Jane's AH-64D Longbow

Last updated
Jane's AH-64D Longbow
AH-64D Longbow cover.jpg
Developer(s) Origin Systems
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Director(s) Will McBurnett
Producer(s) Andy Hollis
Artist(s) Paul Stankie
Composer(s) Barry Leitch
Series Jane's Combat Simulations
Platform(s) PC (DOS)/(Windows)
ReleaseJune 3, 1996 [1]
April 2, 1997 (Windows) [2]
Genre(s) Air combat simulation
Mode(s) Single player

AH-64D Longbow is a realistic combat flight simulator of the AH-64D Apache Longbow attack helicopter. Released on June 3, 1996, for the PC, this simulation was developed at Origin Systems. AH-64D Longbow was the second simulator released under the Jane's Combat Simulators line from Electronic Arts.

Contents

A mission disk Flash Point: Korea was released as an add-in in 1996, and a compilation pack, Longbow Gold was released in 1997. A sequel, Longbow 2 was released in late 1997. In 1998, Longbow Anthology was released, which included the whole Longbow series.

Gameplay

Cockpit view Jane's AH-64D Longbow screenshot.png
Cockpit view

The game had the most authentic flight model for a helicopter for its time and every aspect of the electronics systems were meticulously detailed. The weapons had realistic operational ranges and limits, and all friendly and enemy units were strictly based on their real-life counterparts. A wingman helps the player, and the player takes on Russian equipment in multiple single missions and campaigns, as well as a handful of historically accurate missions in which it is possible to 're-live' memorable battles.

Flash Point: Korea was released on November 30, 1996. It features a new campaign set in Korea, the addition of the co-pilot position, improved wingman commands and many bug fixes.

Release

Longbow Gold came out in April 1997. [2] It is a compilation pack featuring the AH-64D Longbow and Flash Point: Korea add-ons. It is also fully patched and updated to include a Windows executable, so DOS is no longer necessary. Also included is the 3Dfx update, which adds a Glide renderer.

Longbow Anthology was released in 1998 and is a compilation of Jane's AH-64D Longbow, the mission disk Flash Point: Korea, and Longbow 2 in one box, with an abbreviated manual. All included simulators are fully patched to the latest versions.

A Limited Edition was also released, removing the campaign mode and marketed as a budget title.

Reception

AH-64D Longbow debuted at No. 4 on PC Data's monthly computer game sales chart for June 1996. [6] The game fell to position 14 the following month, before rising back into the top 10 in August and exiting the top 20 in September. [7] [8] In the United States, the game sold 106,423 copies and earned $4.78 million by October 1999. [9] Global shipments of AH-64D Longbow ultimately surpassed 600,000 copies. The Longbow franchise as a whole, including the compilations and Jane's Longbow 2 , shipped above 1.2 million units. [10]

The reviewer for Next Generation praised the option to choose from nine different levels of realism, and the game's unique mission design. [3]

Longbow was named the best flight simulator of 1996 by PC Gamer , [11] GameSpot, [12] Computer Gaming World and Computer Games Strategy Plus . [13] [14] CNET Gamecenter and the Computer Game Developers Conference nominated it in their "Best Simulation Game" categories, but these went to NASCAR Racing 2 and MechWarrior 2: Mercenaries , respectively. [15] [16] [17] In 1996, Computer Gaming World ranked it as the 100th best game of all time for being "the first helicopter sim to match its fixed wing counterparts for realistic play". [18] That same year, it was also ranked as the 73rd top game of all time by Next Generation, for being "an unbeatable marriage of graphics, gameplay, and armor-blasting fun". [19]

Flashpoint Korea

The editors of PC Gamer US named Flashpoint Korea 1996's "Best Expansion Pack", and wrote that it "practically makes [Longbow] a whole new game". [11] Flashpoint: Korea was also a finalist for Computer Gaming World 's 1996 "Best Enhancement of an Existing Game" award, [20] which ultimately went to Warcraft II: Beyond the Dark Portal . [13]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance</i> 1999 video game

Star Wars: X-Wing Alliance is a 1999 space simulation video game, the sequel to both Star Wars: TIE Fighter and Star Wars: X-Wing vs. TIE Fighter. X-Wing Alliance presents the story of the Azzameen family, a family of space traders. The player assumes the role of Ace Azzameen, the youngest of the Azzameen children, juggling military duty as a fighter pilot for the Rebel Alliance, and allegiance to his family, flying larger heavily armed freighters for the family business, amid a bloody family feud and in the larger context of a galactic civil war. It received favorable reviews.

<i>Silent Hunter</i> (video game) 1996 submarine simulator

Silent Hunter is a World War II submarine combat simulation for MS-DOS, developed by Aeon Electronic Entertainment and published by Strategic Simulations in 1996. The game takes place in the Pacific War during World War II, the player commanding a submarine of the United States Navy. Most contemporary US submarines and Japanese warships are featured along with some generic merchant ships.

<i>Red Baron II</i> 1997 video game

Red Baron II is a video game for the PC, developed by Dynamix and published by Sierra On-Line. It is the follow-up to the flight simulation Red Baron, released in 1990. Red Baron II was released in December 1997. A patch was released in 1998 that added support for 3D acceleration and renamed the game to Red Baron 3D. Red Baron 3D was also released as a retail product.

<i>Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord</i> 2000 video game

Combat Mission: Beyond Overlord is a 2000 computer wargame developed and published by Big Time Software. It is a simulation of tactical land battles in World War II.

Combat flight simulators are vehicle simulation games, amateur flight simulation computer programs used to simulate military aircraft and their operations. These are distinct from dedicated flight simulators used for professional pilot and military flight training which consist of realistic physical recreations of the actual aircraft cockpit, often with a full-motion platform.

<i>Flying Corps</i> 1996 flight simulation software developed by Rowan Software

Flying Corps is a 1997 World War I flight simulator developed by Rowan Software and published by Empire Interactive.

<i>Janes Combat Simulations</i> Video game series

Jane's Combat Simulations was a brand of combat flight simulators and naval warfare games published for DOS and Windows by Electronic Arts from 1995 to 2000, and later by other companies under license by Jane's Information Group. It is named after editor and publisher of military reference books Fred T. Jane.

<i>European Air War</i> 1998 video game

European Air War is a combat flight simulator developed and published by MicroProse and published for Microsoft Windows in 1998. It is a sequel to 1942: The Pacific Air War. It simulates the Battle of Britain, and the Allied Air offensives in Western Europe during World War II in 1943–1945.

<i>Wing Commander: Prophecy</i> 1997 video game

Wing Commander: Prophecy is the fifth installment in the Wing Commander science fiction space combat simulator franchise of computer games. The game was released in 1997 for Windows, produced by Origin Systems and distributed by Electronic Arts. In 2003, a Game Boy Advance conversion with added multiplayer was produced by Italy-based Raylight Studios and distributed by Destination Software.

<i>MechWarrior 3</i> 1999 video game

MechWarrior 3 is a vehicle simulation game, part of the MechWarrior series. It featured a new 3D accelerated graphics engine at the time of its release. The game contains over 20 missions, with access to 18 different mechs. A novelization called Trial Under Fire was written by Loren L. Coleman.

<i>Hind</i> (video game) 1996 video game

Hind is a combat flight simulation game released by Digital Integration in 1996 for MS-DOS compatible operating systems and Microsoft Windows. It is the successor to Apache.

<i>MiG Alley</i> (video game) 1999 video game

MiG Alley is a combat flight simulation game, developed by Rowan Software for PCs with Windows, and was published by Empire Interactive in 1999.

<i>Janes WWII Fighters</i> 1998 video game

Jane's World War II Fighters is the 1998 combat flight simulation video game. Set in the European theatre of operations during World War II, it is part of the Jane's Combat Simulations franchise. The game was considered a commercial failure, and contributed to the end of the Jane's Combat Simulations line.

<i>Janes F-15</i> 1998 video game

Jane's F-15, also known as simply F-15, is a combat flight simulator video game developed and released by Electronic Arts in 1998 for the PC. It models the McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle. EA's 2000 Jane's F/A-18 used an improved version of F-15's game engine.

<i>Janes Longbow 2</i> 1997 video game

Longbow 2 is the sequel to Jane's AH-64D Longbow from Jane's Combat Simulations. The game was developed by Origin Systems with executive producer Andy Hollis on board, and released by Electronic Arts on November 13, 1997.

<i>Apache</i> (video game) 1995 video game

Apache is a video game released by Digital Integration in 1995 for DOS and Macintosh. The game is a combat flight simulation of the American AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter. A successor, Hind, was released in 1996.

<i>Andretti Racing</i> 1996 racing video game

Andretti Racing is a video game developed by American studios High Score Productions and Stormfront Studios and published by EA Sports for the PlayStation and Sega Saturn in 1996, and for Windows in 1997. The game's title refers to legendary racing drivers Mario Andretti and Michael Andretti.

<i>F1 Racing Simulation</i> 1997 video game

F1 Racing Simulation is a racing simulation game, developed for Microsoft Windows by Ubi Soft in 1997. The game is based on the 1996 Formula One World Championship, and is the first of the Racing Simulation games made by Ubisoft, being the predecessor to Racing Simulation 2, which was released in 1998.

Battleground is a series of turn-based computer wargames developed and published by TalonSoft for Microsoft Windows between 1995 and 1999. Nine games were released in the series, each based on a different historical battle.

<i>Janes ATF: Advanced Tactical Fighters</i> 1996 video game

Jane's ATF: Advanced Tactical Fighters is a 1996 combat flight simulator developed and published by Electronic Arts for DOS. It is the first entry in the Jane's Combat Simulations franchise. An expansion pack, NATO Fighters, was released in 1996, and a compilation package for Microsoft Windows was released in 1997 titled Advanced Tactical Fighters Gold.

References

  1. ↑ "Online Gaming Review". 1997-02-27. Archived from the original on 1997-02-27. Retrieved 2023-04-15.
  2. 1 2 "Electronic Arts Ships Advanced Tactical Fighters Gold and Longbow Gold for Windows 95; Latest Offerings From Jane's Combat Simulations Brand Add Technology Upgrades, Internet Play and New Missions". Business Wire . April 2, 1997. Archived from the original on December 6, 2015. Retrieved August 11, 2021– via The Free Dictionary.
  3. 1 2 "Bull's Eye". Next Generation . No. 21. Imagine Media. September 1996. p. 156.
  4. ↑ Gehrs, Scott (May 1996). "Straight Arrow". Computer Game Review . Archived from the original on December 21, 1996.
  5. ↑ Lukban, Anthony (July 1996). "AH-64D Longbow". PC Games. Archived from the original on October 18, 1996. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  6. ↑ GamerX (August 8, 1996). "June's top 30 games". CNET Gamecenter . Archived from the original on February 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  7. ↑ GamerX (September 27, 1996). "August's top 30 games". CNET Gamecenter . Archived from the original on February 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  8. ↑ GamerX (October 29, 1996). "September's top 30 games". CNET Gamecenter . Archived from the original on February 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  9. ↑ Brown, Ken (October 1999). "EA Scraps Jane's A-10". Computer Gaming World . No. 183. pp. 44, 46.
  10. ↑ Geryk, Bruce. "PC Gaming Graveyard; Jane's A-10 Warthog". GameSpot . Toward Multiplay. Archived from the original on August 18, 2000. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  11. 1 2 "PC Gamer Reveals Its 1997 Award Winners". Business Wire (Press release). Brisbane, California. February 6, 1997.
  12. ↑ Staff. "GameSpot 1996 Best & Worst Awards". GameSpot . Archived from the original on December 13, 2000. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  13. 1 2 Staff (May 1997). "The Computer Gaming World 1997 Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World . No. 154. pp. 68–70, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80.
  14. ↑ Staff (March 25, 1997). "Computer Games Strategy Plus announces 1996 Awards". Computer Games Strategy Plus . Archived from the original on June 14, 1997. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
  15. ↑ The Gamecenter Editors. "The Gamecenter Awards for 96". CNET Gamecenter . Archived from the original on February 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.{{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  16. ↑ Staff (April 15, 1997). "And the Nominees Are..." Next Generation . Archived from the original on June 5, 1997. Retrieved January 31, 2020.
  17. ↑ "Spotlight Awards Winners Announced for Best Computer Games of 1996" (Press release). Santa Clara, California: Game Developers Conference. April 28, 1997. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011.
  18. ↑ Staff (November 1996). "150 Best (and 50 Worst) Games of All Time". Computer Gaming World . No. 148. pp. 63–65, 68, 72, 74, 76, 78, 80, 84, 88, 90, 94, 98.
  19. ↑ Staff (September 1996). "Top 100 Games of All Time". Next Generation . No. 21. Imagine Media. pp. 44, 45.
  20. ↑ Staff (April 1997). "Best of the Bunch; Finalists Named for CGW Premier Awards". Computer Gaming World . No. 153. pp. 28, 32.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.