While it sounds intriguing, especially for gamers who thrive upon war-themed games, Wings doesn't do much to lift your enthusiasm off the ground. Essentially the game is combat driven, however it's too straightforward and mundane to even get mildly excited about. In its aim to diversify the entire war experience, players can choose between representing a novice pilot for the Allies or the Axis (German) army. Each campaign presents a text-based journal as told through the current pilot assumed by the player. The novelty effect will wear off after the third or fourth mission since it's likely you'll be itching just to blow up stuff. Missions will vary from among three types of gameplay modes - dogfight, bombing, and strafing. The dogfight mode is very disappointing, namely because there the entire concept feels incomplete. Using the control pad allows you to steer the plane, while the face buttons operate the guns and HUD. The left and right trigger buttons correspond to your viewpoint respectively. Straightforward, but sadly...very dull in my opinion.

Navigating your plane in an attempt to gun down the enemy is usually more trouble than you'd expect. Bear in the mind that these are first-generation warplanes, meaning you can not exceed a certain altitude, lest your engines will stall for a short period of time --- and unfortunately, making you an easy target. Speaking of which, this seems to happen all to often, at least in the beginning. As you progress and successfully complete missions, you'll be awarded with additional points to improve your pilot's attributes (i.e. flying ability, shooting ability, mechanical aptitude, and stamina). Unfortunately, patience is not one of the areas that can be upgraded, you'll simply have to exercise that on your own.

I actually found the bombing sequences to be more enjoyable, but even they're not entirely polished. The missions are featured in a top-down perspective and players are issued a limited supply of bombs for the designated targets. Before each mission, you'll receive a recon photograph which outlines the region where your targets are located. The missions are pretty simple to complete, lest you lack bad timing in deploying the bombs. You'll also need to closely monitor your fuel. Don't spend too long trying to take out the targets or your pilot will scrap the mission and return to base. Your commanding officer however won't be too fond of this, which will play a factor in the number of available skill points awarded to you per mission. The Strafing missions are more or less, an extension of the pilot's objective in the Bombing missions. The only distinctions are that the player is required to avoid friendly targets and focus on specific targets issued by your C.O. This mode is featured in a three-quarter perspective, and a much lower altitude - meaning that it will be easier for you to be shot down by enemy targets. These missions also felt pretty dry to play, though they offer the player an adequate degree of maneuverability (the plane will automatically revert back on the screen should you go too far). One gripe I had with this mission was the inexplicable slowdown when you're gunning down targets. It just didn't feel right and from a gameplay point-of-view, considered it something of a turn-off.

To its credit, Cinemaware has delivered on the visual end. Featuring a real-time 3D gamplay engine, complimented by the psuedo realistic sounds, there's a fairly nice atmosphere of being caught up in the epic battle between the Allies and Axis forces. Players can toggle between the cockpit and exterior view, allowing you to appreciate a very detailed design of the pilot (who unfortunately doesn't animate too much, besides turning his head left and right). While it doesn't push the limits of the system, compared to other releases this year, Wings is definitely one of the more visually impressive games available.

Wings is quite a sleeper combat experience, one which needs quite a jolt for me to consider picking up on a recurring basis. The multiplayer aspect gives the overall package a much broader appeal, but it definitely lacks in the single-player format. After playing Defender of the Crown, this is quite a letdown. Although the sound effects, music and the scripted journal elements which outline the events of between the Allies and Germans are very polished, the gameplay comes up short of being entertaining. Fall in troops and stand ready for something better in the immediate future.

· · · Bahn