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| Introduction: | |
| WWI was one of the bloodiest wars to be fought in our time, and, right above the trenches, one of the most important air wars ever to be fought played itself out. The air combat was fast-paced and gruesome. Unlike the air wars of today, there was simply no way to kill an enemy plane from 20 miles away. In fact, the dogfighting tactics developed during this war are still taught to young fighter pilots today. One of the most influential, and famous, fighter pilots of all time was a German WWI pilot by the name of Manfred Von Richtofen. Richtofen, often known by the name the "Red Baron" achieved an astonishing 80 kills before being shot down and killed on April 21, 1918 by Canadian ace, Captain Roy Brown. With Red Baron 3D, you can see up close what WWI air combat was like. So strap in, and remember, there are no ejection seats! |  |
| Graphics | |
| The graphics in this game are amazingly similar to Red Baron II, and, like its predecessor, they are not spectacular (although this version has 3Dfx support). The aerodrome where most of your missions start, consists of several hangars and other buildings, as well as a number of vehicles. Flying around, you will notice there are many objects (bridges, rail lines, etc.) no matter what direction you fly in. Another thing that caught my eye was that any time you fly over the trenches, or no-man's land, you can't help but notice the massive destruction going on beneath you. Tanks, trucks, and flak are all portrayed very realistically in this game. Even the inevitable crash we all run into now and again is extremely well done, with wings literally snapping off. In general, the graphics, while well done, are not as exciting as some current combat sims, but are perfectly sufficient for the type of game this is. |  |
| Aircraft | |
| Red Baron 3D has a very wide selection of aircraft to choose from. You can fly aircraft from many countries - Germany, France, Britain and the United States - everything from the Albatros D.II and Spad XIII to the Sopwith Camel and Fokker D.VII. Every aircraft has distinctly different flight characteristics, as well as weaponry. |
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| Gameplay | |
| As mentioned above, I didn't notice any significant gameplay differences between this game and Red Baron II. The strategy is still the same - shoot down or be shot down. The air combat is fast-paced, and realistic. There is no radar to help find your targets, so you have to rely on eyesight alone (although the game does help you a bit by offering a "show enemy" option). Some aircraft can also carry bombs or rockets for air to ground missions, which almost always include a massive amount of flak, so it's never easy. Most missions start on the ground in the aerodrome. Once your engine is started and you've taken off (after a bumpy take-off run), you look down at your map, and see where you have to fly. After a short flight (usually 1-2 minutes) you arrive at your target. Whether it be a balloon, a fighter plane or artillery, one thing I noticed is that there is always something shooting at you. Large amounts of flak surround any ground targets, and there are usually fighters to deal with as well. Be careful, or you'll hear the crunching sound of rounds going through the wood of your aircraft! Once your target is destroyed (never an easy task...), you return to the aerodrome. Since there is no runway per se, you must find a flat piece of land near the aerodrome for landing purposes. Just make sure your landing is nice and smooth, you wouldn't want to crack your airframe! |
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| Multiplayer | |
| Playing multiplayer Red Baron 3D will simply knock your socks off. There's nothing quite as thrilling as just jumping into a massive melee of aircraft and slugging it out WWI style! Multiplayer in this game is quick and painless. There is even a separate program to load for multiplayer which helps you get into the action that much quicker. Of all the multiplayer combat sims I've played, I have to say that Red Baron 3D has to be one of the most entertaining. |
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| Documentation | |
| The manual that comes with the game is absolutely fantastic.Not only does it (in detail) show you how to play the game, but there is extensive info about the physics of flight and fighting tactics. In addition, there is a very extensive, yet fun to read, history of WWI, with particular emphasis on the air war. Weighing in at a hefty 138 pages, the manual reads more like a novel then a manual, and I found it great fun to read! . | |
| Conclusion | |
| Overall, I think Red Baron 3D is a great game. While that graphics aren't quite as spectacular as some games I've played, the addition of 3Dfx support does help the game a lot. But what the game lacks in graphics, it makes up in good, old-fashioned fun. This is one of the most entertaining games I've played in a while. If you are a WWI, or even a WWII, combat sim fan, then Red Baron 3D is for you. | |
| System Requirements | |
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Reviewed by Bryan Samis
