Product Description

As a U.S. Army Air Force, Royal Air Force, or Luftwaffe pilot in Microsoft's Combat Flight Simulator 3 you fly in the historical framework of the tactical air war in northwest Europe starting in mid-1943, but there's a significant difference. The skill and perseverance you and your squadron bring to each battle can alter the tactical situation and the timeline of the campaign. This open-ended and flexible campaign means you can influence events, alter history, and extend the timeline to add new technology to your arsenal. How you handle these tactical and technological advantages will determine the outcome?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1069 in Video Games
• Brand: ValuSoft
• Released on: 2009-04-08
• ESRB Rating: Everyone
• Platforms: Windows 98, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP
• Format: CD-ROM
• Dimensions: .25 pounds

Features

• Feel the adrenalin rush as you start strafing enemy positions at 350 mph, 600 feet above the European countryside, guns blazing and bombs blasting.
• In Combat Flight Simulator 3 (CFS3) you can fly for the USAAF, RAF, or the Luftwaffe in some of the most advanced and exotic aircraft of WWII.
• New collection of 18 aircraft
• Play Single Missions with friends, cooperating to achieve mission goals as wingmen. Single Missions will be playable over a LAN or on the Internet.
• Fight in tactical missions in a campaign where your success or failure can move the front line, influence the quality of equipment available, and even change the outcome of the war.

From the Manufacturer
As a pilot in Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator 3, you fly in the historical framework of the tactical air war in northwest Europe starting in mid-1943, but there’s a significant difference. The skill and perseverance you and your squadron or Staffel bring to each battle can alter the tactical situation and the timeline of the campaign. This open-ended and flexible campaign means you can influence events, alter history, and extend the timeline to add new technology to your arsenal. How you handle these tactical and technological advantages will determine the outcome.

Feel the adrenalin rush as you start strafing enemy positions at 350 mph, 600 feet above the European countryside, guns blazing and bombs blasting. In Combat Flight Simulator 3 (CFS3) you can fly for the USAAF, RAF, or the Luftwaffe in some of the most advanced and exotic aircraft of WWII.

Features:

• New collection of 18 aircraft featuring
  • Flyable, crewable bombers--fly medium bombers and take control of the bombardier or gunner position
  • Stunning 3D cockpit detail
  • Accurate performance and damage modeling
  • Medium bomber operations
  • "Edgy" WWII state-of-the-art aircraft, including the first jet fighters
• Custom graphics engine
  • Super high detail ground attack targets
  • Improves scenery with enhanced 3D modeling and texturing
• Cooperative multiplayer missions and free-for-all dogfights via the internet and LAN
• Fly as a German, British, or American pilot.
• Cooperative multiplayer: Players will be able to play single missions with friends, cooperating to achieve mission goals as wingmen. Single missions will be playable over a LAN or on the Internet.
• Enhanced campaign play: players will be involved in fighting tactical missions in a campaign where their success or failure can move the front line, influence the quality of equipment available, and even change the outcome of the war.
• Reactive world: areas of the campaign world will trigger events, spawn aircraft, generate flak, and more in response to the presence of the player.
• Role-playing elements: Pilots have qualities like bombing skill, vision, and health. The player also makes decisions that influence how the war is fought, where to put the pressure on the enemy, and what aircraft improvements are crucial to the war effort.
• Enhanced expandability: more cleanly supported than in previous versions.
• As real as it gets: nothing will be outside of historical possibility.

Customer Reviews

Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven and Hell
I bought this for the sole purpose of playing Over Flanders Fields: Between Heaven and Hell, a World War I add-on for CFS3 available at www.overflandersfields.com

Despite some known glitches like incompatibility with virus software and jittering with dual core processors (fixed with an AMD dual processor patch) CFS3 was easy to install.

CFS3 is good looking and fun to fly, but due to the limitations of the flight modeling it won't completely satisfy hard core sim pilots looking for the ultimate in WWII realism. For those wanting to add-on WWII planes, scenery, airfields, etc, there are numerous mods for CFS3 available at fan sites like www.combatfs.com (you might try Mediterranean Air War or European Theatre of Operations).

The Over Flanders Field: Between Heaven and Hell add-on is a fantastic addition to the game, and one of the few ways to engage in WWI era flight. The last great WWI flight sim was RedBaron3D, which never reached it's potential while Sierra/Dynamix was behind it. But over the years, a number of mods (Full Canvas Jacket, Western Front, Hell's Angels) made RB3D playable and more historically accurate. The authors of those mods have now taken CFS3 to unbelievable heights through OFF:BHAH, with high resolution scenery, 39 flyable aircraft, 3200+ historically accurate aircraft skins, the best campaign manager I've ever seen, etc., etc. The experience of flying a campaign in the OFF:BHAH world is simply incredible. As realistic as it gets.

I have played dozens of flight sims and FPS games over the years, and have to say OFF:BHAH IS THE BEST MONEY I HAVE EVER SPENT ON A GAME!!!

Good, but not as good as CFS2
I have the original Microsoft Battle for Europe Game, and love it. Even better is CFS2, Battle for the Pacific. This game is good, but I find it more complicated to use than CFS2. CFS2 built on CFS1, so it was easy to figure out the basic changes. This game has revamped the game completely, so the learning curve has been higher. I'm sure those who are game-savvy will have no trouble, though. But if you're an older gamer like myself, you may find it a bit more difficult to learn. But hey, for the price, give it a chance.

Dated, but fun
CFS3 is dated, compared to today's games, but is certainly no slouch when it comes to realism and challenge. Not for the casual gamer, CFS3 appeals to the same crowd that picks up the regular Flight Simulator series: virtual vicarious adventurers! CFS3 has a dynamic campaign that takes some getting used to but is a real gem. The combat fighting is almost too easy, once you learn to master the AI, but there are so many missions and aircraft, the replay value is extremely high. Plus, there's still the multiplayer option and there's quite the community that still plays CFS3.

Of course you may find that CFS3 is the 'gateway' game that will lead you to more modern combat flight simulations like Falcon 4.0 Allied Force, Lock On, and Black Shark. But then, there's nothing wrong with a little play time!