Tom Clancy's HAWX

H.A.W.X feels more like a Top Gun movie than Ace Combat ever did. It mixes in some refreshing new innovations that keep the missions exciting, and the appeal of that four player online co-op mode simply cannot be denied. If you’re an Ace Combat diehard, we recommend deviating from your usual flight pattern to acquire this target. Alternatively, if you’ve been ground-based gamer all these years and you’re looking for an accessible game that looks and plays great, we recommend you grab a copy of H.A.W.X and buzz the counter at your local game store.

Even with the small targeting issues, and the lackluster multiplayer Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. is an excellent newcomer to the air combat/shooter genre that has been dominated by Ace Combat, I for one hope that they continue to build on the wonderful ideas that this game has shown, if only to make H.A.W.X. 2 an even better.

The incorporation of satellite imagery, a leveling system, and new control mechanics are enough to make this most recent Tom Clancy title soar over the competition.

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. is a game every fan of the dogfight genre should buy. But other gamers that are not into air planes, will find a very nice game as well.

Tom Clancy's Hawx is a very welcome game because of the current shortage of this kind of title (none on PS3) and the good ideas it brings, which are implemented well, in a natural way, and in a few hours it would seem as if those "virtual ways" would have been part of the genre's gameplay since its birth.

Missions are incredibly narrow, leaving almost no room for improvisation. But, the flying and fighting in the jets is good fun, especially when done with or against other players.

HAWX is the enjoyable debut of the new Tom Clancy franchise from Ubisoft. The french company makes a risky bet by developing a game for a hard genre like the flying arcades, but this game achieves sensational results.

HAWX features multiplayer dog fighting that runs smoothly over Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network. Hokey dialogue mars the otherwise stellar presentation and flight sim fans will balk at the simplistic controls.

It’s disappointing that the multiplayer doesn’t take advantage of the opportunities established by the rest of the game’s design, but the four-player co-op is a very welcomed addition.

H.A.W.X. is without a doubt the best title of its genre on this generation of consoles. Despite a classic gameplay, some missions push the edges of simple missile fighting. The versus mode is funny and will keep you busy for a long time. If you like a good blend of arcade a simulation, you're going to have a lot of fun with this last "Clancy's" title.

Flight Simulation? No. Action? Definitely!

A fresh direction for combat flight, focused more heavily on all-out action, thanks to simplicity of control and an insane story. Thoroughly entertaining, if a little brainlessly so. But then, a little fun never hurt anyone.

HAWX isn't going to win any awards for innovation, but it does bode well for future iterations of the series. While it could certainly be improved on both visually and in terms of depth of gameplay, it's a fine debut for the franchise and as enjoyable a flight combat game as we've played in recent years.

This arcade-style aerial-combat game has plenty to offer those flying solo, but it doesn't offer much in the way of competitive multiplayer content.

The online play -- particularly co-op -- gives HAWX significant replayability. Everything from the picture-perfect planes to the stunning real world environments looks great, even after multiple passes.

A fun ride. It doesn't bring very much new to the table, but it also works just fine and doesn't make you take your shoes off at the security checkpoint.

HAWX was definitely a fun shooter, and while it's not something that I would see appealing to every FPS/third-person shooter fan out there, it's certainly worth checking out.

Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. is not the greatest flight combat game on the market. That said, however, it's a well polished title that can bring some fun.

But even fantastic graphics can't elevate H.A.W.X. beyond a simple weekend rental.

The multiplayer likewise suffers a bit from a lack of variety.

As the first episode of a brand new series, Tom Clancy's HAWX is not bad at all: the gameplay is solid, there's a good number of missions and the online multiplayer works good though its limitations are certainly noticeable. The game shows some nice locations, too, while the planes aren't as good. If you like arcade shooters, you may enjoy it.

We love H.A.W.X. and we hate H.A.W.X. For every good thing there is something bad. We’ve played it for a long time, but never got really excited. Collecting experience points and unlocking stuff is cool, but the gameplay gets repetitive. H.A.W.X. looks really good, but has a bad storyline. The game is good, but at the same time disappointing.

It's tempting to see this as a metaphor for the game as a whole: beautiful from a distance, but disappointing when you really open your eyes. Still, I find that I have a certain affection for this game - one that I never expected to develop. If Ubisoft decide to make a HAWX 2, I'll certainly be in line to take a look.

Nicely produced, consistent but with a few flaws and some silly wingmen mechanics that often threaten to get in the way of the fun, but there’s nothing else like this on the PS3 and for that reason H.A.W.X stands out more than perhaps it might if it were a FPS, for example.

Rolling and tumbling through the sky in a supersonic aircraft is converted into pure awesomeness in H.A.W.X. Its fast-paced arcade gameplay and stunning graphics offer lots of joy for all kinds of players, but the thin online content and lack of a cooperative mode is a huge disappointment.

Handsome-looking. [May 2009, p.83]

If you’re looking for a realistic aerial combat simulator, you’ve flown into the wrong combat zone. Tom Clancy’s HAWX ignores the minutiae of reality and focuses on the mission at hand—exaggerated aerial maneuvering, shooting enemies down and causing massive explosions. For me, that’s enough.

Solid, but not quite what we expected. [Apr 2009, p.70]

It’s competent but bland, lacking the imaginative missions of Blazing Angels, the glorious melodrama of Ace Combat, and the joyful air ballets of either.

The mission design is lacking, the combat is unimaginative, and the multiplayer is shallow. Still, there are plenty who will be able to enjoy soaring 40,000 feet above the earth destroying dozens of enemy planes. All the while belting out lines of Danger Zone. That’s not weird, is it?

A dull and uninvolved dogfight sim that never lets go of your hand. [Apr 2009, p.66]

H.A.W.X. does little to add something new to an almost dying genre. But it's still a pretty entertaining flight sim if you're looking for some dogfight action on your console.

Solid flying, familiar mission structure and some new ideas that don't work out. [Apr 2009, p.90]