Digital battle simulator worldalso known as DCS world, is the reigning champion of combat flight simulation software. From the P-51 Mustang to the beloved A-10 Warthog, the platform is packed with high-quality interpretations of famous airframes – many of which simply can’t be flown digitally elsewhere. And while developer Eagle Dynamics’ attention to detail has gotten them into trouble before, its own and third-party developers routinely deliver the goods. His latest, DCS: F-4E Spook II by partners Heatblur simulationslooks absolutely amazing, especially considering that it plays best as a two-player cooperative experience.
I admit I’m a bit of an F-4 fanboy. I even have a vintage Remove Before Flight tag from a US Air Force Phantom hanging here in my office. But I’ve never flown a plane on PC before. When I watched the first launch video, which officially dropped on May 22, I was absolutely intimidated. Not for the reason you’re probably thinking: I’m pretty sure I can get it off the ground and make it perform. But it’s a two-seater plane. That means I’d be flying with the game’s AI in the backseat, and would be forced to interact with them through the game’s interface. That added complexity – on top of learning to start up and fly a Cold War jet – was a bridge too far for me.
It turns out you can hand control of that second chair to another human player. YouTuber OperatorDrewski shows how in a video published late last week. Together, he and a friend grapple with the unusual plane and log a few kills… before starting a conga line of enemy MIGs that chases them all the way back to a friendly air base to refuel.
Even if you’re not into flight simulation, the video is action-packed and charming. The pair have great chemistry in the cockpit, and by the end it feels more like an outtake from an abandoned game Iron Eaglecomedy and then a let’s-play video.
DCS world is free to download, which you can do from Eagle Dynamics’ own website or on Steam. DCS: F-4E Spook IIhowever, will cost you $79.99.