Lock On: Modern Air Combat

 PC
  • Publisher: Ubisoft
  • Release Date: Jul 26, 2005
User Score
7.4

Mixed or average reviews- based on 553 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 383 out of 553
  2. Mixed: 72 out of 553
  3. Negative: 98 out of 553
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  1. Mike'sDaddy
    Dec 19, 2003
    0
    I wouldn't give this to Goodwill, it would be a crime! Don't ruin someone's Christmas by giving them this.
  2. JamesT.
    Dec 19, 2003
    1
    Terrible game. Got it for me and my roomate. Yet to get his to work and mine will load, but framerates are terrible. No voice and images will ghost at various times. Have to spend hours and hours learning to fly and Sturmovik I got into the cockpit and was flying in seconds. Next time make it as easy as Sturmovik and not such arcadic graphics like it is.
  3. WilliamM.
    Dec 19, 2003
    2
    Beware of the Fanboy?s that give this a 9 or 10. They are mindless trolls that have been seduced into coming here to inflate the rating of this over-hyped GAME. How they can rate this game a 10 at this point in time, with the hundreds of bugs present, doesn?t say much about them. I say game because at this point it?s as far from a simulation as can be. Proper system configuration is Beware of the Fanboy?s that give this a 9 or 10. They are mindless trolls that have been seduced into coming here to inflate the rating of this over-hyped GAME. How they can rate this game a 10 at this point in time, with the hundreds of bugs present, doesn?t say much about them. I say game because at this point it?s as far from a simulation as can be. Proper system configuration is important in some game and maybe this one, but the way the game is programmed, it doesn?t matter at this point in time. Multiplayer performance is pitiful, you must turn the settings down to get it to play on even the most high end machines, and the ?dynamic campaign? is a joke. If all you want to do is look at pretty pictures, like the stooges that give this a 10, buy it. If you want a game that you can play, PASS this one by.… Expand
  4. HaroldR.
    Dec 19, 2003
    2
    Pass on this for now. Too buggy for the average user, much less a juvenile.
  5. ClintG.
    Dec 19, 2003
    3
    Spend your money on another product, this one bites the high hard one!
  6. Colin
    Dec 21, 2003
    1
    Utter rubbish! How this made it out of the door and still bought by consumers is above comprehension! With trash like this, UBI and Eagle Dynamics should?ve lost the confidence of all but the most brainless buyers!
  7. Thesoloelite
    Dec 20, 2003
    1
    1st off you need a mega machine to play this game ;( I OPEN THE BOX NO MANUAL no key card and then u have to buy a 3rd party manual for 40.00 more bucks.kinda sad the game had to be realesed during hoildays(all about the money) ban the french.
  8. Eagle
    Dec 22, 2003
    1
    If you haven't bought it, don't, if you have, too bad! The devs should've put this one in the recycle bin instead of burining it to a CD.
  9. RolfF.
    Dec 22, 2003
    2
    Do as someone here suggested, download the demo and try it first. I wish I had read that before buying mine.
  10. Stoman
    Dec 27, 2003
    5
    Got the game, installed it and it plays ok, but the frame rates are the lowest I?ve seen. I have a high end system; Athlon 3200+, 1GB RAM, and a 5950 Ultra, so you can forget what the 10 rating fan-boys are saying. This game was/is not ready for primetime and definitely doesn?t deserve anything higher than a 6. Like an earlier rater stated, this thing has far to go, and giving a high Got the game, installed it and it plays ok, but the frame rates are the lowest I?ve seen. I have a high end system; Athlon 3200+, 1GB RAM, and a 5950 Ultra, so you can forget what the 10 rating fan-boys are saying. This game was/is not ready for primetime and definitely doesn?t deserve anything higher than a 6. Like an earlier rater stated, this thing has far to go, and giving a high score means it almost there, well its not. There are game-play issues, radars not working, performance issues in the actual programming of the game and it seems that a big cover-up is in place that?s trying hide these issues. Ratings over a 6, forget them. There?re written by those fan-boys that feel cheated by the game and want you to join them, or they just don?t know how a real sim is supposed to behave. … Expand
  11. Chris
    Dec 5, 2003
    1
    This game is still a beta. I've tried it with Win98SE and Win2K with DX9. Both are unstable. Using my GF4, 512Mb RAM and a XP2000+ uP, there are various graphics anomolies, freezes and crash-to-desktops. This game is a very poor relation IL2-FB. Don't make my mistake and buy it - at least yet. Maybe if it goes through a few patch releases things will be different - however, at This game is still a beta. I've tried it with Win98SE and Win2K with DX9. Both are unstable. Using my GF4, 512Mb RAM and a XP2000+ uP, there are various graphics anomolies, freezes and crash-to-desktops. This game is a very poor relation IL2-FB. Don't make my mistake and buy it - at least yet. Maybe if it goes through a few patch releases things will be different - however, at this time I feel totally duped.… Expand
  12. [Anonymous]
    Dec 5, 2003
    4
    It deservers more than this but with all the bug issues that they have to work out it doesn't get much. I shouldn't have to go out and get top of the line pc for one game.
  13. DisappointedBuyer
    Jan 12, 2004
    1
    Don?t waste your time with this POS at this point in time. Even after the patch, it?s still buggy as hell, frame rates are still low, and the graphics engine has still not been optimized. It looks like Eagle Dynamics and UBI have pulled off a good one. They release a beta, almost alpha, product before the holidays for a quick buck. All the defending fan boys and company reps on the LOMAC Don?t waste your time with this POS at this point in time. Even after the patch, it?s still buggy as hell, frame rates are still low, and the graphics engine has still not been optimized. It looks like Eagle Dynamics and UBI have pulled off a good one. They release a beta, almost alpha, product before the holidays for a quick buck. All the defending fan boys and company reps on the LOMAC site can?t change the truth, this game is still not ready for public use. Don?t waste your time posting negative comments on the LOMAC site, you?ll be attacked as a troll and an idiot; makes you wonder who moderates and backs the company on the site? [Ed: I moderate & nobody backs anybody. Get a clue.]… Expand
  14. SguysRon
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    This game needs serious patches...the game run horrible on high-end machines. the game is basically great,and has a potential. but unplayble..due to bugs..and most important..can run smoothly on any hardware.
  15. Habu
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    Diamond in the rough. Great flight models and terrain graphics. Mission editor has limited functionality. Avionics shortcuts reduce realism. Aircraft are dang fun to fly around in, but the combat part and AI need work. Runs fine on my system: XP, P4 2.7, 1 gig DDR, G4.
  16. Cudaguy
    Dec 16, 2003
    7
    I give this a 7 out of 10. It's got great potential to be the best flite sim out there for the next few years. But the glaring bugs it shipped with tells me this was rushed out unfinished for the Xmas season. I really detest paying 40bux to be a beta tester. Having said that the upcoming patch will "hopefully" fix alot of things that this sim shouldn't have been released with.
  17. GeneD.
    Dec 16, 2003
    4
    Poor performance, non clickable cockpits and the lack of a printed manual make this game more of a headache than anything fun.
  18. PeterF.
    Dec 16, 2003
    5
    Bugs,Bugs,and more Bugs...had to call the orkin man to get it to run. System specs on the box are a bald-faced lie,F-15 radar doesn't work right,Aim-120 doesn't work right, and a host of other stuff. Support is almost non-existant on the ever-slow UBI boards and anybody not happy with the product wil be jeered by the fanboys and banned by the officials. Was really looking Bugs,Bugs,and more Bugs...had to call the orkin man to get it to run. System specs on the box are a bald-faced lie,F-15 radar doesn't work right,Aim-120 doesn't work right, and a host of other stuff. Support is almost non-existant on the ever-slow UBI boards and anybody not happy with the product wil be jeered by the fanboys and banned by the officials. Was really looking forward to this game, but UBI ruined it after making me wait for 2 extra years by putting out a product that doesn't work as advertised or on the systems written on the box.… Expand
  19. AnonymousMC
    Dec 16, 2003
    7
    As a Flanker 2 fan, I had waited a long time for this "sequel". Along the road, delays were announced, and features (dynamic campaign, Su-39, etc) were dropped. I had mixed feelings about it, but kept thinking positive. Now, the game is finally available. On the publishing part it should be noted that too many mistakes were made.
    First there was the decision to omit a printed version of    As a Flanker 2 fan, I had waited a long time for this "sequel". Along the road, delays were announced, and features (dynamic campaign, Su-39, etc) were dropped. I had mixed feelings about it, but kept thinking positive. Now, the game is finally available. On the publishing part it should be noted that too many mistakes were made.
    First there was the decision to omit a printed version of the manual (although an excellent third party substitute was provided by Nic Cole). What makes things even worse (documentation-wise) is the fact that in several localized versions, the online PDF manual was missing, leaving the users with no manual whatsoever! Also the PDF-based keycard didn't appear to be present (in all versions). Even though these documents were quickly offered for free download, this isn?t really a professional way to do business, especially considering the fact that it's very easy to get access to illegal software nowadays. A professionally written, printed manual could be a means for the publisher to reduce warez.
    More communication and support for the community from UBIsoft (and to less extent ED) and support for fan sites (the smaller ones, that aren't "close buddies", to put it politely, with producer Matt Wagner were left out). The publisher should support the community, not the other way around.

    The game itself has both positive and negative aspects. To begin, the performance of the game is quite poor, even with sufficient hardware, and when the graphics settings are lowered, resulting in less than amazing graphics (yet still good enough). There are some elements of the graphics that will cripple performance, even on the fastest systems out today, while they shouldn't be such a large performance hit (flares will slow down performance even when not in view). (other performance culprits are smoke, fire of destroyed tanks, water which is rendered even when not visible [covered by terrain] etc) Optimization of the graphics and other parts of the game should be able yield significant improvement. Regarding the performance of the aircraft, it was sad to see the "advanced simulation" package being dropped. It wasn't finished and is thus understandable to see this happen. The radar (low altitudes) and performance of some missiles needs to be fixed. There are also some other minor mistakes (some of which have been acknowledged and may not be hard to fix, such as the amount of rounds for the MiG29?s gun). The game's user interface looks nice but doesn't always work as expected. In some cases it's even confusing.
    I know I've said quite a few negative things. They should be considered according to their proportion. Overall, playing the game itself is absolutely great, especially in multiplayer coop missions. As said by others, the game is scalable so rookies and veterans should be comfortable (those who want more complexity may always fall back on F4 SP3 ;) ).

    Final verdict: a great game, with a bumpy release, and some issues (technical and gameplay), most of which can be fixed with further support (patches). Let?s hope Lomac is the base of further modern air combat simulations.
    … Expand
  20. WonHongLo
    Dec 16, 2003
    2
    Crappy work by the developers. Doesn't work with Win98SE,2000 etc. No manual. Bugs out the ying-yang. Crappy message boards and tech support.
  21. SucelusM.
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    Manual is poor PDF in vital information. Paper manual is inexistent. Printing PDF is money taxing as it is NON B&W, on an inkjet you´ll waste 3 times the game price. Independent manual taxed40US is lame, it only add screenshot and enciclopedia. The training missions are good but do not provide enough infos. Some missions are buggy and your find yourself looking at your lap. Canned Manual is poor PDF in vital information. Paper manual is inexistent. Printing PDF is money taxing as it is NON B&W, on an inkjet you´ll waste 3 times the game price. Independent manual taxed40US is lame, it only add screenshot and enciclopedia. The training missions are good but do not provide enough infos. Some missions are buggy and your find yourself looking at your lap. Canned missions, no dinamyc campaign.(usually not a problem as comunity work fast on it, but if a win it or redo it situation pisses you badly stay falcon4) Game engine is great but buggy, looks like patchwork thrown out for christmass probably UBIreapper work. By experience this shall be fixed if UBIthieves support the game. Visual is great, but due to problems only an Athlon 3.2ghz f51 with a giga+ ram and a rateon 9800xt 256mg will be able to run it near its splendor. Counsels : Wait for patching then grab it. When patched it´ll be a classic. Invest in your rig if you don´t want to deceive yourself If you want to get in and bust asses right on with full reality be sure to have mastered Flanker 2.5 if your patient, get it, it surely will be a extremely rewarding piece of software in some months. If UBIcrappers don´t cut it to another SAME product (IL2-> IL2FB) Fact : I play it everyday and sent any other modern flightsim to hell. … Expand
  22. NealG.
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    Tried a lot of other jet combat sims, found none worth climbing the hefty learning curve - until this one. It has it's problems...lots of them...and constant tweaking is needed to get it to run acceptably even on higher-end machines ( and that depends a lot on one's definition of 'acceptable'). And due to bugs, sometimes one doesn't know if changing settings even Tried a lot of other jet combat sims, found none worth climbing the hefty learning curve - until this one. It has it's problems...lots of them...and constant tweaking is needed to get it to run acceptably even on higher-end machines ( and that depends a lot on one's definition of 'acceptable'). And due to bugs, sometimes one doesn't know if changing settings even worked...but, all that taken into account, this one has the promise that might get me to finally advance from the WWII prop planes. The sim itself deserves a higher rating, but I cannot honestly give it until some of the major bugs are squashed, including the lack of Win98/Me support and the use of newer copy protection which serves only the purpose of penalizing the legitimate purchaser while not slowing down the 'pirates' one iota. The sim is definitely a 'keeper', though, and this is from a WWII simmer whose motto heretofore has been 'no jets!'.… Expand
  23. RacingSloth
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    Although the graphics are gorgeous and I don't have many problems running the game, my score reflects the manual, lack of polish which an average QA rep could find within an hour of testings (spelling mistakes in training, buttons in the options not sticking, invisible planes are airfields etc), lackluster missions and poorly implemented ground combat units. In 6 months it might be a Although the graphics are gorgeous and I don't have many problems running the game, my score reflects the manual, lack of polish which an average QA rep could find within an hour of testings (spelling mistakes in training, buttons in the options not sticking, invisible planes are airfields etc), lackluster missions and poorly implemented ground combat units. In 6 months it might be a 9/10 but as of now, I say 6… Expand
  24. BlingBlingbling
    Dec 16, 2003
    3
    Could be good, but too many glitches and problems. Its really no better than the demo. I really don't think that it has the same accuracy and attention to functional detail as the likes of falcon 4 or Janes f18. More of just an eye pleaser with lots of bugs.
  25. JackC.
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    A great game is here, but it obscurred by the numerous release bugs. If the first/second patches address the major playability bugs, then I would give this game a solid 9 or even a 10 for it's great depth of realism and many aircraft. It's still a blast at 6..when it works...at 5 frames per second...
  26. AnthonyB.
    Dec 16, 2003
    2
    This game is in dire need of some more work. Too many things were left unfinished and the amount of bugs and the fact that members of the community have to rely on third party programs to run the game with the joystick they have is just upsetting. I hope this game gets a good strong patch to fix this soon.
  27. Essemmnope
    Dec 16, 2003
    4
    fps issues...bugs...poor coding...I can't play online b/c I have an NForce chipset...not a good game
  28. CarlosA.
    Dec 16, 2003
    7
    There are many bugs for fix... but the sim is nice.
  29. JanneG.
    Dec 16, 2003
    7
    A sim with a great potential, but also with some child diseases.
  30. OscarK.
    Dec 16, 2003
    6
    This is a great aircombatsim but there are many bugs . the grafics look great when they work. don,t get me wrong i love this game , but it just aint finished yet. also some things important for a good flight experience such as training for in flight relueling is not included.
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Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PC Game of 2005
2
#2 Most Discussed PC Game of 2005
66
#66 Most Shared PC Game of 2005

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 7 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. PC Format
    88
    Our favourite is the A-10 Warthog – cruising at 50 feet, on the prowl for enemy tanks, it’s one of the most exhilarating missions available in any recent simulator.
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  2. Computer Gaming World
    70
    Detailed terrain, buildings, water, and effects lend an unprecedented feeling of speed to low-level flight. [March 2004, p.82]
  3. Gamer's Pulse
    70
    It has great graphics, fairly simple controls, great scenery, a decent choice of planes, and a great editor. Although the sounds easily get on your nerves, it will be the load times and need for a computer upgrade that will have you pulling your hair out.
    Read full review
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