A bit of history.
We are in an era in which to play you had to have a Home Computer, while Personal Computers, as we know them today, were used for much more serious purposes. In short, those who wanted to play could choose between the machines of Commmodore or that genius of Sinclair, while those who used the computer to work had to go to Intel based computers.
But then a historical fact happened: a half-known software house (known only for having published WolfPack, a submarine simulator) published a game destined to definitively subvert that situation and prove that the PC was the videogame machine par excellence.
That game was Comanche Maximum Overkill and the software house was Novalogic.
The voxels that changed an era
I still remember my amazement to see Comanche at work. It was the first TRULY 3D game in videogame history, powered by a graphics engine known as Voxels that had spectacular graphics. Amiga & Co felt the pinch and from there began their slow but inevitable decline and favor of the PC.
If this was a good thing, it has to be proved, but as they say in these cases: this is another story.
The voxels that changed an era
Since then a lot of water has passed under the bridge and a lot of bits inside our CPUs, but Novalogic has always continued to develop that revolutionary project.
Over the years various expansions and new chapters of the saga have been published (I remember Werewolf vs Comanche 2.0 and the latest Comanche 3), but they also used the graphics engine to create other simulators such as the excellent F22 Lightning II and Armored Fist.
Well, ten years after the first Comanche today, on my desk, there is a package containing the fourth chapter of this very long saga: Comanche 4.
Let's not delay any longer! Let's go try it now.
Simulator or Arcade?
I haven't told you yet that Comanche is a helicopter simulator or rather a helicopter game.
I also tell you that substantially the control system and the typology have remained those of ten years ago, only that at the time Comanche was classified as a simulator, while today it appears "only" an Arcade.
This is also the clear demonstration that the classification of a game is closely linked to the technical means of the time in which it is made.
Disappointed?
Simulator or Arcade?
I hope not, also because Comanche 4 it's a great game, certainly not very original and not very simulation, but a great game.
But we proceed with order.
The protagonist of this adventure in the skies of half the world is a futuristic American combat helicopter, the RAH66 Comanche which in reality does not yet exist and which will only have to take service in 2006. We are committed against various groups of terrorists who, with their actions, threaten the planetary equilibrium (it is needless to say how unfortunately these facts have suddenly become topical).
The game features the classic Single and Multi-player modes.
Let's start from the latter by reminding you that at the moment the game via the Internet is forbidden because Novalogic is fixing their Novaworld portal and therefore we will have to be patient a little bit. What I can do is to list the expected modes: Deathmatch, Cooperative and Scoring.
The Singleplayer is made up of six campaigns, each made up of 5 missions for a total of 30 levels.
Simulator or Arcade?
It is curious the management system of the same which is not sequential, but we can choose which campaign to face and once a mission is completed, it will be inserted in a new menu where all the completed missions are reported.
The difficulty is not selectable, but I can assure you that, apart from the first campaign, the difficulty is at high levels and considering also the variety of missions we just have to say that longevity is assured.
But even if you are a lightning bolt of war, don't worry, the game comes with a complete editor to accomplish the mission you like best! Are you happy?
We enter the cabin
The helicopter control system is the simplest and most immediate I have ever seen, and it is the same as in the previous episodes.
I repeat that we are dealing with an Arcade game and therefore it is useless to look for things that you cannot find. The collective can be set to three automatic values that adjust our height, it is always possible to adjust the altitude manually, but in the end we will almost always use these preset values. To improve things even further there is the button to make an immediate pop-up (rapid increase in altitude).
We can choose from a very wide range of views, from the classic FPS style to those with virtual cabin (with a look separated from the control) to the classic external views. In this respect Comanche 4 it does not lend itself to any criticism, moreover the HUD is very complete and provides us with all the information we need.
We enter the cabin
The RAH66 is a deadly aircraft and has an impressive armament: a nice 20mm cannon on turret and laser pointing, the Stinger missiles (AA), the very useful Hellfire that have the Riple Fire mode that allows us to launch rapid salvos of missiles that they will hit, independently, the various targets, the powerful Hydra, or choose to have a wingman hit the target and if this were not enough we can command the fire of the field artillery that destroys everything there is in a vast area.
If during our mission we run out of ammunition or we need to repair our helicopter, we can use a FARP (Forward Arming And Refuling Point), basically a supply and assistance base. Here the repairs take place instantly and we can choose which Payload to carry out.
A great graphics engine
And we come to the main dish of Comanche 4. The graphics.
The images already give a good idea, but seeing him shoot in person is a unique spectacle.
It is a bit demanding like Hw and has minor problems here and there, but the result is excellent in any case.
Let's not talk about the water which is simply exceptional.
A great graphics engine
Sometimes I happened to turn away from the action to look at the landscape. Well in this respect Comanche 4 it is unassailable.
The same goes for explosions, trails or other "special" effects.
The models of the units, but also the individual soldiers are up to the rest and as usual the images speak for themselves.
The sound sector carries out its task without infamy and without praise.
Fire!
As you could easily understand, Comanche 4 you convinced me.
I like to fly low between canyons so as not to be identified by enemy radars, I love to suddenly pop up from behind a hill and unload a deadly series of Hellfire.
Fire!
In short, an Arcade as it should be, an excellent example of how to make a game, easy to play, but at the same time complete.
Brava Novalogic!
For those interested, I highly recommend downloading the demo that illustrates the qualities of the game very well.
A bit of history.
Novalogic takes a very special place in the history of videogames, an enterprising software house known for some good titles but above all for having published the legendary Comanche Maximum Overkill.
Why mythical? Well this is soon said.
We were in the early nineties (ten years ago !!!) and the information revolution entered a decisive phase that continues today.
