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| The Luftwaffe are your enemies in this game. |
Flying isn't that important in this game, since bombers fly in a specific formation. |
The genesis of this game goes back to the old board games of Avalon Hill, they too had a B-17 game. When Micropose software bought them out, they developed a simulation around that board game, and people loved it so much, they demanded a sequel. This game was that sequel, but since micropose is long gone, nobody bothered to mention this.
In this simulator, actually flying the plane is not all that important, since heavy bombers fly in formation for maximum protection. The game does provide the ability to play any of the ten positions inside the bomber, from the pilots, to the gunners, as well as navigator and bombardier. You can also switch positions in flight, and their is a lot of role playing, as this game is really meant to be just that, rather than a classic simulator. As one would expect, you can fly the plane yourself, but this is actually a weak point in the design, as the plane can do things a real B-17 could not, such as loops, which would have shattered a Flying Fortress' wings. But that really isn't much of a concern in this game, as it really provides little benefit to break formation.
The game also features the antagonists of the eighth, the aircraft of the Luftwaffe, the BF-109, Me-262 and FW-190. Also seen are the bomber's 'little friends,' the fighters of the eighth, including the P-38 Lightning, the P-47 Thunderbolt, and the best of the bunch, the P-51 Mustang. These are rendered beautifully, and are nicely detailed. In fact, this game is very good in the looks department. The terrain you fly over looks good, and the clouds and sky are well done.
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| The visuals are pretty good, especially for its time. |
Sometimes the action in the game can get really heated. |
The game is extremely detailed as far as operating a B-17 is concerned. The designers went to the trouble of simulating the actual start up procedure of a real B-17, a 29 step process. Like the real pilots, you have to do the check list, in order, to fly this baby. Of course, you could let the AI do this, and just watch, but there isn't much fun in that. On a mission, and there are 25 scripted missions, you can load and fire the guns, operate the various controls of the bomber, and control her in a bomb run. This is a little tricky, as the game simulates the Norden bomb site, 1940 technology, that wasn't very precise. Airspeed, distance, wind change and other factors may cause a bad run, which ruins the mission.
The sound quality in the game is excellent, the crew have nice voice overs, and this adds to the game. The manual is huge, but a lot of it is historical facts about the Eight and the B-17 itself, and it is a little lacking in information about how to control your plane. This game is really more of a hands on game, you will have to experiment a lot to get the best out of your bomber. The AI controls most of the plane, all positions actually, outside of the one you are playing, and even that if you want.
The role playing on board is really the feeling of being a flying target. B-17s had little control over what happened to them once they took off, it really becomes a 'stuff happens' situation. Since the game includes a Group Commander option, you can decide targets, crews, and so on. In flight, you will be dealing with battle damage, injured crewmen, fires, as well as fighting off the enemy. The game captures all this quite well.
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| 1940s technology isn't that precise, so it'll take a bit of skill to pull of a good run. |
It really simulates what it felt like to fly a Flying Fortress. |
This is an older game, but still holds up well. Playing it gives you the feeling you are in a movie like 12 o'clock high, and that is exactly what the game is supposed to make you feel. As a classic flight simulator, the game doesn't measure up to more advanced designs, but its not really meant to. It does simulate what it felt like to fly a Flying Fortress, so for that reason alone, the game is a success.
B-17 FLYING FORTRESS: THE MIGHTY 8TH VERDICT
This is an older game, but still holds up well. Playing it gives you the feeling you are in a movie like 12 o’clock high, and that is exactly what the game is supposed to make you feel. As a classic flight simulator, the game doesn’t measure up to more advanced designs, but its not really meant to. It does simulate what it felt like to fly a Flying Fortress, so for that reason alone, the game is a success.
TOP GAME MOMENT
Perfectly executing a bombing run over a small target whilst being under attack by the Luftwaffe.
