With stunning graphics and accurate flight models, Combat Flight Simulator 3 lets you revisit the Western Front during World War II as a pilot in a variety of period aircraft. Significant improvements have been made over the earlier versions in the series, such as the addition of a dynamic campaign and cooperative multiplayer. Plus, there is an incredible attention to detail, with a new graphics engine that combines the ability to render planes in flight with highly detailed terrain that looks great even at low level, adding a new dimension to low level bombing runs. There is a price to pay for this attention to detail in performance and you are going to need a well specified processor and graphics card to get the most from this game. It is recommend a Pentium 4 and GeForce 4 combination, or equivalent to get full satisfaction from this game. Anything less and you have to start compromising on the in game detail settings, or accept stuttering frame rates. There are 18 aircraft that you can fly in the game, plus many variant models, though there are some notable omissions. While you can happily take control of a Spitfire, Me-109, P51 Mustang, or Junkers 88, you won't come across a Flying Fortress anywhere in the game, which considering the theatre of operations seems strange. Criticisms aside, there is still plenty to enjoy. The flight models are excellent, especially when you switch on the realism settings, with each aircraft having distinct characteristics. The missions are well thought out, as is the campaign system, which enables you to gain access to more aircraft as you progress and acquire skills, which can improve your tolerance to G-forces for example. Combat Flight Simulator 3 is a worthy addition to the genre. It has enough to keep long time flight-sim fans entertained and is also accessible enough for novices to pick up and play.--Jason Weston

Features:
- Choose to fly for the U.S., England, or the German Luftwaffe in 34 different and unique aircraft
- You'll battle against tough AI-controlled opponents in the European Theatre Of Operations, or form squadrons with friends and go on cooperative missions
- Switch positions between pilot, gunner or bombardier -- or fly in experimental jets that barely made it into combat
- Reactive game world reponds to your presence -- trigger new events, unlock aircraft, and much more
- Fantastic graphic displays with enhanced 3D modeling and textures, with realistic cloud and weather modeling make you feel like you're really 600 ft. in the air.