By Cody Webb

Unfortunately, it seems that fans of aerial dogfighting video games that feature WWII-era planes have been largely ignored. The last WWII air combat game, while fun, was not the most realistic flight game out there. IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey seeks to soar onto your console and blow you away with its amazing graphics and realistic gameplay.

First things first: IL-2 is rated T for Teen and is available for the Xbox 360, PS3, PSP and DS. In my opinion, you should stick with either the 360 or PS3 version because neither of the handheld versions match the level of awesome that the console versions achieve. You won’t get the full experience unless you’re playing it on a console. HDTVs are a plus, as well.

It’s worth saying yet again: this game is gorgeous. It is easily the most beautiful aerial combat game currently out, and if you don’t believe me, load up the game on a big HDTV and look for yourself. The levels that you’ll be flying around in are huge, giving you plenty to look at while weaving in and out of machine gun fire and flak. Perhaps the most amazing thing about IL-2’s environments would be the fact that the ground is not a cheap visual trick. What I mean is that if you flew down to the ground, you’ll see that the buildings, trees, grass, etc. are all fully 3-D and just as pretty from up close as they are from far away.

The sound and visual effects also match the quality of the graphics, with your machine guns firing with different sounds depending on the plane you’re flying. Enemy bullets create unsettling thuds as they connect with your plane, showing off the game’s impressive and realistic damage effects by ripping holes where you were shot. The screen shakes violently with each shot, further putting your nerves on end as you watch your wings get holes punched in them.

Sturmovik does a great job of immersing players in the WWII dogfighting action, fully utilizing its dazzling graphics and excellent controls. There’s a realistic and authentic cockpit view that adds another layer of challenge and immersion to those willing to use it. Remember, gamers: they didn’t have fancy computers on their planes back in the 40s. You’ll have to use your sights and aim to take down the many enemy fighters you’ll go up against, you’ll only get a little bit of assistance with aiming. Good luck with the game’s “Simulation” difficulty; it nearly takes the skill of a pilot to fly your plane in that!

As deftly as it immerses you in its environs, a few odd design choices slightly jar the otherwise sublime experience. Enemy planes have red targeting info above their heads, which are slightly out of place in a game like this. While this is really only a small thing, it’s there and you should expect it. Once a lot of planes fill up the sky, there will be red letters and numbers everywhere around you.

IL-2’s multiplayer also rises above the other air combat games’, managing to avoid having rounds devolving into endless loops of players trying to hit each other. There are several modes besides the regular deathmatch and team deathmatch style modes; like Airfield, which is a capture the flag style mode where players land on runways and try to stay grounded there for the longest. Another mode features teams that are trying to prevent the other team from bombing their town. The only downside to multiplayer is that you really need to have 16 players to get the full enjoyment out of rounds. The levels are way too big for just a few people, and it may get boring for some.

So would I recommend IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey? Most definitely! Anybody who loves dogfighters, WWII-era planes, or both will absolutely get a kick out of this game. Just remember that your plane can be torn apart and kamikaze attacks usually end up in a bad way for you. I’ll give IL-2 Sturmovik a B+!

Cody Webb, a 2008 graduate of Suwannee High School, lives in Live Oak.