Falcon 4.0 (Mac)

The obscenely large Flight Handbook that accompanies the game (some 600-plus pages) just begins to give you an idea of what you're in for. Written by real-life F-16 bad-ass Pete "Boomer" Bonanni, the manual methodically walks you through every aspect of the interface (which can be a bit overwhelming even for a combat-sim vet) and gives in-depth info on tactics and campaign play.

Unfortunately, the sim carries a couple caveats, but they become less of an issue as technology and MacSoft support catches up: one, the game hogs disk space (650 MB), requires a tricked-out joystick, and demands a better processor than MacSoft might have you think (anything less than a G3 with serious accelerator cards isn't going to hack it); and two, the game inherited the PC version's bumper crop of nearly debilitating bugs, and patches have been slow in coming since Falcon's '98 release (check for the latest).

Falcon 4.0 succeeds brilliantly when it comes to simulation fidelity, with stunning graphics, sounds digitized from real F-16s to immerse you in the action, and scalable controls that give all the versatility of an actual Falcon. You can also choose from four different play options: Instant Action, which is pretty much what you'd imagine (get thrown into the mix with unlimited fuel and ammo and duke it out till you go down); Dogfight, employing any combination of networked humans and AIs playing in teams or free-for-all (yes, you can beat up on Wintel pilots over the Internet); Tactical Engagement, which lets you design your own missions; and the Campaign, where Falcon really shines and you're immersed in a long-term, complex, real-time conflict over the skies of Korea. --Paul Hughes

Amazon.com Product Description
Falcon 4.0 is an advanced and easy-to-use flight simulator. It is the only flight simulator with a completely real-time campaign, and it offers multiple levels of difficulty for novice and expert pilots alike.

You're tooling along in your F-16, accompanied by as many as 3 other falcons. Meanwhile, other elements are off on their own missions (attacking ground targets, escorting bombers, doing recon), *and* the enemy is scrambling planes and coordinating its anti-aircraft units in a realistic way.

Note that this game is very deep. The default settings are forgiving and there's an "instant action" mode for those of you who just want some quick fun. If you take the time to get into the game, you will find that there is a *lot* to learn. The tutorials are quite thorough, and I recommend playing them to understand the capabilities of the plane and its systems.

One nit -- I really wish the tutorials had an audio briefing. Unfortunately, you need to consult the manual with each one to understand what you need to do. An audio briefing and audio cues during the tutorial missions would have been a very useful touch, and I'm surprised they aren't there.

You absolutely need a flight-sim style joystick to play this game well. I'm using a Thrustmaster Top-Gun with four buttons and a 4-way hat switch, and it works quite well with the game. If you want to get the most out of Falcon, get a throttle control too. There's really nothing like hunting for the ECM key on the keyboard when a radar-guided SAM is flying up your tail at Mach 3.

I gave this game a 3 out of 5 only because it is not stable. On a B/W G3 with MacOS 8.6, ATI Rage 128 OEM, and 64M of RAM, it crashes randomly during startup. I've never had it crash mid-game, but I have had it crash every time I've tried to load a campaign that I had saved. END


Tough It Out   December 14, 1999
 16 out of 16 found this review helpful

Don't believe the negative hype. If you are a flight sim rookie...you may want to steer clear. If you like flight sims with depth, challenge and complexity: this is the finest one ever made. It will provide literally years--not days--years of gameplay value. Be sure to download the 1.08 and 1.08i pathces. This game is incredible.


The Sweetest Simulation Ever   December 14, 1999
 9 out of 10 found this review helpful

When I first set out to buy a new game for my G4, I went to inside mac games to check out what was rated high on the simulation genre. As it turns out, this game is probably one of the most sophisticated simulations released for the Macintosh.

If you have a high-end macintosh, (and I stress high-end) this is the game you have been looking for the test out your machine.

The game offers stunning photo-realistic graphics and unbelieveable sound. The manual, heavy as it is, is written by a airforce Falcon trainer, and it is very real.

However this game has numerous bugs, and those require a steep learning curve. If you want to see a sweet game, this is the one.

Geoff


PHD Required   December 8, 1999
 12 out of 24 found this review helpful

Ever noticed the disparity between flight simulators? There seems to be no middle ground--either the simple, like A-10, where almost anyone can fly (with a little practice) or the not-simple. Falcon 4.0 is the not-simple end of the spectrum.

If your trusty UPS deliveryman doesn't damage his back or pull a muscle, he'll (with joy) hand you the heaviest game box around--because of the weight of a massive volume that contains your instructions. It also includes the map of your keyboard, showing the 3 functions for EVERY BUTTON. This is not a joke, or an exaggeration. So after memorizing the 150 or so button functions and reading the near-200 page instruction manual, then you might be able to fly the thing...

Ok, maybe it really IS the ultimate flight sim. Unfortunately, my Uncle the 4-star USAF General and fighter pilot is now deceased, so I was unable to show him this thing--maybe he could figure it all out, but can anyone else?

Unless you feel that your tax forms are "Too Simple" and that MIT just isn't challenging enough, trust me--save your money.