Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X 2 is a flight action game developed and published by Ubisoft. It is the sequel to Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X which made its way across the gaming skies last year. The events in the latest title take place close on the heels of the first game and see the H.A.W.X squadron soaring high as they are sent to the Middle East where tensions are on the rise. Different insurgents groups have been spied in various locations across the landscape. The mysterious disappearance of three Russian nuclear weapons without a trace is also top priority and definitely on the cards. We received the Xbox 360 version of the game while the title is also available for various other systems such as the PS3, Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Windows. Shift into top gear and strap yourself in securely as we embark on a topsy-turvy ride and nosedive right into Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X 2. We take you through a review to see whether the game is certainly an ace or should it be grounded back at base.
The game doesn’t require you to read a handbook nor does it need an expert behind the controls. Unlike many other flight simulation titles, even a novice can soon get the hang of its easy maneuvering. The controls which do appear a bit scary to a beginner at first quickly transcend to being just another movement that come almost naturally. You can take to the skies and pilot various formidable planes plucked right out of the American, British, and Russian forces. The real world and prototype aircrafts each have their distinct characteristics although the handling seems nearly the same. The title takes off leaving behind a trail of smoke and a good impact in the gamers’ mind.
With that being said, the game later opens up to a host of options ranging from New Story, Xbox Live, System Link, Pilot Records, Uplay and Options as well as Extras which comprises of downloadable content, GeoEye, Exclusive Content and Credit as well as Hints and Tips. The latter is useful as it accurately reminds you of what actions to execute while toggling between the HUD and camera, piloting, weapons, using ERS refueling and landing as well as missile dodging and versus mode. Furthermore, there is a Missions offering which enables you to Replay Missions, Free Flight, Survival and Arcade. David Crenshaw who was the protagonist in the original H.A.W.X title is seen sidelined in order to let other hotshot pilots wield the reins this time around.
Jumping right to the Story Mission, we could hop into cool aircrafts and were endowed with catchy callsign names. There are various levels to sail through with each requiring the players to obtain XP for traversing to the next segment. The events that roll out during the course of the game are very similar to perhaps a movie plot as we got to adorn the helmets of formidable forces from three powerful countries with each panorama toggling between scenarios of the trio. Although perceived to be quite a unique take on the game, it did get a bit confusing at times. The title also offers much more than just the monotonous actions of flying about in the air and taking down enemies. Besides indulging in aerial combat, there were times where we had to execute precision targeted bombing in the stealth of night through infrared vision. We could also partake in surveillance missions with unmanned aerial vehicles which are set for various missions may it be a rescue, target tracking or team deployment.
Another new feature seen in this sequel is the player’s ability to taxi on the runway, takeoff and land manually. Although takeoff was a piece of cake, landing the plane proved to be a bit more on the tricky side. But after a few head-on collisions with the tarmac, we were able to get the hang of it. We could take control of the periodic events that played out through the story such as refueling in mid-air for one. All these other activities were like an oasis in the desert and were seen as a fun reprise from simply gliding through the air and taking aim at foes. As mentioned earlier, we could jump into the cockpit of some noteworthy air bound vehicles such as the Mig – 29 Fulcrum, FA – 18E SuperHornet, F35 Lightening II and Ecrofighter Typhoon among others.
There are three camera view choices to opt for, each offering a fresh perspective of the game through first person, third person and Cockpit views. Adrenaline junkies who want a more immersive feel can choose the cockpit mode while the ability to see the complete plane is given via the third person perspective. When engulfed in the former mode, the surrounding sounds and echoes are also somewhat muffled to relay the same real-life cockpit experience. One downside however is that the different views could not be toggled through a dedicated button while gaming and had to be amended from the options section either during gameplay or from the main menu.
At the start of the story, we could choose from three types of modes namely recruit, regular and expert where the first option offered us full ammo and less damage while the second provided us with less ammo and increased damage. However indulging in expert mode left us not only with less ammo but realistic damage to our planes as well. During gameplay, we could toggle through Off Mode via the left and right triggers which helped display the enemy-ally intentions when engaging in dogfights.
Irrespective of the camera mode, there is always the Speed and Altitude indications situated on the right and left hand side of the screen which definitely come in handy while taking off, landing, and performing other activities throughout the game. To aid in evading nearly fatal incoming missiles which slowly deteriorate the plane, a box appears at the right hand side of the screen making it easier to steer clear of the looming threat. A successful evasion tactic can be executed through tight turns or performing a 360 degree vertical loop if you run out of limited flares which in some parts of the game might just leave you stranded and on the lookout for more.
One good point incorporated in the flight simulation title was seen through good frequency of checkpoints which came in at strategic and well-needed points in the game allowing us to begin right where we plummeted and not have to start the whole mission all over again. Good replay value was also observed with the inclusion of an Arcade mode that enabled us to replay the story missions but only this time, there were different specific challenges to be met. This aspect is observed to be stocked up in the Missions sector which can be opted via the main menu. Other options include Free Flight where you can fly around in the mission environments, practice take off and landing without being under any sort of threat of being blown to smithereens. Another great feature is the Survival mode where you can face off against waves of enemy fighters and survive.
The Final Word: Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X 2 met our expectations by offering a great flight simulation experience packed down to the hilt with loads of captivating elements. The storyline could even make for an exciting cinematic movie. The graphics were clear and vibrant with much attention paid to the backgrounds, environments and characters (not to mention their accurate accents and music resounding around in the backdrop). The AI was also beefed up but as the game progressed, we realized that the difficulty unevenly increased at parts and we were found spending significant time on a few particular levels without backup and limited flares. The tricky terrains of various countries added that special flavor to the game where we had to be aware of our surroundings as well while serving up a series of fire power to our enemies.
Graphics: 8/10.
Gameplay: 8.9/10.
Environments: 9.3/10.
Sound: 9/10.
Story: 8.9/10.
Replay Value: 9.2/10.
Overall (not an average): 8.8/10.