Heroes of the Pacific - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Heroes of the Pacific is an aerial combat simulator game set in the Pacific Theater of Operations

Pacific Theater of Operations

The Pacific Theater of Operations was the World War II area of military activity in the Pacific Ocean and the countries bordering it, a geographic scope that reflected the operational and administrative command structures of the American forces during that period...

during World War II.

Overview

The game allows the player to assume the role of a combat pilot named William Crowe as he experiences the various phases of the Pacific War

Pacific War

The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...

with Japan, beginning with the Pearl Harbor attack. There are six game modes: Campaign, Instant Action, Single Mission, Historical, Training, and Multiplayer. One or two players can play simultaneously on the console or up to eight players can play on the network via Xbox Live

Xbox Live

Xbox Live is an online multiplayer gaming and digital media delivery service created and operated by Microsoft Corporation. It is currently the only online gaming service on consoles that charges users a fee to play multiplayer gaming. It was first made available to the Xbox system in 2002...

or using a PlayStation 2

PlayStation 2

The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...

with network adapter.

There are two different control schemes for flying the planes, Arcade and Professional. The Arcade control scheme allows for easier control of the plane via a single joystick with automatic rudders, while the Professional controls offer separate control of the pitch, roll and yaw of the plane.

Heroes of the Pacific also offers multiple difficulty levels: Rookie, Pilot, Veteran, and Ace. Completing missions on higher difficulty unlocks more planes and rewards the player with more upgrade points, which can be used to upgrade your unlocked aircraft after missions are accomplished.

This simulation also allows players to pilot famous planes such as the P-40 Warhawk, P-51 Mustang

P-51 Mustang

The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...

, F4U Corsair

F4U Corsair

The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...

, P-47 Thunderbolt

P-47 Thunderbolt

Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...

and a number of Japanese and German planes from World War II, including several experimental planes, such as the Blohm & Voss BV P.215 and the J7W Shinden

Kyushu J7W

|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1961 . ISBN 0-356-01447-9....

Plot

The game begins with the player at Pearl Harbor (or in flight school should the player choose to learn the controls first), as the Japanese begin their attack. Crowe manages to get to a plane and hold off the enemy forces until the rest of his squadron get into the air. After defending an oil field from fighters, the Arizona, With William Crowe's brother on it, Charlie, is sunk, and Charlie is killed. Crowe expresses rage, and he nearly pursues the fleeing enemy planes before Hickam Control tells him to re-fuel and re-arm.

Crowe shortly visits home after Pearl Harbor and writes his mother a letter about Charlie, although it states that the Navy will get the telegram to her before the letter arrives. He is restationed at Wake Island where he comes under the command of Admiral Daniel Howells. He later participates in escorting Howells off the island as it is about to fall to the Japanese. When they make it to the Lexington, Crowe gets a new squadron consisting of Cunningham, Murphy, Slater, and commanded by Callahan.

He participates in the attack on the Marshall Islands, where he steals a Zero fighter, and is ambushed by the first member of the 13th squadron, the same squadron that sank the USS Arizona and killed Crowe's brother. He shoots down the 13th squadron member and makes it back to the carrier in once piece. After escorting a team of commandos to rescue prisoners from the islands, he is introduced to Tom Stuart, a pilot who was shot down, captured, and freed by the commandos. Stuart goes on to become a member of the squadron, and its best pilot excluding Crowe.

After fighting in the Battle of the Coral Sea

Battle of the Coral Sea

The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...

, and watching the USS Lexington sink, Crowe and Callahan witness someone try to sabotage Crowe's plane. At the Battle of Midway

Battle of Midway

The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...

, he goes on a reconnaissance mission in a PBY Catalina seaplane, and finds the fleets. During the attack on the base itself (where Stuart nearly shoots down Murphy, Murphy never forgives Stuart), the squadron shoots down many fighters, except a new member, "Ox". They then assault the main Japanese fleet, where Crowe and Murphy sink the Akagi, Callahan sinks the Soryu, while Cunningham sinks the Kaga. they receive new orders to take down the heavy cruiser Mikuma, a warship seen fleeing the area. As they get there, fighters manages to keep Crowe, Callaghan, and the rest of the fighters tied up. This causes Callahan to send Ox and his squadron of SBD Dauntless dive bombers to attack the small fleet on their own. By the time Crowe and the rest get there, Ox and his entire wing of bombers are shot down, not even getting close enough to drop bombs, although Ox manages to pull off a suicide dive into the Mikuma after he is hit. However it still remains afloat. Crowe and the rest concentrate on one area at a time, and eventually avenge Ox by sinking the ship. As they head back Stuart sees something in the clouds, and Callaghan sends Crowe to check it out. It is a group of Japanese fighters, the leader being another member of the 13th squadron, who is also shot down by Crowe.

On Guadalcanal, Crowe and the others take the airfield and take down the Tokyo express, a Japanese supply route, defend the USS Enterprise from attack and return to Guadalcanal to defend the island from a retaliatory Japanese attack. During this time Crowe learns that his father has died, but didn't know until it was to late due to the fact that the mail had been holed up.

On a recon mission in the Gilbert islands, he runs into yet another of the 13th squadron who is still shot down. On the way to the main attack, Tom Stuart's plane blew a gasket and turned back to the carrier while the others went ahead. Shortly after Tom leaves, the entire squadron is ambushed by enemy planes hiding in the clouds. After the ambush, Murphy thinks "It's awfully convenient that Tom wasn't here". Crowe realizes that Murphy, and probably many others, think that Stuart is the traitor. Before they can speak any further, Callahan tells them to deal with it on the carrier

Aircraft carrier

An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...

. Back at the carrier, nearly all the pilots riot, and try to kill Tom. He is only saved by Crowe and Callahan defending him. Admiral Howells grounds Tom for his own safety stating "It's just as likely that he's going to get a tailful of U.S. bullets as much as Japanese".

In the Marianas, Crowe saves an agent undercover for the allies from the Japanese. They later go to attack the Japanese fleet, but bombers come at their carrier before they can get there. After dispatching them, they hit the main fleet, and after Crowe's plane suffers engine problems as Callahan, Cunningham, and the rest have to leave him behind. The 13th squadron second-in-command tracks down Crowe and nearly kills him, but he dodges, and is only saved by the timely arrival of none other than the suspected traitor himself, Tom Stuart. Tom draws off the Japanese planes and buys enough time for Crowe to get to the carrier. In the morning, a team goes out to find Stuart, but discovers that he was shot down and killed, but not after killing the second-in-command. Tom Stuart was buried at sea with full military honors.

What remains of the squadron goes to the Philippines

Philippines

The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...

to try to help the Allies, and Crowe is sent to steal a prototype German Me262 jet fighter. After he takes off, he dogfights a German ace flying another Me262 jet. The German constantly taunts Crowe. However, Crowe kills him, makes it back to the fleet, and helps to sink the Japanese super-battleship, Musashi. They participate in the Battle of Leyte Gulf

Battle of Leyte Gulf

The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the "Battles for Leyte Gulf", and formerly known as the "Second Battle of the Philippine Sea", is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.It was fought in waters...

, where they provide aerial support for Taffy 3 in its encounter with an entire Japanese task force. They go on to sink the last two carriers that attacked Pearl Harbor, and after Crowe is called into Howells's office. One, the man who sabotages Crowe's plane at the Coral Sea was not Tom Stuart, but a pilot named Mike Canning, who wanted to take Crowe 'a few slots down on the kills board'. It states he'll be peeling potatoes for the rest of the war, as the admiral gives Crowe a note he somehow acquired from Shun Ogawa, the leader of the 13th squadron, and the one who killed Charlie. The note said only two words: Iwo Jima.

On Iwo Jima, Crowe helps fight off attacks from baka bombs, and destroys much of the first airfield. Then he covers the landings while in a B-25 Mitchell bomber, and covers the battleship USS Missouri as she is attacked by kamikaze submarines. In the final mission, it appears that something happened to Cunningham, as only Murphy and Callahan are flying with Crowe. He destroys the AA guns around the enemy airfield so it can be bombed by friendly bombers, and saves the American-held airfield from annihilation by tanks. He escorts Sergeant Thompson and his squad of Marines up the side of Mt. Suribachi to plant the flag. After destroying the fortress within, the men nearly plant the flag, when an unknown plane flies by, and comes after Murphy. He states 'Looks like lighting, kicks like a mule too' meaning he may have been hit. The pilot identifies himself as Shun Ogawa, the 13th squadron's leader, and they proceed to one on one combat. Crowe eventually kills him, and makes it back to the fleet after Mt. Suribachi is taken. He and Callaghan both receive the Navy Cross

Navy Cross

The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...

for their actions during the war, and the entire squadron is sent home. Crowe states that Charlie and his father are buried in Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery

Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...

. He gets together with Callahan and the rest of the boys every year, indicating that Cunningham made it, and so did a few others, and talk about the war, and the true Heroes of the Pacific, the ones who didn't come back.

Missions

Ten campaigns, with 26 missions taken from real events of the Pacific campaign:

Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

(1 mission);

Wake Island
Battle of Wake Island
The Battle of Wake Island began simultaneously with the Attack on Pearl Harbor and ended on 23 December 1941, with the surrender of the American forces to the Empire of Japan...

(3 missions);

Marshall Islands
History of the Marshall Islands
Evidence suggests that around 3,000 years ago successive waves of human migrants from Southeast Asia spread across the Western Pacific populating its many small islands. The Marshall Islands were settled by Micronesians in the 2nd millennium BC. Little is known of the islands' early history...

(2 missions);

Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...

(2 missions);

Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...

(4 missions);

Guadalcanal (3 missions);

Gilbert Islands
Gilbert Islands
The Gilbert Islands are a chain of sixteen atolls and coral islands in the Pacific Ocean. They are the main part of Republic of Kiribati and include Tarawa, the site of the country's capital and residence of almost half of the population.-Geography:The atolls and islands of the Gilbert Islands...

(2 missions);

Marianas
Mariana Islands
The Mariana Islands are an arc-shaped archipelago made up by the summits of 15 volcanic mountains in the north-western Pacific Ocean between the 12th and 21st parallels north and along the 145th meridian east...

(2 missions);

Philippines
Battle of the Philippines
Battle of the Philippines may refer to several wars, military campaigns, and major battles which have been fought in the Philippine Islands, including:...

(4 missions);

Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...

(3 missions).

Five historical missions recreate actual acts of heroism in the Pacific:

"Against all odds",

"Flight of the Avenger",

"Chain lightning",

"Zeros over Rabaul

Rabaul

Rabaul is a township in East New Britain province, Papua New Guinea. The town was the provincial capital and most important settlement in the province until it was destroyed in 1994 by falling ash of a volcanic eruption. During the eruption, ash was sent thousands of metres into the air and the...

", and

"Escape over Rabaul".

Five training missions:

"Learning to fly",

"Advanced flight and combat",

"Wingman training",

"Dive bombing training", and

"Torpedo training".

Varied mission types:

Ground attack, ground support, escort, defense, patrol, torpedo and dive-bombing. Each require different tactics for completing the mission.

Planes

While some of the missions in Heroes of the Pacific require specific planes (such as the PBY Catalina

PBY Catalina

The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...

), the player can usually choose which plane to fly from the allowable classes for each mission (Fighter, Dive Bombers, Torpedo Bombers, Bombers).

The full list of unlockable planes in Heroes of the Pacific is:

Allied

P-40 Warhawk
Curtiss P-40
The Curtiss P-40 Warhawk was an American single-engine, single-seat, all-metal fighter and ground attack aircraft that first flew in 1938. The P-40 design was a modification of the previous Curtiss P-36 Hawk which reduced development time and enabled a rapid entry into production and operational...
F4F Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
TBD Devastator
TBD Devastator
The Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the USN and possibly for any navy in the world...
SBD Dauntless
SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...
PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
TBF Avenger
TBF Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air or naval arms around the world....
P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...
B-26 Marauder
B-26 Marauder
The Martin B-26 Marauder was a World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe....
F6F Hellcat
F6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
F8F Bearcat
F8F Bearcat
The Grumman F8F Bearcat was an American single-engine naval fighter aircraft of the 1940s. It went on to serve into the mid-20th century in the United States Navy and other air forces, and would be the company's final piston engined fighter aircraft...
P-61 Black Widow
P-61 Black Widow
The Northrop P-61 Black Widow was the first operational U.S. military aircraft designed specifically for night interception of aircraft, and was the first aircraft specifically designed to use radar. It was an all-metal, twin-engine, twin-boom design developed during World War II...
P-51 Mustang
P-51 Mustang
The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang was an American long-range, single-seat fighter and fighter-bomber used during World War II, the Korean War and in several other conflicts...
Supermarine Seafire
Supermarine Seafire
The Supermarine Seafire was a naval version of the Supermarine Spitfire specially adapted for operation from aircraft carriers. The name Seafire was arrived at by collapsing the longer name Sea Spitfire.-Origins of the Seafire:...
P-80 Shooting Star
P-80 Shooting Star
The Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star was the first jet fighter used operationally by the United States Army Air Forces. Designed in 1943 as a response to the German Messerschmitt Me-262 jet fighter, and delivered in just 143 days from the start of the design process, production models were flying but...
Hawker Tempest
Hawker Tempest
The Hawker Tempest was a British fighter aircraft primarily used by the Royal Air Force in the Second World War. The Tempest was an improved derivative of the Hawker Typhoon, and one of the most powerful fighter aircraft used during the war....
P-47 Thunderbolt
P-47 Thunderbolt
Republic Aviation's P-47 Thunderbolt, also known as the "Jug", was the largest, heaviest, and most expensive fighter aircraft in history to be powered by a single reciprocating engine. It was heavily armed with eight .50-caliber machine guns, four per wing. When fully loaded, the P-47 weighed up to...
Yak-3
Yakovlev Yak-3
The Yakovlev Yak-3 was a World War II Soviet fighter aircraft.Robust and easy to maintain, it was much liked by pilots and ground crew alike....

Axis

A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...
D3A Val
Aichi D3A
The , Allied reporting name "Val") was a World War II carrier-borne dive bomber of the Imperial Japanese Navy . It was the primary dive bomber in the Imperial Japanese Navy, and participated in almost all actions, including Pearl Harbor....
B5N Kate
Nakajima B5N
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgwater, H.C. and Peter Scott. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7....
F1M Pete
Mitsubishi F1M
-See also:-Bibliography:* Francillon, R.J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London:Putnam, 1970. ISBN 370 00033 1.* Green, William. War Planes of the Second World War, Volume Six: Floatplanes. London: Macdonald & Co., Ltd., 1962....
G4M Betty
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...
J2M Jack
Mitsubishi J2M
The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was a single-engined land-based fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Jack".-Design and development:...
Ki-61 Tony
Kawasaki Ki-61
The Kawasaki Ki-61 Hien was a Japanese World War II fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force...
D4Y Judy
Yokosuka D4Y
The D4Y Navy Type 2 Carrier Dive bomber was operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy. Its Allied reporting name was "Judy". The D4Y was one of the fastest dive-bombers of the war, and only the delays in its development hindered its service, while its predecessor, the slower fixed gear Aichi D3A...
B6N Jill
Nakajima B6N
The Nakajima B6N Tenzan was the Imperial Japanese Navy's standard carrier-borne torpedo bomber during the final years of World War II and the successor to the B5N "Kate"...
H8K Emily
Kawanishi H8K
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgeman, Leonard. "The Kawanishi H8K2 “Emily”" Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. ISBN 1-85170-493-0....
Ki-102 Randy
Kawasaki Ki-102
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam and Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6....
A6M2-N Rufe
Me 262 Swallow
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...
Ki-84 Frank
Nakajima Ki-84
The Nakajima Ki-84 was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was . Featuring excellent performance and high maneuverability, the Ki-84 was considered to be the best Japanese fighter...
J7W Shinden
Kyushu J7W
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Green, William. Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Three: Fighters. London: Macdonald & Co. Ltd., 1961 . ISBN 0-356-01447-9....
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
Focke-Wulf Fw 190
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger was a German Second World War single-seat, single-engine fighter aircraft designed by Kurt Tank in the late 1930s. Powered by a radial engine, the 190 had ample power and was able to lift larger loads than its well-known counterpart, the Messerschmitt Bf 109...
Blohm & Voss BV P.215

American characters

Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...

William Crowe: Main character. A young pilot who joined to the US Navy with his brother Charlie in order to support his family. He and Charlie used to ride their father's crop duster when they were young (and hence were nicknamed the "Dirt Duster Brothers"). After losing his brother in the Japanese air raid of Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...

he was transferred to Wake Island, and barely managed to escape with his plane while escorting an important US Navy admiral. His natural flying skills did not go unnoticed by the admiral, and he was recommended to the air wing of the as a wing leader.

Ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....

Charlie Crowe: Crowe's brother. Unlike his brother he chose to become a sailor and was assigned to the USS Arizona
USS Arizona (BB-39)
USS Arizona, a , was built for the United States Navy in the mid-1910s. Named in honor of the 48th state's recent admission into the union, the ship was the second and last of the Pennsylvania class of "super-dreadnought" battleships. Although commissioned in 1916, the ship remained stateside...

after graduation. He was killed in the Japanese air raid of Pearl Harbor when the forward ammunition magazine of his ship was hit by a Japanese bomb.

Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...

Callahan: Commander of the air wing of USS Enterprise. An experienced, grizzly veteran who somehow always manages to get his men back to the carrier in one piece.

Lieutenant Tom Stuart: A navy pilot who was rescued from a POW Camp in the Marshall Islands and immediately joined Enterprise's flight crew. He was originally captured by the Japanese after ramming a "Betty" bomber
Mitsubishi G4M
The Mitsubishi G4M 一式陸上攻撃機, 一式陸攻 Isshiki rikujō kōgeki ki, Isshikirikkō was the main twin-engine, land-based bomber used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allies gave the G4M the reporting name Betty...

in mid-air and bailing out. His skills in piloting make him one of the top pilots in the unit, second to Crowe. He was accused of treason later in the game and was grounded as a result. He proved his innocence after stealing a plane and protecting Crowe from a member of the Japanese 13th Squadron during the return from Battle of Marianas Islands. He managed to shoot down the Japanese Ace but he was shot down and killed as well.

Lieutenant Murphy: An outspoken pilot, Murphy is somewhat of a comic relief within the Enterprise's flight crew. He annoys Callahan with his irresponsible actions.

"Ox": A pilot with a distinctive southern accent, Ox is a talented and well-liked pilot with a strange sense of humor. He made a suicide dive into the Japanese Cruiser Mikuma when his plane got hit and lost control.

Zak: Another pilot from Enterprise, he appears in the game to pilot a captured Japanese Betty bomber as a diversion to allow Lt. Crowe to steal a prototype Me-262 jet.

Admiral Daniel Howells: A Navy admiral stationed at Wake. When Lieutenant Crowe sinks the Japanese landing craft, a few Japanese jeeps get behind him. Crowe comes to the rescue and destroys the jeeps, but then he has to face three waves of six Zeroes while escorting the admiral's PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...

. He escorts the admiral to the carrier Enterprise and the admiral reassigns Crowe from the fallen Wake Island to the Enterprise's air wing.

Usurper: A former Japanese soldier, who decides to defect to the U.S forces. He was arrested by the Imperial Military Police, later escaping captivity and stealing a Rufe seaplane, but is intercepted and shot down by the IJN Zeroes. Later, he spies on a conference between Germany and Japan and witness a project to acquire a license
Nakajima Kikka
|-References:NotesBibliography* Famous Aircraft of the World no.76: Japanese Army Experimental Fighters . Tokyo: Bunrin-Do, August 1976....

of the Me-262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...

. He is intercepted by officers and was pursued, but manages to escape by stealing a boat. He is later pursued by 3 Japanese light cruisers in search for him in order to retrieve a blueprint of the Experimental Kikka aircraft that he has stolen. Fortunately, the ships were destroyed by Lt. Crowe who was piloting a Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...

and the Usurper was rescued. However, during their return to the U.S fleet, Crowe and the Usurper were attacked by a pair of Emily
Kawanishi H8K
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgeman, Leonard. "The Kawanishi H8K2 “Emily”" Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. ISBN 1-85170-493-0....

seaplanes sent to capture or kill the Usurper, Crowe manages to shoot down both aircraft. After getting back to the carrier safely, the Usurper thanks to Lt. Crowe for saving him from the Japanese.

Axis characters

13th Flight Squadron of the Imperial Japanese Navy: A squadron of highly trained and experienced pilots in the Japanese Navy. The 13th Squadron has five known members, although this excluded unnamed pilots who are fought over Tarawa, or unknown wing mates. Also a German pilot flying an Me-262 "Japan" Messerschmitt fighter.

Shun Ogawa: Commander of the 13th Squadron, flies a J7W Shinden. Shun Ogawa is William's Crowe's nemesis, having killed his brother and they finally meet and fight in the last mission of the game.

Hiroyoshi Nishizawa
Hiroyoshi Nishizawa
Lieutenant Junior Grade was an ace of the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service during World War II.It is possible that Nishizawa was the most successful Japanese fighter ace of the war; he personally claimed to have had 87 aerial victories at the time of his death...

: Pilot of the 13th Squadron and the second after of the Squadron commander Ogawa with more U.S shut downed aircraft, flies in a Ki-84Ic Hayate Frank
Nakajima Ki-84
The Nakajima Ki-84 was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was . Featuring excellent performance and high maneuverability, the Ki-84 was considered to be the best Japanese fighter...

and appears in the Leyte Gulf Battle. During your encounter with the Lt. Crowe, Nishizawa is killed by the Hellcat of this.

Ibuki Ishihiro: Pilot and second-in-command of the 13th Squadron, flies a Ki 84Ia Hayate "Frank"
Nakajima Ki-84
The Nakajima Ki-84 was a single-seat fighter used by the Imperial Japanese Army Air Force in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Frank"; the Japanese Army designation was . Featuring excellent performance and high maneuverability, the Ki-84 was considered to be the best Japanese fighter...

. He is the only character of the 13th Squadron not killed by Lt. Crowe. Rather, Ishihiro was killed by Tom Stuart, who also died in the process.

Taiki Hasegawa: Pilot of the 13th Squadron, flies a Ki-102b "Randy"
Kawasaki Ki-102
-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Francillon, Ph.D., René J. Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War. London: Putnam and Company Ltd., 1979. ISBN 0-370-30251-6....

.

Kaito Fujiwara: Pilot of the 13th Squadron, flies an A6M8 Zero "Zeke"
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...

.

Kazuya Yamashita: Youngest pilot of the 13th Squadron, flies a J2M7 Raiden "Jack"
Mitsubishi J2M
The Mitsubishi J2M Raiden was a single-engined land-based fighter aircraft used by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service in World War II. The Allied reporting name was "Jack".-Design and development:...

. The first to encounter, and be killed by, Lt. Crowe.

Oberst Karl Heinz Krueger: A very experienced, highly skilled but somewhat cocky German pilot. He was sent from Nazi Germany to Japan with two new prototype German Me-262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...

jet fighters to demonstrate the plane to the Japanese. One of the planes is a standard prototype Me-262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...

that Lt. Crowe steals. The other one is most likely Krueger's personal Me-262
Messerschmitt Me 262
The Messerschmitt Me 262 Schwalbe was the world's first operational jet-powered fighter aircraft. Design work started before World War II began, but engine problems prevented the aircraft from attaining operational status with the Luftwaffe until mid-1944...

, which is similar to the Me 262A1/U4. Krueger was killed by Lt. Crowe in a dogfight between the two planes.

Reception

According to Metacritic, Heroes of the Pacific received 'generally favorable' reviews, with an average score of 76% across all platforms.

TeamXbox
TeamXbox
TeamXbox is a gaming media web site dedicated to Microsoft's Xbox and Xbox 360 platforms. While the majority of content is Xbox and Xbox 360 related, the site occasionally covers general technology and other video game news....

- 86%
IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...

- 82%
Boomtown
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...

- 80%
Game Chronicles - 87%

Praise for the game includes:

"With gads of planes and missions, a moving story mode, and total multiplayer functionality, Heroes of the Pacific sets it apart from the competition and puts this into the 'worth owning' category."
"Heroes of the Pacific does a great job of combining a fun, loose aerial shoot-'em-up with real-life battles from the Pacific Theater of World War II."
"...Heroes of the Pacific is a genuinely entertaining game for those who dig WWII aviation but don't feel quite like diving into a hardcore sim."

Criticism of the game includes:

"While solid in its presentation and adequate in its basic gameplay, it's little more than another individually-wrapped snack in the great and majestic adventure of human flight."
"Difficulty, repetition and an overall lack of tact keep the game from being anything more than an average flight game. It's good enough, but there are far better offerings out there."
"If intense dogfights and Yankie banter sound appealing then Heroes of the Pacific is for you; sadly the repetitive gameplay is a major deciding for everybody else."
Despite dynamic graphics and gameplay there are several inconsistencies in the aircraft performance details; For example the G4M "Betty" bomber in the game is heavily armoured and can be hard to shoot down. However, in reality it lacked sufficient armour protection and self sealing fuel tanks. This made it an easy target for Allied Fighters. Another such inconsistency is that the A6M Zero
A6M Zero
The Mitsubishi A6M Zero was a long-range fighter aircraft operated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service from 1940 to 1945. The A6M was designated as the , and also designated as the Mitsubishi A6M Rei-sen and Mitsubishi Navy 12-shi Carrier Fighter. The A6M was usually referred to by the...

in the game has superior flight performance when compared to that of the P-38 Lightning
P-38 Lightning
The Lockheed P-38 Lightning was a World War II American fighter aircraft built by Lockheed. Developed to a United States Army Air Corps requirement, the P-38 had distinctive twin booms and a single, central nacelle containing the cockpit and armament...

and the F4U Corsair
F4U Corsair
The Vought F4U Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter aircraft that saw service primarily in World War II and the Korean War. Demand for the aircraft soon overwhelmed Vought's manufacturing capability, resulting in production by Goodyear and Brewster: Goodyear-built Corsairs were designated FG and...

. However, in reality the Lightning and the Corsair were far superior aircraft.

Development Information

Heroes of the Pacific was developed by Melbourne development company Thatgame, who merged with IR Gurus

IR Gurus

Transmission Games was an Australian game development company, specialising in sports and action games. Originally, Transmission Games was established as IR Gurus Pty Ltd in 1996 by Craig Laughton, Andrew Niere, and Ian Cunliffe with the motto "Game Play is Everything"...

shortly after the release of the game. In 2008, IR Gurus was renamed Transmission Games.

Many of the members of the development team previously worked together at Melbourne House

Melbourne House

Krome Studios Melbourne, originally Beam Software, was a video game development studio founded in 1980 and based in Melbourne, Australia. The studio operated independently from 1987 until 1999, when it was acquired by Infogrames, who changed the name to Melbourne House...

, on titles such as Test Drive: Le Mans, Grand Prix Challenge
Grand Prix Challenge
Grand Prix Challenge is a Formula One video game for the Sony PlayStation 2 developed by Australian developer Melbourne House and published by Atari. It was released in Europe on the 21st November 2002, and was officially licensed by Formula One Administration...

, and KKnD2: Krossfire
KKND2: Krossfire
KKnD2: Krossfire is the sequel to KKnD released on October 31, 1998. It is set 2179, 100 years after the World Nuclear War. After spending another 4 decades underground, hiding from the first loss against the Evolved, the Survivors rose up to a new enemy: the Series 9...

.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.