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CRIMSON SKIES: HIGH ROAD TO REVENGE (XBOX)
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Publisher: Microsoft.
Developer: FASA Studio. Released: October 2003. Genre: Flight shoot 'em up. Posted 30th July 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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The first Xbox would serve as a home to a bevvy of high-quality exclusives that remain fan favourites two decades later. Halo would refine the first-person shooter, MechAssault took robotic skirmishes online and Project Gotham Racer offered pure arcade racing. But one exclusive that perhaps flew under the radar is Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge. A pulp action film reborn as a flight combat game, FASA Studio would deliver the goods thanks to exciting missions, open-ended design and a brilliant presentation that adds to the atmosphere immensely. With single-player and multiplayer enjoyment aplenty, it’s a must for Xbox collectors.
Set in the board game universe of the same name, High Road to Revenge follows the exploits of Nathan Zachary in an alternate history 1930s where aerial vehicles took precedence over land transport. Leader of a pirate gang known as Fortune Hunters, Zachary lands in a spot of bother when he gambles away both his plane and Zeppelin to a rival gang. After successfully recovering both, as well as his pilot, the gang embarks on a globe-trotting adventure involving stolen tech, a murder mystery and plenty of hunting for gold. Taking inspiration from the likes of Indiana Jones, the game’s bombastic tone works really well, keeping things light even as the stakes start to rise. Nathan proves a likeably flawed lead and the plethora of characters you meet are just as engaging.
Set in the board game universe of the same name, High Road to Revenge follows the exploits of Nathan Zachary in an alternate history 1930s where aerial vehicles took precedence over land transport. Leader of a pirate gang known as Fortune Hunters, Zachary lands in a spot of bother when he gambles away both his plane and Zeppelin to a rival gang. After successfully recovering both, as well as his pilot, the gang embarks on a globe-trotting adventure involving stolen tech, a murder mystery and plenty of hunting for gold. Taking inspiration from the likes of Indiana Jones, the game’s bombastic tone works really well, keeping things light even as the stakes start to rise. Nathan proves a likeably flawed lead and the plethora of characters you meet are just as engaging.
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High Road to Revenge looks excellent, whilst its accessible controls mean it's easier to enjoy than many flight combat games
Continuing the arcade-action flight combat established in the PC original, players can dive into the cockpit of eleven planes ranging from the heavy Brigand to the smaller, nimble Gyrocopter. Controls feel incredibly natural, with a degree of accessibility that lets even novice pilots fly with ease. Complicated manoeuvres like rolls are pulled off with the flick of the analogues, while aspects such as ammo and health can be simply regenerated by collecting pick-ups. Planes come with two weapons, with a primary fire that is infinite and a secondary shot which requires ammo, and experimenting with each plane’s loadout is great fun. Despite the pick-up-and-play appeal, there is plenty of challenge here, with the AI dealing zippy attack formations that requires some dexterity to counter without taking hits. It makes this Crimson Skies a joy to play.
For solo players, the campaign offers plentiful depth and replay value. Chapters feature a more open design, allowing you to partake in missions in any order you choose. Maps are often really expansive for the time, with hidden tokens stashed in each encouraging exploration. This ties into the upgrade system, with certain planes allowing you to improve their stats and add a branded paint job. These feel substantial and prove enticing, and with progression carrying over between playthroughs, going through the story again is worthwhile. Most importantly, however, the main story missions are a joy. Escort missions prove surprisingly tense, and nowhere near as frustrating as comparative missions. Boss fights are jaw-dropping in scale, really putting your flight skills to the test. Dogfights with other pilots are often great, even allowing you to man stationary turrets for defence. Some missions can be on the duller side, such as various races, and a few difficulty spikes are disappointing. These are only minor dents in an otherwise very enjoyable campaign.
For solo players, the campaign offers plentiful depth and replay value. Chapters feature a more open design, allowing you to partake in missions in any order you choose. Maps are often really expansive for the time, with hidden tokens stashed in each encouraging exploration. This ties into the upgrade system, with certain planes allowing you to improve their stats and add a branded paint job. These feel substantial and prove enticing, and with progression carrying over between playthroughs, going through the story again is worthwhile. Most importantly, however, the main story missions are a joy. Escort missions prove surprisingly tense, and nowhere near as frustrating as comparative missions. Boss fights are jaw-dropping in scale, really putting your flight skills to the test. Dogfights with other pilots are often great, even allowing you to man stationary turrets for defence. Some missions can be on the duller side, such as various races, and a few difficulty spikes are disappointing. These are only minor dents in an otherwise very enjoyable campaign.
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High Road to Revenge would prove a pivotal player in the multiplayer space for Xbox Live, and while the Live functionality is long dead, you can still enjoy the excellent multiplayer via split-screen and system link, the latter allowing up to 16 players to partake in the action. Four modes allow for traditional deathmatch and capture the flag, as well as two unique setups. Keep Away sees competitors vying to keep an artefact for as long as possible, and Wild Chicken serves as a mix of combat and capture. Expansive maps take key fights from the campaign and let pilots go nuts, and it’s an absolute blast to enjoy this. A key pillar of the Xbox Live catalogue, High Road to Revenge is still worth playing today, provided you have enough Xbox consoles.
FASA Studio would also push the capabilities of the Xbox to the limit, delivering a stunning game. As you’d expect, plane models receive the most attention, with reflective surfaces adding a realistic tint to each craft. Both enemy and friendly craft show notable visual damage, and seeing zeppelins explode is insanely satisfying. Levels are large, and whether its a water-surrounded island or the desert outback, all look great and the way detail comes into view the closer you get to land is a cool touch. Performance is generally steady, bar some intense moments causing slowdown. The sound is top-notch too, with crisp audio effects that add punch to every encounter. Voice acting and writing is spot-on, matching the campy tone of the setting. From Zachary’s womanising quips to scene-chewing villains, it adds to the atmosphere immensely.
FASA Studio would also push the capabilities of the Xbox to the limit, delivering a stunning game. As you’d expect, plane models receive the most attention, with reflective surfaces adding a realistic tint to each craft. Both enemy and friendly craft show notable visual damage, and seeing zeppelins explode is insanely satisfying. Levels are large, and whether its a water-surrounded island or the desert outback, all look great and the way detail comes into view the closer you get to land is a cool touch. Performance is generally steady, bar some intense moments causing slowdown. The sound is top-notch too, with crisp audio effects that add punch to every encounter. Voice acting and writing is spot-on, matching the campy tone of the setting. From Zachary’s womanising quips to scene-chewing villains, it adds to the atmosphere immensely.
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Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge remains a stellar part of the Xbox’s library, mixing an exciting campaign and fantastic multiplayer while wrapping everything in a pulp action skin which is supremely endearing. It helps that the core gameplay facet – the flying – is spot on, matching the best-in-class such as Rogue Squadron. Add an excellent presentation that cements the popcorn thriller tone, and it’s a winner even despite a couple of less thrilling missions. The bottom line is that if you collect for the Xbox, this is a must-own addition to your library. With compatibility spanning three generations of Xbox, there’s no excuse to miss out.
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VERDICT
"Mixing an exciting campaign, fantastic multiplayer and pulpy storytelling to brilliant effect, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge remains a must for Xbox collectors." OVERALL: 9/10 |
OTHER TOP XBOX-EXCLUSIVE GAMES REVIEWED
Halo: Combat Evolved (2002, Xbox)
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Dead or Alive 3 (2002, Xbox)
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