Flight Simulator
The "Flight Simulator" genre on the original Xbox offers players an immersive experience in piloting various aircraft, combining realism with engaging gameplay. Released in 2002, "Microsoft Flight Simulator" for the Xbox allowed enthusiasts to take control of an array of planes, ranging from small private jets to large commercial airliners. Its accurate flight physics and detailed environments provided a taste of real-world aviation.
Players navigated through multiple scenarios, including different weather conditions and diverse landscapes, enhancing the sense of realism. The game featured challenging landing and take-off missions, pushing players to hone their skills. Despite its limited controls compared to PC versions, it brought a unique aspect of simulation gaming to the console, appealing to both casual gamers and aviation aficionados. Overall, it laid the foundation for future generations of flight simulators, highlighting the potential of console-based simulation experiences.
Air Force Delta Storm
Game Overview
Strap into your cockpit and blast through the gut-wrenching world of flight combat. Your adrenaline pumps as machine gun fire pelts off your tail, you execute back-breaking barrel rolls and experience dog-fighting action. Take your pick of over 70 planes, including military fighters rendered from actual aircraft. With a full range of extreme missions to numb your senses, AirForce Delta Storm pushes your Xbox to the sky!
Battlestar Galactica
Game Overview
Set 40 years before the Sci-Fi Channel's 2004 Battlestar Galactica miniseries, the game acts as a prequel to the events in the new series. Players control Captain William Adama as he participates in 15 missions leading up to the end of the First Cylon War. Missions are tightly scripted. Players control three varieties of Viper fighters, as well as captured Cylon raiders, depending on the needs of the mission. Players also will man the stationary defense turrets on board the Galactica. Missions have clear goals, often with time limits, and are expressed and tracked through voiced radio chatter between wingmen and Galactica's war room. Players are graded in a variety of areas after each level (including accuracy and keeping wingmen alive), and unlock upgrades and bonus material for high ratings. Players control their craft from either a first or third person view. Fighters have unlimited ammo, missiles, and auto-repair any damage taken, but only if enough recharging energy is available. Firing weapons and using afterburners drain energy, and the fighter only repairs itself when the energy level is full. Players must be aware of their energy usage to keep from running out at critical moments. Missiles on every craft can also be configured on the fly through an option in the pause menu. Pilots can program missiles to have increased power at the cost of speed, or increase maneuverability at the cost of blast radius. This system allows players to adapt their missiles to the current needs of the mission, from swatting down formations of fighters to breaking through a capital ship's defenses. Though it acts as a prequel to the new series, art and design is pulled from the original 1978 Battlestar Galactica. The intro from the original series is used. Cylons Raiders, Colonial Vipers, and the Galactica itself use the original designs, Cylons themselves look like the original chrome toasters, and the reptilian race that created them (in the original series, not the reboot) make appearances.
Blazing Angels Squadrons of WW2
Game Overview
You can take to the skies and reenact some of the greatest air battles of World War II in Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII. The game features squadron-based combat, which lets you use the individual characteristics of your wingmen to complete the 18-mission single-player campaign. Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII uses the graphical power of the Xbox 360 to accurately model battle sites such as England, Morocco, and Pearl Harbor and the 38 aircraft included in the game. Up to 16 players can battle via Xbox Live in both competitive and cooperative game modes. The Angels of Dunkirk is the name of the player's squadron in the game. It is made up of the player, Tom "the shield", Joe "the mechanical wizard" and Frank "the hunter". The player's name is not revealed in the game, but some pilots call him "Captain". Also featured is a German Ace, that the player first encounters during the Battle of Britain, throwing insults at the squadron. He appears again in the final mission of the game, 1945 Berlin leading the Nowotny Squadron also known as Jagdgeschwader 7, a squadron of elite German aces flying the experimental jet planes Germany was trying to create. The Ace is shot down by the player when he nearly kills Tom.
Crimson Skies High Road to Revenge
Game Overview Crimson Skies High Road to Revenge
Crimson Skies High Road to Revenge transports players to an alternate 1930s America where the nation has splintered into numerous independent states following the devastation of the Great Depression and a catastrophic influenza pandemic. This fragmentation has made air travel the dominant form of transportation, creating a world where heavily armed aircraft battle for control of the skies. Players assume the role of Nathan Zachary, the charismatic captain of the Fortune Hunters air pirate gang, who returns to his former hideout only to be drawn into a vengeful quest against the powerful Medici crime family. As the narrative unfolds, Zachary discovers the Medicis are developing a revolutionary technology called the Graviton that threatens the balance of power across the fractured continent. The game combines accessible arcade style flight controls with strategic combat encounters across distinctive territories including the desert landscapes of Arixo, the industrial complexes of the ISA, and the tropical paradise of Hawaii. Players can customise and pilot multiple aircraft while engaging in dogfights, raids on zeppelins, and spectacular heists against fortified sky facilities. With its unique dieselpunk aesthetic and character driven storytelling, Crimson Skies delivers an action packed adventure that balances personal revenge with a broader struggle for freedom in the dangerous skies of this reimagined America.
