As the sequel to the premiere flight-combat action game from earlier this year, Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII raises the bar set by its predecessor in graphic detail, historical accuracy of aircraft, and game play innovation. Vast improvements in these areas highlight the progress made by the game’s development team at Ubisoft Romania.
Unlike the first installment of Blazing Angels, which followed the fictional exploits of the Angels of Dunkirk, an elite American squad of pilots, this game introduces a new undercover squad called Operation Wildcard. As the leader of this new team, you’ll fly into the most secret aerial operations of the war as you perform reconnaissance, sabotage, and a host of other objectives in exotic settings such as Russia, Cairo, and the Swiss Alps. You’ll also pilot top-secret aircraft prototypes, including the DH Vampire F Mk I, the Gotha Go 229, and the Me-163 Komet, and be able to customize them with experimental weaponry like high-velocity cannons and television-guided missiles. While historically-modeled aircraft were featured in the first Blazing Angels, there were a number of discrepancies in their accuracy—most notably in insignias and aircraft designations. This has been fixed in the sequel, with the exception of a few details in the presentation of the experimental aircraft.
Blazing Angels 2 also makes full use of the motion-sensing abilities of the PlayStation 3’s SIXAXIS wireless controller. Simply tilt the control as if it were the wings of your aircraft, and your plane will steer in that direction. This feature is an innovative development that takes full advantage of the PlayStation 3’s capabilities. If you only get one flight-combat action game this year, Blazing Angels 2 won’t disappoint.
Originally published in the February 2008 issue of World War II Magazine. To subscribe, click here.
