Now available for XBox 360 owners is a demo for Tom Clancy’s HAWX, a visually spectacular new flying game. In the HAWX world, entities known as “Private Military Companies” are hired to handle all the security needs of major nations. In this downloadable demo you’re a pilot for a “PMC” trying to prevent some bad folks from invading Rio de Janeiro. Flying games can be a bit confusing without the opportunity to RTFM, so it’s helpful that the first mission in the demo gives some instruction in manipulation your F-16A Fighting Falcon.
After completing your basic “certification” mission you get assigned to patrolling the airspace around Rio. A few seconds into the job the forces of “La Trinidad” are staging an invasion (you’re obviously not the luckiest pilot in the sky). From that point it’s pretty much a free-for-all as you knock enemies planes out of the sky, sink a fleet of invading landing craft and blow to bits some tanks that dare to roll into your beloved Rio de Janeiro.
The graphics in Tom Clancy’s HAWX are amazing - at least as much as we’ve seen in the demo. You’ll undoubtedly find yourself straying off-mission to explore Rio’s neighborhoods at low latitudes. But try to avoid the temptation to do any strafing of the Christ the Redeemer statue on Corcovado mountain above the city. That just ain’t right.
The demo is only available for XBox 360, but the game will also be available for Playstation 3 and PC when it’s released in March. The official HAWX web site has lots more information, including a list of the flying peripherals that are compatible with the game.