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Title Thunderhawk
Game Type Flight Sim
Players 1
Compatibility All (Sound quirks on faster amigas)
Submission Achim Haertel

Review
Usually, I'm not a fan of flight simulations. Lots of keys to remember,
a general loss of orientation in the air and the problem of a minimum speed
make them difficult to play for the inexperienced.
But all that doesn't apply to Thunderhawk.

First, you choose one of the 6 missions from your tactician
Jack Marshall. Each mission consists of several sub-missions, which are
explained shortly before you start, like to destroy some tanks, bomb a
bridge or escort another helicopter. You choose your weapons from a wide
range of available ammo and missiles, of course you can't load as much
as its seems will be needed sometimes, so you have to try the right tactics
for it. I rather prefer the guided missiles instead of the guns, it's easier
to aim.

Your helicopter is controlled entirely by mouse, only 7 (easy to remember)
keys are needed for additional control like toggle night vision, radar/IR-
jammer and view mode. Landscape is generally flat with a few pyramid hills,
but at least you can hide a bit behind them. Also the houses, bridges and
craft are in vector graphics. There is a main goal in the sub-missions,
but even if you achieve it there are some extra tasks, the completion of
which results in a better rewards after the sub-mission.

But it has also its inconsistencies: The enemy helicopters bothering you
appear from time to time regardless of the territory you are in, which is
a bit unrealistic if you are close to your base. Your helicopter can take a
lot of damage, before being destroyed, but in the interest of good
playability this may be forgiven.

If you are a real fan of flight sims, the gameplay may be too shallow for
you, but you could give it a try. If you just want to get a look at the
genre I recommend Thunderhawk.

Difficulty: For beginners
Rating: Graphics 75%, animation 70%, music 75%, SFX 85%, handling 90%,
initial gameplay 90%, permanent gameplay 70%, overall 85%.