Playing Online
Once you get past the formidable learning curve, the main online arena is where most of the action is. World War II is played out over the terrain of Europe, the objective being to take over all the airfields and/or cities on the map. This is done by damaging their defenses with bombers and then dropping in paratroopers (controlled by AI) to claim the base for your side. Warbirds has over 50 historically accurate aircraft to fly, including some from World War One, but planes available in this arena follow a simple timeline meant to approximate the progress of the war. As well, there are scheduled events that allow for more accurate recreations of historical scenarios, and for which the rules can be adjusted accordingly. Along with an entertaining action game you often get an insightful history lesson.
Certain vehicles, particularly bombers, can accommodate more than one player. All the gunner positions on the bombers can be player controlled. It's also possible to man the anti-aircraft guns on bases and ships. A small number of ground vehicles have been added to the game, but given that it can be a long drive to where the action is, just about everyone opts to fly into battle.
Perhaps the most discouraging thing for new players is the level of competition online. Unless you are particularly adept at flight sims, you're likely to spend a couple weeks soaring into the sky only to be abruptly shot down by the first enemy fighter you come across. Ideally there would be enough fresh pilots coming into the game to keep a beginner and an intermediate arena busy, but at the moment you have little choice but to go straight from offline practice to online combat with hardened vets.
As you may have noticed, Warbirds has a lot in common with WWII Online. They have a similar pricing structure, both offer realistic flight simulation in a World War II setting, and both feature large-scale multiplayer combat. Both are impressive games in a good position to grow as they become more affordable and high-speed Internet continues to spread. While WWII Online has gone much further with ground units, supply lines, roleplaying elements, and so on, Warbirds makes it much easier to simply jump into a plane and head for the nearest dogfight.
Another interesting thing about Warbirds is that the community is unusually warm and, dare I say it, mature. Players are able to form squads, who can help each other out in the sky and communicate on their own radio channel. Mandatory bickering about the actual amount of gyroscopic force generated by the propeller of a Bf 109G-6/R6 while flying upside-down with a slight tail-wind on a hot sunny day aside, the typical trash talk that has become a way of life in most online games is mysteriously absent from Warbirds. To give you some idea, I recently saw one player swear in the chat window, and another player politely asked them to watch their language. I calmly waited for the first player to come back with the expected, "Shut-up, fag," but... nothing! We all know what that conversation would have deteriorated to in a game of Counter-Strike.
The Bottom Line
If you want to fly authentic aircraft in a massively multiplayer online simulation game, you don't have that many choices. Warbirds 2004 is a difficult game that rarely compromises realism for convenience, and that is precisely what makes it so gratifying. When you get a kill in this game, you certainly feel like you've earned it. I wouldn't recommend Warbirds for those who don't have the patience to sharpen their dogfighting skills, and who aren't prepared to die a few times trying, but those that are serious about playing a game that reflects the actual experiences of wartime pilots will settle for nothing less.
System Requirements
- Windows 98/ME/2000/XP.
- Pentium III, 500Mhz or faster.
- 256 MB RAM (recommended 384 MB RAM or greater).
- DirectX 9.
- 32 MB 3D video card (Hardware T&L HAL required).
- Supported ATI Radeon 8500 series or greater, NVidia GeForce III series or greater.
- Joystick (Strongly recommended).
Download Locations
Warbirds 2004 Game Client (285 MB)
- Official Site
- Boomtown
- FilePlanet
- Gamer's Hell
Related Links
Official Warbirds 2004 Site
