Graphics: (90) At 640x480 Janes F-15 looks very nice with 3DFX. It is not as ground breaking in the graphics department as F22 ADF and does not support any of the higher resolutions. However, what it does have is very nice effects. The attention to detail on the actual aircraft is done well. Landing gear, formation and navigation lights, glass cockpit etc… all look good. Similarly, ground objects are excellent.

Where Janes F-15 comes out ahead in is graphics effects: explosions, secondary explosions, missile trails and smoke. This is the first simulation when you drop a bomb and it hits the ground or your target, it looks like something off the Discovery channel. You will see concussion waves upon impact and fireballs.

Secondary explosions occur when you hit the right target. Missile trails are also modeled very well. You can actually see a SAM come off the rails and track its target (or you for that matter). During an engagement it’s not uncommon to see white trails and conn trails all over the sky. Anti Aircraft tracers and Explosions are also nicely done. So I rate Janes F15 a 90 because of their attention to detail.

Sound: (90) let me first say that the sound of the F-15 itself is a little on the soft side. I would have liked to see the engine sound a little more realistic and the flyby sound more aggressive. Where Janes F-15 comes out ahead in is the Radio chatter and sound FX in the actual missions. This is the first simulation where you can actually get information overload. When you are on your attack run, you will hear AWACs information, wingmen calling out targets and SAM launches, JSTARs, FAC’s all speaking at the same time. Plus all this information is coming out of your speakers with explosions, Jet engine noise and AAA going off all around you. So again I must give Janes F-15 a very high rating in this category.

Gameplay: (95) Again, I have to give this simulation a high rating. This is one simulation where you really get a sense of "being there". I have not had so much fun flying solo missions since Falcon 3.0. The missions and Campaigns are all very written well. The attention to detail in each mission is very high and the amount of random occurrences gives it good replayability.

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Intelligence: (85) The Artificial Intelligence is good overall. There are a few problems with your wingmen that hurt F15 in this area. They can be seen at times to fly on the ground. Their aircraft don’t yaw the same as yours do on turns in formation. They also will zoom by you with full burners blazing (no fuel crisis here!) It doesn't really seem that they are flying with the same flight model as the virtual pilot.

Furthermore, you can almost drop out of the sky on landing and not take damage, and there are a few bugs in AI relative to ground targetting and padlock. A few of us have experienced random crashes. And that WSO in the back seat MAY just drive you crazy with his "Ouch, that hurt!" (I'll give you some pain, bud!)

However, the enemy is pretty tough and will use real ACM to try to shake you. And modelling is sophisticated enough that they can lose sight or even have simulated blackouts. As for SAMs, they will first paint your aircraft, then lock you up and then fire the SAM at you. At the higher levels the AI is very hard to beat.

Learning Curve: (8+ Hours) It is hard to say how long this simulation will take to learn. For the hardcore simmer out there I think it will take about four to eight hours to get comfortable in the F-15. The Novice can start out in the casual mode and work their way up to expert over time, so it will take them a bit longer. The manuals are done very professionally and will answer most of your questions if you study. It would have been nice to see some good tutorials accompany F-15, but custom missions may provide the answer, as will a good strategy guide!

Fun Factor: (90) With Instant Missions, Single Missions, Campaigns and a mission editor (That is fantastic!), you can have many hours of fun Air Combat with Janes F-15. If you’re in the mode for air to air or just want to blow stuff up, its very easy to do in the Instant mission portion of the simulation. It will also keep you occupied for hours strategizing your Campaigns. So it provides a wide range of choices as to how to have your fun. The Graphics and Sound FX keep you on the edge of your seat and add a lot to the feeling of doing actual air combat.

Overall Rating: (90) I know this simulation does not have everything for every virtual combat pilot out there. Cooperative multiplayer is a big issue with many as well as supporting higher resolutions. Also remember that Andy Hollis and his team never said F15 would have those options. So take this simulation for what it is, a great combat simulation of the F-15E Strike Eagle. Andy and his team have once again pushed the limits of combat simulation in flight model, graphics effects and sound effects, good control over wingmen and created a highly authentic combat simulation.

With an overall rating of 90, COMBATSIM.COM awards Janes F15 its TOP PICK award for excellence and for pushing the envelope in a combat simulation. For a complete listing of our F15 coverage visit our Index. For more information on our rating system see Ratings.