Crimson Skies Goes Gold
October 11, 2003

Microsoft Game Studios announced that Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge has gone gold and should hit US streets on October 21^st and UK streets on October 31^st.

Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is related to the PC game Crimson Skies, released in the fall of 2000. To those unfamiliar with the backdrop of the Crimson Skies Universe, it was originally a tabletop RPG property of FASA, creators of Mechwarrior and Battletech. Crimson Skies takes place in an alternate 1930’s United States. In this time period, the entire country is splintered into various independent nation states that may or may not be at war with each other at any given time. The primary way to travel and trade is through the air via planes and zeppelins, not through railroads or highways. This increase in air travel has lead to the rise of air pirates. That’s where you come in. Once again, players assume the role of Nathan Zachary, air pirate.

Like the PC game before it, Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge boasts more of an action feel than a simulation feel. Instead of having to worry about complex aviation physics, players need only stay alive and perform dazzling aerial feats in the process. Players will find themselves diving from their planes mid-flight to hijack another aircraft, or dive into Anti-Aircraft guns to take out opponents.

Aircraft design has always been one of my personal favorite parts of the Crimson Skies universe. If you want a glimpse of how some of the planes are designed, I’d suggest, as strange as it sounds, to watch some reruns of the old Disney cartoon Tailspin. Or the movie The Rocketeer. Or anything else that has some sort of 1930’s style airplanes in them. Many of the designs are unconventional by today’s standards and really resemble some of the more experimental planes of the time.

One of the most anticipated features of Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is the online multiplayer. Before this title, the premier action title on Xbox Live was MechAssault. Not anymore. Crimson Skies seeks to dethrone MechAssault by fully tapping Xbox Live. Up to 16 players can compete in six game modes (Dogfight, Team Dogfight, Flag Heist, Wild Chicken, Keep Away and Team Keep Away). To make this game even better, Microsoft has promised more planes, characters, maps, and other content through the title update feature of Xbox Live.

Crimson Skies arrives in stores on the 21^st and expect this writer to already be on the multiplayer servers.

Reported By: Nick Arvites