Xbox

Secret Weapons Over Normandy

It's a sad irony that of all the top-notch Christmas releases that SWON has turned out to be one of the best kept secrets of the year. In terms of shoot-'em-ups we can't recall a more enjoyable one, and any game that causes someone who's supposed to be holidaying from videogames to not only complete every single campaign and challenge mission, but go back and replay some of them as well has to go down as a one of the games of 2003. But in an era where only EA games and huge licensed properties sell, we shouldn't be too surprised that most shoppers ignored this truly classic game.

Lack of Xbox-ization aside, Secret Weapons Over Normandy is great stuff, with the most intense dogfighting and most spectacular production values I've ever encountered in a flight-action game. LucasArts receives "mad props," for picking up EA's fumble and running with it.

Still a strong titleEven with that, Secret Weapons Over Normany is solid as a rock. There's a lot of history coming into this game that can't be ignored. And while I would have liked to have seen online gameplay (and I do take off points for that), the single player campaign is very stong, and the storyline will keep you sucked into it. The controls are great, and the presentation is great. Still a game I would highly recommend for the jet combat fans. And especially for those looking for authenticity.

If you wanted a PS2 game where you can dogfight all you want and be able to pick up and play, Secreat Weapons Over Normandy is it. A very solid effort by both LucasArts and Totally Games.

It seems as if Totally Games was holding back, hoping like hell not to overly smartify the title for a console audience. Before you start flaming, that's not a rip on the ability or attitude of console gamers at all; I just think console gamers are perfectly capable of rising beyond the challenges presented here. But the developers seem to have hedged their bets on this one, opting instead for greater accessibility at the cost of increased immersion.

Au final, Secret Weapons Over Normady s'avère efficace dans son office. Un shooter à l'ambiance plaisante et au gameplay séduisant mais qui souffre d'un certain manque de challenge, entrecoupé de quelques phases prises de tête.

At first glance, Secret Weapons Over Normandy seems like a great game for fledgling pilots to play out the course of one of history's greatest wars. Don't get me wrong, it is. With easy to pick up controls, creative premise and number of aircraft presented in the game, SWON had a ton of promise. However, the lack of difficulty levels, imbalanced gameplay mechanics and lack of multiplayer support reduce this game from being much more than a rent for anyone other than the most hardcore flight fanatic.

Secret Weapons Over Normandy is a decent air combat game that takes a stripped-down, arcade-style approach to the genre. Anyone who's looking for a meaty challenge or something with some simulation aspects won't find much to like here.

Stick to Star Wars, Mr. Holland. Let me see a convincing free-form air to air (or space to space) with a compelling vs. mode for a console, for once. If something like TIE Fighter (and REALLY like TIE Fighter) got made for the X-Box, with massive battles available on Live, it would be a no-brainer to buy, no matter the setting.