Playing Blazing Angels, the first word that comes to mind is ‘gorgeous': the game is breathtaking to see, and is one of the best looking games released to date. Graphics, however, can only do so much for a game. No matter how shiny a game is, poor gameplay always remains the linchpin in a game's underlying quality. Fortunately, Ubisoft Romania managed to mix in some nifty dogfighting along with the stunning visuals, and while Blazing Angels isn't the finest aerial combat game to ever come along, it is definitely a solid addition to the genre.

This game is not Crimson Skies. There is no crazy physics or insane gameplay at work here. The flying and fighting in Blazing Angels is much more straightforward. This will be a disappointment to some; it may make the game seem boring, and justifiably so. The game's pacing is slow, and sadly, neither the story, a standard World War II affair, nor the obnoxious voice acting do a lot to spice it up. This isn't to say that these elements of the game are bad enough to make you turn it off, just that they won't keep you on the edge of your seat.

Thankfully, the good in Blazing Angels outweighs the bad. The dogfighting, in fact, is damn good. Locking on with the L trigger and flying circles around your enemies is wonderful, dropping payloads on ground units is always satisfying, and narrowly avoiding enemy fire while whipping through the sky is, at times, an exhilarating experience, all of which are helped by the aforementioned stellar graphics.

The majority of Angels has an ‘old-timey' sepia-toned quality to it that makes you feel like you are watching actual footage from the era. Another plus is the number of unlockable planes that you gain access to as you progress through the game, each of which has an "Ace" challenge associated with it. Ace challenges are one-on-one battles that are often difficult, but always a complete blast.

Further adding to the game's appeal is the online play, which is top-notch. 16-player online dogfights are a thing of beauty, and playing through the game cooperatively with friends adds another layer of replayability to the somewhat lackluster single player campaign.

Blazing Angels' gameplay could have used a touch more gloss. It's not going to revolutionize the flying genre, but not every game has to reinvent the wheel. The story and the voice acting are definitely lacking, but when mixed with the unparalleled graphics, it all blends together to make a solid addition to the Xbox 360 library. Fans of the genre will find a lot to like, but if you want an edge-of-your-seat arcade experience, Blazing Angels will inevitably disappoint. However, for those who simply want to shoot planes out of the sky, especially online, Angels has all of the ingredients for a good time.

Score: 85%

Jun 22, 2006 | 0 comments
Steve Garlo