Secret Weapons Over Normandy is a mission-based action shooter game with arcade qualities. It could almost be referred to as a successor to the 1991 PC classic, Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe.
Competent but not very compelling, it is still a fun World War II title. With barely any challenge to it, Secret Weapons Over Normandy is an easy game to pick up and play.
It takes you back in time to 1940, where you take on the role of American pilot James Chase. After proving your skill, you are assigned to the British Royal Air Force where you are enlisted into a secret flight outfit known as the Blackhawks.
The Blackhawks get tasked with some of the most challenging battles of the war. First you will start in Europe, from where you will go after German Field Marshall Erwin Rommel.
After the attack on Pearl Harbour, you will move on to Japanese targets, after which you will return to Europe to face some of Germany`s more devastating special weapons programmes. Grainy black and white photos tell the story well, as Chase records the events in his journal.
The mission design is pretty simple. You will be given a basic task (like ensuring that some target remains safe) and then the mission design spins out by adding objectives in mid-flight.
Completing missions and secondary objectives gets the player some valuable points, which you can spend on upgrading your aircraft to increase flight and weapons capabilities. There are 26 different planes to choose from, each with a different set of statistics.
The game is also easy to learn. Basic controls and simplified flight physics let you get into the swing of things and fly like an expert almost immediately. There is also a slow-motion option available at all times. This feature makes lining up shots easier.
Enemy planes are easy to get behind and are also easy to take down. They practically pop immediately after you open fire on them. There are also other, more difficult targets, such as tanks and aircraft carriers, although these can be destroyed by a couple of shots from your secondary weapon.
Options like landing at a friendly airfield for repairs and ammo are handy at times, although time can be a bit of a problem.
Unfortunately, there is no online version of the game. However, it does have a two-player split-screen option, which allows you to play along with a computer-controlled wingman.
Secret Weapons Over Normandy is a good-looking game, although it does not really explode with attraction in any particular area.
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