Pearl Harbor Trilogy - 1941: Red Sun Rising

The key word throughout this review has been "surprising." Pearl Harbor Trilogy: 1941 - Red Sun Rising is way better than it has any reason to be. Legendo, the developer, is definitely on the right track with this one. If any of this sounds interesting to you, this game can be purchased for only $7 on WiiWare, and I guarantee you'll have a good time with it.

For those who survive it, Pearl Harbor Trilogy: Red Sun Rising offers a thrilling experience that will encourage returning to replay it again and again until the next game in the trilogy is released.

This adaptation of the PC game Attack of Pearl Harbor has achieved very positive results, and has a noteworthy duration for a downloadable game.

An immensely rewarding challenge, well implemented controls and a fair amount of bang for your buck make Pearl Harbor Trilogy – 1941: Red Sun Rising one of the better Wii aerial combat games, and not just on WiiWare.

Surprisingly deep given how in-depth and graphically impressive it is. [Sept 2010, p.93]

Good controls and visuals are the bright sides for Pearl Harbor Trilogy: 1941 - Red Sun Rising. Given the fact of the small price and the lack of competitors on Wii, this game can be interesting for lovers of the aerial combat shooters, but its flaws in terms of gameplay and level design can be very restraining also for the most firm virtual pilot.

For the price, this is one flight you might want to take, but best strap yourself in for what is an initially rough ride.

A problem I do have (and where I'll agree with Charles) is in the game's difficulty level -- this one's a bit too tough to get into, with an opening mission that's sure to send you to the Game Over screen more than once before you figure out how to fly through to success.

Ultimately, whether or not Red Sun Rising succeeds or fails is a question of how much the player is enticed by either its historical setting or relatively niche genre. Awkward controls and a thunderous difficulty may threaten to spoil what is a WiiWare title of unrivalled depth and value, yet if you're ready to battle unforgiving AI, you'll find plenty of bang for your buck.

This game has a lot to offer but the difficulty is ridiculously high and it will take a while to get used to the game. If you love a challenge, the fair price of 700 Wii Points shouldn't bother you.

If you want the full flight/action WWII experience on the Wii then pick up a copy of Blazing Angels: Pearl Harbor. However if you've got a tenner to spare or some Wii Points to use up – and from the perspective of value for money – this is well worth a look.

Pearl Harbor Trilogy - 1941: Red Sun Rising is a mixed-bag: it has variety, frantic action and solid graphics, but it's flawed by poor difficulty balance. Still a quite funny arcade, but not a must-buy.

With a bit more substance to the missions and a few control refinements it would have been a must-buy. Let's hope Legendo gets it right in time for the next two parts.

An air combat game with potential, marred by its own identity crisis.