Apache: Air Assault

Title: Apache: Air Assault
Platform Played On: Xbox 360
Release Date: November 16, 2010
Date Played: July 2011
Time Played: 8 hours
Completed (Y/N): No (75%)
Score: 3/5


Opinion:
There are very few helicopter simulators out there, and when compared to them Apache: Air Assault is one of the best.

The graphics are good, explosions are realistic, and the weapons are satisfying and fun to use (machine gun, rockets, AA rockets and Hellfire missles).  The game takes place in 3 different parts of the world that resemble Afghanistan with its mountainous regions, Somalia, with its pirates and typical African plateaus, and Columbia with its lush jungle. All 3 regions look equally great from high altitudes and when you hover just above the tree canopies. While on missions you have a surprisingly big region which you can fly in.

The story line is a typical go from point A to point B to kill a bad guy or a group of bad guys. You can play from a 3rd person perspective, or from within the cockpit, with one of the views being through a thermal camera on the machine gun. It is especially satisfying to hover a few miles back and use the thermal vision to take out infantry. Or to fire and forget a Hellfire missile knowing that it will destroy whatever you are firing it at.

Thermal Camera

Now to things that I wish were better in Apache: Air Assault.

 First of, only 2 flyable (virtually identical) helicopters in the campaign mode? What? You have a flying Hind (Mi-35) in the free flight mode, why is this not an option in the campaign?

Secondly, when it comes down to it.. there are 3 types of missions. 1) Destroy a convoy, 2) Destroy a base 3) Protect a building or a vehicle.  So after doing a couple of each, it does become a little monotonous.

Thirdly, enemy AI seems to know where you are from miles away, and has no problems shooting you in the eye from an AK through the brush/trees from 2 miles away. This creates a frustrating experience.

Fourthly, the game goes from extremely simple to almost impossible back to extremely easy to almost impossible throughout the campaign. This was the major reason why I have not finished the game. There are two missions in particular, which seem to have a great deal of outcry on the web (Turkey Shot, and Sharks in the Water), in both you have to protect an asset (boat or building), the enemies rush in dozens at a time, and unload on the thing you are supposed to protect.  I am not playing a sheep herding simulator, I am playing fly high, fire and forget, blow some $@#t up simulator. Please do not make me herd sheep, where I have 8 bullets in a gun and 60 wolves advancing at my flock at full speed.

Dont get me wrong, although these later missions turned me off the game in frustration, before I got to them I was having an absolute blast, blowing things up. If simply compared to other helicopter simulators out there, especially on the consoles, this is probably one of the best.  I wish there were more of them out there, but for now I definitely recommend this game to anyone who enjoys helicopter simulators. At minimum you will have a fun 6-8 hours before you get to the frustrating parts, and perhaps you have higher skills and patience than me to overcome them. I am sure it feels awesome to actually beat these two unfair, and completely unbalanced missions.