Have you played F-22 Raptor? Well, F-22 Lightning 3 is pretty much F-22 Raptor with better graphics, voice over net, and nuclear weapons. NovaLogic has a reputation for combat flight sims and is well known for their internet gaming site: NovaWorld. If you have never played any of the F-22 series before, this is where to pick up at; the flight controls are easy to understand. I have noticed with some of the more complicated games there is a tutorial offered, as well as some shortcut keys. The tutorial walks you through some of the more difficult to understand features (like describing the heads up display). Some of the more complex tasks, like landing or following checkpoints, are available in an autopilot menu so the novice can have a fair shake.

The hardened flight sim aficionado, however, may be bothered by how easily the F-22 handles. NovaLogic seems to suspend physics in this simulator, possibly streamlining it for online play, but a lot of real flight mechanics are lost. For instance, while trying to stall or go into a spin, I found it very easy to pull some crazy maneuvers. Once it does stall, though, you have to ride it out because there is no control in the stall. Far less complicated to fly than Falcon 4.0, to say the least. Lightning 3 has depicted the stealth capabilities well. It takes into account that externally mounted weapons are easily detected by radar even though the plane itself is stealth capable. A good strategy here is to take full advantage of the payload loadout screen, and then you have a better chance of sneaking up on surface-to-air missile sites.

The graphics were very much improved over the past titles to carry the name F-22. The atmosphere was very realistic and the weather played an important role in this game. The rendering of the ground is still pretty much the same, but drop a bomb on it and watch the shockwave travel. Here is where I mention the movies and cut-scenes, if there were any to speak of. I flew all of the missions (something like 45 single player missions) and there wasn't any sort of victory eye candy at the end of it all – what a let down.

The single player missions were getting very laborious and repetitive, but they were probably very accurate to what a military mission would be like. Follow navigation points to a destination, blow something up and return to base. It was fairly realistic with standard stuff: escort missions, suppression of air powers, air-to-air combat, and air strikes against hardened ground defenses. But, they could have thrown in some powerful ambushes or given some in-flight mission briefing changes or something to spice it up. I think F-22 Lightning 3 was designed primarily for online play anyway. So, after getting all warmed up on the single player missions, I decided to try NovaWorld.

NovaWorld is very simple to use; all you really need is a modem and the game and you are ready to fly against the human element cooperatively or in a deathmatch. I loved the voice over net microphone option, it was a blast! Lag was almost nonexistent and online play was amazingly crash free. I have to give some thanks to one wingman, a great pilot (can't remember his name and never understood a word he said, but that German could fly).

The sound was realistic, to say the least. It wasn't bad, it wasn't stellar, it was just good. The atmosphere was enhanced by radio chatter from your wingman and your base through single play. But the atmosphere was taken to a new level when you could talk to your wingman about the Southpark movie while maneuvering for a lock on another human player. I especially liked the mic click option. It made everyone sound like storm troopers. "*click* There's one, set for stun. *click*" Even if you got sick of the clicking, you could turn it off under the option menu.

I would have to say that as a single player game, F-22 Lightning 3 falls shy of the mark; but as a multi-player simulator, it not only hits the mark, it nukes it. If you are a serious single player simulation fan, you may consider looking elsewhere. If you want high speed, multi-player environments with high tech jets, then NovaLogic's F-22 Lightning 3 is probably your best bet.