Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII
Gamers loved Crimson Skies, made for the original Xbox, for its sense of scale and adventure, and its Indiana "I hate flying!" Jones quality. Blazing Angels 2 has a litlle of that. As Captain Robinson, you lead your elite squadron in Operation Wildcard, to destroy the Third Reich's goal of creating a weapon of mass destruction. The mission objectives and action feel precise and intense, with my eyes often near bleeding tears playing this game. Mission variety is proably this game's biggest strength (and there are 18 of them here). Between escort missions, drop-offs and captures, the developers show off their creativity by putting you behind enemy lines, where you fly a German aircraft amid your enemies to stealthily destroy all air patrol. An on-off red eye icon shows whether you are being watched or not. Trailing enemy aircraft, with your thumb poised at the missile launcher while waiting for (something very brief) opportunities to fire, makes for some memorable moments.
Blazing Angels 2 never approaches the impossible difficulty of, say, a game like Ninja Gaiden. Rather, it tests gamers' patience with auto-saves that are few and far between long missions. The game really shines with dogfighting - probably its most fun aspect, largely thanks to the intuitive flight controls. As you progress, you will unlock more planes and earn prestige points that enable you to upgrade anything from gun sights to better firepower to paint colors.
