Lawrence.com

As a “World War II air combat” game, sure, Heroes Over Europe is catering to a specific genre. But this game should appeal to new, wider audiences thanks to its options and features. Heroes caters to both those who prefer flight simulation with some dog fighting as well as those looking for a simpler arcade-style game.

That said, for all the consideration on making it a first step into this genre, not enough focus seems to be given to the overall game and mission structure.

Heroes Over Europe places you in the shoes of three different pilots during several encounters of the war. These battles take place in various locations like London, Berlin, and flying over the Atlantic Ocean with a U.S. bombing squad while you confront the Germans. The pilots in the missions have background stories and introductions to each mission, which creates sufficient depth and connection to the characters.

Developer Transmission Games has gone out of its way to immerse you in the environment of the war, complete with historically accurate footage and themes taken from recruitment tools of the era. While the graphics are about standard for today’s games, the draw distance is impressive and the detail (especially when you get in close to European landmarks) is commendable. Localized damage is apparently in the game, but this seems to be nothing more than a wing falling off when shot down or smoke and fire coming from your engine after your life bar drops to a certain point.

Fans of the series will be pleased to see that both “professional” and “arcade” control schemes are intact from the previous game despite the sluggish feel of these controls at times. The new “ace kill” feature, a combination of bullet time and quick accuracy, makes the player feel as if they are a true ace pilot and chaining multiple ace kills is one of the most satisfying aspects of the game.

AI pilots appear to be much better than the typical player at maneuvering, especially considering it has been years since the last title, to the point that taking out a group of planes can be frustrating and time consuming. At times it seems the player is being punished for not catching on to the complicated controls and chaotic atmosphere.

Missions vary in terms of the objective, but inevitably you will be confronted with a group of airborne enemies. Some missions are thoroughly enjoyable, like a guerilla solo run through Berlin during a nationalist parade; however in others, like trying to find the traitor in a group of bombers by flying in close, you wonder why you’re even doing it. Instructions and cues for what to do are subtle at best and sometimes you will fail a mission once or twice just trying to figure out what the heck to do. Little yellow triangles of various colors attempt to point out mission objectives and enemies but without a map or HUD of any kind they are merely annoying elements that don’t belong. Some missions also conclude with ace boss battles and pit you against skilled and hyper-aggressive enemies that aggravate more than present a true challenge.

Multiplayer features four modes: deathmatch and last man standing in both solo and team environments. It was pretty easy to find a game that was running at any time of day but it seems like a niche group of participants, as expected. Newcomers to the series or genre can expect to be taken out efficiently and often, which makes the spectator mode a welcome addition. A wide variation of planes assures players won’t have issues finding the right plane for them but they may get bored with the meager four maps provided.

Heroes Over Europe has focused much of its efforts on authenticity and detail with the great environments and instantly recognizable war themes over music from the era. Versatility of controls is appreciated but the limitation of re-mapping the complicated controls is unfortunate. Mission structure is repetitive and frustrating, especially near the end of the 8-12 hour campaign, making one wonder why more focus wasn’t put into mission and encounter variance.

Ultimately the game is intended for those types of players who will take the time to replay missions and campaigns in order to master the art of controlling these aircrafts. If you’re into the genre, this is a safe bet as a title to check out, but the traditional gamer needs to proceed with caution — Heroes just doesn’t do a great job at making itself accessible to the masses.

Graphics: 7.5

Sound: 7.5

First Play: 6.0

Replay Value: 5.5

Gameplay: 6.5



Overall: 6.5