Flight simulators, for all their technical glory and visual prowess, are great for people who would like to learn to fly, but cant afford horribly overpriced flying lessons. But sometimes its refreshing to stray from the usual flight path and get involved with a little combat or racing, and thats what Xtreme Air Racing is all about.
As a racing title Xtreme Air Racing is quite dissimilar from the rest of its family members. Taking control of an aircraft, while still authentically designed, is much easier to handle and is far better suited to the games arcade style. The craft, which include the ME-109 and P-51 Mustang, possess the technical excellence that makes them so realistic to fly, but uses it to immerse the player in a realistic and enjoyable flight experience. There are around 60 real-life courses that span seven completely different regions such as the French Alps, deserts and tropical rainforests. As a result, the game is very appealing on first impressions, and doesnt disappoint later on.
As ever, this flight game is best experienced with a third-party flight yoke. A control pad is fine, but if youre gonna use a keyboard and mouse, forget it it spoils the game.
Xtreme Air Racing is a welcome break from the norm and will be relished not only by hardcore flight simulator aficionados, but also by the casual PC owner.