What is Air Missions: Hind?
Plonking you into the cockpit of one of four iconic Russian military helicopters, Air Missions: Hind is an explosive helicopter sim that's authentic, yet accessible. With a fifteen mission campaign to play through, a range of both cockpit and external views, eight single missions to try your hand at, and an instant action mode that lets you jump straight into some time attack style gameplay, there's plenty to keep budding pilots busy - and plenty of explosions to boot.
How do you play Air Missions: Hind?
Going against the grain, Air Missions: Hind isn't an arcade style flight sim - but it doesn't go way off the scale at the simulator end either. Treading the line almost perfectly between offering an authentic challenge (with each helicopter having its own fully 3D cockpit, and most missions having take-offs and landings), while offering enough assists that you'll be able to fly any of the game's choppers pretty comfortably, this is a great - and unique - blend of military action.
There's a wide variety of missions to get stuck into, too. From air to air encounters, to convoy intercepts, bridge demolition jobs, precise air base assaults - and even a level that see you landing in the middle of a busy city junction in order to pick up some injured soldiers - each and every level in Air Missions: Hind will test your flying skills in a different way. With a wide variety of weapons you can choose to equip to your helicopter with, you'll want to be sure you pick the right chopper, with the right weapons for the job!
How easy is Air Missions: Hind to pick up and play?
With three overall difficulty levels, three different "levels" of control scheme, and a wide variety of realism options you can adjust, Air Missions: Hind is a game that's designed to be adaptable. For those just starting out, you can disable collision damage from buildings, trees, other helicopters, and even terrain, while the game also offers the ability to enable or disable friendly fire, damage from explosions, and whether your landing gear takes damage or not (something which makes all the difference should you have to return to base!). One of the more useful settings determines whether you have to aim your helicopter's minigun manually, or whether the computer should handle it for you - having to fly and separately aim a minigun is harder than it sounds, so letting the computer handle this can make your life a lot easier, as it means you'll almost always be able to hit your target.
In terms of mature content, Air Missions: Hind sits somewhere in the middle. Unlike a lot of sims, soldiers actually feature a lot in the game's levels, and you'll often find yourself shooting, or blowing up groups of armed soldiers. Soldiers will cry out in pain when hit, with a moderately sized puff of claret coming off them as they fall down and disappear. While there's nothing here in terms of sexual content, the game does feature some mild bad language, with the phrase "bloody hell" appearing in one cutscene.
Age Ratings
Format Reviewed: Xbox One
