Written by Alexander O. Cuaycong and Anthony L. Cuaycong
Title: Comanche
Developer: NUKKLEAR
Publisher: THQ Nordic
Genre: Action
Price: $19.99
It’s a reflection of the lack of good helicopter flight simulators in the market that Comanche 4 continues to get significant love in this day and age. NovaLogic released it to great fanfare way back in 2001, and, even then, it wasn’t a graphical marvel that projected staying power in an industry where look can be just as important as feel. Yet, it remains a highly recommended title, and — outside of its inclusion in a Machines of War bundle that gives ample bang for the buck — continues to be offered at full price. That said, age has caught up with it, and publisher THQ Nordic has thankfully taken steps to address the need for a suitable successor.
Enter Comanche, which promises to reinvigorate the franchise with better controls and modern aesthetics designed to meet the demands of a new generation. The involvement of NUKKLEAR, known for its experience in developing networked and connected gaming systems, is a dead giveaway in where it wants to go and what it aims to achieve. And, as an early-access title, it shows ample potential. Its graphics border on the cutting edge; regardless of game mode, players are in for a visual treat. Certainly, painstaking care and effort went into making the game look good, with its three-dimensional models and the various helicopter skins and textures slated to satisfy even the most demanding of palates.
Significantly, Comanche goes well beyond looks. While, as a helicopter sim, it does have a learning curve, it somehow manages to convey a pretty natural feel. It may not be as easy from the get-go as one would expect modern games to be, but it nonetheless presents a control scheme that’s still fairly intuitive. Given enough time, even newcomers to the series will find themselves at home behind the keyboard, zipping through the skies with relative ease. Which, in a nutshell, is half the battle won for a release bent on presenting a realistic facsimile of rotary-wing movement.
If Comanche so far sounds like a neat little package, that’s because it is — with “little” being the operative word. Its tinges of greatness cannot be denied, but its current offerings, while fun to experience, remain modest at best even as it has stayed on course with its latest update. With its single-player mode still a work in progress, it continues to hinge its replay value on networked gameplay. And make no mistake; it’s undoubtedly a fun multiplayer experience. Unfortunately, matchmaking remains iffy at best; depending on region and timezone, the wait can seem too long for comfort, and figures to remains so until it’s released on retail and the number of players online reasonably increases.
The good news is that Comanche’s single-player component continues to be improved. Periodic updates in this regard are pledged; for instance, the latest patch includes a brand-new scenario. Along the way, early adopters will need no small measure of patience and understanding. The potential is there; there can be no denying its polish and the painstaking care put into its development. However, the relative lack of content and absence of a meaningful online population aren’t likely to hold gamers’ attention for more than a few hours at a time. For now, it’s a promise that looks ready to be kept. When is the question.
THE GOOD
- Handles extremely well
- An enjoyable experience, especially for those into flight simulators
- Developers remain willing to listen to the game’s player base
THE BAD
- Lacking in single-player content
- Multiplayer mode hampered by relative lack of online population
- Not a real sim
- Incorporates arcade elements
RATING: 7.5/10
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