F/A-18 Korea (PC)

CNET editors' rating: 4.0 stars Excellent
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Gamespot editors' review

• Reviewed by: Marc Dultz
• Reviewed on: 01/08/1998
• Updated on: 05/01/2000
• Released on: 11/30/1997

It's refreshing to see that relative newcomers to this somewhat entrenched industry still have a shot at stealing success from the perennial heavyweights. Take, for instance, Texas-based Graphic Simulations Corporation, and its recently released F/A-18 Korea air combat simulation - one of the most impressive and realistic combat simulations ever engineered for the home market.

As you've no doubt surmised, F/A-18 Korea is an exacting portrayal of the twin-engine F/A-18C/D Hornet dual-purpose fighter and strike aircraft, which, as it happens, is the most versatile multimission-capable aircraft currently in service with the US Navy. Every facet of the carrier-launched aircraft has been painstakingly modeled - from the highly detailed instrumentation clusters and sensors to the supersophisticated weapons and delivery systems - and gleaned from an assembly of declassified sources and from combat pilots who have logged thousands of hours flying the actual aircraft. In fact, a former US Marine F/A-18 pilot is credited with having written the exhaustive documentation included in the game.

There, I've said it. Although I've just gone on record and categorically stated that F/A-18 Korea is a "game," that's a bit of a misnomer of sorts. F/A-18 is, in actuality, an air combat simulation of the highest magnitude, similar in scope to the type of near-realistic virtual combat simulators the Department of Defense routinely uses to train and test its fledgling pilots. In fact, once you probe beneath F/A-18's gorgeous, all-new 3D-accelerated veneer, you'll find the heart of a lion, encased in an incredibly detailed yet eminently credible environment authentically replicated right down to the Fresnel lens and arresting wires. To the uninitiated, the bewildering array of information, pre- and in-flight mission-management charges, and near-infinite number of keystroke combinations could easily become overwhelming, frightening off all but the most dedicated players. Fortunately, newbies and veterans alike can learn the ins and outs of naval aviation from the pros, thanks to the inclusion of a robust, fully narrated, digitally enhanced set of tutorials. These interactive training tapes discuss everything - in exquisitely detailed fashion - from obtaining clearance for taxi and departure (on land and at sea) to recovering carrier-launched aircraft and interpreting the many digital displays. You can then take to the skies over the Hawaiian Islands on mock runs, honing your skills while putting the responsive, system-redundant F/A -18 through its virtual paces.

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