BIOS: Technology Means Business

It’s time to rain hell from the skies above in World War II’s fiercest aerial battles. Codemasters’ Heroes of the Pacific (also available for PlayStation 2 and Xbox) puts you in the boots of the those who fought in the incredible aerial and naval conflicts from the Pacific Theatre, 60 years ago. And it rocks!

Developed by Australian games company IRGurus, Heroes of the Pacific is an all-action games that does well to let you experience the exhilaration of historic flight combat. Featuring airborne battles with up to an awesome 150 planes in the sky at one time, the flight combat game often has skies so filled with aircraft, AA fire, smoke and pieces of blown-apart airplane that it feels like all has been let loose in the skies.

Beginning with the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbour, the historical single-player campaign unfolds through 26 missions taken from real events of the US Navy’s campaign in the Pacific. Battles take place in hotspots such as Midway Island, Iwo Jima and Guadalcanal, requiring you to suppress ground attack, protect ground support, escort, patrol, torpedo and dive-bomb vessels. And it pulls it off with such finesse that it deserves a spot alongside such great WWII titles as the Call of Duty and Brothers in Arms franchises.

Featuring 35 authentic military aircraft, plus more to unlock, you get to fly a wide range of US and Japanese planes, including the Grumman F4F Hellcat and F6F Wildcat, the Douglas SBD Dauntless, the Curtiss P-40 Warhawk and the Chance-Vought F4U Corsair. You can also switch between the pilot’s and bombers’ seats and experience first-hand what it’s like when it’s just you and your plane against a relentless enemy that just won’t accept defeat.

Planes, ships and environments are impressively detailed, with some models comprised of as many as 15000 polygons (says Codemasters), in addition to realistic and dynamic 3D water effects. In the single player game missions can include up to four wingmen, who are directed through fast-access menu system. Directing your wingmen simply involves pressing a dedicated key on your keyboard to ask them to, say, defend or attack.

There are arcade and professional control modes, four difficulty levels (Rookie, Pilot, Veteran, Ace), a workshop to customise your plane’s weapon loadout and plane setup, and even cinematic replays of your missions so you can revel in your flying skills. A further five historical missions let you recreate actual acts of heroism in the Pacific, and five training missions let you crash as many times as you like while you get to grips with the game’s basic control system.

Once you’re done with the single player campaign you can go man-to-man against your friends in a dogfight to the death. Heroes of the Pacific features split-screen multiplayer as well as online multiplayer battles for up to 8 players across all formats and includes LAN play on PC.

Putting the historical accuracy of the game’s events to one side, the best aspects of Heroes of the Pacific are the plane models and the detailed graphics. The particle-based clouds are a particular favourite and the plane models are sharp and distinct, showing off the old designs with realistic shape and colour - they look even better when they’re on fire and pouring out smoke. A nearly destroyed plane is a fantastic sight to behold!

The game occasionally struggles with dropped frames, poorly textured landscapes and dull land vehicles, but the draw distance and other key elements are spot on. Sound is nothing really to write home about, but thankfully it avoids lots of stupid repetitions, and there’s a soaring soundtrack that really puts you in the mood for gallantry.

The result is an impressive concoction of diverse levels, superb presentation, and a huge platoon of unlockable, upgradeable planes. The mixture of fighting styles should also provide you with a new gaming experience, and it really does feel like flying the authentic American and Japanese planes fought in WWII - well, it does if you opt for cockpit camera. Strap yourself in and get ready for some intense man-to-man dogfighting! Let’s hope it all doesn’t end too soon in a watery grave! [8]

[Best PC Game Pricing UK]
[Best PC Game Pricing US]

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