Blazing Angels Squadrons of WWII Review
Ubisoft's aerial WWII opus makes a somewhat smooth transition to the PlayStation 3.
Posted by Robert Workman on Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Finally – a change of pace. After enduring an endless number of World War II-themed first-person shooters, Ubisoft tried something new last year – an aerial combat game. Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII scored major points on the Xbox 360 with a top-notch presentation and feverish online combat. Now those lucky enough to have a PlayStation 3 can join the ranks with Sony's own version of Angels.
The Campaign Mode introduces players to an American pilot who's been sent overseas to lend a hand to a squadron of British flyboys. The game starts out with a basic training mission where players get the hang of the flying controls, machine gunning and bombing techniques. Shortly thereafter, the action shifts into a huge aerial battle in Dunkirk, eventually moving on to more historic encounters including the Battle of Britain and Pearl Harbor, among others. A lot of these missions provide some variety, mixing up aerial clashes and bombing runs. However, some players might be frustrated by the lack of challenge, due to simple-minded artificial intelligence.
For the most part, Blazing Angels' presentation stays authentic to its theme. Many of these cities look breathtaking from a distance, whether players buzz over a foggy London or fly around a calm countryside. The planes look painstakingly authentic, right down to their dedicated paint jobs. However, the game has a nasty flaw when it comes to explosions. This occurs mostly during bombing runs when a player has to fly in real close to take out a swarm of vehicles or another selected ground target (such as a bridge). If an explosion goes off and the player flies anywhere near it, the frame rate almost comes to a screeching halt. After a second, it goes back to normal.
The audio has undergone some major changes in the transition from Xbox 360 to PlayStation 3 since much of the radio chatter from the first game was re-recorded. Ubisoft must have felt that the game needed a more dramatic touch. This time around, the main pilot provides some narrative and can interact with his co-pilots. However, the character's speeches just drag on, especially at the end of a mission. (Seriously, does anyone care if co-pilot A married co-pilot B's sister?) The player can't skip through the audio prologue and get to the next stage – they have to sit and wait. Many of the enemies still sound like hokey stereotypes, especially the German and Japanese pilots. Otherwise, the orchestrated music and sound effects get the job done.
Fortunately, Angels fully supports the SIXAXIS controller, adding a new dimension to this version of game. Players twist their arms to move their planes, and the motion sensing works pretty well for the most part. Some disorientation sets in, resulting in unexpected crashes or aiming problems. Those who prefer typical analog-stick controls do have the option to switch. That control set-up works just as effectively, complete with a lock-on button to track the next target. Players may also issue commands to fellow squadron members with the D-pad, yet this option doesn't work too well. Most of the time, the pilot has to clean up his or her own mess.
Last but not least, Blazing Angels has online features and games galore. Players can pick from a number of different missions including solo, cooperative and squadron operations. These modes mix things up, ranging from a King of the Mountain-esque Aces High to a Bombing Run mode. Bombing Run almost seems like a high-tech version of the old Atari game Warlords, where defense of a base means survival. These options would be far better with actual online players. Sadly, the PS3 doesn't yet have the userbase that the Xbox 360 has, meaning fewer pilots to find online for a battle. During one session, it took almost a whole hour just to get a two-player bout off the ground.
Blazing Angels somehow keeps it together on the PlayStation 3, despite the threat of being grounded by numerous flaws. The SIXAXIS support rewards gamers with hands-on control, and the numerous solo and multiplayer missions will make pilots and aviation masters want to take this under their wing.
Final Score: 7/10
