Hardened PC fighter jocks—those with Avgas and jet fuel coursing through their veins and the latest HOTAS flightstick adorning their desktop—have had a tough go of it over the last few years. The genre hasn’t seen a newsworthy release since IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 in early 2007 and the last decent jet combat sim was Falcon 4: Allied Force way back in 2005.

So, what does the future hold for these long-suffering gamers? Some jaw-dropping stuff by the looks of it, and I expect a couple of these projects to ship in the next few months. I’m gonna highlight five of the most promising titles with this column, but rest assured I’ll also devote some up-close-and-personal ink to each one as they hit the marketplace.

Pump up that G-suit and prepare for takeoff!


Above: The AH-64 Longbow from DCS: Black Shark

DCS: BLACK SHARK
Dev/Pub: Eagle Dynamics
Rotary-wing sim enthusiasts have been salivating over this one for a couple of years now. Developed by the same Moscow-based studio that gave us Lock On: Modern Air Combat, Black Shark will showcase the brutally lethal Russian
Ka-50 single-seater attack helicopter. This exhaustively detailed study sim promises to shake up the entire genre with its fully functional and clickable 3D cockpit, advanced weapons modeling, spectacular pyrotechnics, and über-realistic flight physics.

The sim has already gone gold in Russia and should be available for digital download in North America by February 2009.

FIGHTER OPS 
Dev/Pub: Xtreme Simulation International
Dubbing itself the “Next Generation in Flight Sim Technology,” Fighter Ops is an ambitious new jet fighter sim that’s been in development since early 2004. Currently advancing from pre-alpha to alpha stage, the XSI folks plan to release FO in several modules. The first will focus on pilot training as digital pilots attempt to master a T-6A Texan II turbo-prop or T-38C Talon twin-engine jet over Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas. This unusual approach mirrors the U.S. Air Force’s own highly regimented training curriculum that ensures users must first learn how to fly before they graduate to aerial combat.

Subsequent modules will introduce F-16, F-15, and A-10 warplanes in all their missile-bristling glory.

STORM OF WAR: BATTLE OF BRITAIN
Dev: Maddox  Pub: 1C
It’s endured a number of delays and setbacks, but Oleg Maddox’s highly anticipated follow-up to his award-winning IL-2 Sturmovik series is slowly beginning to take on recognizable form. The sim’s high-poly WWII aircraft and remarkably detailed new scenery required a complete rewrite of the IL-2 game code and this apparently proved problematic for the revered Russian developer. Oleg isn’t all that forthcoming with release dates or build status (the game doesn’t even have a website), but his 16-person Moscow crew is working industriously toward a 2009 completion target.

When it does land, most insiders already agree Storm of War: BoB will be the WWII sim to own.

Above: Harrier Jump Jet from Jet Thunder

JET THUNDER: FALKLANDS/MALVINAS
Dev/Pub: Thunder Works
This Brazilian/Argentinean collaboration will feature an historical treatment of the 1982 Falklands war complete with Harrier jump jets and Exocet-laden Super Etendard strike fighters. The dev team have extended the sim’s release deadline numerous times, but most fans are hopeful the recently out-of-beta project will find a motivated distribution partner soon. Fans can also expect a playable demo before the end of 2008.

Above: Classic biplane fighters from Rise of Flight

RISE OF FLIGHT
Dev/Pub: Neoqb
Canvas biplane enthusiasts haven’t seen a worthwhile WWI fighter-plane game since the glory days of Red Baron, so this sharp-looking Russian import could fill a Sopwith Camel–sized void. Featuring numerous detailed aircraft models and over 125,000 square kilometers of navigable 3D terrain, the game may even be in stores by the time you read this.

December 5, 2008