Heroes of the Pacific is a World War II era flight combat game brought to us by Ubisoft and Australian developer IR Gurus. The gameplay leans towards arcade-style rather than simulation so it is easy to get into and is surprisingly fun. Featuring 35 different aircraft from Japan and the US, up to 150 planes on screen at once, and Xbox Live play, Heroes of the Pacific is worth checking out.
Features and Modes
Heroes of the Pacific features real missions that actually happened in World War II in the Pacific starting with Japan’s attack on Pearl Harbor and also features battles at Wake Island, Midway, and the Coral Sea. It takes a page or two from Brothers in Arms and uses a very intense storytelling style that really makes you feel like you are right in the thick of battle. It isn’t 100% historically accurate as a few things are added here and there to keep the gameplay and story interesting, but using real aircraft from the era and completing the same type of missions is pretty darn thrilling.
In addition to the main single player modes which include, campaign, instant action, single mission, and training, there are also on and offline multiplayer modes. You can play splitscreen against a friend or online via Xbox Live with up to eight people. The game runs fairly smoothly online and it is a whole lot of fun having a dogfight with seven other real live people. It isn’t as hectic or quite as satisfying as Crimson Skies online, but it will keep you entertained for a while.
Gameplay
The game is pretty easy to pick up and play and the controls are fairly intuitive. You actually have a choice between “Professional” and “Arcade” controls, but the professional settings are sensitive to the point of being near impossible to use so most would-be pilots are better off using arcade controls. Flying around is as easy as using the right stick for throttle and the left stick to steer the plane. There is also an added “warp speed” feature that gives your plane a boost when you click down the right stick. Combat is fairly simple as your targets are highlighted from a fair distance away and all you have to do is line up your reticle and pull the trigger when it turns red. It sounds pretty simple, but it really is a lot of fun. A nice feature is that each of the 35 different planes has a different feel to it as you fly which keeps the game interesting. Mission objectives include defending an area, destroying all of the targets, escort missions, and providing cover for units on the ground and there are also bombing missions. The variety of missions is nice and when you have 150 planes all fighting at once the game is pretty intense and a whole lot of fun.
Graphics and Sound
Graphically, Heroes of the Pacific is a nice looking game but suffers from some framerate issues. The planes are fairly detailed and look great, but when there are 150 onscreen all at once with explosions and smoke all over the place the game stutters pretty badly. It is still good enough to be playable but it could have been a lot better. A very nice aspect of the presentation is that all of the menus have a 1940’s super patriotic propaganda look to them which just looks great.
The sound in Heroes of the Pacific is well done and does a good job of immersing you into the experience. The sounds of the planes screaming all over the screen with machine guns blazing and the constant chatter of your commander giving you orders all combine to make a pretty believable aural experience. The orchestral soundtrack does a good job of giving the game an epic and historical feel that really pumps you up as you play.
Bottom Line
Heroes of the Pacific is a solid game that delivers the same drama and thrills as Brothers in Arms but puts a flight stick in your hand instead of a rifle. World War II games are extremely popular these days and it is nice to get a different perspective on it once in a while after playing through so many first person shooters set in Europe. Heroes of the Pacific features fun arcade-style gameplay with as many as 150 planes on screen at once, over 35 types of planes for you to fly, a sharp looking graphical presentation, and a solid online mode that will keep you busy for quite a while. Since it is a flight combat game and therefore isn’t as immediately accessible as other genres, I suggest renting it first before you decide to buy but for flight fans it is definitely worth playing.
