Friday 21 October 2011

Airline Tycoon 2 Review: Come Fly With Me, Let’s Fly, Let’s Fly Away

Airline Tycoon 2 is an example of those exquisite titles that barely get any attention amongst gamers. The title is a business simulator, which most people would presume to be a boring genre regardless of your genre preference. I believe this to be a strategic game that should at least be given a chance. I’m confident that once you experience the charm of this quirky title, you’ll be on board Airline Tycoon Airways in no time.


Regardless of what game mode you choose, before you begin that playthrough, you must select a specific player. You have access to four different characters with various personalities. Each character possesses a unique attribute which will aid your airline’s success.













There are two game modes to choose from. The campaign allows you to participate in objective based play. These objectives will vary in topic as you progress. With every objective, you have an additional task of fending off the opposition. You will be competing against three other airlines to complete a specific task. The player also has the option to specify the difficulty which will determine the sum of money you begin with to complete the task. Dependant on difficulty, the value of this money will increase or decrease.


Freeplay allows you to participate in a sandbox version of the game. This allows the player complete freedom to enforce their own objectives and goals to complete. Whatever objectives you set for yourself, you will still compete against the three other airlines in terms of passengers transferred and profits.


As you traverse the airport, you will discover many locations you can visit. The player has the option to converse with people at these locations. Some will offer you tips and advice on running your airline.


You are required to visit some locations to further your progress or complete tasks. An example of this is Hangar 51, where you can purchase new planes and customise it to your heart’s content. The personnel office is where you find job applications from individuals who want to work for your company, such as pilots and flight attendants. You may also employ people in specialised fields such as contract advisors, spies or personnel advisors in this particular office. ImageCorp Pro-Marketing allows the player to enhance the image of their airline. This will attract a larger number of passengers but could also deter them from the opposition. 













The Skytrips International Travel Agency allows the individual to select contracts to various locations. You must then schedule these within your flight plan as cancelling the contract may leave you having to pay a hefty fine. A location of extreme importance is the TakeOff Bar & Bistro. The bartender of this compact bar is responsible for supplying the airlines with food for their flights. You can determine the quality of the food your airline provides, which will directly impact your passengers’ satisfaction levels. Ultimate Color Design provides an essential service to upgrade the interior of your planes. These choices vary from business, economy and standard. Each choice you make will have a separate price tag that affects the standard of the aircraft.


Airline Tycoon 2 is evidently a unique title, which is probably not for everybody. Gamers with a love of strategic gameplay will adore this little gem. Airline Tycoon 2 boasts a clever combination of quirky character design and business simulation. This may not be for everyone, but I truly believe that everyone should at least try this game. So why not try out Airline Tycoon 2 today? Will your airline experience take off without a hitch? Or will you be forced to cancel all flights?
8/10

Many thanks for reading,

Hannah 

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