Looking like a huge floating bullet of gargantuan proportions sailing amongst an ocean of clouds and blue skies. The Pandora flies gracefully like a ballerina across a stage. The lowly hum of its engines creating an ambience similar to a humming bird as it hovers above a flower sucking the essence from it. A great craft, an airship, fitted with cannons and more secrets beneath its outer shell lay host to your worthy collection of aircraft. The World is a hostile place and those that control the skies indeed have much power.

Climbing into the cockpit of your trusty aircraft, a means of survival in more ways than one. A machine that you would call a friend. A machine that you cherish and would fight for as you would a woman that you loved. Reliable and comfortable like a pair of worn in leather shoes, the craft holds your fate in its wings every time you enter its shell. To be airborne and free as the birds that grace the skies is a pilots only reality

The engine rattles into action with the sound akin to a great beast waking from its slumber. A plume of thick dark smoke emancipates from the vents along the fuselage of your plane and fills the area with a coating of darkness. The smell of fuel still lingering in your nose. Yet it is a smell that you know, recognize as the smell of adventure and good fortune . Its time to go. The skies await.

As the bay doors of the Pandora swing open, gesturing almost. Your plane takes to the skies like a trapped bird being let loose by its captors. Free at last from the confines that restrain you . The wind blows across your face causing your skin to ripple and redden with the impact. Looking around like an eagle for anything that moves, its another day for an air pirate and another day for hunting.

On the horizon almost shielded by the overpowering glare of the setting sun you notice another craft. Less manoeuvrable than your own and of a similar size to the Pandora. This could perhaps be an easy target for one skilled as yourself. Increasing your speed by swooping towards the ground you decide to take a closer look. Could this lumbering giant provide your daily pickings of booty and of course a little bit of fun.

As you approach the craft your radio bursts into action as a crackly voice calls out. “Man the guns we are under attack, help...” Laughing yet squeezing the trigger on your flight stick you let rip with some machine gun fire. The barrels light up like a fiery dragon as bullets pierce the hull of the airship. As you draw ever closer, return fire pulses at you narrowly missing your craft as you seemingly dance and weave out of the way. Banking sharply for another pass you level then fire a homing missile at one of the many gun emplacements that the airship carries. There is an explosion as the turret disintegrates then smolders like a half stubbed out cigarette in an ash tray. Thinking to yourself that this is all too easy you fail to notice that a group of aircraft have come to the aide of the airship. Flying directly behind you as their sudden machine gun fire bursts your eardrums. Your overconfidence and underestimation of the target has cost you. Machine gun fire surrounds you as suddenly bullets rip into the body of your craft. Gaping holes and thick smoke bellow from it as you try to manoeuvre away. However you are out numbered, out gunned and clearly taken by surprise. More bullets rip into your crafts wings and body causing the engine to splutter as if it were drinking too fast. Flames appear along the length of the fuselage and your vision is hampered by the ever increasing plumes of black smoke. Suddenly you lose control. Your plane dives heading for the ground below. Getting closer and closer to the looming earth. You wrestle for control, you must pull up. 1000 ft, 800 ft, 600 ft, 400ft........

To continue the story then you must purchase Crimson Skies on Xbox. This PC classic makes its console debut in this high octane flying adventure extravaganza.You take the lead role of pilot Nathan Zachary, a womanising brawler with a taste for piracy of the skies. Set in a fantasy 1930’s America where the only real means of travel across this divided country is through the air. As Nathan your job is to undertake various missions in a number of different aircraft as you uncover an engaging , fiendish plot of domination and power fuelled by the death of a close friend. These missions vary from escort type affairs to all out dog fighting against some worthy opponents plus many more scenarios that will fulfil all armchair pilots dreams.

Gameplay:
Crimson Skies is not a flight sim by any stretch of the imagination. It is purely geared towards arcade. There are no cumbersome flight controls to learn, so anyone can pick up and play from the off. The game introduces all the nuances and features of flying through the initial set of missions. The missions are set up in a freeform way allowing the player to fly at will and mostly tackle them in their own order of choice. Approach an icon near an area or building, press a button and the mission objectives are relayed to you via radio. This approach lends itself to the whole free as a bird nature of flight itself. As an added feature players are also able to man various anti aircraft gun emplacements scattered around the landscapes. This offers a different perspective to the aerial game play. A cool feature. The landscapes hold many tokens that can be collected for upgrading aircraft and allows players to explore while honing their skills (some are fiendishly placed).

Combat is also very easy to get to grips with as the right trigger on the controller is used for your primary weapon and the left your secondary. Aiming the onscreen cross hair slightly ahead of fast moving targets is a skill that players will need to adopt if they are to remain effective pilots in battle. With a simple click of the right stick combined with various directions on both sticks will perform evasive moves that are crucial if you are under heavy fire. Again these being fluid and very easy to perform (just remain aware of the ground at all times). One cant really fault the overall game play on offer here as it remains both intriguing yet simple. I will say that for the more skilled players you might find it better to up the difficulty to prolong the single player experience, as I found the game a tad on the easy side on default settings.

Graphics:
The graphics in Crimson Skies definitely reek of Xbox quality. With some awesome views to be had. Some of the water effects are very pleasing to the eye especially when you witness a sunset casting its light on the rippling water. Explosions all look excellent almost reminiscent of the Hindenberg disaster when airships explode. Smoke trails, enemies, airships and aircraft design again perfectly compliment the high standard of game play and story on offer. The locations visited are varied enough to keep the most short attention spanned players at bay especially as the missions are played throughout the day and evening.

Sound:
Crimson Skies is accompanied by an authentic orchestral soundtrack that feels like its been lifted from one of those matinee black and white movies. Being both dramatic and intense, compliments the on screen action perfectly. The radio banter is also very amusing and will often bring a smile to your face, especially when you hear the cries of vanquished foes . The voice acting is very tongue in cheek and helps the overall atmosphere of the game. Aircraft, gun sounds are also very good however I was a little disappointed that the roar of the engine did not make that classic sound that you hear in the movies when a plane nose dives towards the ground.

Longevity:
Crimson Skies is not the longest single player game in history yet it remains captivating all the way through. There are several difficulties to play the single player game on, yet I feel many players will want to play through again regardless. Split screen and system link modes are supported for those head to head battles at home. Xbox Live is also supported for those who have subscribed. There are various game types to play, with up to 16 online players. Bouts are intense yet very fun and put Live through its paces. Many players hailing this as the best Live title to date. All I can say is try it and make up your own mind (the game has a free limited subscription to the service included). I found the Live game play of an exceptional high standard and was very impressed overall. Downloadable content is also set to be a big part of the game, which is great because if anything, there is a lack of plane types and modes for the multi player.

Round Up:
Crimson Skies is an excellent title and a worthy game to have in your collection. For those of you not interested in flight games, you may find that this one is geared more towards you with its arcade approach. An instant classic and highly recommended.

Pros:

• Excellent graphics
  
• multiplayer support
  
• excellent gameplay
  
• ease of play
  

  Cons:
  

  • lack of aircraft
    
  • no custom paintjobs
    
  • miss out a lot if you dont have Live
    
  • Single player quite easy
    
  • No first person view.