From the early days of computing, flight sims have been ever-present on the games scene. But will the opportunity to fly the latest incarnation of the Hornet provide a welcome experience?
Ben Morris

Ever since the F/A 18 Hornet was first produced in 1982 it became a first class candidate for aircraft carrier based flight simulation. Digital Integration have a history of basing games on this lovable insect, and the F/A 18E Super Hornet represents their latest attempt at simulation domination.

F/A 18E launches you into the skies over the oceans either on the Barents Sea or the Indian Ocean. As fighter pilots are seemingly busy chaps there is a wide variety of missions to fly. These range from bog standard combat missions against air, land and sea targets, to reconnaissance and more strategic attacks.

Before flying any missions however, it is vital to tackle the training missions in their entirety to learn the ins and outs of flying a Super Hornet in a multitude of circumstances. The F/A 18's cockpit is awash with a whole host of buttons, lights, bells and whistles. Learning what each means is important if you want to take off, let alone get on with the fighting. The emphasis here is very much on realism and a lot of hard work is needed to get the most out of the game. Even simple manoeuvres, like landing on the aircraft carrier can be tricky to master but it becomes necessary because the missions are at sea.