Every year we see big blockbuster games like Call of Duty, Gran Turismo and Fable – these games overshadow the smaller niche games that are followed by a select few gamers out there. Apache Air Assault is exactly that, a solid niche game, which a slice of the gaming population will play with a passion. Apache is a hardcore helicopter military simulation that will require loads of practice in the sim mode but can be quite fun for most in the training setting.
As mentioned before, Apache Air Assault is a niche game because it focuses on a singular aspect of gaming, flying an assault helicopter. When players jump into Air Assault they will be greeted by a minimalist menu that reminds of late 90’s PC games with music to match. The first thing players will do is a training mission to get acquainted with the incredibly difficult simulation controls that require finesse and accuracy as well as loads of practice. With that said, if you are willing to put in the time on sim difficulty, it becomes very rewarding to pull off a perfect mission. Most players however, will play the game on training mode, which is easier but remains challenging. Flying the apache across the various, but more or less repetitive environments, is fun once the controls are mastered and players can focus on the missions. Objectives in Apache Air Assault are usually of the same type with some variation, this does not really take away from the game though, as the core gameplay is solid.
The helicopters act as you’d expect, they are really responsive and maneuverable throughout the missions, this, combined with shooting the several different types of rockets and machine guns, makes the game fun. While the mission structures and goals themselves don’t contribute too much to the range within Apache Air Assault, they are good enough to carry the rest of the game. When Air Assault is at its best, players are using all of the weaponry while strategizing around objectives to complete the goals set at the beginning of each mission.
When I first saw Apache Air Assault, I thought that this game would be worth a look as I am a fan of military based flight games and I was not too far off the mark. I had a lot of fun with Air Assault but the lack of creativity and meat on this game just does not allow it to be great. The core gameplay is good and keeps players, who like this sort of simulation, going thorough each of the missions but that is about it. Apache also has an online and offline coop mode, the online – where two players each fly an apache and take on missions where they need to work together. While this mode is fun online, the offline coop is not as graceful, as one player is in charge of the guns and one of the helicopter. This mode sounds like a decent option when it comes to multiplayer with a buddy on the couch, but the fact that it is on one screen only makes it hard to play at times.
Many games lack good core gameplay but have great environments and narrative, Apache Air Assault is the opposite. The game has good core gameplay mechanics with lackluster supporting elements. The missions are very much the same over and over; get to objective, kill enemies. There isn’t really a story to speak of and the game does not look amazing. At the very end though, Apache is a rather decent game though, as the most important aspect of the game is good, the flying and shooting in a combat situation with the option of hardcore simulation controls. If you are looking for a game with anything of what I just described, then Apache Air Assault is for you.
Score: 7 / 10
Apache Air Assault was developed by Gaijin Entertainment and published by Activision for the PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 16th. A copy of the PS3 version was provided to us by Activision for reviewing purposes.
