Birds of Steel

Some exceptional next-gen visuals--including complex and intricate terrain graphics, detailed cockpit renderings, and hair-singing pyrotechnics--also help propel Birds of Steel to an unprecedented new altitude for Xbox 360 dogfighters. [June 2012, p.69]

The nearest thing to a real flight sim on console. Historic flight combat lovers will find a great game in it, provided that they'll have the patience to work through the long and steep learning curve.

A new dogfight game that can be appreciated by arcade gamers but also by players who love simulation and realism. Many missions, the Hystorical Campaign and a good online multiplayer complete a game that everyone needs to try.

The environments are huge, the plane list is long plus it looks gorgeous and sounds great. The action is thick and visceral; aerial stoushes can go from tense, one-on-one affairs to grand, epic encounters against swarms of enemy fighters and bombers.

A nice combat flight simulator. It's not as deep as the PC counterparts, but the flying is quite realistic nonetheless. The campaign missions need some permanent checkpoints and the versus multiplayer could be more varied, though. [May 2012]

At first glance, Birds of Steel looks like a good aerial combat game for anyone with aviator ambitions. Looking more closely, it's really a game for simuloation fans. Despite simplified controls, anyone looking for fast-paced action is better off with a more arcade flight game. This title also has shortcomings in presentation, which likely are easier to overlook for simulation fans.

Birds of Steel is a title that casual fans will enjoy, but it has more appeal to airplane aficionados of that particular era. The plethora of available planes and the attention to detail really showcases the development team's dedication. The presentation is excellent, despite a few flaws, and the game is a meaty experience on the single-player side despite the apparent focus on online multiplayer options. It may not be perfect, but this is one of the best airplane simulators on a console yet.

What Birds of Steel does right, it does far better than any similar game on consoles. If Second World War flying is your thing, you'll find a dizzying amount of content here for the money.

Thanks to its solid gameplay and engaging game modes, Birds of Steel proves to be one of the best WWI dogfighting games out there.

The best combat flight sim ever on a console, with a huge range of aircraft and locations - as well as difficultly settings to suit every kind of gamer.

Birds of Steel is a great combat simulator that will appeal to those who really know their World War II knowledge, as well as those who have a fine appreciation for the airplane.

Birds of Steel doesn't quite manage to marry arcade and simulator crowds in a single console title, but it does pull off being the best online combat flight simulator on consoles, bar none.

The rhythmic chants of bygone planes is something that easily get your juices flowing.

Sincere attempts have been made to make this game more universally appealing to a wider range of gamers with the simpler control options. Removing the need to focus heavily on keeping your plane in the air leads to a fun-but-simple flight combat game. Unfortunately, you can't escape the fact that the gamer who will get the most from Birds of Steel is the one who has at least one meticulously painted World War II model airplane.

Not great for beginners, but fine for flight fans. [Apr 2012, p.100]

Parts frustrate, other parts satisfy; it's not for everyone. It is arguably a very niche title but it's not a sterile experience akin to a full on flight sim, however, Birds of Steel leans more that way than being a pick up and play, arcadey title. If you're interested in this genre you'll enjoy the experience, but if it's not something you'd be interested in normally then it's probably not for you. Gaijin have done well with this title. It seems to tick all the right boxes but don't expect to have to fight off the masses to get a copy.