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Comanche 4
by Jolex Del Pilar
Tuesday, January 29 2002
The 4th game in a series of action-flight chopper games, Comanche 4 does away with Voxel for a new polygonal look. Thank you NovaLogic!
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Title:
Comanche 4
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Platform:
Minimum Requirements: Pentium 450, 128 megs of RAM, 250 megs of HD Space,
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Publisher:
Novalogic |
Developer:
Novalogic |
#
of Players: 1 - 16 |
Genre:
Action
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Origin:
United States
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Expected
Release:
January 2002 |
Grapevine:
With Comanche 4, the game still is looking for an identity, because although you can hit dozens of switches, nobs, and other functions, the game seems a little too "movie-action" like to fall into the sim category. For this reason, I call Comanche a hybrid of sim and action. I know that's sitting on the fence, but that is what Comanche 4 is. |
The Comanche series has always been a hit and miss situation for most gamers who have tried it out. Questions always arised when Novalogic decided to release an update to the series. Is it sim or not? Is it going to use the (dreaded) Voxel Space Technology or not? With Comanche 4, I think gamers will finally get a game that answers those questions and more.
When Comanche 3 came out, it used the much heralded(despised?) Voxel Technology. For those of you not familiar with what Voxel Technology is, here's a short answer. Usually in games, sprites or 2D objects, are usually represented by "pixels". Pixels are 2D dots on your monitor or TV that can have a different color applied to them. Voxel technology brought the 3D pixel to gaming. A 2D pixel does not have any 3D depth to it, and is displayed flatly on the monitor. A "Voxel" can have a 3D coordinate assigned to it, so that "Voxels" could be placed behind each other or in front of each other. This was supposedly going to lead to more realistic graphics and richer visuals for terrain in games. Sadly, the effect fell short of expectations. Not only was "Voxel" technology very resource hungry, but the early versions of the technology were very underwhelming from an aesthetic standpoint. Even updates to the technology could not resolve these major problems and eventually, as proven by Comanche 4, Novalogic decided to do away with Voxel Technology as a viable solution for their game's visuals. This edition of the game uses a purely polygonal graphics engine. Novalogic has seen the light!
Comanche 4, as in previous editions, is based on the amazingly advanced attack helicopter, the RAH-66 Boeing-Sikorsky "Comanche". It is so advanced that it will not be inducted into the U.S Army until 2006, although proto-types do exist in working form. So any performance issues in the game dealing with the deadly attack helicopter are basically estimated from data that is open to the public.
One thing you'll notice immediatly after installing the game(which installed without a hitch) is that the game looks better than it ever has before. That's not primarily because of advances in graphic technology but more because of the switch from Voxel to polygons. No more will Comanche fans have to deal with muddy pixels, as a new clean polygonal look has now taken over the scene. The graphics looked especially good on my GeForce 2 MX, on medium detail. I'm pretty sure that with a GeForce 3 on maximum detail, the effect is all too convincing. One of the most well-done effects is the rotor wash of the Comanche when the helicopter is above a body of water. The water is pushed away by the powerful engines of the Comanche and you can just imagine the water being sprayed in all directions from the rotor wash. Comanche 4 definitely scores big points in the visuals department.
One thing that has always bothered me is whether the Comanche series is a sim or just simply an action game. With Comanche 4, the game still is looking for an identity, because although you can hit dozens of switches, nobs, and other functions, the game seems a little too "movie-action" like to fall into the sim category. For this reason, I call Comanche a hybrid of sim and action. I know that's sitting on the fence, but that is what Comanche 4 is.
Controlling the game by way of a joystick or keyboard is fairly intuitive. In fact, those of you who have played any recent first person shooter will feel right at home. Straffing, going backward, forwards and altitude control are the only real basics you need to know to get started. Weapons control comes by way of the mouse of keyboard, although I suspect most will prefer the mouse since it is also what you will aim with. They're are a variety of weapons that you can switch between by pressing numbers on the keyboard, from the Vulcan Cannon to Hellfire Missiles. Some purist may cringe at the thought of using a mouse and keyboard to control the Comanche, but I personally had fun using the setup. It isn't too overbearing and it isn't too mind-numbingly simple. It's just right. If you want a hardcore sim, go play Falcon 4.0 from Microprose. Comanche 4 is for those of us who want to blow stuff up (and you will get the chance).
The missions of Comanche 4 are fairly interesting and you will get to utilize the strengths and weaknesses of the helicopter in the game. Some of the missions include the basic search and destroy type, and escort and protect as well. My favorite were the missions where you are attached to Delta Force (of recent “Blackhawk Down” fame). Some of these Delta Force missions involve you providing air support for a Delta Squad as they storm and take back an airport. The graphic detail is so great you can see the little Delta Force team members shooting and ducking bullets. The mission selection though is admittedly thin, and the campaigns don't usually last very long. Overall, there are enough missions to explore every aspect of the Comanche and there is also a mission editor, so those looking for more action will only have their imaginations as the limit. Multiplayer is also supported, though from my experiences, broadband is practically a must since there is so much "flying" around in Comanche 4 during an average mission. Dial-up users tend to get lagged out in these situations. NovaWorld provides a nice option as well and it's free courtesy of Novalogic.
In the end, Comanche 4 is one of the few games in the hybrid "sim/action" genre that, in this reviewers opinion, seems to be the best of the series. A new clean graphics engine, simplified control scheme, and enough action for even the most diehard Quake fan, Comanche 4 not only impresses but it also brings back the shine and gleam that the series once had when the first game came out.
--- Jolex Del Pilar, E3 Rascal
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