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Grand Canyon (for Flight Simulator)
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Graphics & Sound:
Grand Canyon features beautifully rendered texture mapping with a horizon that seems to melt into the landscape with little to no slow down or jerky graphics. The programmers used air photography and satellite imaging to produce a collage or patchwork in which they pieced together their rendered landscape. However, there is a downfall to this method of creating a land model, and that downfall can be seen in some areas of repetitious terrain. At some points, I felt that I was experiencing déjà vu in which I swore I had flown over that hill about two minutes ago. The sounds were on par, but nothing out of the ordinary of the other sound files found on Microsoft Flight Simulator ‘98.
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Gameplay:
Ladies and gentlemen, we are talking about MS Flight Simulator here. The gameplay for Grand Canyon is extremely smooth and individuals are given the choice of realism in their flights. For the true aces out there, this add-on can make use of Flight Simulator’s full simulation mode in which you are gonna have to log in some serious flight time before you can leave the runway. However, pilot wannabes can use the ever present arcade mode to take flight over one of America’s most beautiful landmarks in one of the new aircraft such as the Cessna 206, the DeHavilland Twin Otter, or the Bell 430 chopper. Not to mention taking flight in a Spitfire Mk Vb for those of you who own MS Combat Simulator.
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Difficulty:
As hard as you want it to be. Grand Canyon is simply an add-on to Microsoft Flight Simulator or Combat Simulator, both of which allow either arcade play with little physics to full simulation in which you better have your pilot’s license on hand to show air traffic control.
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Game Mechanics:
Not too much to say in this department. Grand Canyon is a flight simulator in which you choose your plane, take off, and enjoy the view. Or if you would like a new scenario or two for you and your buddies to go head-to-head in the old school fighters, this is a good pick. For those of us who are too lazy to actually go see the Grand Canyon, you can still brag to your friends about seeing it. Just don’t tell them about that damn hill that keeps reappearing.
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-Sabumnim, GameVortex Communications AKA Larry Callier |
Minimum System Requirements:
P166, CD Rom, 110 MB Hard Drive, Microsoft Flight Simulator and/or Microsoft Combat Simulator |
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Test System:
AMD K6-400, 128MB Ram, Diamond Viper Ultra V770 TnT2, 48X CD-ROM |
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