Gunship 2000

The Good
I missed this back in the day because I didn't find the original Gunship very engaging, and now I completely regret it. I played it for the first time in 2022, and was blown away by the variety, the gameplay, the immersion, basically every dang thing. This game has so much content, so many ways to play, it's a marvel.

Like a lot of classic Microprose sims of this era, you're able to tweak the difficulty on a per-mission basis, meaning you can make the game as easy or challenging as you want. While the initial gameplay in a solo helicopter is great, it's when you get promoted and can command multiple helicopters that the game really...ahem...takes off.

Your pilots get promoted, just as you do, and their skills increase, just as yours do, so you'll want to take VERY special care of them. This makes the game go from a solo helicopter sim to something of an RPG/strategy game hybrid, as you're managing your fellow pilots and moving them around the (amazing) map interface in order to complete their objectives.

Marry this with a mix of single players and early dynamic campaigns, all of which are randomized in a variety of theaters, such as Europe, the Philippines and even Antarctica, and you can play this for literally years.

I've played a lot of helicopter sims, and there are many I've loved, I think this might've edged out Hind as my favorite. I mean the variety of helicopters ALONE add to the variety. Apaches, Comanches, scouts and the venerable Blackhawk allow you to pick the best machine for the job (if it's available).

There's just so much to love about this game, I can't recommend it enough if you're into helicopters.

The Bad
Being a game from 1991, the graphics and audio aren't super great, but if you have a MIDI unit, that helps.

The Bottom Line
I can't gush enough about this amazing game. This is my first review on Mobygames, and I felt compelled to write this one because I just love the game so much. Track down a copy of the CD-ROM version, which has all the campaigns, as well as the wonderful strategy guide, and you'll be set for a long, long time.