Combat Air Patrol 2: Military Flight Simulator

Combat Air Patrol 2 for PC is a simulator game allowing the player to take control over the famous AV-8B Harrier II plane. The game is a spiritual heir to Combat Air Patrol, which debuted back in 1993 on Commodore Amiga computers and became one of the best simulators for that device. Combat Air Patrol 2 was created by Sim155 Limited - a British studio founded by Ed Scio, who is both the main designer and programmer of the original game.

Mechanics

A British-American reconnaissance aircraft McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is "the protagonist" of the game. The plane went into mass production in the 1980s, and has been since used by the armed forces of the US, the UK, Spain and Italy. The aircraft itself stands out with its ability to perform V/STOL maneuvers, that is, short, vertical take-offs and landings. Combat Air Patrol 2 is set in the regions near the Strait of Hormuz, which separates the Persian Gulf from the Gulf of Oman. The player has 250 thousand square kilometers of virtual environment to fly above, and takes part in fictitious scenarios focusing mainly on actions of sea and assault patrols, as well as numerous encounters with aircrafts, ground and sea targets. All of this is complemented by strategy elements and having to plan the mission in detail, taking both military and civilian sea units into account.

In terms of the mechanics, Combat Air Patrol 2 for PC is a semi-realistic game, comparable to such titles as Strike Fighters or Il-2 Sturmovik. Although a set of simplifications were applied to the mechanics (which may not be to simulators' orthodox fans' liking), flight physics are far from arcade here, which separates the game from such console simulators as the Ace Combat series for example. As a serious simulator game, CAP2 faithfully recreates Harrier's technical specifications, weaponry, and obviously its looks. What deserves special attention here, is the three-dimensional, fully functional cockpit of the plane included in the game.

Game modes

Combat Air Patrol 2 for PC offers a dynamic story campaign allowing to fly both individually and in the co-op mode – the player joins another player's campaign in this case. Apart from that, the game features the Fleet vs Fleet multiplayer modes allowing the players to compete against one another or fight against AI-controlled enemies together.

Technical aspects

Combat Air Patrol 2 utilizes the creators' own engine. The game is visually impressive, offering high-quality models of both planes and ships, as well as detailed environments recreated on the basis of satellite maps. The game supports three-dimensional surround sound, a wide set of screen resolution options available, but also VR sets, delivering their owners with a unique gaming experience. What is worth recognition as well, is that apart from standard gamepads, the game supports a variety of other controlling devices, such as TrackIR, Flightstick, HOTAS or the MFD panels.

Last updated on July 22, 2016