 Step into the blue. The H.A.W.X. are an elite band of mercenary jet pilots hired to complete dangerous missions around the world. But when their employer turns upon the US military, the H.A.W.X. have to decide if their income is worth more than their patriotism.
1. Gameplay
This is the first time in a long time that I have played a game without any real experience in the genre. I have played flight simulators and racing games before, but it has been over two decades since I played Red Baron on my DOS-based PC. So when I turned on Tom Clancy’s H.A.W.X., I had no idea what to expect.  The fact that I can fly an A-10 sold me instantly. I loved this game. It was complicated enough to keep me interested most of the time, but simple enough to give me an excellent understanding of what to expect within each mission. It wasn’t perfect, but it was something entirely different that I really enjoyed.  The jets definitely look great. H.A.W.X. features an interesting story. The player is a fighter pilot in the US Air Force, but his team is cut (thanks sequestration). So he joins up with a private military corporation and begins operating in different theaters around the world. Eventually that PMC goes a bit rogue and declares war on the United States, which forces the player and his squadron to rejoin the US Air Force. It’s a classic Tom Clancy style story that is very simple to understand but still very interesting to follow.  I hope you don't get motion sickness. The combat is smooth and simple. The player will be given enemy targets and must destroy those targets. Sometimes he will be given an ally to protect, sometimes he will be given a more specific set of objectives to destroy, sometimes he will be given a time limit. But the basic idea is always the same. Find the targets and destroy them.  Target found. Unfortunately, the game’s campaign was far too short. This was likely because the game focused more on the multiplayer (maybe), but I wanted to play even more of the campaign. After just a little more than 5 hours, I was left wanting a lot more. This is great, especially considering it keeps me motivated to play the sequel, but I still wanted more.
The campaign took me a little more than 5 hours to complete. This felt way too short, especially because I was actually enjoying myself. Unfortunately, the multiplayer didn’t make up for this brevity, since there was no one playing online. The only thing that gives the game any replay value is the fact that the player earns experience points for completing the campaign, which means players can unlock all of the planes by simply completing the campaign repeatedly.
The campaign was very straightforward and simple. As long as the player learned how to avoid missile trajectories, it was relatively simple to avoid damage. There were only a few missions where damage was much more difficult to avoid. There was one mission where the player was helping in the assault of a fortified base with multiple surface-to-air missile emplacements. That was very difficult to get through, but it wasn’t impossible. 2. Parental Notices
While violence is a constant element in this game, it only ever occurs between the player’s fighter jet and the various vehicles he will be destroying. The player can fire missiles, rockets, and machine guns at enemies. The effects are always the same. The player fires the weapon, it hits the target, and the target explodes into flames.  Like this. This will go for all enemies of all types and all sizes.  The jet on that ship seems a lot bigger than mine. The violence is never more graphic than this.  Strike fast and strike true.
Very late in the game, one of the characters mentions going to Vegas for the showgirls. This is the only element of sexuality in the game.
In a couple of the conversations in the game, a character mentions owing another a beer. This is the only element of substances in the game.
Gambling is not a factor in this game. 3. Other Factors
There are no modding tools available for this game.
One level takes place in Brazil. In this level the Christ the Redeemer statue can be seen.  Can I strap some engines on that thing and fly Jesus around? There is also one mission where the player must fight against an African warlord who commands a force known as the "People of God's Army".  Is the army commanded by the People of God or is it God's Army comprised of the people?
The story does involve international wars and potentially violated treaties. However, the game never explicitly states if any party actually violated any international laws. As a result, anti-law is not a factor in this game.
There is a multiplayer mode to this game, but unfortunately there was no one online. This is almost certainly because a sequel has been released to this game, driving the fans of the series onward. As a result, the online community is not a factor in this game.
While it is extremely unlikely that anyone playing this game will get to really pilot one of the jets included in this game, H.A.W.X. does include some extreme sports even for flying. It includes an “assistance” system that the player can turn on and off. While I never figured out for sure whether normal flight was “assistance on” or “assistance off”, the maneuvers that the pilot could pull off in the extreme flight mode were simply impossible.  Drifting? In MY plane? There are only so many g-forces that even the most experienced stunt pilots can take before they pass out. I would love to meet the person who could take a F-22, complete two backflips at speed, flip upside down, and then accelerate in the opposite direction. It simply is not possible.
Magic is not a factor in this game.
Weapons of Mass Destruction Late in the game, the PMC manages to capture six nuclear warheads and ships them across the United States. Five of the warheads are recovered safely, but one has to be destroyed within downtown Los Angeles. The destruction emits dangerous levels of radiation, but the entire area is evacuated so there are no casualties.  ...what is a "nuc"?
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