Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 2: Pacific Theater Reviews

• This is one of the better simulations

  
  By AR2DE47VCY1C8 on 2000-12-17
  

  I had trouble getting this one to run, but finally was successful. I am running an AMD/K6-2 (350) CPU, with 64 Mb of RAM, and a Diamond Monster 3D II accelerator, with a Flightstick Pro and rudder pedals. According to the package, I meet all of the requirements. My operating system is Microsoft's Windows ME.

  I loaded CFS2 twice, but when I tried to play it could not get past loading the scenery, when my screen went black. The machine locked up! Finally after trying the new drivers for the Diamond Monster, which I found on their European site, I got it to run properly.

  You would think, though, that Microsoft, with all of their expertise, could design a game that would run without so many hassles.

  The game is good. Graphics are superb, sound is good, and the scenery is excellent. The game runs smoothly, when you finally get it to run. I found some fault, of course.

  First, I dislike the annoying cones that point you at the nearby enemy. They are certainly not realistic. Also, the enemy planes flit about in a most unrealistic fashion, and make them unrealistically hard to track. Even closing at a combined speed of 600 miles an hour, another aircraft should be more easily followed. However, Microsoft is no guiltier than many other simulation designers in such matters.

  Modeling of the aircrafts' flight characteristics is not bad, but not entirely realistic, either. I took an F6F "Hellcat" up to 10,000 feet above Kwajalein atoll, an airstrip from which I have flown, and put her into a spin. This is an aircraft that was relatively easy to fly (I soloed in 1946 in the real thing.) Although I kicked reverse rudder and neutralized the controls properly, she would not recover from the spin and go into a dive. The F6F was not notorious for having bad spin characteristics.

  Also, dropping your landing gear at a couple hundred miles an hour should not result in "gear damage." Pilots often did it in combat, to get a sudden reduction in speed.

  Another problem is the slow reaction of the machine guns to the gun button. And after the button is released, they inexplicably keep on firing for a couple or three seconds.

  The copy writers who wrote the Pilot's Manual fell into the same trap as everyone else in comparing the F6F with the F4U "Corsair." They claimed that the F6F is "far from the fastest U.S. fighter" but that it was in the "top rank of American fighters in the Pacific theater, along with the Vought Corsair." They claim a top speed for the Hellcat of 327 knots (376 mph) at 17,300 feet, while the Corsair is credited with a top speed of 363 knots (417 mph) at 19,900 feet, making the Corsair seem much faster. One gets tired of hearing such unfair comparisons.

  I've got news for them: an article in Flight Journal last year by Corky Meyer (a Grumman test pilot) described a side by side test of the Corsair and Hellcat, flat out at the same altitude (they had the same R2800, 2,000 horsepower Pratt & Whitney engine, but different dash numbers) had them performing at the same speed over the ground, but the Corsair was indicating a higher speed due to the different placement of the pitot tube.

  Because of its wing design, the Corsair had a quicker roll characteristic than the Hellcat. It was also more unstable and difficult to fly, and taxiing and landing visibility was hampered by the long engine nacelle. They called it the "Ensign Eliminator." Otherwise, they were very evenly matched in their performance characteristics.

  The copy writers call the Corsair "big, tough, and fast," which it was of course, but the F6F pilots shot down over 70 percent of all air-to-air kills in the Pacific war. It is a vastly under rated airplane, by the desk jockeys.

  Here are some figures: The Hellcat is credited with 5,156 air victories during WWII, and 306 Hellcat pilots shot down 5 or more enemy planes (the definition of an "ace.") Corsairs shot down 2,140 enemy, and made only 93 aces, although they enbtered service in the Pacific first. The famed Mustang was credited with only 296 kills, and made only 5 aces. The little F4F "Wildcat," with 1,006 kills made 58 aces, and was bad-mouthed as being obsolete at the war's beginning. Looking only at results, one wonders at the critics remarks.

  But, this is a fine game. The graphics are right up there with Jane's WWII Fighters, and it will be a source of much pleasure for a lot of people.

  Joseph Pierre, USN (Ret)

  
  
  

• Very slightly disapointing (very slightly)

  
  By A1XS5UWM4A7HJI on 2000-11-28
  This is a game for a air combat simulator nut. It has everything. It does however show some signs of having been put out before the final fine-tuning was complete. The feeling of historical atmosphere is not as good as in Combat Flight Simulator 1 (the war in Europe). So many good photographs of action in the Pacific are available, some in color, that the choice of comic book pictures to fill in the background and move the story of the campaigns forward is unnecesary and disapointing. Information such as take off, landing and stall speeds is missing (or hard to find). The airplane graphics are absolutely excellent. Scenery is a little boring--unending blue tropical sky and blue tropical water. Carrier landings are great fun and damnably difficult--very tough for a beginner. It is not true that you need a super fast super computer, though if you don't have one you do need a top of the line graphics accelorator card with built in RAM. My setup when used to run Combat Flight Simulator 1 (war in Europe) shows scenery that is very photographic, presumeable derived from digitaly edited photos. This games' scenery seems to be entirely painted--though very well painted. I do get some very minor hesitation and miss the totaly glass-smooth action I got with the war in europe version. Without my very good graphics accelerator it would be unplayable. Weather and cloud effects are totaly awesome--dogfighting at dawn in a thunderstorm is a blast. Basicaly--a good game for simulator enthusiasts. But, as is typical in the movie business, much that made part one unique was omitted from part two. That which replaced it is very cool, but lacks class. If you have never flown a simulator before--get Combat Flight Simulator One. If you never believed yourself capable of getting interested in computer game (thought it was for teen-agers)--get Combat Flight Simulator One. If your are inerested in history--get Part One. This game is very good--but it is a game Combat Flight Simulator One is an experience (and doesn't take up so darn much room on the hard disk)
  
  

• Currently of the best flight sims available

  
  By A14ME4FQBNFYWH on 2001-09-21
  Simply put, this game is a blast to play. For true flight enthusaists it offers very accurate graphics and flight simulations. For casual pilots the gameplay can be tuned to allow any level of pilot to enjoy the game. But.. let's dig into the details:

  Graphics:
  Overall, very nice. When the graphics level is turned up the detail is amazing, especially on the aircraft. The ground detail is good, but not very exciting -- after all, you're pretty much in the middle of the Pacific. My main criticism here is that the detail on the ships could be better. When you're on the deck of an aircraft carrier there are no other planes on the deck and the detail of the control tower isn't that great.

  Gameplay:
  The game makes it easy to get in the air quickly. This is great when you don't feel like playing through a whole missing or just haven't taken the time to start a full campaign.

  Each of the aircraft have a distinctly different feel (and sound), but none of them are very difficult to fly. However, getting the plane back on the ground is a different story. With some practice you'll be able to land on a long runway pretty easily, but setting down on the deck of a carrier takes a lot of practice. If you add wind/storms to the mix it is even more difficult. Personally I found developing this skill one of the most enjoyable parts of the game.

  The realism of flight and damage are just great. If your aircraft is damaged in a dogfight it will fly very differently. Because of the realistic damage modelling you really appreciate the fragility of the planes.

  I didn't find the storyline too exciting and the cartoon sequences between sequences weren't very compelling. This aspect of the game wasn't of too much interest to me in the first place so I'm not that concerned by it.

  Finally, the mission builder is very well done. When you get tired of flying the stock campaigns, you can fire up the mission builder and throw something together in a few minutes.

  Other notes:
  I highly recommend picking up a force feedback joystick for this game. Having one adds an enormous amount to the gameplay.
  
  

• Will run on Windows XP

  
  By A1K0NTOHXNIWX6 on 2005-07-05
  Just because it states that the platform for the game is 95,98,ME
  does not mean it won't run on XP!! I have a windows XP home edition
  and it runs fine!!
  
  

• A must have for flight sim enthusiasts...

  
  By A1W677IELDOL7W on 2000-08-20
  If you have enjoyed CFS as much as I have you should be dyingfor the chance to play CFS2. CFS2 is set in the Pacific with flyable aircraft such as the Wildcat, Corsair, Hellcat or the famous P-38. Non-flyable AI includes aircraft such as the B25, C47 or the P-39. Not to mention you can import all of your favorite aircraft from CFS. CFS2 also includes all new missions, campaigns and of course online multiplayer action. Basically CFS2 is a must have for flight sim enthusiasts...
  
  
• Impressed by all the little details in this game
  By AT2BYFEVLVITT on 2000-10-09
  I for one played the first CFS quite a lot and was a little sceptical that they would be able to top the first one, but they did. CFS:2 isn't very different than the first one in terms of flight characteristics and mission formats. What is differnt is that you get to fly a huge number of different planes, which I can't even remember most of them. Probably my favorite part of this game is the aircraft carrier takeoffs and landings. As I mentioned, it was the little details that I absolutley love. While you are awaiting takeoff, you will notice that the ships deck bobs up and down, side to side in the sea, this is just one of the many cool features. Another aspect I was impressed with is the way planes blow up and fall apart. It looks exactly like those WWII films with old cockpit camera footage. Extremely cool watching planes get destroyed. Microsoft did a great job with this game, and it was definetly worth the wait. I totally recommend buying this.
  
  
• The Best since Aces of the Pacific
  By A23E904HWPK32H on 2000-11-19
  First, yes this game is going to be the most demanding on your hardware, however, have no fear if you have an older system. With a P-II 333 Mhz machine, i have to sacrifice a lot of the details, yet the graphics are still spectacular! The damage effects are very impressive. Dogfighting is thrilling and fun, with the realistic graphics and sound effects. The first time you see a Zero catching on fire behind the sights of a Corsair is going to make a lasting impression on your mind. I am already starting to like CFS 2 more than Jane's World War II Fighters. The ocean and islands are breathtaking although you'd be spending much time flying out of sight of any land.. If there's one thing i find below expectation with the graphics, it had to be the gunsights and the general cockpit layout. I think older games like Microprose's 1942 Pacific Air War did a much better job at that. The gun sights look very unrealistic in CFS 2. The documentation came with the game is decent, the 40s-style artwork is fresh, however, its historical review does not compare to Aces of the Pacific. With only 7 flyable planes, CFS leaves out some of the most interesting fighters of the War. It's another area that CFS failed to match with Aces of the Pacific. Although CFS 2 provides favorites like the F4U-1A (my personal favorite radial engine fighter of all time), N1K1 George, it ignored all the Japanese Army aircraft, and players don't have the option to fly dive-bombers and participate in actions like the sinking of Japanese carriers during the battle of Midway. Don't get me wrong, although it's not perfect, CFS 2 is definitely the best WW 2 simulation game available right now and it is certainly worth your money and upgrades. definitely a five-star performer!
  
  
• A little let down...
  By A30DFIE8VGLDQQ on 2000-10-17
  First off, let me say that my expectations for this game were very high! I have owned the original CFS and other WWII sims that had several strong areas, graphics ect. but never put all the pieces of the puzzle together. My hope was that CFS2 would be the first to do that. I am sad to say that this just isn't the case. From the opening movie, a cartoon type program, to the lack of (surrounding scenery) this game has missed my mark. I was unimpressed with the fact that my aircraft carrier was too small for my plane, the rest of the aircraft are airborn when I jump in, and there is no ground crew supporting the aircraft. Hey Microsoft, the devil is in the details. It's what also makes a great game stand out from the average. Let me say the MSFT did do a great job with the aircraft graphics and damage that can occure. However, that seems to be the only thing they concentrated on. I can only stare so long at the aircraft view before I start looking around for other things to see. Also, my program crashed twice while I was heavly engaged in combat. There is nothing like a software crash to ruin your gaming expierance. Overall I was hoping this would be the game that would make me throw the others away. Instead I found myself digging around the office for old copy's of CFS, praying that someday, someone will build a Flight Sim that starts you on the deck of a carrier with all your buddy's lined up behind you with props running with aircrew scattering in every direction preparing for your imenent lauch. A game when I attack ground targets that aren't just little square builings, with trees that aren't flat and a game that doesn't release before it is perfected... Until then, I will have to settle for games like FCS2 that does one or two things well at the expense of everything else...
  
  
• a lot of good and a little bad
  By on 2000-11-01
  As an avid flight simmer, I was really looking forward to this game, but also with a lot of doubts. The game itself is incredible, graphics are the best I have seen from any flight simulation. The concern when I first got it was, the same thing that disappointed me with FS2000, the frame rate. I, by no means have a fast computer (PIII 600, 128 MB RAM), but I am consistantly getting a pleasing 25-30 frames a second from CFS2, and that was with the detail turned on full blast and 4 planes buzzing around, I was overwhelmed. The only way I could get that good of frame rates from FS2000, was to fly at night over the ocean. The detail put into this game is great, everything from seeing the ripples in the water as a ship is sunk, to the sounds of the ships motors as you fly by, flying through the flak, oh and of course the damage of the planes being shot.....very nice. There were a few disappointments, one being wingman commands....they are very limited, and the limited amount of planes you can fly, I would have liked to fly a B-25 and drop 3000 lbs of bombs on a tiny island, overall its a outstanding game, 1 step above CFS Europe.
  
  
• Love "Aces of the Pacific"? Think SERIOUSLY about this game
  By A2J2JNUHJSJXEQ on 2000-12-19
  Ok, first off: I have a 700mhz Processor, 128 RAM, and Voodoo 3000 video 3D accelorator. The game works great with near maxed graphic settings for me. If you have less than this, you might want to upgrade before buying the game.

  Next: In my oppinion you must get a joystick for this game. And if you can fork out a few extra dollars for a force feedback one it is Amazingly worth it. I cannot believe how sweet the game feels with a good force feedback stick. Everthing from starting your engine, firing of guns, hits from bullets and flack, and rolling on the runway/deck are felt through the joy stick.

  I have always used the keyboard for flight simulators before... but Combat Simulator 2 does not allow you to set the keyboard input settings to self center your airloins, rudder, etc... after pressing a direction key like most other flight simulators. In other words, when you tell the plane to pull up, untill you press the 'dive' key, it will continue to pull up as if you were holding the 'pull up' key the entire time. Very annoying if you are used to older flight sims. So get a joy stick, and get a good one for optimal feel. (It's worth it).

  The game its self is great. If you played the old game 'Aces of the Pacific" a lot, you will just absolutly love this game. The graphics are unreal. I still practicaly drool when I shoot a zero down and see chunks of it's body breaking off. Even the smoke appearance from damaged planes is diffrent depending on what system is damaged. When a ship sinks, it ACTUALLY sinks like a real ship, slowly dipping down into the water like the Titanic with one end still exposed. When you shoot the water you can see little spurts of water shoot up where your bullets hit! I could go on and on.

  So, if you have a fairly modern computer system, and enjoy WWII flight simulators I really think you will enjoy this one. If you are new to the flight simulator scene, don't worry. The game has a built in training missions to give you step by step lessons to teach you to fly. Now let's go torch some Zeros!
  
  

• I want to drop torpedos...
  By A5HMT6ZOBUAVM on 2001-02-06
  ...so I guess I'll have to wait for... CFS3? maybe. Seems strange though because torpedo planes played such a big part on both sides during the air war in the Pacific. It's a pity then that a flight simulator set in that theatre of war would not have modelled even one WWII torpedo bomber. Ah well, I am just a little disappointed with unmet expectations, but so what. The game never promised to be anything more than a flight sim depicting the main Japanese and American fighter planes. And that it is, and it does that very well indeed.

  Microsoft's previous entry was CFS which depicted the European air war. Gamers had plenty of complaints and it is obvious that Microsoft listened and learned. One of the biggest critiques of the first game was it's graphics. The graphics here are gorgeous. The exterior of the planes are sufficiently weathered and oil stains and gunpowder streaks will appear. Look for nice little details such as moving canopies, folding wings and wheels that turn. The damage modelling is excellent. Bullet holes appear when shot and skin peels off exposing undersurfaces. Parts fall off according to the degree of damage and look for these visual clues. Black streaming smoke from the enemy means he's a goner for sure but grey spurts means he's still in the game. Same for you. Oily smoke smearing your screen, bail out! The fact that you can do so is a relief, and is a feature that was previously missing. Terrain, such as there is - blue sky, blue sea - is still lovingly rendered. Different types of weather and times of day are also detailed.

  The flight modelling is adjustable from easy or novice to hard and very realistic. Try flying with some degree of realism and the planes will react according to their strengths and weaknesses. Close in on a Zero from his six in your Wildcat, lining him up, and then watch in amazement as he suddenly zooms into a power climb that you can never match, and then look on in horror as you see the tight circle he pulls to close in on your rear. Flying the Wildcat your strength is your weight. Push the nose down and dive into that enemy bomber formation, ripping through it with your guns. Just keep going though because in a dogfight your dead. There are multiple mission types, a semi dynamic campaign, battleships, carriers and other plane choices, most significantly 'Whistling Death' - The Corsair. All of this goes together to provide a satisfying flight for most sim fans - for a while. And therein lies the rub. Only for a little while before you start to get a sense of what could have been and notice small things missing. Why didn't they give the wingmen more commands? What's the objective of this mission? and back to my original beef - Why aren't there more planes to fly? I want to drop torpedos!
  
  

• Not so hot
  By A38MF93QXLE8UK on 2001-11-11
  So I've been flying flight sims since the days of FS version 1.0, and I was pretty psyched about this game after reading all the reviews. After playing it, however, I've come away somewhat disappointed. It's not a *bad* game, but it's not as good as it could be.

  What's right:
  -Beautiful graphics. This is one pretty game.
  -Nice selection of planes to fly, with different and reasonably well-modeled flight characteristics.
  -Excellent detail on the engine controls and damage modeling.

  What's wrong:
  -Repetitive, inflexible missions. Take off, accelerate time to target zone, dogfight or bomb, accelerate time home. Yawn. After about five missions I was starting to feel like I'd seen everything.
  -Useless wingmen
  -Limited radio commands to issue (and the wingmen never seem to listen anyway)
  -Useless LSO for carrier landings (and *terrible* looking...couldn't they at least animate him or do him in 3D? He looks like a cardboard cutout!) Follow his instructions and you'll miss the deck every single time.
  -No torpedoes. How do you model the Pacific war without including torpedoes?

  But the reason I was most disappointed with it was that I never got the feeling of being immersed in a bigger conflict...all the missions just seemed very limited and not very interesting. It's a shame - they've got nice graphics and flight models here, but it seems like they never spent the time to flesh out the rest of the game.
  
  

• Great flying and graphics.
  By A31SOXAAD6MKI6 on 2004-05-07
  As an avid flight simmer, I was really looking forward to this game, but also with a lot of doubts. The game itself is incredible; graphics are the best I have seen from any flight simulation. The concern when I first got it was, the same thing that disappointed me with FS2000, the frame rate. I, by no means have a fast computer (PIII 600, 128 MB RAM), but I am consistently getting a pleasing 25-30 frames a second from CFS2, and that was with the detail turned on full blast and 4 planes buzzing around, I was overwhelmed. The only way I could get that good of frame rates from FS2000, was to fly at night over the ocean.

  The detail put into this game is great, everything from seeing the ripples in the water as a ship is sunk, to the sounds of the ships motors as you fly by, flying through the flak, oh and of course the damage of the planes being shot.....very nice. There were a few disappointments, one being wingman commands....they are very limited, and the limited amount of planes you can fly, I would have liked to fly a B-25 and drop 3000 lbs of bombs on a tiny island, overall its a outstanding game, 1 step above CFS Europe.

  Also, I bought my first FS software to fly the number one freeware aircraft simulator on the Internet - The TR-3B Flying Triangle. I flew fighters for the Air Force in late Vietnam, specifically the F-111 and am rated commercial also. The TR-3B Flight Simulator for Microsoft's Flight Sim, is based on the writings, lectures, and TV interviews of Edgar Fouche who wrote "Alien Rapture." (See amazon)

  Why? This is what the genius who developed it wrote: "For the experienced flight simmer on FS2002 PRO, I have developed this complete exotic amphibian TR-3B package, which is now available as freeware for download. It includes 3 models - the purple Astra, blue Locust and white Hellas - and as an extra 4th model the TR-3X with its own speedy attacker flight dynamics. The package includes TR-3B panel & gauges, noise cancellation sounds, fsuipc and special lights effects.

  This TR-3B is a heavy tactical reconnaissance aircraft equipped with a magnetic field disruptor that reduces the weight by 89 percent (it is not the same as anti-gravity, though). It has been created for Microsoft Flight Simulator. All gauges are included.

  The TR-3B can float like a speedboat at Mach 1.5 over water, fly like a heavy helicopter, like a bush plane, a business jet, like a military jet and lift like a rocket. Cruise speed is approx Mach 4.7 at FL340 and above, and approx Mach 2 at sea level. Service ceiling approx 69,000 feet ASL. Super stable. FSFREEWARE, SURCLARO, FSPLANET aircraft simulator sites have reported as many as 5000 downloads in one week!

  I searched and read many many web pages about his book and the author, Edgar Fouche including; startfinish(put in the dot com.)biz/wise Click on links for Fouche and Flying Triangle. You will find his full presentation, and the download links for the TR-3B. Get the Great TR-3B Top Secret aircraft simulator and X-Plane, which I highly recommend.
  
  

• Excellent WWII Flight Sim
  By AHMJ55WHAFMZ2 on 2002-02-21
  First the problems. You DO need a fairly powerful computer to play this game, otherwise it's jerky. The ships don't do anything but put up AA fire. They don't attack each other. Some ships, like the transports, don't follow the rest of the ships in their group. The lack of torpedos on player aircraft is unrealistic, as are the bomb loads.
  On the other hand. The graphics are outstanding. The planes are very realistic in look and performance. I'm a real WWII Pacific Theatre buff and especially like the way that the F4U Corsair performs. When you roll to the right and dive away from a Zero you usually can outrun them, just like in real life. The locations, Midway, Henderson Field, etc. are also very well done.
  After a couple of weeks I started using the included Mission Builder to create my own missions. Some are based on historical events, like my "Remember Pearl Harbor" mission. Others are just major fleet, air engagements. The Mission Builder should ensure that you don't get bored after beating both the single missions and the campaign missions.
  Whether you like to fly US or Japanese aircraft, you'll like this game.
  I highly recommend playing this game with a force feedback stick, like the Microsoft Force Feedback 2. I also recommend at least a P2 or equivalent processor at 550mHz or higher, and at least 128megs of RAM.
  Personally, I think this game could be even better if Microsoft issued a supplemental update to correct a few of the realism problems (no torpedos, bomb loads). With those things fixed, I'd give this game 5 stars.
  
  
• Spot on!!!
  By A13251HBWRMQ8W on 2000-11-01
  Simply put, Combat Flight Simulator 2 is a fantastic combination of fun and white knuckle thrills! Where the first outting was slightly lacking CFS2 nicely fills all the voids and then some. Stunning aircraft details abound, bullet holes, flak damage, flames, smoke as well as the ships, islands and even the waves of the ocean are so finely detailed they'll make your eyes pop and your mouth water! Critical point however, make darn sure you have the very latest drivers for your video card or you'll spend alot of time banging your head on the keyboard wondering why you can't keep your system from stalling. Also be sure to keep your screen setting (in game) at 800x600x16 or above, when set at 640x480 on my system, I got kicked out of the game every time I was shot down, at the higher settings, no problems to report just brilliant hours in the air! Difficulty options make this flight sim a must for the pilot or thrill seeker, there is litteraly a setting for everybody at any level of flight sim experience 8 to 80. Set in a 40's comic book theme, The cut scene's are colourful and cleaver, although the subject matter and voice overs give you an erie feeling that the boys that fought in the skies over the Pacific so bravely, knew full well there was a very fine line between victory and death at sea. If you've got the system to run it, you'll be releaved and thrilled that the future of combat flight siming has finally arrived! So, try your steady hand at landing on the rolling deck of a carrier, or taking on two dozen zero's in a thunderstorm, with CFS2 sky's the limit and once you strap yourself into this title that's where you'll want to stay!
  
  
• Gooood
  By on 2001-01-04
  Combat Flight Simulator 2 is a dream come true for historic flight sim fans. Excellent graphics, great sound effects, and adjustable realism settings make CFS2 a thrilling and accessible sortie into the unfriendly skies of the South Pacific during World War II.

  After choosing to fly for the Japanese or American forces, you can pick from a selection of seven ultrarealistic aircraft. Experienced flight sim fans will drool over the plane models, accurate down to the number of rivets. Newbies will appreciate the excellent flight and landing tutorials.

  There are over 100 missions to fly, many based on historic missions from the war. This unusual level of realism and attention to detail comes from the game developers' personal love of flight: many members of the CFS2 team are pilots. Their extensive research included interviews with Japanese and U.S. aces from the real war in the Pacific. The missions themselves are lengthy and often complex, and are just as accurate as the planes; players take part in history, but cannot change the outcomes of battles.

  Because the action takes place in the South Pacific don't expect to see a wide variety of ground scenery. Not that you'll miss it: the water, small islands, planes, aircraft carriers, and battleships are always very sharp and detailed. However, if you expect to play with the graphics at their best settings, be aware that you'll need a blazing fast machine with a fast video card. On lesser computers, the graphics in Combat Flight Simulator 2 start to degrade from stunning to merely ordinary.
  
  

• flaming wings
  By A1T2ZM18340RLB on 2000-11-12
  First of all I must agree that this game requires a very fast computer with a good graphics card. My system is a P-3 800MHz,128 megs of ram, and a GE-FORCE 2 card. It is very important to download the detonator 3 driver from Nvidia or your game will have continuous crashes and will not even run. Now on to the game I was shocked at how the graphics looked (after the latest driver installed), comparing it to Janes WW2 fighters is close but while the airplane graphics are similar and flight characteristics are similar the big difference is in the ground graphics,the ocean is outstanding with the variety of depths of ocean represented by different shades of blue that are gradual, and the lush tropical jungle is well represented here. I highly recommend this product but only if you have the hardware to run it.
  
  
• Best Flight Game Available
  By A2W4O76IOLLQWF on 2001-05-28
  Two words - "Open System". Microsoft has allowed this game to be have an open system architecture. This means that you can add-on other planes, missions, campaigns, scenery, effects, etc... Sure you only start out with 7 planes, but I have over 40 or so now! Including some WWI planes and even some Korean ones, including the P-86, P-80 and a Mig-15. This keeps the game interesting. The game also includes a mission editor that allows you to create whatever type of missions with how ever many planes, ships or tanks in the area in any way you want. Don't even start me on the graphics. They are simply amazing. When you fire, you can see bits and pieces of your opponents plane just coming apart in mid air, just make sure you don't fly into them! The graphics engine display damage profile of the plane with awesome realism. The bullet holes and Flak fragments are out of this world. If you took a lot of lead on your rudder or flaps, the plane will respond appropriately. Awesome game! But remember, the game is also really big; about 900 MB on full install.
  
  
• Too much software for average computer
  By A38F8QTSM51OGS on 2000-10-21
  This software takes much more than an average computer. The specs on the box are seemingly misleading. I have at least twice what the minimums are and can't get the job done. Without a GREAT graphics card forget about even approaching the games capabilities.

  My machine is not even one year old and has good graphics capabilities and processing power. It runs CFS1 without a single problem. However, I am unable to even begin to enjoy the total package of this latest installment. I must choose between great 3D terraign effects or planes that look like a "rainbow of colors", for example. It is all in the choices (which are many) you are willing to accept. I want to lose myself in the simulation but this can't be done with multi-colored buildings and ships.

  While I applaud Microsoft's effort on this one, I and others undoubtedly will need to invest in the latest processing techology AND MORE to get our dollars worth.
  
  

• Combat Flight Simulator 2: Pacific Theater
  By A31BW483RE2ZL2 on 2000-10-23
  As a flight sim, history buff, this is a hoot. Some of the other reviewers who mentioned the hardware requirements were correct. I have a new PC with all the bells and whistles and I can still only run the game at about 60% of its graphics capability and keep the action moving at appropriate speed. Even with that, the scenery and graphics are great! I went to Hawaii last April and the South Pacific settings of each mission make me yearn to return. I've never actually flown an F4F Wildcat but the flight model seems very accurate according to those that have. I believe they've done a super job with this sim. If you have the hardware it requires, I highly recommend this sim.
  
  
• CFS2 Comments after two weeks
  By A1QHN9P52VXAOU on 2001-01-04
  Owning FS2000 Professional, Crimson Skies and the Combat Flight Simulator for several months, my son and I were looking forward to CFS2.

  On my AMD K63/450 with 128M RAM and Viper32 Ultra video card, the product installed without a lot of trouble. We recommend a COLD BOOT following installation. Video works smoothly at 800x600x32bpp.

  What we liked: The 7 available aircraft were very detailed and challenging to fly. The flight models for each aircraft were unique and reasonable accurate.

  The missions are also challenging.

  What we did not like. The biggie (that I have also heard from others) is these blasted cartoons. While someone did a beautiful job with this cartoon artwork. I would have been much more satisfied with actual pictures and war memories, gun camera footage, aircraft carrier operations, etc. Crimson Skies use of cartoons is ok. It helps guide you through the game's story line. But the use of cartoons in CFS2, in our opinion, cheapens the quality and the simulation. Using cartoons to depict the epic WWII battles of the Pacific was a bad choice for Microsoft.

  On single missions, when you complete the mission, you get booted back to the main mission dialog...you're not allowed to land. Wow, that was a big gotcha.

  While I am sure the developers worked their butts off on the seven aircraft they did provide (very well done,) being limited to only seven aircraft is a significant shortcoming.

  Lack of ability to perform air-launched torpedo missions.

  The other day during an air-ground sortie, I bombed a target and got a message "you killed an explosion effect." HUH?!?!?

  In summary, good simulation, lots of fun, stable. Marketing intelligence aside, if I were designing this product, I would do everything possible to honor our WWII veterans by including as much historical footage, pictures and veterans stories as possible. Lose the cartoons...they really cheapen an otherwise great simulation.
  
  

• Five stars I hope!
  By A29JQORTVQBTIO on 2000-08-13
  I've been waiting awhile for this, and I hope it succeeds CFS! I can't wait.
  
  
• DON'T BE SURPRISED!!!
  By on 2000-10-12
  Now me among thousands of other CFS fans are dying for the release of the Second edition....CFS2 however, DON'T BE SURPRISED if you have to have the same system requirements as the other games Microsoft have recently releast such as... FS2K, FS2K Pro and Crimson Skies, all of which require 10 Ghz. super computers with 516 mb of RAM just to get the intro to run.

  I have no idea what Microsoft is tring to prove with these massive programs that can't run properly on average computer systems.

  So fair warning... don't be surprised... waiting your heart out only to realize it runs like crap on your average home computer system.
  
  

• Melee based flight sim with a twist
  By A41JUIFTT1J4B on 2001-07-20
  I first played this game at the Microsoft store at the Metreon in San Francisco, CA. I had about an hour before an appointment down the street, so I stopped into the store, saw the game, and began playing. Then after the meeting I returned for more (in a deluge nonetheless). Straight and simple - this game rocks!

  This game goes far beyond a basic flight sim. There's still instruments and reality-based flying, don't get me wrong. But the planes in WWII were no where near as responsive as an F16. And that's what gives the game it's twist. You wanna bank bank right? Go for it - but don't forget that you're gonna lose airspeed and altitude, and there ain't no afterburner, HUD, or missle lock to save your butt when you stall out.

  Another cool thing is that you don't just get blown away by a missle and die. You can quite realistically take on damage, but bullets only hit certain parts of your aircraft, so your plane can keep flying. And what's great about this game is that when there's a few holes in my wings, the plane will favor certain aerodynamics, and fly crippled. I've been able to finish missions while only being able to turn left - and that degree of realism deserves award recognition.

  The only catch is that it will only play with the CD in the drive. This seems to be a big Microsoft trend these days that I hate. What's more is that the games recognition of the drive is pathetic. I've restarted many times just trying to get the game to see my CD drive. The game is also very sporadic. Once you're up and in a mission, it's as stable as a rock. But getting into the game (especially when playing on the Zone), can be slow and painfull, and many times will just cut out and disappear. And don't be telling me that it's my hardware - I've got a 1.2GHz machine with 256Mb of DDR RAM, a GeForce3 card with 64Mb DDR on board, and a brand spankin' new CD drive.

  If blowing away enemies that are all but a blip on your radar is your kind of game, then this isn't for you. If you want to learn how to fly, this this isn't for you. But if you want head-to-head melee action, with realistic flight, dynamic damage, killer strategy, and eye-popping graphics, then this is the game for you.
  
  

• DON'T BE SURPRISED!
  By on 2000-10-12
  Now me among thousands of other CFS fans are dying for the release of the Second edition....CFS2 however, DON'T BE SURPRISED if you have to have the same system requirements as the other games Microsoft have recently releast such as... FS2K, FS2K Pro and Crimson Skies, all of which require 10 Ghz. super computers with 516 mb of RAM just to get the intro to run.

  I have no idea what Microsoft is tring to prove with these massive programs that can't run properly on average computer systems.

  So fair warning... don't be surprised... waiting your heart out only to realize it runs like ... on your average home computer system.
  
  

• CFS 2 Top Drawer
  By on 2000-10-24
  I have a 400MHZ with 256 MB RAM and a Voodoo 5 Video Card and CFS 2 runs beautifully and it is without a doubt the best WWII flightsim todate. The graphics are awesome and the air combat feels just as I imagined it would. You line up on an enemy six, 400 to 500 yards behind, put the crosshairs a little above him, squeeze off a few rounds and he explodes or starts smoking and bursts into flames. Absolutely first rate. Beware the carrier landings however, as they are not easy. Buy this one and you won't have any dissapointments.
  
  
• Good fun for its time
  By A2Z9IS8DKVE1GB on 2004-03-05
  I bought CFS2 when it first came out, and it has given me much pleasure over the years. It remains my favorite of the CFS series, with good graphics and an enjoyable player interface. Runs well too, especially on today's computers. There are a host of free and commercial add-ons that enhance every aspect of the game. I have to say that since the advent of IL-2, it has been outclassed as a combat flight sim, but it can still offer the user a lot of enjoyment.
  
  
• Fantastic Internet Play!
  By on 2000-11-13
  As some of the previous reviews have stated, the requirements are a little steep. I'm running an Athlon 850, 128 mb ram, and a Voodoo 3, I sometimes get a little chop during heavy fight sequences (10 aircraft or more). Other than that the game play is great and as far as playing online on The Gaming Zone, I think I'm addicted. Weather, time of day, and even picking your own cloud cover for quick dogfights make this game a keeper!
  
  
• Fighters ONLY, no Torpedo Runs for you!
  By A14UY72QO5YLQU on 2000-12-20
  I love the game, but as a player you are restricted to the seven fighter aircraft in the game. I was very disappointed that there were no missions where you dive bomb or torpedo the Japanese at Midway in a dedicated dive bomber or torpedo bomber, nor can you fly a Japanese torpedo plane at Pearl Harbor...things you could do in the older game Aces of the Pacific. Overall, alot of fun and great graphics with an Nvidia GeForce 256 GTS 64MB DDR video card. Just wish the game had a wider scope.
  
  
• Works good on my old system
  By A161POI2K1P88S on 2001-01-08
  I've read the horror stories here about if your system isn't a supercomputer, forget trying to run this software. All I can say is get a reputable computer and you won't have any problems. I have an old Compaq Presario 5020 model that has a Celeron running at 300 MHz and 64 megs of RAM ... an old ATI Rage Pro 3D accelerator for graphics with the most current drivers. Not an impressive system at all. I loaded the software, followed directions and found I needed to switch from 256 color to 16 bit. I made the changes, restarted loading and **WOW** it works! If all you can do is throw stones, go play near a glass factory. If you want some fun flying, I encourage you to get a copy of this game. I've tried a few of the missions, but the funnest thing is to go to quick combat and FLY! You'll get smoked a few times to be sure, but nothing is more satisfying than cutting the wing of a B-24 Liberator off and watch it go down in flames. Or load out with air to air rockets and bash some "Betty"s. Graphics are great, sounds are thrilling and playablity is a winner. I Can't wait to get home and play it now, I talked myself happy!!
  
  

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