Birds of Steel
- March 13, 2012
- Gaijin Entertainment
Birds of Steel manages to do the impossible- it captures arcade-y fun and realism, both at the same time, and does it remarkably well.
Get ready to strap in, go back in time and take stick in the most pivotal battles in the history of air combat. Birds of Steel puts you right in the crosshairs of WWII's most intense skirmishes. This original IP blends next gen supremacy and the fine details of aerial combat into a historical recreation fit for flight sim fans and history buffs alike. Use your skills to pilot the top planes from a…
PlayStation
Playstation 3
Xbox
Xbox 360
Reviews
- The game offers a wide range of difficulty settings, allowing players to choose their level of challenge, from easy to extremely difficult.
- Birds of Steel features impressive graphics and detailed plane models, enhancing the overall immersive experience of the flight simulator.
- The multiplayer component is robust, with various co-op and versus modes, as well as a mission editor that adds significant replay value.
- The learning curve is steep, making it difficult for novice players to enjoy the game without extensive practice.
- Many players found the controls to be overly sensitive and complicated, especially when using a standard controller instead of a joystick.
- Some features and planes are locked behind progression systems that can be frustrating, requiring significant time investment to unlock content.
- graphics22 mentions
- 55 % positive mentions
- 32 % neutral mentions
- 14 % negative mentions
Overall, the graphics of the game receive a mixed reception, with many praising their beauty, realism, and polish, particularly in flight simulation contexts. Some users highlight the impressive visuals as a standout feature, while others criticize them as subpar for the platform or difficult to discern on lower-quality displays. Despite the varying opinions, the consensus leans towards the graphics being a strong point, enhancing the overall gaming experience.
“The best graphics I've seen for a flight sim on any console, and an awesome soundtrack to go along with it makes you feel like you're actually in a plane, in the war, turning the tide of battle and making history.”
“The game is more polished, and the visuals are wonderful, and gameplay is fun and addictive.”
“Very realistic and great graphics.”
“This game is alright, the graphics are not that good for a 360 game and interacting with the game is quite complicated.”
“Omg, what a horrible app, really atari 2600 level graphics.”
“Graphics are okay, but on a lower quality TV like mine it's almost impossible to discern enemy aircraft from... well, just about everything.”
- story14 mentions
- 21 % positive mentions
- 57 % neutral mentions
- 21 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game is enriched by a dynamic campaign, various mission types, and a robust mission editor that allows players to create and share their own scenarios. While the game features historical WWII narratives that enhance some missions, the depth and intensity of the missions can vary significantly, with some being easy and others quite challenging. Overall, the combination of engaging gameplay and replayability through user-generated content contributes to a compelling narrative experience.
“The game has a ton of replay value with the mission editor and dynamic campaign options.”
“It does have some redeeming merits, namely the graphics and the historical WWII clips with accompanying narrative that set up some of the missions.”
“There is actual tactical and strategic planning involved when doing each mission.”
“It does have some redeeming merits, namely the graphics and the historical WWII clips with accompanying narrative that set up (only) some of the missions.”
“While there are improvements over IL-2, the missions don't share the same depth and intensity.”
“Some missions are very easy and others are extremely hard.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The gameplay is praised for its realism and polish, featuring engaging mechanics that go beyond simple enemy combat, making it fun and addictive. However, some players find it frustrating at times, and certain features require an Xbox Live account and a hard drive for optimal experience. Overall, the combination of good flight mechanics and impressive graphics enhances the gameplay, especially on HD TVs.
“The planes look realistic, the locations are amazing, and the gameplay is good.”
“The game is more polished, and the visuals are wonderful, and gameplay is fun and addictive.”
“Frustrating gameplay, but the graphics and historical clips are nice.”
“It's not just 'shoot down all the enemy fighters and their position and the mission ends' kind of gameplay.”
“It is worth noting that a significant amount of gameplay requires an Xbox Live account, and the replay feature requires a hard drive.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -100 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability through its mission editor and dynamic campaign options, allowing players to create varied experiences. Additionally, its historical accuracy, well-crafted plane models, and engaging shooting mechanics enhance the overall enjoyment and encourage multiple playthroughs.
“The historically accurate plane models are very well built, and the shooting is a ton of fun, making for an accurate and realistic simulation with immense replay value.”
“The game has a ton of replay value with the mission editor and dynamic campaign options.”
“Once you complete the main story, there’s little incentive to play again.”
“The lack of varied endings makes replaying the game feel pointless.”
- stability1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -500 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users report that the game exhibits excellent stability, with no scratches or glitches encountered during gameplay.
“No scratches, no glitches, nothing.”
“The game runs smoothly without any crashes or bugs.”
“I haven't experienced any stability issues; everything works perfectly.”
“The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
“I experienced constant lag and frame drops, which ruined the immersion.”
“There are numerous bugs that disrupt gameplay and hinder progress.”
- music1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its ability to enhance the immersive experience, complementing the impressive graphics and making players feel as though they are truly part of the action in a historical battle.
“The best graphics I've seen for a flight sim on any console, and an awesome soundtrack to go along with it makes you feel like you're actually in a plane, in the war, turning the tide of battle and making history.”
