IL-2 Sturmovik

User Rating: 9 | IL-2 Sturmovik PC
IL-2 Sturmovik is here — and it delivers the goods as promised. This is quite simply the best World War II flight sim this pilot has experienced in years, and it’s an instant classic for the genre.

The action is set in WWII’s Eastern Front, which saw the Germans and Russians face off in some of history’s largest, bloodiest air battles. You get a total of 31 aircraft to fly, but the IL-2 Sturmovik is the featured attraction. An ugly brute of a plane, the IL-2’s specialty was providing devastating ground support while being able to take an astounding level of punishment.

The rear gunner stations in later variants of the IL-2 are modeled, so you can play as either pilot or gunner (or both) in the campaigns — or do so in online play, which makes for some dynamite multiplayer co-op. Other birds include several variants of the German 109 and 190, and the Russian MiG and Yak fighters.

Each aircraft model is a sight to behold, with a nearly unparalleled level of detail. Every control surface that should move does, right down to the rudder pedals in the fully 3D cockpits, and the flight models are superb, aptly and authentically re-creating the “feel” of flight for each plane. The sim even goes the extra mile and models each aircraft’s trim controls as well; you’ll want to master them to get the most performance out of your ride.

Merely keeping some of these planes from crashing — let alone shooting down the enemy — is a real feat at the highest difficulty settings. The difficulty level is fully customizable, however, so newbies shouldn’t be in over their heads. (The manual and tutorials are among the worst I’ve seen packaged with a complex flight sim, though.)

You can play a campaign as either a German or Russian fighter pilot, or as a Russian bomber (IL-2) pilot. In each campaign, you tackle a series of scripted missions that span the course of the war. Unfortunately, you’ll get far too little information about vital mission objectives before you take off, and virtually zero info about why you succeeded or failed. On the flip side, you do get 20 additional single missions, a quick-mission creator, a full-featured mission editor, and robust online options.

The enemy AI, and that of your wingmen, may be the finest in the genre. Shooting down an enemy plane is an accomplishment, as is successfully evading one that’s latched onto your tail. (I’d swear I ran into Erich Hartmann, history’s leading ace with more than 350 kills — most against the Russians — on one occasion!)

Most of the action takes place at low altitudes, and IL-2’s forests convey a sense of true speed. Flak bursts from rolling trains and emplaced anti-aircraft batteries will track your aircraft, exploding in realistic puffs that spray shrapnel in all directions. The volumetric clouds are incredible (and barely diminish performance at all), as are the rain, lightning, and snowstorms you’ll encounter.

If a 20mm shell puts a hole in your wing, it’ll create more drag and your plane will tend to roll in that direction. Enemy fire will often loosen the cowling on the nose of your plane, which will obstruct your view from the cockpit. Cannon fire leaves tell-tale traces of smoke, and fighters leave twisting contrails during the rare high-altitude dogfights.

If you’re at all interested in WWII flight sims, go out and buy IL-2 today. Trust me — you’ll be blown away.