One of the major differences between the single-player and multiplayer components of HAWX is that, even though the controls are the same, there is an increased focus on flying with Assistance Off. While Assistance On (toggled by double-tapping the right trigger) is great for the single-player campaign due to its close chase-cam perspective and access to advanced flight aids like ERS, your maneuverability is hampered somewhat by a pesky computer that is busily attempting to correct your unsafe piloting. Switching to Assistance Off (double-tap the left trigger) is the recommended mode for multiplayer as it enables you to get a broader view of the battle and releases the computer-controls that keep your pilot from engaging in dangerous hijinks that in the real world could result in loss of consciousness. Apparently, HAWX pilots are not susceptible to the black outs that result from crushing centrifugal force, so you can pull off some ridiculous moves and take full advantage of the stunning agility of today’s modern fightercraft.

The most useful (and least-realistic) maneuver that can be executed in Assistance Off is an impossibly immediate 180-degree turn that confounds human fighter jocks every bit as well as it does your computer opponents in the single-player campaign. By cutting the engines, you can essentially go into an inertial freefall that proceeds along your original heading, but you are now free to rotate the plane in whatever direction you see fit. When your jet is facing backwards, laying on the thrust will almost instantly cancel your previous momentum and send you screaming in the opposite direction. It’s also quite a sight to behold as the wider field of view provided by entering Assistance Off mode gives you a cinematic perspective that nicely captures the action.

As you can easily imagine, filling the sky with pilots who are all performing these stunts while launching missiles at even the briefest whine of the lock-on tone can become pretty hectic. Indeed, even in the two-on-two deathmatch battles in which we participated, the airspace quickly became criss-crossed with a gorgeous lattice of missile contrails punctuated by smudges caused by interaction with jetwash (turbulence left in the wake of a jet). But while it was beautiful, it could also be pretty confusing as well, especially in the larger four-on-four matches that HAWX supports. Fortunately, your HUD can tell the difference between friendlies and bogeys, so you at least don’t have to worry about friendly fire.

No-Fly Zone

During our time on the stick, we flew quite a few missions in two of HAWX’s 20 maps. Adder is a map based in Afghanistan with all of the dunes and oil derricks that you might expect to find in a besieged Middle Eastern battlefield. Although the detail holds up very well in Adder, complete with gas pipes spewing flames after taking fire, you may not have much attention to spare gazing at the sights when you’ve got a wing of enemy jet fighters jockeying for a lock on you. Still, it was surprising to see so much detail on the ground textures and they maintained a sharp and crisp appearance even when flying extremely close.

Wildhorse is set in the skies above Cape Canaveral and features a futuristic space shuttle as its centerpiece. What is intriguing about Wildhorse in particular is that it’s another example of how HAWX dovetails with the rest of the Tom Clancy fiction (the videogame fiction, at any rate).

The Story of Maverick and Goose

What sets HAWX apart from rivals like Ace Combat 6 is the attention paid to developing its plot in conjunction with those of previous and future Clancy titles. It has already been revealed that the first mission involves providing close air support for a holed-up Scott Mitchel, field commander of the Ghosts of Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, but there are more missions in which other brushes with Clancy greatness will be possible.

As hinted above, the objective of the single-player mission in Wildhorse is to protect the space shuttle and its delicate payload of a satellite. This satellite is destined to be plugged into the new missile defense system that provides the motivation for Tom Clancy’s EndWar. These are just a couple of examples of how HAWX will tie together multiple threads across the Tom Clancy franchise, and more are expected as the game’s release approaches.

Level 60 Pilot

HAWX relies on an experience point system of sorts for delivering a degree of character progression. Primarily, these points can be exchanged for access to new and more effective jets. You earn experience points for every kill and accomplished objective, but these points all go into the same experience pool which is shared between the single-player campaign and multiplayer, so no matter which activity you choose, you’ll always be earning points towards new gear.

Primed for launch in the first quarter of 2009, HAWX already feels like it’s got a good handle on modern air combat. While it seems decidedly canted towards a more action-oriented arcade experience rather than a hardcore flight sim, the cinematic perspectives and fairly intuitive controls seem to provide worthwhile gameplay. It means something that, while engaged with others in risky dog fighting and high-g maneuvers, there’s precious little time to stop and enjoy the stunning ground textures. Even about a half-year away from its release, HAWX already beautifully simulates the experience of jinking a missile, which is great because based on our time with it, you’ll be doing that a lot.