F-22 Lightning II (PC)

CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
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Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
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Gamespot editors' review

• Reviewed by: T. McDonald
• Reviewed on: 10/17/1996
• Updated on: 05/01/2000
• Released on: 09/30/1996

The F-22 is the next generation of high-tech, front-line American fighter jets, packed with high-tech equipment and weaponry and set to enter active service shortly. So it's no surprise that no fewer than four developers - NovaLogic, Digital Integration, Mission Studios, and DID - are working on F-22 sims. The first out of the chute is NovaLogic's F-22 Lightning II, and while its claim to be a realistic flight model is spurious at best, it is still a visually stunning, often entertaining title.

NovaLogic's past forays into simulation included the best-selling Comanche and the notable flop Armored Fist. Comanche featured impressive graphics for its era, but suffered from arcadish gameplay and a total lack of realism or flight models. F-22 is a step forward for NovaLogic in terms of flight modeling, though it's still off the mark in flight modeling.

F-22 has enough to it to lure you in and get you started. An extensive video intro shows the F-22 in action, then drops you to a menu full of familiar choices. Several single missions are available, beginning with a set of ramped training missions that will help you familiarize yourself with the plane and its functions. In keeping with the Comanche tradition, single missions are not based on any real world scenario or conflict, but are designed to show off various types of terrain. The mission mix is fine for a sim of this type, with plenty of fast air-to-air action as well as escorts and ground strikes. A campaign game strings these missions together, but there's no real feeling that your performance affects the dynamic of the campaign in any way. A simple custom mission creator and eight-player network and modem play fill out the features.

On the whole, enemies seem pretty smart and challenging, though there were some conspicuous failings. On several occasions I found myself flying circles around hot SAM and AAA sites without drawing fire, but other times I was downed by AAA. It's a crapshoot. Still, the furballs fly plenty, and in the end, there is enough action and interest to keep gamers coming back.

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