I was impressed with how varied the missions were. The QTEs are really well done, each maneuver was visually pleasing and made me feel like I was an ace pilot taking on the best of the best. If you react faster than your opponent than your targeting reticle grows larger making it easier to lock on to your target and let the missiles fly. Most maneuvers are accomplished by completing quick time events or QTEs. You can also complete various maneuvers to get out of an enemy’s lock if they happen to be behind you. Hard Lock mode kicks in once you are on an enemy’s six it’s like a chase mode and the plane will essentially fly itself while you try and lock onto the target, similar to the Close Range Assault mode of Ace Combat: Assault Horizon. Now, don’t get me wrong, you can still crash into the ground, building or some of the other obstacles but it’s not easy, especially when the game’s namesake is engaged. Top Gun: Hard Lock gets rid of all the troublesome things like takeoffs and landings, leaving you with all the good stuff like pulling breathtaking maneuvers and chasing down MiGs. This being as far from a simulation as Modern Warfare is from a realistic depiction of war I still had a blast flying around and dodging missiles at Mach 2.
The gameplay found in Top Gun: Hard Lock isn’t unique, borrowing elements from the Ace Combat series and a few things from Tom Clancy’s HAWX but they are executed quite well. I’m sure that during development there were several viewings of Top Gun because this is a game that has been crafted with an enormous amount of love for the source material. Set several years after the events of the Top Gun (the film) I took control of a new pilot who plays by his own set of rules just like Maverick (Tom Cruise) did in the film. Instantly, I was surprised to learn that not only had the developers at Headstrong Games secured licenses for all the aircraft and the film but they had also created an amazingly fun flight action game. I popped it into my disc tray with low expectations and nothing but nostalgic love for the original 1986 film.
I was surprised when a copy came across my desk that it was a full disc based game. I will admit that when I first heard about Top Gun: Hard Lock I thought it was a downloadable title available through XBLA or PSN.
Featuring fully licensed aircraft from the likes of Boeing and Lockheed Martin and an all new “Danger Zone” mode this surprisingly fun game may just be the sleeper hit of the spring gaming season. In this aerial combat action game from developer Headstrong games, you will face wave after wave of Russian MiG fighters as you turn and burn through 15 missions or take the dogfight online with up to 15 other players.
Customs and Border Protection before making any travel plans.
Do not use magazines or clips when packing ammunition unless they completely enclose the ammunition. Ammunition, magazines and clips must be transported within the same locked, hard-sided gun case as your unloaded firearm.Note that your airline may have its own rules and limitations. Always declare any firearms, ammunition and firearm parts when checking your baggage.Never attempt to carry on any ammunition or firearm parts, including magazines, clips, bolts or firing pins.Never give the key or combination of your gun case to anyone except for a TSA agent who expressly requests it (always provide it if an agent asks).Your firearm must be packed and unloaded in locked, hard-sided pistol cases in your checked baggage.Here’s what the TSA says about transporting guns and ammo, in a nutshell: