Rating: 
Summary: competent, light fun, but not spectacular
Review: This is the original CFS. Though CFS3 is out by now, those owning older computers, even those that can run CFS2, should consider CFS1 as an alternative. CFS1 is set in Europe - allowing you to fly fighter missions using the tried and true Microsoft Flight Simulator engine (formerly the BAO flight sim engine). Surprisingly, this is a pretty effective sim for one that many could easily boil down to "Flight simulator with guns". Unfortunately, despite the challenges of adapting skills amassed flying combat flight sims with less realistic flight modeling, CFS1 never really becomes more than "Flight simulator with guns".In CFS1, you can fly on-line, single missions, or campaigns. Using the MSFS engine, it is as adaptable as any edition of "Microsoft Flight Simulator" in terms of add-on aircraft, scenery or missions. (Be aware, that while there's no shortage of modern military aircraft available for sale or for download, the inherenent design of this game is towards pre-modern aircraft. Neither the sophisticated systems nor guided weapons are available). There are actually 2 campaigns - the Battle of Britain (summer of 1940) in which you intercept (or escort) waves of the Luftwaffe's medium level bombers or dive bombers against industrial and defense targets in England or Channel shipping and the daylight bombing campaign against Europe starting around 1943. CFS1 is entirely a fighter-driven game - barring user customization, you can't fly big bombers. On the flip side, fighters can be armed with rockets or bombs. While you can fly for the Luftwaffe in either campaign, your choice on the allied side is limited. I can understand being stuck with the RAF for the Battle of Britain (the attack on Pearl, and America's entry into the war was still over a year away), but didn't the RAF fly at all in 1943-45? The campaigns are short and scripted: you fly the same mission until you get it right. To be honest, the mission goals aren't demanding (I'm more likely to get snagged by crashing into a wingman or getting too close to an enemy), and the repetitive aspect of pre-scripted missions would be little improved by a dynamic campaign, since most missions would be the same anyway (how much of a Mustang pilot's time wasn't spent escorting waves of B-17's?). One tip for escorting the bombers - you may have caught Edmund O'Brien as a P-47 driver in "Fighter Squadron" (1948) who chafes under rules that require his pilots to stick with the bombers and not chase enemy planes to the deck. Just remember, the time you've spent after you break formation to chase an Me-109 away, will easily be exceeded by how long it will take you to rejoin, especially if you went for the deck and must now claw back up to your formation's flight level. This is especially critical since other Me-109s will exploit your absence to cut into your formations. Stick with the bombers! I can't say how realistic flight modeling was - I'd expected worse remembering how pitiful I was on the WWI mission included on the original BAO Flight Sim (c. 1982). Visually, the planes are lovely, though this is an old game, and it won't bowl you over. Damage modeling is suspect - CFS1 is stuck in an era of sims in which your plane will have a fixed response to damage; this is despite a more effective damage model in "Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe" (1990) in which a given hit from an enemy will lead to progressive deterioration in your plane's condition. Ground targets and ships are completely implausible - one hit from your rockets and destroyers, u-boats and merchantmen (which remain parked like sitting ducks) disappear in fireballs ala "Battlestar Galactica", which hints that this project was rushed to shelves. (The other hint is the appearance of Me-262 jets - they only appear in one mission, and as ground targets. How did that happen?) So, what's really wrong? A weak mission generator and the same aircraft we've seen in over ten years in flight sims. MS probably guessed that it wasn't worth their time to do more than add guns and damage models to the FS engine - people would just download the missions, flight panels, scenery or aircraft files they wanted anyway. Sure the game has the big planes of that theater of the war - but then did CFS1 have to wartime Europe? With its flight engine, CFS1 would have been the perfect vehicle for a Korean war sim - an idea that MS inexplicably ignored for this and the next 2 additions. WWII Europe simply has been simmed to death. Terrain is incredibly flat and, especially down low, doesn't even look like terrain. It's almost at the point where, unless you go on the `net for add-on files, there really isn't anything to simulate here. In short, MS was hot to create a military flight sim that would adapt to any user's preference, they forgot to give it features that people would prefer to keep. I couldn't get decent performance on my P200mmx/Voodoo2 PC. Obviously, hardware wasn't an issue when I moved up to a P4 (no Windows XP compatibility issues here). On a final note, CFS1's disappointments are not completely covered by CFS2. I own both games since I wanted a Pacific war sim. Though CFS2 is obviously an improvement, CFS1 holds up pretty well - CFS1 owners can download or buy add-on files to capture the Pacific experience. In short, if you've got CFS1, don't feel like you've got to spend $$ for CFS2 or to upgrade your machine.
Rating: 
Summary: Great starter simulator!
Review: Go ahead, fly! Sure, the game's a bit outdated. But hey, it's cheap and it's a fantastic starter game. If you're new to simulators or just want something to mess around with, this is for you! The graphics are altogether alright. Nothing fancy, but when you push that P-51 down through the ceiling and you are greeted below by a pair of Germans, you'll be thoroughly impressed. I haven't tried any other sims, and I assume my level of enthusiasm would be the same for any other, but all I can tell you is that I've had it for a couple of months and I'm still loving it.
If it's graphics you're after, check out IL-2 Sturmovik, clearly the most beautiful game ever (though I have only seen screenshots, never played it). For anyone else, give this a try! It's cheap, fun, and thrilling!!!
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