heard the developers' sycophants tell me that "is plane game, not weather or ship game" but it still feels like a tank sim done in a parking lot. Add to that, the AI (which isn't very I) doesn't use the adverse effects of clouds and darkness, they have super-vision that sees through those.

I wonder if the combination of a russian developer, and a french distributor will ever make for good gameplay in a simulator focused on a singularly american theater.

I've had it, really, and if I could return this thing I would. Rest assured Maddox' games upcoming Battle of Britain won't be on my hard drive. If not for what will undoubtedly be poor execution and gameplay, then for the copy protection, that makes running the game a real gamble, and introduces the possibility of actually damaging your hardware..(google "Starforce", "Securom")

Pass it by.....unless you are one of the "Air Quake" sycophants that seem to rabidly enjoy this stuff....re-spawn indeed...

Good old Flight Sim, but for the same price get IL2 1946 the signature Collection, Pacific Fighter is in that collection.

This simulator allows the player a level of realism and a sense of actually flying the like of which I have not seen for a home computer system. Graphics are tantalizing, and the aircraft rendering is great.

Having said that, there is a definite bias in favor of all things Russian in the simulator. Not only in terms of numbers of available aircraft to be flown, but especially in terms of the performance of the respective aircraft. If this simulator is accurate, than the U.S. had more or less no aircraft that could hold a candle up to the Soviet Yak-3 (to name only one). In fact, according to the simulator, most of our aircraft were sub-par and we (allies) likely won the war based solely on sheer numbers. Given the fact that the vast majority of the developers are themselves Russian, I suppose the products bias is not particularly shocking. It is however a little hard to stomach at times in the face of, well, reality. Chock it up to airframe envy.
All in all a great sim, just needs more objectivity.

Although I'm not too much of a flight sim expert, but I'd say that the Pacific Fighters stand alone has exceeded my expectations in most ways.
1. Graphics: Very good, they can be trimmed down for slower computers, or spruced up to a fairly sophisticated level. I like the varied cloud densities, flak bursts, ocean swells, and I'd say the terrain is quite good for the most part. The aircraft often have different paint schemes to chose from, and show exhaust smears, paint chips, and other imperfections that add to the realism. Army Aircorps planes even have the option of nose art. Bomb explosions were a bit uniform and dissapointing, but seeing cannon shell and machine gun rounds register in different magnitudes as aircraft pieces come off was definitely impressive.

2. Sound: Fair, the carriers make a low hum as they sail along, flaps, airbrakes and wheel brake sound effects all fairly convincing. The sounds of gun fire and explosions is not spectacular, but OK. Thre are a number of different engine sounds for the wide selection of planes, but frankly, I thought the Pratt and Whitney was dissapointing. When I strap into a corsair or hellcat and sit behind that dual banked radial as it winds up, it sounds more like a whining motorcycle fourbanger than the throaty roar of the radials that I am accoustomed to hearing at airshows.

3.Aircraft selection: Very good, one can choose from several variants of the Zero, corsair, wildcat, P40, Ki 61, Ki84, etc. Actually, I've had the game for over a year and still haven't put every aircraft model through its paces. Although there are a few bombers, there are not enough for my tastes, WW2 flight sims are almost always all about fighters, and little or none about bombers and torpedo planes. I'd sure like it if I could fly the B24, B29, or the Kate and Jill. But the upgrades I've put on my game that brings it up to version 4.04 remedies this somewhat.

4. Aircraft characteristics: Good. The realism settings can make some planes quite tricky, that big corsair propeller will literally throw you for a loop if you gun it at low speeds, (Accurate to the name Ensign Eliminator), and the mid-engine mounted P39 can get into the most wicked spins. The damage is interesting and detailed, I've had various parts shot out or off of my aircraft, but sometimes they seem almost too flimsy. Would a hellcat really have its entire wing sawed off by 2 hits from a 20mm cannon? I don't know. Landings can be very dicey, especially on an aircraft carrier, at night, with battle damage. It takes an attentive person to watch the sink rate, angle of attack, etc. to not overshoot or smash the landing gear on impact. As an aside, the multi person crew aircraft can be crewed by several people online, which could make for some fun missions with a friend or two.

5. Missions: Fair, the campaigns are challenging, sometimes I fly the whole mission and miss my target, (A common combat occurance) but the training missions or single missions are scanty, one might want to check for online mods to download.

So in summary:
Positives:
1. large number of flight models
2. relatively realistic and unique aircraft handleing characteristics
3. good graffics
4. challenging and in depth enough to not master in a few weeks

Negatives:
1. Some engine sounds dissapointing (As mentioned)
2. bomb explosions fairly uniform
3. small number of stand alone missions.
4. lack of adequate training in manual and in game.

Overall I am satisfied with this game, I think it was worth the money (I bought it). In my opinion it is way better than Microsoft.