IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (Russian: Ил-2 Штурмовик: Крылатые хищники), or Wings of Prey on Windows, is a combat flight simulation video game. As with previous installments of the series IL-2 Sturmovik, it depicts combat aircraft from World War II, although with less focus on realistic simulation than other entries in the series.[9] The game has a campaign mode in which players are able to fly the Allies against the Axis, and also a multiplayer mode in which they are able to select either faction.[10] A demo of the game launched on the PSN and Xbox 360's Xbox Live on July 29, 2009.[11]

IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey
Developer(s)Gaijin Entertainment[8]
DiP Interactive (DS)[8]
Beatshapers (PSP)[8]
Publisher(s)
Composer(s)Jeremy Soule
SeriesIL-2 Sturmovik
Platform(s)
Release
September 4, 2009
  • PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
    Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable
    • EU: September 4, 2009[2]
    • AU: September 9, 2009 (DS)[3]
    • NA: September 15, 2009[1]
    • AU: September 17, 2009 (PSP)[4]
    Windows
Genre(s)Combat flight simulator
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Birds of Prey is based around the large-scale aerial combat and ground military operations of World War II. Players can participate in some of the war's most famous battles, piloting fighters, attack aircraft and heavy bombers across a range of missions. There are six theatres of war to engage in: Battle of Britain, Stalingrad, Berlin, Sicily, Korsun and the Battle of the Bulge, representing the main airborne battles of World War II in Europe.

Birds of Prey has a new damage effects engine. Players can see real-time damage to the aircraft such as holes in the wings and trail lines during dog fights. IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey features hundreds of aircraft taking part in air battles. The environmental engine also produces high-detail, realistic landscapes that allow players to easily see ground support actions.[12]

The game was developed by Gaijin Entertainment, who subsequently developed Birds of Steel, also exclusively for consoles. Birds of Steel shares many traits with Birds of Prey (including HUD, aircraft models, controls, and menu design) but differentiates itself by concentrating primarily on US–Japanese aerial battles of the Pacific theater.

Reception

edit

On the release, home console and Windows versions were met with positive reception, while versions for portable consoles received mixed to negative critical reception. GameRankings and Metacritic gave it 80.71% and 80 out of 100 for the Xbox 360 version;[13][19] 79.82% and 81 out of 100 for the PlayStation 3 version;[14][18] 79.55% and 78 out of 100 for the Windows version;[15][20] 60% and 63 out of 100 for the PSP version;[16][21] and 42.25% and 41 out of 100 for the DS version.[17][22]

Notes

edit
  1. ^ Retail versions were released in North America on March 16, 2010 and in the United Kingdom on April 30, 2010.[6][7]
  2. ^ Retail versions for PC were published by 777 Studios in North America and Iceberg Interactive in the United Kingdom.

References

edit
  1. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Lands in Retail Outlets Nationwide". IGN. September 8, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  2. ^ a b Stone, Tim (July 28, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey". Eurogamer. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  3. ^ a b Capone, Anthony (September 7, 2009). "This Week's Releases - 07/09/09". PALGN. Archived from the original on September 10, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  4. ^ Capone, Anthony (September 14, 2009). "This Week's Releases - 14/09/09". PALGN. Archived from the original on September 23, 2009. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  5. ^ "The game available for online purchase". Gaijin Entertainment. December 25, 2009. Archived from the original on March 3, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  6. ^ "Wings of Prey Coming to North America". IGN. February 17, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  7. ^ "Wings of Prey". GamesIndustry. April 15, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2024.
  8. ^ a b c IGN staff (June 6, 2008). "1C Launches Console Development". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  9. ^ a b Whitehead, Dan (September 1, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (X360)". Eurogamer. Retrieved September 10, 2013.
  10. ^ Ocampo, Jason (June 6, 2008). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey First Look". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  11. ^ [1] Archived July 11, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (Game Detail), 1C Company (archived URL: 13 April 2010).
  13. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for Xbox 360". GameRankings. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  14. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for PlayStation 3". GameRankings. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  15. ^ a b "Wings of Prey for PC". GameRankings. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  16. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for PSP". GameRankings. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  17. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for DS". GameRankings. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  18. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  19. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for Xbox 360". Metacritic. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  20. ^ a b "Wings of Prey for PC Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  21. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  22. ^ a b "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey for DS Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  23. ^ Edge staff (October 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (X360)". Edge. No. 206. p. 97.
  24. ^ Stone, Tim (May 10, 2010). "Wings of Prey". Eurogamer. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  25. ^ Cocker, Guy (September 11, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (X360)". GameSpot. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  26. ^ Cocker, Guy (September 16, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (PS3)". GameSpot. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  27. ^ "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (X360)". GameTrailers. September 2, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  28. ^ Bedigian, Louis (September 21, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey - PS3 - Review". GameZone. Archived from the original on September 25, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  29. ^ Onyett, Charles (September 1, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (X360)". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  30. ^ Onyett, Charles (September 11, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (PS3)". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  31. ^ Meer, Alec (September 4, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds Of Prey UK Review (X360)". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  32. ^ Butts, Steve (January 7, 2010). "Wings of Prey Review". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  33. ^ Onyett, Charles (September 18, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (PSP)". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  34. ^ Goldstein, Hilary (September 23, 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Review (NDS)". IGN. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  35. ^ "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey". Nintendo Power. Vol. 245. October 2009. p. 90.
  36. ^ Curthoys, Paul (October 2009). "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey". Official Xbox Magazine. p. 68. Archived from the original on September 14, 2009. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
  37. ^ "Wings of Prey". PC Gamer UK: 86. March 2010.
  38. ^ "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (PS3)". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. October 2009.
  39. ^ "IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey (PSP)". PlayStation: The Official Magazine. December 25, 2009. p. 85.
edit