Dated but fun flying sim
Despite its rather unimaginative title, this early flying sim from Sierra, better known for their graphic adventures, is actually a pretty neat little game. Although undeniably dated and lacking in the excessive detail that flying fans require, it is worth a brief investigation for chopper fiends. The game rather ambitiously offers a variety of flying modes, including target practice and combat, and was innovative for its day in that it was the first such game to offer two-player fun via a modem. The helicopter on display here is the Apache and the game boldly claims to take players from Los Angeles airport to the skies of Paris, while offering the chance to engage in combat over Manhattan. Of course, given the technical limitations of the day, it's rather hard to determine where the action is taking place, with graphics that are now crude and ugly. However, the Apache itself handles nicely and features the same gear as the real deal, making the game surprisingly authentic and challenging. The different modes add some appeal to things, with combat proving quite fun, although it does switch to a side-on view for some reason, and overall this is a neat little experience for undemanding sim fans.
