Their Finest Hour: The Battle Of Britain
| Developer: Lucasfilm | Graphics: |
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| Publisher: Lucasfilm | Sound: |
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| Year: 1990 | Difficulty: |
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| Genre: Flight simulation | Lastability: |
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| Number of players: 1 | Rating: |
9/10 | |
The title references a famous speech by Churchill in June 1940 (shortly after the Battle of Dunkirk). The phrase has been used countless times in films and video games, and even the Japanese gave their own little homage.
The version we’re dealing with here is more conventional. You’re invited to take part in the Battle of Britain, either with the Royal Air Force or the Luftwaffe. The goal: thwart or prepare for the invasion of Great Britain.
The game consists of a traditional extended campaign (from July to September 1940), where your performance impacts subsequent missions, right up until the conclusion of the battle; and episodic quick missions (either combat or training). More surprisingly, there’s a mission editor, quite rich in features, allowing you to unleash your imagination and significantly extend the game’s lifespan. There’s also a function to record replays of your feats!
The Brits boast two types of single-seat fighters: the Hurricane and the Spitfire. The Germans, in keeping with historical accuracy, field a wider range: two-seat fighters (Messerschmitt), as well as two types of bombers—the famous Stuka (the one that dove in a deafening scream) and medium bombers (slow, limited in range, but heavily armed and capable of carrying a four- to five-person crew, each station accessible to the player!). All these planes (eight in total) are perfectly differentiated, both visually (inside and outside the cockpit) and in terms of flight controls and tactics used.
Technically, Their Finest Hour stands out for using 2D models (sprites) to represent the aircraft, rather than 3D objects as in the overwhelming majority of flight simulators (perhaps not quite so overwhelming in 1990, you might argue). The result is a unique style (which ages better), though perhaps the lack of speed in the game engine comes from that choice.
Although it strives for realism, this title places more emphasis on combat than piloting. It’s much easier to get into than a MicroProse simulation (fewer keyboard shortcuts, simplified take-offs and landings). Still, reading the manual is essential, as is installing it on a hard drive to ensure reasonable speed.
An additional disk was released in 1991, followed by a sequel (PC only): Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe (1991).
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