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I’m not one of those airplane enthusiasts who collect model planes and paint them by
hand. In fact, the first time I ever stepped in a plane, I jumped out of it at about 12,000
feet. I didn’t do that because I hated the aircraft, but...I don’t know.
It was just a plane to me.
What that means is...one, I have no regard for my safety or well-being and two, all the
poetry and romance of flying through the clouds in these beautiful machines...it’s kinda
lost on me. I just don’t care, and that’s relevant because that’s a big part of this
game’s appeal. This is Birds Of Steel, and if you’re into aircraft, this is right in
your airspace.
If not...this is the most boring game you’ll ever play in your life.
Released earlier this year, Birds Of Steel is a game about flying and shooting...but
it’s really about aircraft and history. The game takes place during World War II,
and it’s like an ode to the aerial war machines that defined that era. If you’re a buff
for the history of military aviation, Birds Of Steel is really special. It revels in the
topic with more passion and detail than any video game I’ve ever played.
But if you’re not into that kind of stuff, all you’re left with is the gameplay. And
to me, that’s a bit less interesting.
Birds Of Steel packs a lot of features and content and history into what is otherwise
a fairly pedestrian flight simulator. There are three difficulty levels, but even on the
arcade setting, things are pretty sim-my. That is to say slow. Flying your plane—which
is done by subtly steering rudders and wing flaps—is as much the focus as anything else.
Obviously, that’s not for everyone.
And the content is as detailed as the gameplay. There are more than 100 actual planes in Birds
Of Steel, and each model is just meticulous. This really is a game for the people who can
lecture you on an airplane just by looking at it. Frankly, I didn’t care about that
aspect of Birds Of Steel, but as a political buff, I did really appreciate its history.
Birds Of Steel is a game with a well-defined niche. This is a flight simulator for console
gamers who are also really into aviation history, and objectively speaking, it delivers. It’s
got more than 100 planes, a strong campaign mode...there’s even an editor that lets
you design and customize your own missions. So if you’re into detail and simulation,
Birds Of Steel is for you.
Taking, like, ten minutes to land, though? Not for me.