Air Warrior III, known as Air Warrior 3 in Europe, is a video game developed by Kesmai Studios and published by Interactive Magic and Midas Interactive Entertainment for Microsoft Windows in 1997. The game had been scheduled to be released in January 1998,[2] before being pushed forward for December 15, 1997.[1]
| Air Warrior III | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | Kesmai |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Platform(s) | Windows |
| Release | |
| Genre(s) | Combat flight simulator |
| Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Gameplay
edit
Air Warrior III had as one playing area a map of northern Europe, besides many small playing fields with some real-life features labeled. Berlin, the Kiel Canal, and Peenemünde were unmarked in the game. There was also a playing area map that included a hodgepodge of Pacific islands and the coast of Australia. The player could design custom missions on any of these playing fields. Fans of the online competition developed a tool that enabled the players to paint their own aircraft. Screenshots could be taken in combat, and even videos, which could be distributed over the Internet. Douglas C-47s could be used to carry paratroops to take enemy air bases.
There were many ships and a few buildings to attack, including V-2s at Peenemünde, a bridge near Westminster's Parliament House, and the Brandenburg Gate of Berlin. However, targets that were destroyed soon re-appeared. Besides aircraft, the player could control a Jeep, a tank, a truck, or a Flakpanzer. The player could also drive through the fence surrounding after destroying it with a tank. The aircraft carriers and other ships were fixed at their places.
Reception
edit| Aggregator | Score |
|---|---|
| GameRankings | 76%[3] |
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| AllGame |    [4] |
| Computer Games Strategy Plus | [5] |
| Computer Gaming World | [6] |
| GameRevolution | C[7] |
| GameSpot | 7.3/10[8] |
| GameStar | 65%[9] |
| Génération 4 | [10] |
| Next Generation | [11] |
| PC Gamer (US) | 86%[12] |
| PC Zone | 80%[13] |
The game received favorable reviews according to the review aggregation website GameRankings.[3] Next Generation was generally positive despite noting a bug when using Sound Blaster AWE32 and Sound Blaster AWE64 cards and the lack of online features in the retail product, saying that the game has an incredibly realistic flight engine and a huge number of missions to fly.[11]
Air Warrior III was named as a finalist by the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences for "Online Action/Strategy Game of the Year" at the 2nd Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, which ultimately went to Starsiege: Tribes.[14]
References
edit- ^ a b Ocampo, Jason (1997). "Air Warrior III flies out ahead of schedule". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Ocampo, Jason (1997). "Online World War II sim to take off in January". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ a b "Air Warrior III for PC". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ House, Michael L. "Air Warrior III - Review". AllGame. All Media Network. Archived from the original on November 15, 2014. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Ingram, Greg (February 20, 1998). "Air Warrior III". Computer Games Strategy Plus. Strategy Plus, Inc. Archived from the original on April 18, 2003. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Nolan, John (May 1998). "Something Old, Something New (Air Warrior III Review)" (PDF). Computer Gaming World. No. 166. Ziff Davis. pp. 177–78. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Anderson, Tom (January 1998). "Air Warrior III Review". GameRevolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on February 19, 2004. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Dunkin, Alan (February 19, 1998). "Air Warrior III Review [date mislabeled as "April 29, 2000"]". GameSpot. Red Ventures. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Air Warrior III". GameStar (in German). Webedia. February 1998.
- ^ Rodriguez, Luc-Santiago (March 1998). "Air Warrior 3". Génération 4 (in French). No. 108. pp. 170–72.
- ^ a b "Air Warrior III". Next Generation. No. 40. Imagine Media. April 1998. p. 104. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Saltzman, Marc (May 1998). "Air Warrior III". PC Gamer. Vol. 5, no. 5. Imagine Media. Archived from the original on November 16, 1999. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ Presley, Paul (April 1998). "Air Warrior III". PC Zone. No. 62. Dennis Publishing. p. 86. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
- ^ "Second Interactive Achievement Awards - Online". Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. Archived from the original on November 3, 1999. Retrieved 11 January 2023.