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Highly recommended for Flying Enthusiasts and WWII Buffs

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 45 / 47
Date: November 16, 1999
Author: Amazon User

If you just want to shoot planes out of the sky this is not the game for you (but then again maybe flight simulation is not your thing anyway). However, if you want to experience what real fighter combat is like, this game is as real as it gets without leaving the ground. I would have given this game 5 stars, but since it will undoubtedly be purchased by non-flying enthusiasts I gave it 4. Test your flying and combat skills by playing the game online at Microsoft's Gaming Zone against other human players. It's probably not as intense as other action games, but it is definately more challenging. Shooting down an experienced pilot can be a real rush. But be warned. Getting mercilessly shot out of the sky can be extremely frustrating as well. The game also offers several challenging missions and campaigns which can be flown as a fighter with the USAF, RAF, or Luftwaffe. If you just want to play a game, try Quake or HalfLife. If you want to experience Fighter Combat, this is the game you've been waiting for.

It earns its wings, but it isn't an ace.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 23 / 24
Date: March 08, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator is a combat including variant of the Flight Simulator line. The product plays on the strengths of Microsoft's flight simulation experience but falls down in the attempt to simulate air warfare in which games like Red Baron and companies like Dynamix are far ahead of Microsoft.

The graphics are far in advance of Flight Simulator 98. Although still bitmapped, the photorealistic terrain resolves into hedgerows, farms, and fields. The effect is especially stunning at high altitude. The flying models are just like ones in the civilian flight sim versions. However, since the models are "accurate", you'll find they don't bank and roll in combat like other games' aircraft which can be frustrating.

Unfortunatley, Combat Flight Simulator falls down in the actual mechanics of its combat area. Campaigns are simply collections of about 16 missions which are otherwise totally unrelated. They're simply linked so your pilot garners promotions and medals but there is no continuity. It is wildly simplistic, nowhere near the campaign mode in games such as Red Baron II.

AI combat skills are definatley lacking and the enemy resorts to the tried and true method of ramming into you (obvious when they aren't even firing their guns) to bring you down. Your wingmen aren't much better and will wander around the area of battle, and more often out of it, taking the occasional half-hearted potshot at the enemy. Usually, your wingmen just crash or get shot down, you can't rely on them. Don't worry about having a greedy wingman fly in front of you to steal a kill from you, it doesn't happen in this game. Another huge problem is that the AI seems to love ramming its planes into the ground. I've chased numerous enemy planes only to have them crash into the ground or run into mountains.

However, this game does have one huge advantage over its rivals, its fanbase. Like Microsoft Flight Simulator, there are literally hundreds of files waiting to be downloaded. You can import any Flight Simulator 98 or earlier scenery into the game as well as aircraft. You can bring in jet aircraft to fight with (although you must tweak the weapons a bit because you aren't going to shoot down a Mig29 with an F-15 with .303 machine guns). The expansion capability of the game is enormous.

Basically, hardcore air combat gamers might want to preview this game before they buy it. Fans of Microsoft Flight Simulator will want to get ahold of it as soon as possible. As an add-on that gives you the ability to fight with your aviation creations (both scenery and aircraft), it is an unparalleled product!

Great graphics, not so great campaigns

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 16 / 16
Date: June 22, 2000
Author: Amazon User

A good WW II flight sim should contain 4 key elements: Great graphics, great campaigns, realistic flight modeling, and good flight damage modeling. Combat flight simulator gets 2 out of 4. The game has some of the best graphics I have ever seen in a flight sim. The texture mapping on the landscapes is so detailed and sharp that sometimes you'll swear its real. In fact, it looks so realistic that at times the CGI planes look out of place against the more true to life terrain. The cockpits are nicely rendered and the planes look fantastic. When a plane takes damage and begins to stream smoke the effect looks very good.

The flight modeling seems to be pretty accurate. You have three different levels of difficulty with the `Ace' setting giving you the most realistic experience of flying these planes. The planes never seem too difficult to handle but don't fly themselves by any means. I have found myself in several spins that were either difficult to get out of or ended in me ejecting from the plane. Good stuff. But don't let the graphics convince you this is a good game. There are some faults, damage modeling being the biggest problem. While in combat, I have blasted hundreds of rounds at enemy planes and witnessed bursts of debris come off the plane but nothing in terms of the degree of damage is seen - no bullet holes, no charred/burnt sections, no parts of the plane missing. In the intro you can see a couple of planes lose their wings in a blaze of destruction but I have yet to create this same effect in actual gameplay. And, surprisingly, when your own craft is destroyed you get the same stock explosion with obviously simple polygons representing the debris of your plane giving your demise a kind of "canned" feel. These problems detract from the virtual realism you want in a flight sim.

The campaign modes are the least interseting aspect of the game and leave a lot to be desired. I want a sense of "being there" from my sims, outside of combat. I want detailed debriefings after a mission. I want to feel a sense of camaraderie with my fellow virtual pilots. I want to know who made it back and who didn't. I want to see how many kills my squad mates got so I have a benchmark with which to compete. I don't care if the missions are scripted or dynamic so long as they have that feel that really immerses you in a campaign. The campaigns here fall flat.

If you are the kind of flight sim gamer who doesn't care about immersion in a campaign then the graphics alone will not disappoint. There are also some pretty good single mission that are not tied to a campaign but the re-playability value based on the single missions alone probably wouldn't be worth the purchase. There is also a quick mission feature which puts you right in the middle of battle. While this is a pretty good feature you can set the number of opponents in a squad but you can't give yourself any wingmen, so its just you against however many enemy pilots you choose.

If you're into graphics, definitely get this or Jane's WW II fighters. If you want great gameplay and engrossing campaigns go with European Air War. I am hoping for better things from Combat Flight Simulator II - Pacific Theater coming in 4Q 2000.

Not for everyone. But very fun in it's own way.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 21 / 25
Date: November 24, 1999
Author: Amazon User

I remember back in the days of "Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe" when I just couldn't shoot anything down. Controls were atrocious and the planes handled like a flying elephant. Of course compared to Microsoft Flight Combat Simulator, those old 386 games handled like hummingbirds and I think that is the whole point. If you want precision target shooting then this game may not be for you. However, anyone who has actually flown can tell you it's not a video game. There is no parallel parking and the laws of physics do prevail. For every action there is a reaction and being able to power turn after gaining speed from a short dive surprises many who scratch their heads wondering how did the plane get so slow and sluggish after an Immelmann. Granted it's harder to rack up the 100+ kills found in many other games. But remember, it was even harder for the real guys who tried to do this so it's not THAT realistic. Just enjoy the scenery and have a little fun learning a new way to play a game.

Great WW2 flight simulator

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 17 / 19
Date: February 08, 2000
Author: Amazon User

Microsoft has given all other WW2 simulators a challenge. This game has great graphics and gameplay and at times good cinemas, but not the greatest. It's hard to play without a joystick and a good system, if your speed is not a Pentium 2 or higher it could be a little slow. It's still fun though. The missions are fun and fast paced, although it takes a while to get used to and be able to handle the plane. Also in battle it's sometimes hard to get the other planes, but the bombers you'll probably get on your first try but it still takes a while to get the others. There are a number of different aircrafts, but only a couple available in each mission. It is a challenging and fun game, I reccomend it to people who like air combat and flight games.

A Fine Flight Simulator For World War II buffs

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 11 / 11
Date: June 02, 2003
Author: Amazon User

If you are a World War II buff and love flight simulators, Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator - WWII Europe Series is for you.

Using the same attention to detail as in its Flight Simulator series - indeed, you can import "worlds" from the civilian game to this war one - Combat Flight Simulator allows you to fly in two Campaigns, The Battle of Britain and The Battle for Europe, as a pilot in the RAF, Luftwaffe, or USAAF (U.S. Army Air Forces).

Combat Flight Simulator - Europe lets you fly many of the famous fighters in service in those three air forces. If you fly as a British pilot, you can expect to be at the controls of a Hawker Hurricane Mk. (Mark) I, a Supermarine Spitfire Mk. I, or a later variant, the Mk. IX. As a German pilot, you'll fly either the Messerchmitt Bf 109E or the Focke-Wulf Fw. 190A fighters. Finally, as a Yank in the USAAF, you'll man either the sturdy P-47D Thunderbolt or the sleek P-51 Mustang. All of these planes have their strengths and weaknesses, so try to read the manual (or the Help files) and do a bit of research before you hook up the joystick and take flight. Particularly challenging are the ammunition load limits to each plane; each plane has its own ammo load capacity, and players more familiar with fighter jet simulations (such as Microprose's famous F-15 Strike Eagle series) may find themselves shooting away all their ammo at one plane (if they choose realistic presets) and then being unable to shoot at anyone else because they have no bullets. I would advise rookie pilots to use Unlimited Ammo settings until they have had enough practice to shoot down enemy bombers and fighters without wasting precious rounds.

The simulation not only has the two Campaigns I mentioned earlier, but it has Free Flight, Quick Combat, Single Mission, and Training modes. Quick Combat, particularly, is good for players who like both flight simulations and arcade games. This option lets you choose what and how many enemy planes you can face off against, where the fight takes place, what weather conditions are like, time of day, and tactical situation. The enemy comes at you in waves, like in an arcade game, and as soon as you dispatch one wave, another appears. The challenge here is to shoot down as many planes as you can before you either run out of gas or are shot down. (Unlimited Ammo should be your choice in this sort of game no mater how good you are, unless you can shoot down one plane with one bullet. Here, skills learned in a jet fighter simulation will not help you!)

For players weaned on jet fighter games, it would be advisable to use the non-1940s HUD (Heads Up Display) view option. I (since I am new to this game myself) still use it in the Campaign mode since the "Cockpit" view option, while more realistic, is still a bit overwhelming to me. Purists and/or experienced pilots can set realism to 100% to their heart's content, but casual players or rookies should start out easy then gradually increase the realism settings.

The graphics are excellent, even for a 1998-era game. Being a Microsoft game it runs on most Windows platforms except 3.1, and I am sure no one reading this review still has that operating system. I particularly like the "worlds" depicted: you actually get a sense of flying over 1940s Europe. The sound is also good, and you can even hear your fellow pilots' radio calls. (Like the more advanced flight simulations, the Single Mission and Campaign games are very realistic in that you fly with a squadron, something I never experienced in F-15 Strike Eagles I-III. I did once own Microprose's F-14 Fleet Defender, a game that had AI wingmen, but I could never get it to run on any of my machines!)

Microsoft also offers a Pacific series counterpart, which I am hoping to get soon. Check to see if they have expansion kits. Many simulations ranging from flight to Star Wars starfighter games have them, and I believe Combat Flight Simulator is no exception.

Oh, yes. Good luck, happy landings, and good hunting!

Right on target, Tally-ho!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 8 / 8
Date: November 14, 1999
Author: Amazon User

I found the flight physics to be right on line. The whole atmosphere is very compelling. And the graphics are outstanding. I ran this sim on my PII 266mhz, 64mb ram, STB Velocity 8mb 2d/3d card and no matter how many planes were out there it ran really well. I did have a few quick pauses because I'm running it at 1024 x 768 res. This sim out shines EAW by a long shoot.

Real flying experience!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 7 / 7
Date: August 14, 2001
Author: Amazon User

Back in the ancient DOS days, a WWII sim called SWOTL [Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe] satisfied a long-standing wish to fly historic aircraft. Bf109s, Spitfires, Hurricanes and the mighty B-17 engaged in mortal combat. Combat Flight Simulator has successfully updated those early attempts at recreating the air war in Europe. The aircraft in this simulation are distinct - you aren't flying the same airplane with modified panels. The Bf109, FW190, Spitfires and Hurris all react uniquely to your handling. Low level combat has you in the dirt if you push after a target too earnestly. High level attacks must be performed with an eye to throttle as the aircraft response becomes realistically mushy at altitude.

You need to understand how to fly in this simulation. The aircraft are unforgiving to the ham-handed and you must keep an eye on both your enemies and friends. Mid-air collisions can occur. Be especially careful when landing in a group - some of those clowns will plow into you if you don't get off the runway. Watch your gear lights - especially if you have messaging turned off! Wheels-up landings are possible, but you'd better know how to perform that feat.

Keep your eye on the fuel gauges. In either Campaign phase you will spend a lot of time judging how fast to fly over long distances. Bf109 escort missions or flying the Jug deep into Europe can consume a lot of fuel. It's not difficult to run dry on the way home. On the other hand, the speed limit warnings given in the manual for gear or flap extension are meaningless. That's a pity since you can perform pretty hairy approaches without fear. Damage is realistic up to a point. You can't observe wing damage, but if your flaps or ailerons are damaged, you'll have to adjust your handling. Overall, this is a fine simulation and well worth the price for the experience.

Good and durable

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: November 23, 2001
Author: Amazon User

I have played back-and-forth with this sim in the little-over-a-year since I've had it. It is still fun, still good and durable. The graphics are fine on my P800 with GFORCE 2MX200 card. The single missions, the quick combat and free flight are all good. In fact, Quick Combat is an excellent way to blow off stress after work...load up a Spitfire IX with unlimited ammo and blow away any Axis interloper that dares transgress the borders of Mother England. The earning rank and decorations in the campaigns are good too. I'm still hoping for my RAF Group Captain with Victoria Cross.

However - and this is where the game loses a star - the training missions are bloody awful, for one reason: the annoying "instructor". Rarely does "he" give you any kind of help. For example, on the "Basic Flight" in a P-47, I must have tried for an hour to drop 1,000 feet and level off at 200 kts...according to my gauges I had done just that but he kept repeating that command in the same annoying voice. I finally chucked the training missions. It would have been far better to have a Harvard for a trainer.

Advice: unless you're completely clueless on flying, ignore these training missions. Play through the single missions on Rookie, Veteran and Ace settings before hitting the campaigns (nothing like learning by doing) and hone your skills with Free Flight and Quick Combat. Jack in the training missions and that annoying voice completely.

I just got CFS2 and have just started toying with it, so we'll see how that goes!

I like it better than my old negative post!

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 6 / 6
Date: January 06, 2005
Author: Amazon User

I've actually given it another chance and have gotten hooked on it. The post I wrote to it at the bottom was before I tried it with a joystick. Its much better that way obviously. I had gotten a new PC and my stick wouldn't plug into it. I had to get a USB jack before I could use it. I actually like the game alot now. I really like being able to fly for the USAF, RAF or Luftwaffe. The training missions are good if you're new to flight sims but otherwise don't waste your time. The instructor is very annoying. Overall this is a very good flight sim. I apologize for the misleading review I gave.

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