GAME POW 06.17.09: Battlestations: Pacific and Burnout Paradise
Posted by Sam Pow on 06.18.2009
In this week's GAME POW, we'll take a look at some Battlestations: Pacific strategies, and introduce a whole new game mode to Burnout Paradise!
GAME POW---June 18th, 2009
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Welcome all to a brand new GAME POW! Your favorite strategy content is coming to you this week in the form of Battlestations: Pacific, and I'm also putting out some tips on a previously unheard of game mode in Burnout Paradise, titled "actually driving (by the law)". Read on!
This week has been a big mash-up for me, trying to cram in time for all the stuff I've bought recently. I've spent the most time with Burnout Paradise, unlocking new cars, playing events, and generally smashing into other people. I also spent a lot of time in Soul Calibur IV, totally tricking out my custom character. I also spent a bit of time with my new mage in Oblivion. And now for your feature presentation!
Recently, Eidos released Battlestations: Pacific, the follow up to its predecessor Battlestations: Midway. The game aimed to combine strategy and action in a WWII game allowing you to take control of planes, ships, and subs. The game does have a bit of learning curve, though, so I'll offer up some helpful hints.
Plane Tips:
>In torpedo bombers, stay as close to the water as you can when approaching an enemy ship. This will either render their AA guns useless or greatly lower the amount they can use. This is also helpful with Ohka kamikaze planes.
>Use standard view for navigating and attacking ships, but switch to cockpit view when dogfighting, as it makes it easier to aim precisely.
>When using a level bomber, aim long ways with a ship, not sideways. This will increase the amount of bombs that actually hit.
>While using a dive bomber, fly at very high altitudes to avoid other planes and AA guns, and dive as quickly as possible once you are almost directly over an enemy ship.
>Remember to use paratrooper airplanes in Island Capture; they can turn the tide of a game.
Ship Tips:
>Aiming when attacking other ships is critical. To stop a vessel headed for your base, aim for the engines. If you're in direct combat, aim for the magazines.
>Keep an eye on your current damage status. Efficiently repairing critical systems or maintaining overall health could change the outcome of an important battle.
>While PT boats seem most useful for their torpedoes, their small size and fast speed, combined with depth charges, make them great submarine dispatchers.
>When in escort or similar modes where you are granted access to a carrier, remember that while serving as an objective and mobile base, the carrier still has very efficient attack, especially its AA guns.
Sub Tips:
>Unless you are absolutely about to be destroyed, you should never dive to level 4.
>When attacking an enemy ship from long range, aim ahead of where it is going and only follow the first torpedo to know how to adjust your aim.
>When barely below the surface, your periscope can be damaged, so be mindful of where nearby ships are.
>The submarines artillery gun is fairly ineffective, so use it only against small threats.
Now you can safely and strategically commandeer all three classes of war machine in Battlestations: Pacific. Now for a change in pace, let's take a look at this new way to play Burnout Paradise.
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Burnout Paradise: Actual Driving
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While most of us spend our freeburn time in Burnout Paradise speeding down the streets and smashing whatever gets in our way, have you ever stopped to think what the other drivers were going through? They were driving like you normally would, following traffic rules and regulations. I noticed this early on, and decided to give it a shot. What I ended up doing was attempting to drive from one side of Paradise City to the other, without ever going over the speed limit or breaking a single traffic regulation. I failed. What you will find when you try this, is that it ends up being a real challenge, but actually very fun to do. Here are a couple ideas to help you along your way.
If this happens, you lose
I found it easier to repeatedly pull the acceleration than to try and hold it down to maintain a steady speed.
To judge how fast you should be going, look at the drivers ahead of and behind you.
When stopping at lights, switch to first person view to see how close you can get to the car in front of you.
Don't use your favorite fast sports car. It is much, MUCH easier to use a naturally slower car, such as the Pioneer or Inferno Van, as they are easier to use at normal speeds.
Remember to pay attention to the yellow lines when changing lanes. If you really want to win this challenge, there's no crossing double yellows.
You should start on the eastern side of the city. This area is more populated and will give you an idea of how fast to go. Once you get towards White Mountain and Silver Lake, there are going to be times when there are no other cars around, and you will have to judge speed by yourself.
Taking the I-88 is an easy way to get past a big part of the map painlessly.
Remember, you're a normal car now. No boosting.
While it is bad for your breaks, revving your engine is technically not illegal, so you can still do this when bored at stoplights (to avoid starting races and moving forward, hold down your hand brake and accel to rev).
Now you can proudly say that you are a safe driver in Burnout (or you can say that you gave up and started going as fast as you could down the road while smashing into other cars). I hope you all enjoyed this week in GAME POW, and I hope to see you here next week too. I encourage you to comment on the article, and if you have any questions at all, email me using the link below. POW!
