IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey Hands-On

One of the PC's premier flight sims soars to consoles. How's it play?

The original IL-2 Sturmovik was a critical success in the flight simulator genre when it was released in 2001. Lauded for its hardcore realism, attention to detail, and amazing graphics, IL-2 raised the bar for combat flight sims--appropriate for a game based on a fighter bomber that Stalin said was as valuable to the Red Army as the air it breathes and the bread it eats.