Air Force Delta Storm
Score: 90% ESRB: Everyone Publisher: Konami Developer: Konami Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Simulation/ Flight
Graphics & Sound: Air Force Delta Storm tests out the Xbox's power for graphical and elemental effects at speeds of over Mach 2. With surprisingly large combat areas, AFDS's framerate never slows down a bit, even while skimming the ground at 1000mph with a bogie in sight. Above the clouds you'll enjoy a peaceful climate with no interference. But below the skyline (where most of the action takes place), you'll have to deal with hills, buildings, and outstanding weather effects like rain and snow. From the air, the ground looks incredible. Unfortunately, if you fly down close you'll notice that the ground is simply a texture and doesn't hold the same quality it did from the air. AFDS boasts Dolby Digital Surround Sound, which puts you in the pilot's seat while jets scream past your wing tips while you're in combat. The basic in-game sounds are limited to those like gunfire, missiles, and jet engines. Special cut-scene movies will have a voice-overs talking about upcoming missions as well.
Gameplay: For a first effort flight game on a brand new system, Air Force Delta Storm takes a very good concept and turns it into an equally nice game. It is the year 20X1 (read 'twenty-something'), and your mission is to take on the United Forces and win the worldwide war that is taking place. As a combat pilot, you will have the chance to fly over 70 aircraft in 50 locations to take the world back. Basically, AFDS is a combination between a flight combat simulation and maybe a strategy game like Risk or Axis and Allies. Between each mission, you will get briefed on upcoming missions, then you are given the chance to take off. Once on the World View Screen, you take 'turns' with enemy stations/planes in moving your plane to new locations. When you get to a new spot, you enter the Combat View and do your best to take over the area. Defeat the area, and you're taken back to the World View. In order to save your game, get new briefings, and buy or sell planes, you will need to return to one of your aircraft carriers. After each successful mission, you will earn 'credits,' which can be turned in to buy new planes. Each airplane has its own strengths and weaknesses, as well as carry different amounts of missiles (machine guns are unlimited). Missions in Air Force Delta Storm vary from destroying enemy bases or watercraft to shooting down jets in a dogfight. Sweet weather effects add to the realism, and keep you on your toes at all times. Flying through the mountains at 800mph in a snowstorm can get to be a hairy situation. Clouds, rain, snow, and sunlight effects really add an extra difficulty in that you can easily lose your bearing, and if you're not careful you will crash 'n' burn.
Difficulty: Air Force Delta Storm really isn't that terribly hard, but it does give you a nice challenge. If you don't cheat by re-loading an old game when you crash, you will lose your aircraft. If it's a good plane, then it's an expensive one, and you may have to take some extra time to build up your cash flow. The missions themselves do get increasingly difficult, but you shouldn't have all that hard of a time. Probably the biggest challenge will be the dogfights with 'special' enemy planes, mostly because of the time limit, but also because their increased AI makes them much smarter pilots.
Game Mechanics: With different controller schemes at your fingertips, Air Force Delta Storm can be set up to your personal liking. The controls are very basic, so anyone should be able to pick up the controller and start flying immediately. One of the biggest things that you need to remember is that once you leave your base, you are on your own. What this means is that you may need to conserve your missiles in the mini-missions so that you don't run low while on the main objectives. Keep this in mind and you should be all right. Air Force Delta Storm is a solid title and anybody into flight sims should pick this one up. Others may want to rent, because even with over 50 missions, replay value is limited since this is a single-player only game.
-Woody, GameVortex Communications AKA Shane Wodele
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