Remember the glory days of the arcade air-combat games? Those great titles like Afterburner, which had you screaming through the skies at Mach 3 in the hottest fighter jets around were so much fun, you have to wonder what happened to them. Apparently the folks at Sammy Studios miss those titles as much as we do, as they’re brining back the blistering trigger-happy fighter jet action in Lethal Skies II, a PlayStation 2 exclusive title set to ship this September.
At E3, Sammy showed off Lethal Skies II all its graphical splendor. The game features 19 playable planes; with each plan bearing specific weapon payloads while maintaining a unique look and handling characteristics. Lest you think the Sammy placed all their focus on the good guys, they’ve compiled a collection of some of the hardest fighting and best-looking opposition around. Enemies range from the standard fighter jet to battle mechs, airborne fortresses and even the odd attack satellite or two. There’s plenty of variety in the opposition, which keeps Lethal Skies II from turning into just another Afterburner clone.
Mission-hungry gamers will enjoy the 20 missions fought around the world that features opponents based not just in the sky, but also on the ground and in the sea. As an added bonus, you can unlock missions, which allow you to play as the enemy, which will require fresh new combat strategies should you hope to survive the fever-pitch aerial battles. Since you’ll be traveling around the world, expect to experience changes in climate, from dogfights in the pouring rain and night sky to strafing missions over snow-covered enemy bases. The city missions are especially pleasing to the eyes, with some nice textures on the surfaces and plenty of skyscrapers to make your flights much more challenging.
Lethal Skies II sports five perspectives, including the standard in-cockpit and chase camera views. And while you’re busy admiring the gorgeous landscapes and detailed enemy fighters, your buddy can join in the action through the PS2 I.Link connection.
If you’ve been craving some fast and furious arcade style fighter combat, keep your eyes peeled for the release of Lethal Skies II. From the sneak peeks we got at E3, this one looks like an arcade pilot’s dream.
