{{Short description|2012 video game}} {{Infobox video game |title=Birds of Steel |image=Birds of Steel cover art.jpeg |caption= |developer=Gaijin Entertainment |publisher=Konami |designer= |composer= |series= |released={{vgrelease|JP|March 8, 2012|NA|March 13, 2012|EU|March 16, 2012|AU|March 29, 2012}} |genre=Combat flight simulator |modes=Single-player, multiplayer |platforms=PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 }}
{{nihongo|'''''Birds of Steel'''''|蒼の英雄 Birds of Steel|Ao no Eiyū: Birds of Steel}} is a combat flight simulator video game created by Gaijin Entertainment and published by Konami.<ref name=TELE>{{cite news|author=Tim Martin|date=April 5, 2012|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/video-game-reviews/9187786/Birds-of-Steel-review.html|title=Birds of Steel review (x360)|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|accessdate=February 3, 2013|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826172717/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/video-games/video-game-reviews/9187786/Birds-of-Steel-review.html|archivedate=August 26, 2012|url-status=live}}{{subscription required}}</ref> It was released in March 2012 for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The game includes more than one hundred non-fictional planes, twenty historical missions, and hundreds of procedural missions over sixteen different locations, including Pearl Harbor and Wake Island. It has single player, four-player cooperative, and online multiplayer modes. The game consists of three difficulty settings, which change the way planes are flown: "Simplified", an arcade play style; "Realistic", a mix between an arcade play style and a simulation play style; and "Simulator", in which the planes handle as closely to real life as possible. AI difficulty is not affected by the selected play style.
''Birds of Steel'' provided the base work for Gaijin Entertainment's massively multiplayer online (MMO) game ''War Thunder''.
== Gameplay == ''Birds of Steel'' gives players command over famous warbirds of the World War II period, such as the F4F Wildcat and the A6M Zero. Players are allowed to choose their difficulty level before entering a battle, which only effects the flight parameters for the player's aircraft and not the difficulty of the AI. The choices of limited ammunition and fuel are selected separately, regardless of the difficulty level.
'''Simplified'''
Simplified uses an arcade-like physics model, e.g. the plane can never enter a stall or a spin and there are no aerodynamic effects such as wind turbulence and propeller torque. There are also no g-force effects on the plane or pilot, and the aircraft won't experience flutter when diving. Activating the throttle, or WEP (War Emergency Power), provides a major boost in flight speed. However, abusing WEP can cause the engine to overheat, causing a short delay before it can be used again.
'''Realistic'''
Realistic offers a far greater challenge than Simplified, as the player can enter a stall or a spin easily if reckless with the controls. g-forces are applied in this mode; the pilot can black- or red-out from pulling sustained G's for extended periods, resulting in the screen becoming filled with either color, obscuring the player's vision. Aircraft can experience flutter and break apart if flying above their historical structural limits, and can rip their wings if pulled too hard, especially at high speed. WEP is not available for all aircraft, and doesn't provide as significant a boost in speed.
'''Simulator'''
Simulator is the most realistic difficulty as the HUD elements are stripped from the screen, the aircraft is incredibly sensitive, engine management is more complex, and manual trim is required to keep your aircraft level. Various HUD elements that provide warnings, or help the player are removed; elements such as: aim prediction, onscreen warnings, onscreen radar, and aircraft blips. The player needs to rely on their knowledge of aerial combat in order to succeed on missions. Weight and durability is accurately modeled across all types. Fighters are lighter and more agile, interceptors are fast and effective climbers, and bombers are durable, slow, heavy aircraft.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Birds of Steel Manual |date=March 13, 2012 |publisher=Gaijin Entertainment}}</ref>
==Reception== {{Video game reviews | align = left | PS3 = true | X360 = true | na = true | MC_PS3 = 73/100<ref name=MCPS3>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/birds-of-steel/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-3|title=Birds of Steel for PlayStation 3 Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|accessdate=July 25, 2012|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626120404/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-3/birds-of-steel|archivedate=June 26, 2012 |url-status=live}}</ref> | MC_X360 = 77/100<ref name=MCX360>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/birds-of-steel/critic-reviews/?platform=xbox-360|title=Birds of Steel for Xbox 360 Reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=Fandom|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230407122536/https://www.metacritic.com/game/xbox-360/birds-of-steel|archivedate=April 7, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> | 4P_PS3 = 83%<ref name=4P>{{cite web|author=Paul Kautz|date=March 16, 2012|url=https://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PlayStation3/Test/27068/75107/0/Birds_of_Steel.html|title=Test: Birds of Steel|language=de|website=4Players|publisher=4Players GmbH|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026204825/https://www.4players.de/4players.php/dispbericht/PlayStation3/Test/27068/75107/0/Birds_of_Steel.html|archivedate=October 26, 2021|url-status=live}}</ref> | 4P_X360 = 83%<ref name=4P/> | Destruct_X360 = 7.5/10<ref>{{cite web|author=Maurice Tan|date=April 2, 2012|url=https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-birds-of-steel/|title=Review: Birds of Steel (X360)|website=Destructoid|publisher=Gamurs|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20220626092038/https://www.destructoid.com/reviews/review-birds-of-steel/|archivedate=June 26, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> | Fam_PS3 = 32/40<ref name=Fam>{{cite web|author=Sal Romano|date=February 28, 2012|url=https://www.gematsu.com/2012/02/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1213|title=Famitsu Review Scores: Issue 1213|website=Gematsu|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924053634/https://www.gematsu.com/2012/02/famitsu-review-scores-issue-1213|archivedate=September 24, 2020|url-status=live}}</ref> | Fam_X360 = 32/40<ref name=Fam/> | GI_PS3 = 7/10<ref name=GI>{{cite magazine|author=Kyle Hilliard|date=April 11, 2012|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/games/birds_of_steel/b/ps3/archive/2012/04/11/the-gran-turismo-of-world-war-ii-flight-sims.aspx|title=Birds of Steel Review|magazine=Game Informer|publisher=GameStop|access-date=August 24, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825123712/https://www.gameinformer.com/games/birds_of_steel/b/ps3/archive/2012/04/11/the-gran-turismo-of-world-war-ii-flight-sims.aspx|archive-date=August 25, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> | GI_X360 = 7/10<ref name=GI/> | GMaster_PS3 = 82%<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Review: Birds of Steel (PS3)|magazine=GamesMaster|publisher=Future plc|date=May 2012|page=84}}</ref> | IGN_PS3 = 8.5/10<ref name=IGN>{{cite web|author=Luke Reilly|date=March 8, 2012|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/03/09/birds-of-steel-review|title=Birds of Steel Review|website=IGN|publisher=Ziff Davis|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20230213203456/https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/03/09/birds-of-steel-review|archivedate=February 13, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> | IGN_X360 = 8.5/10<ref name=IGN/> | MS_PS3 = 8.3/10<ref name=MS>{{cite magazine|author=Carlos Millan|date=March 18, 2012|url=https://as.com/meristation/2012/03/18/analisis/1332054000_101142.html|title=Birds of Steel: Depredadores del aire|language=es|magazine=MeriStation|publisher=PRISA|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320133538/http://www.meristation.com/es/playstation-3/birds-of-steel/analisis-juego/1535298|archivedate=March 20, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> | MS_X360 = 8.3/10<ref name=MS/> | OXM_X360 = 8.5/10<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Birds of Steel|magazine=Official Xbox Magazine|publisher=Future US|date=June 2012|page=69}}</ref> | PSM_PS3 = 7/10<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Review: Birds of Steel|magazine=PlayStation: The Official Magazine|publisher=Future plc|issue=59|date=June 2012|page=81}}</ref> | TELE_X360 = 4/5<ref name=TELE/> | rev1 = ''The Digital Fix'' | rev1_PS3 = 8/10<ref>{{cite web|author=Luke Niemiec|date=March 28, 2012|url=http://gaming.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/783/birds-of-steel.html|title=Birds of Steel (PS3)|website=The Digital Fix|publisher=Poisonous Monkey|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151204024950/http://gaming.thedigitalfix.com/content/id/783/birds-of-steel.html|archivedate=December 4, 2015}}</ref> | rev2 = ''Metro'' | rev2_X360 = 8/10<ref>{{cite news|author=Roger Hargreaves|date=March 12, 2012|url=https://metro.co.uk/2012/03/12/birds-of-steel-review-finest-hour-348754/|title=Birds Of Steel review – finest hour (X360)|newspaper=Metro|publisher=DMG Media|accessdate=August 24, 2023|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315023632/http://www.metro.co.uk/tech/games/892814-birds-of-steel-review-finest-hour|archivedate=March 15, 2012|url-status=live}}</ref> }}
The Xbox 360 version received "generally favorable reviews", while the PlayStation 3 version received "mixed or average reviews", according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.<ref name=MCPS3/><ref name=MCX360/> ''IGN Australia'' praised the graphics, sound, gameplay and lasting appeal but said that the presentation lacked a little spark.<ref name=IGN/> In Japan, ''Famitsu'' gave it a score of one nine, one eight, one seven, and one eight for a total of 32 out of 40.<ref name=Fam/>
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==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{MobyGames|id=/55982/birds-of-steel/}}
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Category:2012 video games Category:Gaijin Entertainment games Category:Konami games Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Pacific War video games Category:PlayStation 3 games Category:Video games developed in Russia Category:Video games set in Germany Category:Video games set in Hawaii Category:Video games set in Malta Category:Video games set in Papua New Guinea Category:Video games set in Russia Category:Video games set in the 20th century Category:Video games set in the Solomon Islands Category:Video games set in the Soviet Union Category:Video games set in the United Kingdom Category:Video games set in the United States Category:Video games set in Ukraine Category:World War II flight simulation video games Category:Xbox 360 games {{Flightsim-videogame-stub}}