Game Reviews

Playing HAWX 2 confirms that we made the right career choice, especially considering how the game's very first mission ends. Initially, you'll assuming the role of HAWX 1's returning hero pilot Colonel David Crenshaw, who is subsequently captured by shady insurgent forces (of course) and declared MIA after three nuclear warheads go missing in Russia, before taking the reins as other pilots from three nations.

In typical Clancy stylee, HAWX 2 weaves conspiracy and intrigue among its narrative threads and tells its story from three different perspectives, so while you start out as Crenshaw, you'll soon be playing as American pilot, Major Alex Hunter, British RAF fella Lt. Colin Munro and Russian airman Captain Dimitri Sokov, who are all involved in the same overarching plot that runs throughout the game. It's the same old Clancy stuff though, with enough frankly missable military blather and techno-babble to have you constantly clawing at the 'skip' button during the cut-scenes.However, telling the story using three different nations is a neat device that ensures you're presented with a veritable hangar-full of fighter jets to choose from, each of which is lovingly crafted and can be drooled over in the selection screen, where you can rotate and zoom in and out of each model, if you're so inclined. And once you're in the skies, things handle with just as much arcade style as the previous game, although this time, some missions demand that you take-off and land, which isn't nearly as daunting as you might think.Taking-off is a simple operation, where you merely press a button to start up your engines and then use the triggers to taxi to the runway, accelerate, brake and keep your nose straight with the bumper buttons. When you reach optimum speed, pull back on the analogue stick and up you go. Easy. Less simple is executing a landing, as it's easy to come in too hot and crash. Slow right down and pop out your landing gear when prompted though, and you'll come up against few problems. There's always assistance just a single button away too, if you need it.