Replay Value: If the difficulty of flying doesn't bother you the first time you play, it probably won't on subsequent outings. Unfortunately, that basic tenet is missing in Rowan's Battle of Britain. Flight simulators, above all else, must include, at the core, basic enjoyment of flying a plane. Sound: Nicely done radio chatter and propeller noise.Įnjoyment: Any excitement or continuous flow is interrupted by the unwieldy plane controls. Graphics: Beautiful representation of the south of England. Rowan's Battle of Britain, despite being a lot of fun to look at, doesn't quite get there. In short, for a flight simulator to appeal to a wider audience than plane-enthusiasts, it must have an easy setting that's enjoyable to those with less than hard-core interest. If you happen to be aimed slightly too low, you must pull up far beyond the actual direction of the enemy and hope that the bearing on which your plane eventually settles is the correct one.

Trying to shoot at the enemy swarming around you in these conditions is tough. If you move the stick to point the airplane in a specific direction and then let go, the plane snaps back to a bearing somewhere in between your previous heading and the one you actually want.

The novice setting, while greatly reducing the risk of stalls and spins, is no big improvement. But, if the motion is too abrupt or you bank too sharply, the plane goes into a dive or a spin, while ascending too quickly stalls the engine. The stick isn't very sensitive, thus you must give it a significant push to make the plane move. Realistic is close to what one would assume it would actually be like to pilot a World War II era fighter - translation: difficult. There are two settings for the flight model, realistic and novice. Unfortunately, all of these nicely designed elements are somewhat wasted due to the irritation caused by actually flying the planes. Not only can you choose which country to fly for in the drama of Adolf Hitler's attempt to bring England to its knees, but you also assemble the squadrons and plan the specifics of offensive and defensive maneuvers. It would difficult to overstate the visual achievement of Rowan's computer-generated representation of the south of England.Īlso offered is an impressive and exceptional amount of flexibility. Enemy planes, farmers' fields, rivers, even London landmarks are all visually realized to an extent rarely seen in any kind of game, but especially a flight simulator. Rowan's Battle of Britain is an extremely good-looking flight simulator, with a level of detail so fine as to make brave pilots weep.

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