Hawx 2

[Steven W]

If you've played HAWX 2 and fancy seeing your review live on the front page of HEXUS.gaming then write your review below, following the guidelines outlined in the sticky thread.

[OilSheikh]

I was about to post a thread.

[OilSheikh]

This is my review for HAWX 2 on PC



With the last Ace Combat game being released for the Playstation console in 2006 and the only one to be released for the XBOX 360 in 2007, there had been a huge gap in the arcade flight sim games genre. With no news from NAMCO BANDAI of a new Ace combat game, the avid gaming Pilot was at a huge loss. UbiSoft then came to the rescue as they released HAWX 1 in 2009. Though it wasn't as epic as the Ace Combat series, it was definitely something to quench the thirst.

HAWX 2 was subsequently released by UbiSoft in 2010, first on PS3 and XBOX360 and then three months later on the PC. To combat piracy, HAWX 2 talks to UbiSoft servers throughout the game and you need to be on the net when youa re playing HAWX 2. Till now, the pirate community hasn't come up with a way round this for HAWX2. HAWX1 had DX10 benefits and in HAWX2 you again saw DX benefits in the form of DX11 Ground tesselation. HAWX2's story continues on from HAWX 1 with you being re-acquanited with Crenshaw. But, Crenshaw gets injured within the first few missions and he acts as a Ground control / co-ordinator during the rest of the game while he recovers. The story of HAWX 2 is that terrorists are causing problems worldwide such as in the Middle East. While in Russia, seaparatist forces hijack aircraft, jets, tanks, etc. to dethrone the Russian Prime Minister. Thanks to a betrayal by a close one, they succeed and take over the Government. The US does not like this and provides support to the rightful Prime Minister and helps him take back the Kremlin. [ Thank God, it wasn't a US vs Russia plot over again! ]

You don't play the whole game as the same pilot like in HAWX 1. HAWX 2 takes a Modern Warfare 2 Single player approach and you find yourself stepping in different pilot's shoes for different missions - You play as a USAF pilot, a RAF pilot or a Russian Air Force pilot.

The story mode is enjoyable to play but unfortuantely, you won't feel like playing it a 2nd time. There is a Co-op play and this may make things interesting if you are using multiple screens to span your Display. The Multiplayer is virtually non-existent. You can hardly find any matches or any players! And, if you do find a game, you are forced to be in Cockpit view during the match, no.. the Change camera button doesn't let you go to 3rd person view!
Coming back to the Single player, you do not get to choose your Aircraft or the weapons pack like you could in HAWX1 i.e. No Hangar. You are forced to use a particular aircraft with a particular weapons pack and the assortment of weapons provided is seriosuly lacking. So, in other words you coudl say that the number of jets provided is very limited.


HAWX 1 Hangar

The graphics also isn't as sharp as HAWX 1. You can look at your fighter jet in a mission and not help wonder why it looks so DX9. You also don't feel the WARP/Slipstream/Hyperspace burst effect when you boost your jet - you do hear the burst sound but there's no air rushing past effects. The HUD also doesn't look as stylish as HAWX 1. Enemy fighter jets are more difficult to hunt down this time as your Heat seeking missiles do get tricked by enemy flares. So, Lock-on is a bit difficult. You also have a Precision bomb weapon in HAWX 2. As soon as you fire a Precision bomb , you have to guide it until it hits the target. Another improvement is that you need to Take off and Land. This is compulsory but adds to the realism.


HAWX 1 in-game



HAWX 2 in-game



Of course, you don't sit on your jet all day and end up going to the Physio! You can take control of UAV's to eavesdrop on conversations and you can also be an AC130 gunner and aid allies on the ground. There is a night-vision and a thermal vision mode available as well.

There is evidence of the HAWX 2 development team playing Ace combat games. They try to rush multiple Ace combat scenarios in the last mission. In Ace Combat squadron leader, the way Chopper died , in HAWX 2 two of your USAF team mates also die but they die pointlessly and you don't feel sad like you did for Chopper. If you can remember the Megalith mission in Ace Combat Shattered Skies, you will have to once again go inside a bunker and destroy a Ballistic missile. And, of course, you have to go chasing ballistic missiles hunting as they speed away towards the sky.

After I finished the game, I did find weapons packs in the Arcade mode. But, forcing a pilot to replay the Single player or the Aracde mode or the Survival mode multiple times to gain points and then using those points to unlock weapons packs is unacceptable.

So, the burning question, should you buy the game? Yes, you should if the pilot in you is screaming for some dogfight adrenaline rush. At £8.99 for the PC DVD, it is bang for buck and worth playing to bide the time. Fear not, Ace Comabt Assault Horizon will be relased this year.

PLATFORM: PC
SCORE OUT OF 10: 6/10
SKIP, BUY OR RENT? BUY / RENT

[Sousuke]

Nice review OilSheikh.

I was unfortunate enough to buy this game when it came out on PS3.

My hopes and expectation from HAWX 1 came crushing down in a great ball of fire.

THB the whole aircraft handling, graphics and the lack of choice for weapons pack and jet makes it feel like a step back from what was a great game called HAWX.

I say rent it if possible.

[OilSheikh]

Nice review OilSheikh.

I was unfortunate enough to buy this game when it came out on PS3.

My hopes and expectation from HAWX 1 came crushing down in a great ball of fire.

THB the whole aircraft handling, graphics and the lack of choice for weapons pack and jet makes it feel like a step back from what was a great game called HAWX.

I say rent it if possible.

Thanks Sousuke. I played the PS3 demo and I immediately knew that the game was going to have problems - the lock-on was seriously off-target or slow. I waied for the price to come down and grabbed it for the PC. I would personally Buy it, play it and then sell it quick as a AS NEW condition item

[Sousuke]

Thanks Sousuke. I played the PS3 demo and I immediately knew that the game was going to have problems - the lock-on was seriously off-target or slow. I waied for the price to come down and grabbed it for the PC. I would personally Buy it, play it and then sell it quick as a AS NEW condition item

Exactly what I did.

After finishing the single mission and having hard time finding any decent multi-player action online; sold my copy off at ebay for 24 quid.

btw nice to see another be* user. Been with them for 5 years. Best ISP ever.