Apache Air Assault Review

Turning up on the shelves to relatively minimal fanfare, Apache: Air Assault has helped me learn one thing. I was never cut out to be a helicopter pilot, especially of an aircraft so hell bent on destruction.

The missions in the game are all very similar, albeit for a little bit of back story you get before each mission. However, they all sum up to killing targets, whether air borne or grounded. That said, there's not really much else you could do in your Apache.

There is also the option of running Free Flight, where you can simply learn the control scheme, or ramp it up a bit by adding some enemies into the mix. Again though, it's not really anything different to running the preset missions, just without a primary objective.

Really placing the pressure on Apache, is the control system. Whilst veteran flight sim types will likely relish in the inclusion of a "Realism" mode, in which the aircraft handles like it's real life counterpart, the less aerobically able will find their wings in the games training difficulty, which limits the roll and spin of the helicopter to certain degrees, meaning the game is less about keeping your mind on the flying, and more on the blowing the crap out of the enemies.

Whilst the game is low on originality, there's still a lot to be said for the fun of blowing things up from the seat of one of the most destructive helicopters the world has ever known. Watching a missile trace it's target and then pop in the most satisfying and grin inducing way is always fun.

Multi player is a different story however, the co-op mode is certainly good - but only online. Online gives both players an Apache to rain death from above with, but the local co-op has both players on the same screen with one as the pilot and the other player as the gunner. The fun for player 2 in the mode lasts a whole 20 seconds or so.

Overall, this is a good fun title that sim fans will enjoy, and even more casual players should get along with with the varying difficulty levels.