Four new games to "fly"

Flight Journal, Jun 2002 by Marks, Bob

That being said, Top Gun: Combat Zones could serve as a decent launching point for new and younger virtual pilots into the world of aviation and flight. As of this writing, the installed base of PlayStation 2 units in North America is just under 9 million. All it takes is a spark, and the exciting graphics and gee-whiz action of Top Gun: Combat Zones could serve as a point of ignition.

AT A GLANCE

Highs: nice graphics, cinematic you-control-the-- camera replay is well executed; no quarters required.

Laws: lack of strong story to link missions; mission goals are somewhat vague.

Bottom Line: an entertaining shoot-'em-up with fast and furious action.

Search & Rescue 3

Developer: InterActive Vision AIS

Publisher: Global Star Software

Recommended System: PIII 500 or better, 128MB RAM, 32-bit 3D accelerator with 32MB RAM or better.

Available: now www.globalstarsoftware.com/sar3/index.html.

Global Star Software touts its new Search & Rescue 3 (SAR3), in typically reserved fashion, as "the most realistic helicopter rescue simulation ever created." This may very well be, as its only competitors

to the highly focused genre of helicopter rescue simulation are its predecessors Search Sr Rescue 1 and 2.

Search & Rescue 3 provides quite a challenging change of pace. The goal of most flight simulations is to drive around the digital skies or hunt for things to blow up, but Search Sr Rescue 3 gives virtual pilots a chance to be bona fide rescue-pilot heroes. Convincing flight dynamics make flying the three featured helos-- the- BK-117, HH-65A Dauphin and Sikorsky SH-- 3-quite challenging in the various weather conditions. Search & Rescue 3 attempts to model actual USCG procedures, and it employs decent voice acting in the process. Although this sim can be quite demanding and even fun, the overall feeling of quality is diminished by a few weaknesses.

First and foremost is the graphics. The helicopters, both inside and out, look as though they are from a circa-1997 sim. There is not a lot of attention to detail, and the somewhat dated graphics detract from the ever-elusive suspension of disbelief. The view system definitely favors an outside view of your aircraft. Many flight-sim fans chafe at the thought of having to use an external view to complete a given mission; it feels like cheating.

Stronger graphics and a more sophisticated view system would definitely add to the fun of a virtual-piloted SAR like Search & Rescue 3.

There you have it: four flight sims with absolutely nothing in common except that they are great ways to pass time in a totally nonconstructive but highly entertaining manner. And couldn't we all use a little bit of that? So sit down at your desk, rest your feet on the plastic rudder pedals, fire up your computer and yell "Clear!" You'll confuse everyone in the house, but you'll feel much better;

trust me.