Secret Weapons Over Normandy

 PlayStation 2
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 22 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 18 out of 22
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 22
  3. Negative: 2 out of 22
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  1. JohnC.
    Nov 20, 2003
    2
    I read as many reviews of this game as I could find. Most described it as ?arcade like?. That is an understatement. Now I have been playing Lucas games since the days of Battlehawks 1942 (circa 1988) and Their Finest Hour (circa 1990). They were really fun to play and they were as realistic as could be reasonably expected at the time. SWON is neither. The flight dynamics are laughable. I I read as many reviews of this game as I could find. Most described it as ?arcade like?. That is an understatement. Now I have been playing Lucas games since the days of Battlehawks 1942 (circa 1988) and Their Finest Hour (circa 1990). They were really fun to play and they were as realistic as could be reasonably expected at the time. SWON is neither. The flight dynamics are laughable. I know it wasn?t made to be a flight sim. But how Lucas Arts could honestly put their name on such an inferior product is shameful. They have so much experience creating flight-based games that this acts like something that could pre-date Intelivision. If it weren?t for the graphics this game would be almost worthless. I do wish to commend Lucas for the narrator and the music. Fantastic! The combination does give the player a History Channel feel of the game. Unfortunately the game gets silly after that. The main character, Chase, is so busy bad-mouthing his flight instructor you wonder if he will turn coat and start fighting for the Germans. The dialog seems to have been written by a teenager with some kind of complex. The in-flight dialog isn?t as bad but I found myself too busy trying to figure out the flight dynamics (or lack thereof) to really listen to it. I have only played the game through a couple of missions. So far, it?s about 3 hours worth. It?s a shame Lucas Arts didn?t take this to the level I know they can achieve. It could have rivaled MSCFS for players that don?t want a full flight sim but want the feeling of flying combat. Perhaps Lucas should just stick with Star Wars where they can get away with make believe flight dynamics. How I yearn for a game that can rival Ace Combat 4. I was hoping Lucas wouldn?t let me down. Alas? … Expand
  2. ChrisW.
    Dec 25, 2003
    3
    Graphics are cheesy/cartoony ac- cording to my brother & I. Take a look at the graphics in Shattered Skys. If Lucas Arts made movies like this game, I'd NEVER watch any of their movies.

Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PS2 Game of 2003
99
#99 Most Discussed PS2 Game of 2003
82
#82 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. Armchair Empire
    88
    A great WWII experience as well as an exceptional game. The lack of multiplayer and a few discrepancies keep SWON from being a spectacular game but it still is exceptional.
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  2. Electronic Gaming Monthly
    63
    For the first half of the game, varied missions keep the action interesting. After a dozen sorties, however, it get old, and all but the most patient pilots will want to pop the canopy. [Jan 2004, p.109]
  3. Village Voice
    60
    Secret Weapons' assortment of bombing runs, dogfights, and detail missions fly by thanks to an emphasis on arcade-style ease-of-play, but one simply leads into the next.
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