Flying Nightmares

Flying Nightmares looks and sounds like a flight-sim fanatic's dream come true - until you take over the controls.

This game is indeed a nightmare for infrequent fliers. The FunFactor depends on the energy you're willing to devote to mastering the sometimes-flighty controls.

At least the polygon visuals get tough. Among the highlights: excellent flyby views of targets, multiple around-the-aircraft looks, and awesome animations for the 15 weapons.

Like the graphics, the hard-rocking soundtrack kicks. The effects, though, are standard explosions and jet-engine drones.

If you're flying, you're dying. But if you want to be a 3DO ace, you really ought to face this nightmare.

Domark's soaring onto the 3DO with H the release of Flying Nightmares, which recreates the flight patterns of the famous Harrier Jump Jet. in-eluding its awesome vertical take-offs and landings. You're in the cockpit, piloting the Harrier and monitoring its weapon systems and armaments through a series of strategic war-game scenarios. You can fly simultaneous missions with up to three wing-men in multiple cockpit views. The graphics sport rendered, full-motion-video combat sequences and texture-mapped 3D vehicles,objects, and enemy aircraft. The rockin' soundtrack stars Mike Edwards of Jesus Jones.

Domark has a cool new flight simulator for the 3DO platform. In Flying Nightmares, you control a swift weapon of death.

Choose from a number of missions ranging from air-to-air combat to ground targets. Flying Nightmares is a complex flight simulation. It'll really put you in the cockpit.

Using the powers of the 3DO, Domark has given this CD a feel as realistic as possible. One look at the pics below, and you'll see how any flight sim fan could flip out. Are you ready for war?

The gaming masterminds at Domark have created a new aircraft combat simulator based on the vertical take-off and landing fighter, the Harrier, used by the U.S. Marines. Using all of the weapons and technology real pilots use daily, you wage war against the Barcala government (in Southeast Asia) under the code name: Operation Saber.

Flying Nightmares is a very good interpretation of a Harrier simulator. It allows you to jump into the flight suit of a Harrier pilot and try out the demanding requirements of a combat pilot in a state of war. The only real problem with this game is trying to use the 3DO keypad to fly the plane. It can be done, but it is much easier to use the Flightstick Pro (plus it gives a more realistic feel to any flight sim). The in-depth accuracy that makes FN a great sim can also cause real problems trying to remember the 32 different functions and controls while flying this high-tech jet fighter. While all this action is going on inside the cockpit, miles of texture-mapped, 3-D landscape flow by quickly and smoothly. Littering this countryside are over 100 objects that include vehicles, enemy aircraft, buildings and special mission objectives. All these objects are not just represented by a corny icon placed randomly on the horizon, but physically appear to be in the world. When something is destroyed, it will smoke and smolder in the background for the rest of the mission, instead of having it change appearance or disappear altogether as with lesser games.

Besides the previously mentioned fault of using the keypad, control leaves nothing to note except that many players feel it is spongy and too loose for accurate flying. Experimenting with the soft control in low-level tight turns will send many pilots to their watery graves with little or no time to eject. You will, however, have plenty of flight time to perfect your flying ability while attempting the full complement of 36 missions. All of the missions are progressive through the story line. So, after destroying two coastline ground structures in the first mission, there will still be rubble in the second mission when you fly over them to obliterate something else. Definitely a great feature to have in a sim where the story closely revolves around the orderly completion of missions. The missions begin very tame by hitting ground structures that have no defensive capability. On these missions, your greatest enemy is pilot error. Later the targets will be protected by SAMs and Howitzers, which are ordered to defend important potential ground targets. You will also have to deal with three more enemy combat aircraft along with "Hueys," C130s and thick armored tanks. They will all give their best shot at trying to down the aggressors using any of the weapons at their disposal. These missions will put all of your training to the test as you battle to save your own neck.

Flying Nightmares as a whole is one of the most challenging flight sims available for any system. It is so challenging in fact, that the manual even comes with tips to add to the already detailed instructions. Flying Nightmares is not a game for players looking for instant gratification, it is an in-depth flight simulator that allows you to get into the pilot's chair and try your luck at downing bogies. Any player who masters Flying Nightmares is either currently a pilot, or should be in U.S.M.C. flight training.

IT'S NOT OVER YET....

Your best option landing the Harrier is to use the auto pilot, which will set you down on the carrier deck smooth as silk. Be sure that no enemy planes are following you or else they can shoot you down as your plane is trying to land. The way to avoid this is to destroy your pursuer before you turn on the auto pilot. Use an AIM9 missile or if you have none left, circle your fleet with the bogie following you and let the fleet's gunners take out the enemy.

Flying Nightmares is a jet combat flight sim that looks like it's trying to take its name seriously. You jump in the cockpit of a Harrier Jump Jet and engage in an air-to-ground assault that's very similar to the British Falkland Islands war in Argentina. The enemy fire will be intense as you run up against 100-plus enemy aircraft and anti-aircraft defense vehicles.

Your aircraft will be rendered in texture-mapped 3D detail. Your views to the kills will include multiple cockpit perspectives as well as external looks at the aircraft and missile camera angles. Full-motion-video sequences will juice the aerial action.

You'll even be able to fly missions with up to three wingmen. At least you won't have to challenge this Nightmare alone.