Death From Above- Apache: Air Assault Review

Military
aircraft simulations tend to be puzzlingly divisive. While many of my
friends and colleagues find little gratification in the Ace Combat or H.A.W.X.
franchises, I take great pleasure in being able to fly the multi
million-dollar machines Uncle Sam would likely never trust me with.
Beyond the appeal of streaking across the skies with exclusionary
hardware, there’s also the undeniable allure of obliterating enemies
with bleeding-edge weaponry. Call me simple minded, but I derive
gratification from blowing shit up.

Whereas supersonic fighter
jets often get the starring role in the genre, the attack helicopter
often has to settle for second billing. Save for Electronic Art’s
renowned Strike series, Core Design’s Thunderhawk series and the sporadic cameo in a FPS , the chopper has been often woefully neglected.  Fortunately, IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey developer Gaijin Entertainment remedies that oversight with Apache: Air Assault.

First, 
a word of warning: players shouldn’t step into the Apache cockpit
expecting the uncomplicated  flight mechanics of most jet-based  titles.
Even on the game’s easier difficulty, using the two analog sticks along
with the triggers to simultaneously control your altitude and forward
speed can be a bit tricky. Smartly, this setting manages many of the
stabilization nuances of flight, generally leaving your tail boom
parallel to the ground. However on Apache’s realistic setting, the
training wheels are taken off, giving players a new-found appreciation
for copter pilots.

After a nearly requisite training mission,
Apache offers players sixteen stages filled with an ample amount of
antagonists. While most of the goals are traditional air sim fodder-
with players directed to destroy, escort, or defend targets, there are  a
handful of high points. One section draws inspiration from Black Hawk Down,
tasking players with protecting two pilot against a horde of angry,
RPG-toting, foes. After defeating an escalating onrush of enemies, an
evac chopper drops down and the music swells cinematically. Those
Russian developers know to play my patriotic heartstrings like a harp.
Beyond the game’s narrative-based sorties, gamers also have access to a
free-flight mode. Here, players can set the location, control the amount
of friendlies and hostiles, or simply turn off the combatants
altogether to boost their flying proficiency.

Beyond Apache‘s
single player raids, there’s also a local co-op mode which designates
players as pilot and gunner. The mode presents a more realistically
depiction of the AH-64 crew’s duties,  requiring near-constant
communication between the team. The sole drawback happens when players
utilize the belly-mounted camera to target hostiles. While the gunner
gets a zoomed or thermal scan of the ground, the pilot isn’t given a
cockpit perspective making navigation tricky. Additionally, two to four
players may link up online, to tackle a set of thirteen cooperative
missions. While certainly enjoyable, I wasn’t able to wage war with a
full squadron, as I couldn’t find many pilots online. 

Visually, Air Assault
is competent, with wide panoramic views and impressive draw distances.
While the  landscapes succumb to asset recycling, the game’s texture
maps are well-drawn, offering a nice selection of desolate deserts, and
craggy mountainous regions. While the title’s framerate is typically
solid, the game can yield to the inexplicable stutter. While it’s hardly
a deal-breaker, the faltering refresh rate can reduce the
responsiveness of the game’s elusive controls. Sonically, both the pound
of the Apache’s 30mm chain gun and the thrust of a Hellfire missile are
adequately conveyed.