Positive: Easy enough to pick up and play, arcade-like gameplay is executed well, can get hectic online, good atmosphere.

Negative: Framerate issues, minor visual problems, lock-on system may cause disorientation.

Blazing Angels II is ultimately a sequel that attempts to distinguish itself from its WWII plane-fighting predecessor, while still providing an arcade-like experience to a genre that is often considered uninteresting. Developed by Ubisoft Romania, Blazing Angels II does not feature much historical accuracy, but instead focuses on prototype aircraft from WWII as well as some weaponry that wasn’t exactly developed in World War Two.

For the most part, Blazing Angels II plays like its predecessor and allows players to choose an arcade-style control scheme or a slightly more realistic configuration. Flying the many aircraft is a breeze and allows the players focus on the action as any arcade-styled game should. Players can also use the lock-on feature, which automatically moves the camera view to the nearest enemy or whatever the player sets as their primary target. The lock-on feature works well most of the time, but some skill is required when it comes to manoeuvring the aircraft due to the fact that some players may get disoriented.

That smoke needs to be checked out...

One of the more significant modifications to the game is a close-range, defence weaponry system. These defences range from engine clogging smoke to Tesla coils that can defend against multiple nearby enemy aircraft. All of the defensive weaponry is included in the main single player campaign, but is clearly intended for multiplayer. In Blazing Angels I, online dogfights sometimes wound up becoming an annoying game of cat and mouse.

Another worthy addition to Blazing Angels II is “Prestige Points.” Players can earn these points by shooting down enemies and stringing together kills will result in multipliers. Prestige Points will allow players to upgrade their weaponry and even their wingmen between missions. The wingmen are occasionally useful, and can be issued commands using the d-pad. It is also worth noting that instead of having one aircraft per mission; players can now choose which aircraft they would like to play the mission with.