I've been playing WWIIOL for about a month now
and I have to say that the change has been dramatic
and very welcome. Not that there's anything wrong
with AHII per se, it's just that I have a need for
something more.
I have long dreamed of finding a WWII simulator that
combined the elements of other game titles I play
into a single gaming experience that allowed me to
immerse myself in a World War II warfare environment.
I have found just that in WWIIOL.
Before WWIIOL, I played Day of Defeat for ground
combat, Red Orchestra for armor combat, and AHII for
aerial combat. While AHII excels for dogfighting,
I was disappointed from day one that it allowed
P-51s to combat P-51s. That's not WWII, which is
what I seek.
In WWIIOL I have all three experiences in one
game title and at an affordable price. Finally.
Now one thing needs to be said. WWIIOL requires
some discipline to learn. It's not like AHII
where you can start racking up kills in a day or
two. The flight model is different and, to be
honest, I prefer the FM in AHII. There's not much
automation in flying in WWIIOL. For example, you have to
adjust trim as you fly, there is no 'auto-climb'
and the flight dynamics are less forgiving. Unlike
the planes in AHII that seemingly ride on rails, you
can easily stall your aircraft in WWIIOL. Anyway,
regardless of which persona you choose to play; air force,
navy or army, WWIIOL requires navigating a learning curve
and most of all, patience, to master.
Personally, I believe that I have been spoiled by the
easy flight model in AHII and consequently have had a more
strenuous time transitioning into the WWIIOL flight
experience...but I am improving...slowly.
The fastest way to improve, gain experience and accumulate
points that qualify you for more advanced weapons
is to join a squad. There are tons of them with
many exceeding 100 members. Heck, I've even run into
a well-known AHII squad in there! HINT: they were
manning anti-aircraft artillery.
So what's the big deal about WWIIOL?
WWIIOL is deeply immersive and engaging to the mind
in a very profound way. It is as close to WWII as
you can get in a computer game. It is war.
It is multi-dimensional and complex.
When you consider that there is an actual front
line and an active ground war taking place the true
role of an air force can be fully realized. The
first time you participate in a mass Stuka
raid against an enemy base as support for a armor
& infantry attack you are hooked. It is combined
arms combat! Not virtual chess. The air war
affects the ground war. It is coordinated,
colossal and compelling. You don't try to merely
reset a map. You try to win the war.
Current Front:
http://www.battlegroundeurope.com/index.php/campaign-community/campaign-mapAces High was a fine game to me for over 8 years
but I think I've outgrown it. I need something more.
I realize that most people will shy away from the
learning curve and initial complexity of the game.
But for those who yearn for a deeper challenge that is
seemingly inexhaustible, WWIIOL will definitly keep you
engaged.
I hasten to say that I'm not knocking Aces High or the
people who continue to enjoy it by any means. Aces High
is a very enjoyable game for those exclusively interested
in aerial combat and in that regard it beats WWIIOL
hands down.
But if WWIIOL had the same flight model, plane art and
diversity of aircraft, I believe it would quickly
dominate the WWII gaming landscape and leave all competitors
scrambling for subscribers. My uber dream is that the
developers of AHII, WWIIOL, Day-of-Defeat and Red Orchestra
would collaborate and create 'THE' WWII combat experience.
So, until that synergy is created, I've found the sim I
have always sought.
So to conclude, for me WWIIOL presents a deeper, richer
and more immersive gaming experience than AHII.
Something my mind sorely needed.
