Secret Weapons Over Normandy

On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland and the world was on the verge of war. The combined might of the German units was awesome to behold and Western Europe was quickly in the grasp of the enemy juggernaut.

Winston Churchill allowed for the creation of the SOE, a special unit was created to undermine the German war machine. Another unit, the Battlehawks, was a multi-nation force of elite pilots whose job it was to search out and destroy the terrifying secret weapons of the Luftwaffe. The courage of those chosen for this rank would be tested to the fullest.

Welcome to Secret Weapons Over Normandy, a PlayStation2 title from LucasArts and Totally Games, which is set for release in mid-November. This game places players in the seat of some of the aircraft of World War II, but rather than being a flight sim, it is an action game. You are thrust into the fighters, given an evolving campaign to work through, time limits to meet and then it is into the heat of the battle.

Using terrific diary accounts, photos and a rich historical overlay, this game plays out in third-person mode. It is not a flight sim. Your perspective is from behind the plan, almost in arcade mode. But this game is taut, action-packed and challenging. There is no aimless searching for the enemy. It is in your face, almost constantly.

From flying fighters in missions to protect, or to search and destroy, or to being the gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress, Secret Weapons Over Normandy pulls all the elements together to make an adrenaline rush that is thoroughly intoxicating.

It all begins in May 26 of 1940. Your first mission is to provide air cover for British transports during troop evacuation and delay the German advances on Dunkirk. Stukas are converging on the town, and the German ground forces are also moving in. Time is short. You must protect the transports.

The radio crackles. You can hear the Germans barking commands. The rising panic of the British ship captains under attack, the musical score - rich and dynamic - pumps the blood. The air is filled with enemies, but what of the ground. Decisions must be made, and it seems that you are alone up there.

One ship is lost, others are calling for help. The sky is filled with Stukas, tanks are closing on the docked forces ...

The game follows the story of an American pilot with the Battlehawks. Through 15 missions of the story and a host of side missions, players will find themselves in a variety of settings, approximately a dozen, and there are 20 historically accurate aircraft which can be flown during the game.

Each mission is rated, in terms of primary and secondary goals, mission time and accuracy and targets destroyed. A HUD will allow you to lead the enemy with your gunfire. Arrows point the way to the next target. The AI evolves and each of the story-driven missions gets harder as you move along.

The control elements are simple and players can jump right into the battle with little training.

What really pushes this game are the graphical elements and sound. The latter is richly textured and has a strong feel for the time period and emotions. The graphics are nothing short of amazing. From planes catching fire and exploding into chunks of twisted metal, or the parachutes of pilots who have ejected, to the ground forces and environments, this game is a real treat for the eyes.

The game features unlockables with movies, ranks, new planes and a bonus point system that allows players to upgrade planes.

Having played the beta builds of this game, there was some thought over how different the review build would be. The answer is simple: amazingly different. The graphics, sound and cutscene totally create an atmosphere that gets the blood pumping. The game is fully three-dimensional and you have to be cognizant of so much that is happening around you. Focusing on one target or one element of the mission is tantamount to failure. This is almost a case of having to be in several places at once. But therein lies the challenge.

But enough of this. It’s time to start writing about it and play it some more. Secret Weapons Over Normandy is quite arcade-like in some regards, with the general look and unlockables, but this is a game that somehow defies categorizing. It is a third-person flight combat action/adventure game, and if that is a new genre, then this title has raised the bar to an incredible high standard.

Gameplay: 9.4
This is taut and gripping. The game is seamless and action packed once a mission is launched. The cutscenes are very well done and really set up the action.

Graphics: 9.4
The special effects are realistic, and the overall look of the game is amazing. You can also set your own camera angles for replays of the action.

Sound: 9.8
The audio track of this game is one of the best I’ve ever heard. Every element works so well to create a true sense of the time frame and mood.

Difficulty: Medium
This score is misleading. The game’s first missions are tough, but can be easy once you figure out what needs to be attacked in what order. But the game gets progressively harder as you go.

Concept: 9.7
This is a very well designed game, from the player interface to the mission briefings to the actual combat.

Multiplayer: 8.5
Split-screen multiplayer action is not bad, but it tends to rob the game of the richness of the look and feel of the game. Multiplayer scenarios include player-versus-player dogfights, as well as cooperative missions.

Overall: 9.5
This is an amazing game that is a joy to play and very addicting. While not a huge fan of flight combat games, the look, mood and feel of this title was so compelling it was almost impossible to put down.