Publisher: Atari ___Platform: PS2
Review: Jason Round



Well, we like to think we’re all top guns here at H4s HQ. That was, until we stuck Atari’s Heatseeker into the local PS2. Firstly, the great thing about Heatseeker compared to some of the more realistic air-combat sims out there lately is the fact is retains its arcade feel, which makes it incredibly accessible to most players. And if you’re feeling the need, the need for speed, this sim truly delivers what feels like a very quick trip around the globe. Of course, those Vipers among you may want to head straight for the ‘professional’ mode, which allows you to adjust pitch and roll manually much like a traditional flight sim.

There are weapons aplenty, 40 to be exact, with the R1 and L1 buttons set up for missiles and machine gun, the latter of which is particularly effective for polishing off targets. If you still don’t waste ’em, fear not, because there’s your squadron to back you up as well, and let us tell you, there’s nothing cooler than seeing your squad break away to tackle ze enemy mid-flight. We almost had to pull out the sickie bag such was the feeling of speed, which is quite a feat for the graphical compromises of the PS2, and although the scenery may seem a touch Nescafe Gold (aka bland), you probably won’t get time to take a happy snap anyhow.



The sky’s something different altogether, though, with crisp cloud textures and realistic smoke and vapour effects that really add another dimension to this title, bringing it more into the realm of Afterburner than some Qantas testing program. The range of machinery is, as to be expected, vast, meaning you can pilot everything from an F22 Raptor to an F-15 Eagle and even some of the more futuristic planes around, like the Russian SU-47 and F35 Lightning II. There are also a host of places to blow up as well, including the Artic and US, the Middle East and a few surprise locations that, in our opinion, could certainly do with a few sidewinders.
The controls are very easy to come to grips with, turning you into Tom in a matter of moments, and for those who are still having trouble, the first few missions are further designed to ease you into the system, of which the missiles in particular, can be a touch difficult to grasp at first.

Once you’ve progressed into the game, though, things really open up, and you can be expecting to dive-bomb and 6G barrel roll in no time at all. The camera too, is unobtrusive — something that has plagued many a flight sim trying to find that sweet, see-saw balance between arcade and realism.
The most inventive angle on that front is ‘Impact Cam’, a kind of POV missile that allows you to see the look of horror on your opponents faces right before your Stinger bits them in the arse and sees their plane topple from the sky like some wayward firework. Yes, it’s all incredibly poetic stuff.

So then, there’s little to complain about in Heatseeker, which remains a great deal of fun — especially when you don’t have to foot the bill for that $38-million MIG that just went down in a blaze of glory…

Great stuff. 4/5