{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2024}} {{Short description|1997 video game}} {{Infobox video game | title = Jane's Longbow 2 | image = Longbow 2 cover.jpg | developer = Origin Systems | publisher = Electronic Arts | producer = Will McBurnett | designer = Tsuyoshi Kawahito | artist = Paul Stankiewicz | writer = Mike Francis<br />Tsuyoshi Kawahito<br />Graham Wood | composer = Joe Basquez | series = ''Jane's Combat Simulations'' | platforms = PC (Windows) | released = {{vgrelease|NA|November 13, 1997<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 7, 1998 |title=Electronic Arts Ships Longbow 2 |url=http://www.ea.com/companyinfo/press/longbow2ships.html |access-date=April 15, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980207165850/http://www.ea.com/companyinfo/press/longbow2ships.html |archive-date=February 7, 1998 }}</ref>}} | genre = Combat flight simulator | modes = Single-player, multiplayer }}
'''''Longbow 2''''' is the sequel to ''Jane's AH-64D Longbow'' from ''Jane's Combat Simulations.'' The game was developed by Origin Systems with executive producer Andy Hollis on board, and released by Electronic Arts on November 13, 1997.
== Gameplay == [[File:Jane's Longbow 2 screenshot.png|thumb|left|2D cockpit view. The game also features a 3D cockpit with a Voodoo or a Voodoo Rush card.<ref name="CGW" />]] This is a simulation game for PC where the player is a pilot of an ''AH-64D Apache Longbow'' helicopter<ref>{{Cite web |title=Longbow 2 for PC – GameFAQs |url=https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/pc/197795-longbow-2 |access-date=April 23, 2023 |website=gamefaqs.gamespot.com}}</ref>''.'' A fully dynamic campaign engine is used to create challenging missions and a random mission generator can be used to create a wide variety of missions. Gameplay is dynamic in the sense that new missions are generated automatically. The game features a command structure, allowing the player to command other helicopters, including OH-58 Kiowa scouts and UH-60 Black Hawk transports. The game's primary campaign features a fictional war between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran in which Iranian forces invade nearby Azerbaijan in early to mid 1990s.
== ''Longbow Anthology'' == ''Longbow Anthology'' was released in 1998 and is a compilation of Jane's ''AH-64D Longbow'', the mission disk ''Flash Point: Korea'' (basically, Longbow Gold), and ''Longbow 2'' in one box, with an abbreviated manual. Although compiled into one box, the games are still played as separate games, unlike ''Fighters Anthology'' which is all games of that series compiled into one playable game. All included simulators are fully patched to the latest versions.
== Reception == {{Video game reviews | Allgame = 5/5<ref>{{cite web |last=Rubin|first=Brian|title=Longbow 2 – Review |publisher=Allgame |access-date=June 7, 2013 |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=5751&tab=review|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114230109/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=5751&tab=review|archive-date=November 14, 2014}}</ref> | CGW = 5/5<ref name="CGW">{{cite magazine |last1=Kim |first1=Robin G. |title=Review – Longbow 2 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |date=March 1998 |issue=164 |pages=164–165 |url=https://archive.org/details/Computer_Gaming_World_Issue_164/page/n167/mode/2up |publisher=Ziff Davis}}</ref> | rev1 = ''PC Gaming World'' | rev1Score = 9.5/10<ref name=pcgw>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010108235200/http://www.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/simulation/long_uk/review.html | url=http://www.gamespot.co.uk/pc.gamespot/simulation/long_uk/review.html | title=''AH-64D Longbow 2.0'' Review | author=Takeda, Kenji | date=January 25, 1998 | work=PC Gaming World | archive-date=January 8, 2001 | url-status=dead}}</ref> }}
In the United States, the game sold 49,397 copies during 1997.<ref name=pcgsales1>{{cite journal| author=Staff| date=April 1998|volume=5|issue=4|title=How Did the ''PCG'' Award Winners Fare? |journal=PC Gamer US|page=45}}</ref> Its total sales in the region reached 99,430 copies by October 1999, which drew in revenues of $3.89 million.<ref name=janessales>{{cite magazine | author=Brown, Ken | date=October 1999 | title=EA Scraps ''Jane's A-10'' | issue=183 | pages=44, 46 | magazine=Computer Gaming World}}</ref> The ''Longbow'' franchise as a whole, including the compilations and ''Jane's AH-64D Longbow'', ultimately shipped above 1.2 million units.<ref name=graveyard>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000818053637/http://www.gamespot.com/features/pcgraveyard_janes/index.html | url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/features/pcgraveyard_janes/index.html | title=PC Gaming Graveyard; ''Jane's A-10 Warthog'' | archive-date=August 18, 2000 | author=Geryk, Bruce | work=GameSpot | at=Toward Multiplay | url-status=dead | access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref>
Kenji Takeda of ''PC Gaming World'' was positive of the game.<ref name=pcgw /> Robin G. Kim of ''Computer Gaming World'' summarized: "[...] the designers have created a benchmark sim far beyond its award-winning predecessor."<ref name="CGW" />
The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated ''Longbow 2'' for its inaugural "PC Simulation Game of the Year" award,<ref name=aias1997-2>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090128/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardupdate.htm |url=http://www.interactive.org:80/html/award/awardupdate.htm |title=The Award; Award Updates |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref> but gave the prize to ''Microsoft Flight Simulator 98''.<ref name=aias1997>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980615090115/http://www.interactive.org/html/award/awardwin98.htm |url=http://www.interactive.org:80/html/award/awardwin98.htm |title=The Award; Award Updates |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=June 15, 1998 |url-status=dead }}</ref> However, ''Longbow 2'' was named the best flight simulation of 1997 by ''Computer Games Strategy Plus'',<ref name=cgmawards1997 /> ''Computer Gaming World'',<ref name=cgwpremier1997>{{cite magazine | author=Staff | magazine=Computer Gaming World | title=''CGW'' Presents The Best & Worst of 1997 |date=March 1998 | issue=164 | pages=74–77, 80, 84, 88, 89}}</ref> GameSpot,<ref name=gamespot1997>{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000816000042/http://www.gamespot.com/features/awards97/index.html |url=http://www.gamespot.com:80/features/awards97/index.html |title=GameSpot's Best & Worst Awards for 1997 |author=Staff |work=GameSpot |archive-date=August 16, 2000 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> CNET Gamecenter,<ref name=cnet1997>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19980213071552/http://gamecenter.com/Features/Exclusives/Awards97/Off/ | url=http://gamecenter.com:80/Features/Exclusives/Awards97/Off/ | title=The Gamecenter Awards for 97! | date=January 28, 1998 | author=The Gamecenter Editors | work=CNET Gamecenter | archive-date=February 13, 1998 | url-status=dead | access-date=January 31, 2020}}</ref> ''PC Gamer US'' and the Computer Game Developers Conference.<ref name=pcgsales1 /><ref name=cgdc1998>{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990429031108/http://www.ogr.com/specials/cgdc98/08spotlight.html | url=http://www.ogr.com/specials/cgdc98/08spotlight.html | title=Spotlight Award Winners | date=May 8, 1998 | author=Jensen, Chris | work=Online Gaming Review | publisher=Strategy Plus, Inc. | archive-date=April 29, 1999 | url-status=dead}}</ref> It was also a runner-up for ''Computer Games Strategy Plus''{{'}}s overall game of the year award, but lost to ''Myth: The Fallen Lords''.<ref name=cgmawards1997>{{cite web|author=Staff |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050206152953/http://www.cdmag.com/articles/009/194/1997_cgsp_awards.html |url=http://www.cdmag.com:80/articles/009/194/1997_cgsp_awards.html |title=The winners of the 1997 ''Computer Games'' Awards |date=January 19, 1998 |work=Computer Games Strategy Plus |archive-date=February 6, 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The editors of ''Computer Gaming World'' wrote: "Authentic, exciting, immersive, and graphically dazzling, this is a sim that transcends its genre".<ref name=cgwpremier1997 />
In 1998, ''PC Gamer'' declared it the 12th-best computer game ever released, noting its balance between realism and fun, and its campaign model and multi-player support.<ref name=pcgtop50>{{cite journal | author=The ''PC Gamer'' Editors | title=The 50 Best Games Ever | date=October 1998 | volume=5 | number=10 | journal=PC Gamer US | pages=86, 87, 89, 90, 92, 98, 101, 102, 109, 110, 113, 114, 117, 118, 125, 126, 129, 130}}</ref>
== See also == {{Portal|Aviation}} *''Team Apache'' *''Enemy Engaged: Apache vs Havoc''
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == * {{moby game |id=/janes-combat-simulations-longbow-2 |name=''Longbow 2''}} * {{moby game |id=/janes-combat-simulations-longbow-anthology |name=''Longbow Anthology''}}
{{Jane's Combat Simulations}} {{Origin Systems}}
Category:1997 video games Category:Combat flight simulators Category:Electronic Arts games Category:Helicopter video games Longbow 2 Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games Category:Origin Systems games Category:Video games developed in the United States Category:Windows games Category:Windows-only games