2003 was the release date of a game that comes straight out of WWII. ‘Secret Weapons Over Normandy’ is a game that was released for the PS2, XBox and PC. The game was published by LucasArts and is a flight simulation game.
The game is based in the 1940s during war time Europe, North Africa and islands in the Pacific. The player follows James Chase, an American pilot who volunteered to assist British troops. Chase flies with a classified squadron called the Battlehawks. During the course of the game, the player can capture new air crafts, upgrade the existing aircraft, and of course–defeat the Third Reich.
The main opponent that the player battles against are the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe are the Germans equivalent to the Battlehawks. These are called Nemesis in the game. The opponents are commanded by Oberst Krieger. Players will also do battle against the Japanese Empire.
Many prototype aircraft designs are featured in the game that never actually made it into combat. The XP-55, Ascender, XP-56, Black Bullet, Chance-Vought Flight Pancake, and the Junkers Ju 390 were all used in smaller numbers though. German created weaponry that were never completed or didn’t live up to expectations are also in the game. These include the Mistel and the Wasserfall missile launcher.
The game features the well known British aircraft called the Supermarine Spitfire that players can take control of. Another incredible aircraft that can be flown is the first jet-powered fighter, the Messershmit 262.
Be forewarned, if you’re an WWII aircraft aficionado, you may be sorely disappointed. The game only features one air craft from both the Japanese and Soviets. They are the Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero and the Soviet Ilyushin IL-2 Sturmovik.
The game isn’t entirely accurate when it comes to historical events. Some secret weapons never made it out of the drawing room. One example would be the Daimler-Benz Project C. This would have been a huge black plane that could carry and successfully launch five Heinkel He-P1078A jet planes.
The game also features unlockable movies that include visits to American air museums, interview with WWII veterans and some of the combat histories of the planes that were in the game. Due to the authenticity of the game, players can gain an appreciation for the history behind it.
The Daily Campus gives this game a thumbs up and recommends that this game is good for first-time flight-simulator gamers. There are hidden objectives and a tutorial stage to whet your appetite.