TFX

Title		TFX
Game Type	Flight Sim
Players		1
Compatibility	AGA
Submission	Richard Byrne

Review
   "The apex of military flight simulation" boasts the
subtitle.  I went away to play it- it is clearly correct.
   As with all it's predecessors, your mission is to take
to the skies in the latest military kit with the sole intent
of DESTROYING some foreigner over a spate of
missions, but they seem very arcade when compared to
TFX.  Looking at the options you get the usual detail
blah, and precipitation, G-forces, pressure, temp and
wind which all AFFECT the game, as oppose to merely
changing the sky grey and calling it rain.
   The complexity of the games engine is superb, as
are its visuals which are second to none, however these
all come at a high cost to the speed.  On med detail +
arcade mode +low visibility it is only just possible
to play acceptably on anything less than an '040 - whack
up the realism and you get spf not fps!
   TFX is seriously hard to fault, and most are omissions
rather than problems, enemies don't even appear - you
can even watch them take off.  Splendid!  Some early
missions are quite buggy, but there are patches
available.  Some people won't like the lack of many dog
fights (all manner of laser-guided things, as AP put it)
but while waiting for permission to fire, I almost always
get within cannon range.  Anyway, you soon run out of
missiles.  And some missions are way too long.
   Omissions then:
No serial link-  combat, wingman or copilot modes
would have added loads of fun.
The ability to choose your plane from every one in the
game - you're limited to three (this would make a great
patch!).
The ability to change your ordinance for the "flashpoints".
   This game bashes the hardware second only to
Quake, and so is really for the 060+gfx board players
if any real speed is to be wrested from it- a PPC version
would be ideal.  Its good, if expensive fun- but then it
only cost a mere £6 - thank you CU.

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