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Their Finest Hour

Amiga game review, ADF downloads, screenshots, ratings and insights
Their Finest Hour (TFH) might very well be a metaphor used to describe Lucasfilm's incredible effort portrayed in the game by the same name. Hands down, TFH is simply the best WWII aviation simulator ever created before 1990. Nothing else comes close to its level of hand-crafted artistry & detail. The respect for the genre, people and stories that made the basis for this game - from all sides - is unmatched.

As a player, you are given virtually every possible angle to experience the Battle of Britain in the air. You are given the option to fly one of 2 Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter planes or one of 6 German Luftwaffe fighter or bomber planes. You can either play offense (Germany) or defense (Britain). Both sides are treated with equal respect and a seriousness that is chillingly realistic and engrossing. The moment you figure out how to deftly manipulate a plane's controls and understand the mapping system, your first kill is a total adrenaline rush that addicts you to play more and more.

I have a personal affection for the Spitfire, a machine that was considered a technological marvel many years ahead of its time (sound familiar to some other tech you might like?). It’s unusually shaped wings and all-metal construction allowed it to maneuver unlike nearly any other plane of its time. That being said, the Hurricane’s outdated design still accounted for more overall air victories, but I encourage you to try both (I chose the Spitfire first).

Even more impressively, you can pick from the German’s well-stocked fleet of Luftwaffe fighters and bombers. And if you pick a bomber, you can actually play from every crew position in the plane! You can go on training missions, or you can pick historical battles that have been scripted for you to maintain, or you can try and change history. It’s simply unbelievable. This is the kind of game that will absorb you entirely, and has tons or replay value over a long period of time. WWII history buffs beware - this will eat you alive. And you'll learn a lot along the way, too.

Because then there’s the metal ring-bound "manual".

Truly, this is a game that deserves to be bought on Ebay. Even if you play via emulation, go buy the game with a complete box set so you can get ahold of the manual. It is over 190 pages long, and has wonderful fold-out maps of the English channel where the battles take place. But more importantly about 185 pages is pure history book. The author, Victor Cross, gives a gorgeous overview of the battles and the pilots perspective, filled with fantastic photographs taken during the war. It’s a must-read to fully appreciate the game experience.

Hands down, Their Finest Hour is one of the best games on the Amiga. More pics of this game's contents can be seen here.

Back of the Box:

Lucasfilm Games presents

Their Finest Hour
The Battle of Britain

Summer, 1940. The German war machine has humbled all of Europe - except Great Britain. Now, the mighty Luftwaffe plans to soften up Southern England for an invasion called Operation Sea Lion. And the RAF must wage a desperate defensive battle against a numerically superior foe.

Graphically stunning, historically accurate, and thrillingly realistic, Their Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain resets the stage for the air confrontation of the century.

Two British Fighters
-) Supermarine Spitfire.
-) Hawker Hurricane.

Two German Fighters
-) Messerschmitt 109.
-) Messerschmitt 110.

Two German Bombers
-) Junkers 87 Stuka.
-) Junkers 88.
-) Dornier 17 Flying Pencil.
-) Heinkel 111 Spade.

Authentic Combat Action
-) Each plane technically accurate.
-) Fly pilot, bombardier, or gunner positions.
-) Detailed land and sea targets.
-) Dozens of historical missions.

Unique Replay Camera
-) Watch “instant replays” of your hottest action.
-) Features include stop motioned and fast forward.
-) View from any camera angle.
-) Save your finest moments on disk.

Lots of Special Features
-) Easy-to-learn training missions.
-) Huge photo-packed manual.
-) Your pilots earn medals and promotions.
-) Create your own missions.


Note: For CRT-based screenshots, images look best when viewed at larger sizes. Click or tap to expand.
5
2 total votes

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Comments

User avatar
Shot97

Tue Jun 28, 2016 10:20 pm

emmm, that CRT goodness... People just don't know what they're missing out on.

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5
2 total votes
Developer:
Lucas Arts, Lucasfilm Games
Publisher:
Lucas Arts, Lucasfilm Games
Designer:
Lawrence Holland
Artist:
Martin Cameron, James McLeod
Programmer:
Lawrence Holland
Genre:
Simulator, Flight simulation, Historical Battle
Perspective:
1st-Person, 3D
Theme:
WWII, Aviation
Player mode:
Single-player
Origin:
USA
Release date:
September 30, 1989

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