A 5-hour rundown of H.A.W.X. 2

In the early stages of 2009, where I had good feelings about video games and had no worries in a workplace before the mail server collapsed, I revived my love of flight simulators by playing Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. Despite the story not being written by Clancy, it seems that all the related games Ubisoft have released have created an interactive universe that goes beyond the books. For the first H.A.W.X. it actually turned out quite good. The controls were solid, combat was flowing and edgy, and the story, albeit far-fetched, was somewhat pushing me to go on and find out what happens next.

So, what has changed in H.A.W.X. 2? Well, this time you have a pick and mix of different pilots from the Call of Duty All Stars: Yanks, Poms, and Russkies. Each have their own unique stories, but the story revolves around mostly the Yankee variety, because Tom Clancy would have a hissy fit if he doesn't hear more about America the Beautiful in his little universe. Take off and landings have more of a major involvement in this game, which makes it immersive (as far as playing by controller goes), but for retards who don't know how to give a level landing, there is a friendly path-following system that will gently hold your hand to the airstrip. Even in levels without an airstrip, you can refuel and re-arm with the help of a friendly jumbo jet. Air combat is also extended with the control of a U.A.V. and you can gun down enemies in an auto-controlled combat talon.

Only fair if you're on the giving end.

The opening sequence lets us play as the main protagonsit ruining enemy equipment after shooting down a chopper. After the brief battle, you return to base. Oh no! you get shot down, and the scene fades to black, letting you play two different non-American characters in the intervening time, before being introduced to a nameless, faceless, speechless Yankee protagonist to take over for the majority of the game, which makes it an old formula of hating player characters. Controls are simple enough as well: Press X to start plane, A to launch missile, B to rain bullets, and the chicken to eject out of a plane, because that's what you are!

Nevertheless, I enjoyed H.A.W.X. 2, the flying is fun, the actions are more immersive, and you can feel like you’re fighting for freedom with a different way of dying – 5000m above sea level. I'll still be playing this one to the very end, and then play it some more just for fun. Different planes control differently, challenges are grand enough, and if you've played the first H.A.W.X. the plane-shearing drift moves are standard throughout the whole game. That's too sugar-coated, now let's hate on it a little bit.

Selecting missions is easy enough, but why the hell can't I choose my plane? I know that there were an excess of planes in the first one, but that's what I liked most. You could choose your method of lightning, your method of quick-time-mass-murder, and away you went. Now it's just gone linear for the purpose of the story, saving the custom battles for multiplayer. It feels like I've been given a restriction of freedom, and I can't help but get irritated by that. I suppose you have to put up and shut up, but it's still all whoosh-flighty-shooty fun.

Too bad the stunts in "Assistance OFF" mode can't be seen in 1st person.

Next up are the enemies for a story. I think we've run into a bit of a snag when it comes to bad guys in war games. As gamers, we have given a body count of Nazis that have exceeded the original WW2 body count, Russians were the Cold War fantasy, brought back by fantasists for Modern Warfare and Bad Company, Middle Eastern terrorists are still being used (though rarely), PMCs can't be used as a result of the Reykjavik Accord from the first H.A.W.X. (spoiler alert), and developers are edgy when it comes to China and North Korea in fear of being attacked by the secret nukes stockpiled. What I don't understand is how Cold War fantasists and Middle Eastern extremists could get along: The only interest is hating the West. I guess the only theory now is that stamping the Tom Clancy brand on a game means re-enacting past victories for modern times, but this game, I think, should be played just have some flying fun with a storyline being: We are at war, enemies are there, you’re air support, bomb them to hell.

Judgement: Enjoyable, close to realistic flight sim, as long as you don’t let the story get to you that much.