Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII

Blazing Angels 2 is a marked improvement over its predecessor, and a game that arcade flight gamers will enjoy.

Multiplayer has been improved upon as well, with full four-player co-op throughout the entire campaign and a huge number of online dogfighting options. And again, it all works beautifully because the fundamentals of the game are so simple and solid.

It may not share the same rarified air as Microsoft's genre-leading "Crimson Skies", but Blazing Angels 2 elevates the franchise a helluva lot closer. [Dec 2007, p.66]

Solid gameplay, stunning aerial effects, but nothing that will have you celebrating. [Oct 2007, p.82]

Ubisoft Romania has done a great job in making a sequel that one-ups its predecessor in every way, from innovative gameplay in a by-the-books-genre, to a full-bodied multiplayer experience.

While Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWIIisn’t a flying revolution, it is a flying game on a system which is short on them, and one which should appeal to a larger demographic due to the historical license that Ubisoft exercised in its creation.

Though it falls well short of greatness it does manage to be pretty good, and the multitude of upgrades make for a huge improvement over the original.

If you enjoy flight games, can still stomach WWII-themed titles and are willing to step away from the single-player campaign when the later missions make you start grinding the enamel off your molars — better yet, if you'll forego the campaign mode altogether — Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII is well worth your time for a different sort of deeper, involved multiplayer flight game.

Boasting fantastic locales from Cairo to the Himalayas and strange experimental fighters never seen in the history books, the titular secret missions in question are pretty unbelievable. The exaggerated weapons and battles are actually the most exciting and engrossing aspect of the title; much of Blazing Angels 2 veers heavily into frustration and obfuscation.

Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions has very little to do with war or flying but it's pretty fun to play and nice to watch. And that's enough for me. [Oct 2007]