Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X 2
A sequel with co-op focus and new mission types.
Ubisoft Bucharest developed and Ubisoft published Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2, an arcade-style combat flight sim. This follow-up to the 2009 original launched on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in September 2010, then on Wii and Windows that November.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Ubisoft Bucharest
- Publisher
- Ubisoft
- Designer
- Edward J Douglas, Bogdan Bridinel
- Composer
- Tom Salta
- Platforms
- Microsoft Windows
- PlayStation 3
- Xbox 360
- Wii
- Cloud (OnLive)
- Genre
- Combat flight simulator
- Modes
- Single-player, multiplayer
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
The story campaign can be played solo or cooperatively with up to three other players. The player primarily controls Major Alex Hunter of the HAWX squadron, but also flies missions as Captain Dimitri Ivanovich Sokov of the Russian Air Force, Lieutenant Colin Munro of the British Royal Navy, and Colonel David Crenshaw of HAWX. Most missions involve piloting a combat aircraft, though the player occasionally remotely controls an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or, in one mission, operates the guns of an AC-130 Spooky. The gameplay differs significantly from its predecessor: the player no longer selects a plane or weapon load-out for story missions, and flies as a wingman rather than a flight leader, removing the ability to issue orders to other wingmen. New mechanics include takeoff, landing, and aerial refueling; landing allows rearming. The weapon system shifts from fire-and-forget missiles toward operator-guided or unguided ordnance, introducing stand-off missiles, precision missiles, and precision bombs. Joint Strike Missiles and multi-target anti-ground missiles are absent from the story campaign, and some enemy planes dispense endless flares, making guns the only option. The game emphasizes co-op play, adding a class of electronic warfare planes that carry ECM devices but lack guns; in co-op, a player in such a plane must stay at a distance to keep friendly planes within ECM support range. An eight-player multiplayer deathmatch mode is also included.
Plot
The story occurs an unspecified time after the first game; only David Crenshaw returns from the original cast. Crenshaw, now a Colonel, is on a routine patrol in the Middle East when cruise missiles strike the Prince Faisal Air Force Base, disabling his aircraft and leading to his capture. A Ghost Recon squad and an AC-130 gunship from HAWX rescue him. With an injured arm, Crenshaw remains on an aircraft carrier and directs a remote surveillance operation with agent Drachev of the Russian Voron agency. HAWX and U.S. forces then conduct a large-scale military operation over three days to eliminate insurgents. Meanwhile, Russia is in a civil war with separatists. Despite efforts by Colonel Denisov and Captain Sokov, Russian bases fall. The Russian Air Force supports Spetsnaz in recovering stolen nuclear warheads from separatists in Romaniskhov, retrieving only two of three; their transport is shot down. General Morgunov orders Denisov and Sokov to destroy the Nevskaya Dam to flood the region and prevent warheads from falling into enemy hands. A nuclear warhead detonates in the Romashkino oil field, crippling Russia's energy supplies, and Russian Ultranationalists seize control, starting a war with Europe for resources.
Development
Ubisoft formally announced Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X. 2 in early May 2010 during a press campaign ahead of its planned autumn release. The announcement confirmed that Ubisoft’s Bucharest studio was actively developing the title and outlined the target platforms and projected launch timeframe. The sequel followed the commercial success of the original Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., which had sold over one million copies and established the franchise’s viability for a follow-up.
Reception
Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X. 2 received mixed or average reviews according to Metacritic. GameSpot praised the game as tense and enjoyable but criticized inconsistent enemy artificial intelligence and collision detection issues, noting that non-fighter mission types like UAV missions provide variety but often feel out of place. PC Gamer's Tim Stone described serious technical and design problems, reporting an incident where after crashing four aircraft in one session the game refused to proceed to the next campaign sortie without explanation, likening it to a game-breaking bug. Dan Whitehead of Eurogamer stated that the game seems aware of its limitations and deliberately intervenes in aerial dogfighting to mitigate its weaknesses.
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