DCS: F-15E

Man, have people been hyped up for DCS: F-15E for quite some time! This is the ultimate combat flight simulator right here and the game just hit early access (well as of writing) and I ended up downloading it and wanted to share my early thoughts on this so you can decide if it is worth the rather hefty price tag that it has. Now, this is an expansion so you will need the base game to play this so please keep that in mind, but while it is an “expansion” it is pretty much its very own combat flight simulator if you get what I am saying.

Highway To The Danger Zone

Let me tell you right off the bat if you are expecting DCS: F-15E to be some kind of Ace Combat Top Gun type experience, walk away right now! This is about as “sim” as you can get with a game like this and it has a very steep learning curve. I have a friend who is way more into these than me, he has the whole dual flight stick thing and everything and this can be so in depth that he actually ran out of buttons on his flight stick for all the stuff that he wanted to do! I just play the game with my keyboard and mouse and have a fun time, but you can get really creative and in depth with this if you want.

She’s A Bute Aint She?

I am kind of ignorant to jets and planes, but DCS: F-15E is an amazing looking game! This is ultra realistic and I was blown away by how real everything here looks. Now, you may have to play around with the settings and it may depend on the power of your rig, but even at basic settings, this is a great looking game. My friend who is a bit of a nerd for this kind of thing was really amazed, not just at the jet or the locations, but the cockpit as well. It was actually the cockpit that he ranted on about the most! I know it sounds cheesy, but it really is like being in Top Gun.

Going To School

Granted as the game as of me writing this is in early access it does not have all of the game modes and features. However, what I have spent the most time with so far is the training stuff. What is so great about this is that these training missions are not boring, they are designed in a way so that they are fun and combat focused. Not only does this get you ready for the campaign and the challenging missions that are part of it, but it also makes learning the game fun and exciting too. This is a prime example of how all complicated games should teach players how to play them! It teaches you the basics, but you are having fun at the same time, bravo to the developer for this.

Expect The Unexpected!

Ok, so I have said about a million times that as of me writing this, DCS: F-15E is still in early access, but what you can you expect in early access? Well, there is a campaign, that is pretty badass and has you going on some daring and challenging missions that will test your flight skills and your nerve as you take down enemies in the air and on land. There are also these “instant” missions where you can just jump in and have some fun. While the game is very complicated, it is also very exciting as well. I think that it is the kind of game that once you get past the initial learning curve, is very addictive

Pros:

• This is one of the most badass combat flight sims you will ever play
• It is great if you want something incredibly challenging and in-depth
• The story here is like an action movie
• Even in early access, there is a lot to keep you busy

Cons:

• The learning curve here is very steep
• You do need the base DCS game to play this