Secret Weapons Over Normandy

"Good action game, but not very deep."

Secret Weapons Over Normandy is a flight combat game which is probably intended for a young audience.
It's a fun, fast-paced game but is only loosely based on history. I was expecting more detail, but I should have know a console game wouldn't have it. Software companies seem to think, because I play console games, I'm some kind of dummy or caveman.
GRAPHICS: The graphics are very high quality, with the historic aircraft looking close to reality. The environments and hangar also look very nice. Menus are cool looking, as they're fashioned on WWII images. 8 out of 10.
PLAYABILITY: Nowhere near as good as Ace Combat 4: Shattered Skies (AC04). The controls are not very realistic, and seem geared towards a 12 or 13 year old audience. It's often difficult to follow enemies or to spot ground targets and I've also noticed sometimes the crosshair disappears, never to be seen again. It's sometimes confusing to figure out what your primary objective is as well (AC04 makes it very clear at the mission intro what you're expected to do). As usual, they have the ever-annoying ''protect this convoy, person, aircraft etc.'' missions which are hardly ever balanced properly. On the good side, some of the special missions, like the B-17 bomber gun turret mission, are a real hoot. 6 out of 10.
STORY: Loosely based on real events of World War II. Much like Medal of Honor, the game includes fictional people and events. The addition of real veterans and airplane experts in mini-movies was a nice touch. More detailed reference material about the actual aircraft would have been nice, though. 7 out of 10.
REPLAY: Since there's only one skill level, there really isn't much depth to this game. AC04 has several skill levels and, hence, is far superior. There are a few nice touches, like some hidden aircraft and bonus missions, but I feel, considering the price of this game, it should have had more substance. The multi-player mode was a nice touch, and the instant action is a good idea too. 5 out of 10.
OVERALL: Being a WWII buff, I still really like this game. However, considering the apparent effort that went into this game, and the retail price George Lucas is asking, I was expecting more. It would have been nice to have more latitude in choosing which fighter to use for any specific mission. I'm a little disappointed, but it would take a lot to top a game like AC04. Overall, I would grade this game 7 out of 10.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 02/11/04