Pads & Panels

Title: Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X.

Platform: 360 (Also on PS3, PC)

ESRB Rating: T

Publisher: Ubisoft

Developer: Ubisoft

Rating:

Review by: Dan Braun

Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. is a dogfighter that has a few tricks up its sleeve, but essentially leaves gamers high and dry.

This futuristic aerial arcade title focuses on David Crenshaw and his  H.A.W.X. (High Altitude Warfare eXperimental squadron) as they progress from an elite military group, to a private, evil organization, only to return as heroes for the military. It is a rather uneventful plot, with visible “twists” and jargon-riddled dialogue that will guarantee players skip most of the lengthy introductory scenes, only to have objectives re-explained during missions. Mission briefings are unbearably cheesy and prone to clichés, plenty of visual cues as to what a plane may or may not look like, and terrible, terrible dubbing.

The basic controls are accessible and functional, even with the complicated appearance of the heads-up display. The problems arise with the aiming and firing of certain weapons. When firing machine guns, for example, it is best to “lead your target for accuracy.”  Its simplicity seems obvious, but successfully leading a target takes significant practice, and most players will find themselves relying on missiles for every dogfight. Graphics are serviceable from a distance, but downright ugly when forced to take them in up close (which the game makes the mistake of forcing players to do during several missions).

There is enough variety in enemies and mission types to satisfy gamers of differing preferences. Escort missions, aerial battles, naval assaults and even a space shuttle defense mission are present. Unfortunately, every battle feels tedious and bland, with recycled maneuvers becoming a staple of the successful pilot. To spice this up, H.A.W.X. features an “Enhanced Reality System” that triggers complicated flight paths to be used to combat multiple (or more difficult) enemies. Essentially, the ERS can be used to feel like a professional fighter without the know-how. On the downside, having the game provide a predestined path for winning almost takes the fun out of learning to fly independently.

One other innovation the game attempts to implement with poor results is the ability to “turn off” the assistance of the on-board computer and fly the plane from a third-person view. In this mode, players can stop on a dime, flip planes 180 degrees in an instant, and execute complicated stunts to hunt down enemies. It is a fantastic idea, and one that could have really enhanced the arcade style of the game. The problem is that it has a crippling camera angle that can barely be tolerated, and the game’s overall lack of scope, distance and speed leaves players more susceptible to crashes in this mode.

The game includes a ranking system that allows players to earn experience and unlock new planes and loadouts, but these unlockables are unnecessary to the completion of the game and provide very little difference in the types of planes and weapons available. Quite honestly, the supposedly faster and more agile planes in the game handle about the same as the default for the first mission.

The multiplayer component is limited and disinteresting. It feels nowhere near as fun as multiplayer dogfights available on other games. Almost every battle comes down to respawning with a full arsenal of weapons, unloading them for a kill, and then flying around defenselessly until destroyed. Repeat ad infinitum.

H.A.W.X. tries to make a memorable flight title to add to Ubisoft’s already impressive repertoire of action and Tom Clancy titles, but this is one game that feels like it never fully gets off the ground. Planes! Get it?

For more info, www.hawxgame.com