F/A-18 Hornet 3.0

OK, so F/A-18 Hornet 3.0 might not sport lush texture-mapped graphics, but trust me, it still has a lot going for it under the hood: accurate dynamics and detailed avionics, accurately reproduced flight systems, sophisticated enemy pilot intelligence, a variety of combat and training missions, network play, missiles, explosions, death. Every feature you've come to expect from a modern-day flight sim. The polygon engine is refined and smooth; the missions, although few in number and badly documented, arc engaging; the aircraft itself is easy to control and comes with all the usual game gimmicks, such as multiple cameras and video replays. Thanks to the minimalist graphical style everything looks a little 'sparse' when compared to other sims on the shelf, but this means that Hornet pulls an impressive frame rate even on low-end Pentiums (although this perhaps has more to do with the desolate nature of the Kuwaiti theatre than clever coding).

If you haven't flown an advanced jet-powered fighter before, you'll also find that the step-by-step tutorials are first rate. On the down side, Hornet doesn't really offer anything new and is therefore very much a clone of the competition. In fact, if you're not a flight sim aficionado, there's little to distinguish it from every other flight sim out there.

There's nothing particularly wrong with it. and if you're a fan of the genre and enjoyed Su-27, A-10 Cuba! and all the other 'mature' flight sims on the market, Hornet won't disappoint. It just won't surprise you either.