By Brandt Ryan January 18th, 2000

  Gameplay (95%)

This simulation is fun. Period. Although I sort of relish those long hauls in F4 before you reach the FLOT, there seems to be no such sight-seeing possibilities in this sim. If you're not involved in destroying the enemy, or getting destroyed by them, you're inevitably listening to someone is who is. I mean, forget about it (I can say that since I lived in NYC last summer!) It's fun taking off, it's fun trying to complete the mission, and boy is it fun trying to land on an aircraft carrier (in that palms sweating, heart pounding sort of way!)

Voice-over missions are being created already by eager beavers online. I imagine in no time we'll have new training missions provided by the flight sim community covering every aspect of combat. Not only can you add wav files to the briefing, but also IN FLIGHT (ala Flanker 2.0). So, we're talking Longbow 2 here in regards to training mission capabilities. Some nice guy will be telling you exactly what to do throughout your flight in order to achieve an understanding of a certain system. I look forward to seeing many of these online.

Pilot Records

F/A 18 has the usual gaming options for the player, including training, single missions, instant action and campaign modes.

Pilot records are available, and offer extensive information about each pilots history. Jane's has gone so far as to record the stats for every single mission a pilot flys. Hit ratios on all sorts of targets are included, as are medals earned.

The only thing I don't like about the pilot roster is the manner of receiving a medal. In fact, there flat out ain't no "event". I never even knew I had a medal until I checked in my pilot roster--imagine my surprise when I had about 5! Squadrons can also be observed and created--including the editing or creation of a imaginative "history" of the squadron. Nice touch.

The briefings are quite good, but I'd say no benchmarks are being set here. Mission objectives, package components, bullseye information and assets are all included. However, it can be difficult to pick out your own flight plan from the rest of the clutter on the map.

Debriefings are excellent, and provide a wealth of information including kill ratios for all sorts of targets. A debrief summary is also there, letting you know whether or not you have completed the objectives. I sort of missed though, the ability to recon the target after it had been destroyed ala Falcon 4.0. As far as I could tell, this isn't possible.

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Graphics and Frame Rate (89%)

This simulation demands a powerful system in order to fly with the graphics maxed out. Here's what I'm running:

• Celeron 400, overclocked to 500
• 128 PC100 RAM
• Voodoo 3000 AGP
• Monster Sound II

In order to get an acceptable frame rate, I had to take down a number of graphics settings, most notably the virtual cockpit setting and the terrain distance. This has allowed me to get approximately 15-20 fps average in campaign. Obviously in the single missions the fps goes way up with these settings.

I would challenge anyone to produce an average of 30 fps in campaign with the graphics maxed out. From reading the message boards, it doesn't seem that this is possible.

Now, here's the good news. This sim looks brilliant even with LOW graphics settings. Set the graphics down so that you get your 20+ fps in campaign, and depending on your system you're should still see a beautiful sim.

It is my opinion that the graphics RULE from high above, and as your altitude falls, so do the graphics. Don't get me wrong here though--even down low they are quite impressive, perhaps a notch or two above F-15. Because of the weather and clouds, at nearly every altitude, it makes for a beautiful show even in the weeds.

My only gripe is with the terrain itself. It's only great, instead of unbelievably fantastic (like at the higher altitudes.) Perhaps I'm spoiled.

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