Heroes Over Europe

[Art Blade]

welcome, thought you might need it one day :)

And no, that's not blood in my eyes. It's my churned guts vomited into my visor  ;D

[PZ]

Looking forward to your impressions of the game when you get a chance to immerse yourself a bit.  With my limited experience with modern games, I've come to realize that I need to give myself a while in the game before I can fully appreciate it's merits (or demerits).

[Art Blade]

just something in between:

the patch seems to delete itself after updating your game. I was surprised to find the folder empty when I checked again. Just downloaded it again, in case... hehe

Also, you can't purposely save. The game doesn't do it after checkpoints (apparently it does allow you to try again from a checkpoint) - so I reckon it will only save after a mission. Since you've got only one, better take good care of it and occasionally make a backup.

your saved game location is

%USERPROFILE%\Application Data\Ubisoft\Heroes Over Europe\HOESAVE.DAT

And, you can't change screen res. The game gives me 1280*768 without ever asking. No gfx setup.

Oh, the game starts in windowed mode. Nice... just hit ALT+ENTER to go fullscreen.
***

Alright, been playing a bit now. You start the career by viewing your aircraft from a couple of feet away, third person. No cockpit view  >:( You then have to prove you can take off, and have to perform a low overflight in the area, above some buildings. Then your buddy (whoever that is) in another plane tells you to find some Jerries which you miraculously do just after being told to do so. A swarm of bombers which are to be shot down.

Funny thing, I am quite used to flying WWII planes in games like those, but I find it rather difficult to master it in this game. I am simply too fast and lose oversight. No coolie-hat (look around with joystick), no feeling for the plane due to 3rd-person perspective. However, I am on Pro rather than Arcade, which might be a good idea to check now. I shot down some bombers (all on my own, where the heck is that buddy. Tells me what to do but avoids helping me?) but not all, the comment "they're up in the clouds, we can't get them there" is rediculous since I have them almost rear-ended.

[smg id=1470 align=center width=400]

However, the radio is never silent, my buddy keeps telling me stuff that is sometimes amusing, sometimes useful, sometimes I don't even listen to him.

I think I need some time to get used to this :)

Art Blade, playing games so Fiach doesn't have to

[PZ]

Sounds like a difficult game to master - not sure I'll like it unless the European environment is going to be my cup of tea.  Probably going to give it a go anyway.

Art Blade, playing games so Fiach doesn't have to

rofl  :-X :-X

[Art Blade]

hehe, sorry, Fiach  ;)

from the STEAM page...

[...] in glorious high definition [...]
[...] Visually, the game takes no prisoners [...]
[...] ultra-realistic iconic warplanes of the era, all presented in stunning high definition graphics [...]
[...] Peripherals Supported: Keyboard, USB controllers, USB flight sticks[...]

Well well well... Don't expect that ;)

so far,

- 1280*768 fixed res
- you do recognise planes as such
- joysticks partly w@&k after first patch 1.01 (1.02 is already being worked on)

I think it could serve as a quick change of games. It is nice, after all, to be able to fly around WWII Europe, and dog fights are always fun.

I'd like to know how PZ, JRD and particularly spaceboy think of this game (get it mate)

I am not saying it's crap, just not a stunner from the start.

[Art Blade]

Actual ingame footage

Admire the glorious high definition

and those ultra-realistic iconic warplanes

One has to admit, visually, the game

takes no prisoners

[smg id=1471 align=center width=400]

Maybe it is crap. Until we get to see Paris, London etc, this is not really appetising. Takes ages to complete the first mission because it is so hard to get, not keep (forget that), in line with those enemy planes. We're talking bombers that are not supposed to outmaneouvre a fighter plane.

I'm now playing on Arcade. Still the first mission (take 20,493, oh god, cut. CUT!) and arcade just strips you of some abilities (like roll etc), I might try the keyboard next. Maybe you guys with gamepads are better off, in case the game recognises them, that is.

[Art Blade]

just thinking, I had more fun flying ArmA2's planes  ;D

[PZ]

I must admit that your last screen capture of the in-game environment is not impressive.  Looks like ARMA2 on one of the lower resolutions.

[Art Blade]

wow, used a zoom, therefore you see only a bit of my plane, and got quite close to the gound. I think those spots are actually buildings... :) Playing with keyboard is not really helping, though. I am seriously considering to return that game.

[smg id=1472 align=center width=400]

[Art Blade]

Considering that a great flight joystick like my Thrustmaster is not recognised by a FLIGHT game, and that you need to use the keyboard for essential functions, how the hell is that supposed to w@&k let alone provide fun? And you don't have anything but what you see on those screenshots. Not even a compass. No cockpit. IN A GAME about PLANES. And telling me this was glorious high definition and about ultra-realistic iconic warplanes is just a bad joke.

Alright, I will try to get my money back tomorrow.

My oppinion: AVOID THIS GAME (PC).

Edit: maybe consoles are better off.

[Art Blade]

Was just thinking, the PC version is a portation from console, but MAN how bad is this. And they charged 50€ for it when Need For Speed: Shift only costed 39€, nice game. Cockpits. Even doable with keyboard only.

[fragger]

Looks like another potentially great game bites the dust. What a letdown!
Thanks for all your troubles, Art - and I do mean troubles!
Maybe you should have concluded with:

Art Blade - getting exasperated so nobody else has to

[Art Blade]

hehe, I'm more disappointed as in sad, not that much exasperated. I think it's plainly impertinent to sell a product that doesn't even feature warranted characteristics. Speaking of which, about to leave the house to get my money back :)

[Art Blade]

I got my money back. No fuss.

I like my favourite game shop even more now  :-X

[JRD]

Gee... too bad it sucks, I was really looking forward to this game... I love flying games... you should take a look at HAWX... not sure if it is that good though, maybe search a few reviews before you try it. At release it was a highly expected game, a few months latter things may have changed!



Hey fragger... nice avatar and sig...
May I add...
''Cabbages don`t drink, therefore they`re not''  ;D ;D ;D

[Art Blade]

not really interested in that game, but I've heard someone talk about "I.L.2" but not looked into that.

[PZ]

lol, I guess that I checked the forum a bit too late - picked up the PC version yesterday evening!  :'(

[Art Blade]

best chances to return a package unopened... or refer to the same legal circumstance everyone else has, absence of "warranted characteristics"  ;)

[PZ]

Too late for the unopened package too - opened it last night to read the pamphlet.  However the later is something that might w@&k  :-X

However, I couldn't stand it and am installing it right now - will deal with the fallout later  ;D

[Art Blade]

good luck, link for patch 1.01 see above, 1.02 on its way as they say. Hope it works for you, chances are with a game pad it might  :)

[PZ]

We'll soon see - Wolfenstein was designed with the game pad in mind - the Saitek unit I have works as well as the controllers on the PS3 - very smooth and precise with regards to the steering.  It remains to be seen whether or not the HOE programmers did the same, because without deliberate programming it will be no better than any of the other games like FC2, ARMA2, COJ2, etc - none of which were designed for the game pad.

In any case, this is the first flying game that I've played since the old Flight Simulator 1.0 days

[Art Blade]

I'm willing to edit my "avoid this" line (making it a little smaller perhaps hehe) if you approve functional game pad AND if you say graphics are ok for you. Please let us know your oppinion about the game :)

[Art Blade]

oh by the way, can you make a screenshot of the first mission screen (see my first shot) to compare German vs US? :)

[PZ]

Don't need to - it is the same as yours with the iron cross - kind of disappointed - it is probably Ubisofts cheap way out of changing the game for different audiences. 

I'm going to program my game pad because the game as it is (without patch) does not support it - just like you mentioned with the joystick.  Fortunately I can do a quick test because the Saitek does a standard FPS profile.

I like the music and the effects when you shoot down planes - just did the training mission where you shoot down the Junkers - the flames and explosions are good as are some of the other effects like the occasional Fallschirmjäger and wing falling off.

Will keep you posted, and no need to change your recommendation just yet...

[Art Blade]

thanks for the comments :) Keep it going and coming  ;) :-X