Crimson Skies For Xbox Barnstormed

Thanks to Gamesdomain for posting an interview with the lead developer of FASA/Microsoft's Xbox title, Crimson Skies:High Road To Revenge. The game, a sequel to the noted PC flight action title, is summed up succinctly in the first interview answer: "Crimson Skies is about three things - dogfighting on Xbox Live, story and choice-driven gameplay. It is set in a unique 1930s alternate United States where aircraft have evolved as the chief mode of transportation." The title is due out in October, and this interview is accompanied by some excellent-looking screenshots.

Comments

Crimson Skies for Windows is fantastic...

[drinkypoo]

But never got updated for modern operating systems. As such, running it on Windows XP, well, it just doesn't work. Even with the vaunted compatibility mode. Having a version of the game debugged (they've had literally years to work on the engine since the PC release) and running nicely on Xbox means I will be able to play the shit out of it. This will likely be the very first Xbox game I purchase -- All I play now is Sega GT 2002 which came with the thing. Obviously, I bought it half for the hacking potential.

For those who have never seen or played it; Crimson Skies is an arcade-style dogfighter. Those who bill it as a simulation game are lost. It allows you to fly a fairly wide range of craft from a big flying wing with a turret down to a little autogyro. You get to fly through caverns and a ruined blimp in some of the original missions, dogfighting all the while. Very cool. You play Nathan Zachary, air pirate and gentleman.

So to those who say it will not be playable with a little bitty analog joystick: poppycock. It's not a sim. You'll be able to play it with a handheld controller just fine. A good joystick would improve the experience but is not strictly necessary. Hell, an analog joystick isn't strictly necessary, people were playing this kind of game with the keyboard before you could even get a good fighter stick for anything like a reasonable price.