IL-2 Sturmovik (video game)
{{Short description|2001 video game}}
{{for|the series|IL-2 Sturmovik (series)}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = IL-2 Sturmovik
| image = IL-2 Sturmovik Coverart.png
| developer = 1C:Maddox Games
| publisher = {{vgrelease|CIS|1C}}{{vgrelease|EU / NA|Ubi Soft}}
| released = {{vgrelease|NA|November 20, 2001{{Cite web |last=jkdmedia |date=2012-05-04 |title=IL-2 Sturmovik Now Available |url=https://www.gamezone.com/news/il_2_sturmovik_now_available/ |access-date=2023-05-29 |website=GameZone |language=en-US}}|PAL|November 30, 2001}}
| genre = Combat flight simulator
| modes = Single-player, multiplayer
| platforms = Microsoft Windows
}}
IL-2 Sturmovik ({{Langx|ru|Ил-2 Штурмовик}}) is a 2001 World War II combat flight simulator video game and is the first installment in the IL-2 Sturmovik series. The release focused on the air battles of the Eastern Front.{{cite web |last=Osborne |first=Scott |date=March 11, 2003 |url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/il-2-sturmovik-forgotten-battles-review/1900-2912526/ |title=IL-2 Sturmovik: Forgotten Battles Review |website=GameSpot |access-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=August 2, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230802051701/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/il-2-sturmovik-forgotten-battles-review/1900-2912526/ |url-status=live }}[http://www.driverheaven.net/gamingreviews/IL-2%20Sturmovik/ Driver Heaven review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090701123750/http://www.driverheaven.net/gamingreviews/IL-2%20Sturmovik/ |date=2009-07-01 }} of the whole series It was named after the Soviet Ilyushin Il-2 ground-attack fighter, which played a prominent role in this theatre and is the single most produced military aircraft design to date.Goebel, G. (2008). {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20060526044422/http://www.vectorsite.net/avil2.html "The Il-2 Shturmovik"]}}. Air Vectors, military aviation site Along with its sequels, IL-2 Sturmovik is considered one of the leading World War II flight simulators.Spotlight: Ilushin IL2 Shtumrovik, Digital age Shturmoviks. Fly Past magazine, pp 54-73. April 2011
Gameplay
The game features 31 flyable planes and additional 40 non-flyable planes (available as opponents). One can play as Australia, France, Finland, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the USSR.{{Citation needed|date=December 2022}}
The game includes a multi-player feature which supports up to 100 players online over the internet{{citation needed|date=July 2020}}. Free internet services such as Xfire, Hyperlobby, and The All-Seeing Eye, are used for setting up online game sessions.
History
The game was developed by 1C:Maddox Games and published by 1C in Russia and Ubi Soft in the rest of the world, for Windows on November 18, 2001.
Sequels and subsequent development
{{see also|IL-2 Sturmovik (series)}}
The game saw the release of a number of add-ons and sequels since its initial release, with some of the sequels including the entirety of the original release's content.
The game is currently distributed as the IL-2 Sturmovik: 1946 pack. The latest edition that includes all sequels and patches is version 4.14.1, which brings the number of available flyable aircraft up to 85* and the number of maps to 41*. IL-2 Sturmovik is the flight simulator video game longest supported by its developer with the demo released in 2001 and the latest patch including new planes, maps and other features released in December 2022. Recently patches 4.13, 4.13.1, 4.13.2, 4.13.3, 4.13.4, 4.14, 4.14.1, 4.15, and 4.15.1 were released.{{Cite web |url=http://forum.fulqrumpublishing.com/showthread.php?t=230741 |title=4.15 release! - Official Fulqrum Publishing forum |access-date=2022-12-08 |archive-date=2022-12-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221208202009/http://forum.fulqrumpublishing.com/showthread.php?t=230741 |url-status=live }}
All the patches or versions, like Forgotten Battles (2003) or standalone games, like Pacific Fighters (2004), used and shared the same game engine from 2001 until the 1946 pack (2006) and even until the console adaptation (IL-2 Sturmovik: Birds of Prey, 2009). The first games in the series not using the original 2001 game engine were IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover (2011, which runs its own game engine) and IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad (2013, which runs on a game engine derived from another game, the 2009 simulator Rise of Flight).
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| GSpy = 94%{{cite web |last=Lackey |first=Jeff |date=December 9, 2001 |url=http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/december01/il2/ |title=IL-2 Sturmovik (PC) |publisher=GameSpy |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040902010641/http://archive.gamespy.com/reviews/december01/il2/ |archive-date=September 2, 2004 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 15, 2014}}
| IGN = 8.3/10{{cite web |last=Butts |first=Steve |date=November 28, 2001 |url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/28/il-2-sturmovik-2 |title=IL-2 Sturmovik |website=IGN |access-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=December 16, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216064039/http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/11/28/il-2-sturmovik-2 |url-status=live }}
| PCGUK = 89%{{cite journal |title=IL-2 Sturmovik |journal=PC Gamer UK |year=2002}}
| PCGUS = 90%{{cite journal |last=Klett |first=Steve |url=http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/archives/review_2002-07-10l1.html |title=IL-2 Sturmovik |journal=PC Gamer |date=February 2002 |page=66 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031002021241/http://www.pcgamer.com/reviews/archives/review_2002-07-10l1.html |archive-date=October 2, 2003 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 15, 2014}}
| PCZone = 90%{{cite magazine |last=Emery |first=Daniel |date=November 30, 2001 |url=http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=21558&site=cvg |title=PC Review: IL-2 Sturmovik |magazine=PC Zone |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080502195921/http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=21558&site=cvg |archive-date=May 2, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 15, 2014}}
| rev1 = Absolute Games
| rev2 = The Cincinnati Enquirer
| rev2Score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |last=Saltzman |first=Marc |date=January 16, 2002 |url=http://cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/011602_sturmovik.html |title='IL-2 Sturmovik' simulates World War II aerial combat |newspaper=The Cincinnati Enquirer |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080603081225/http://cincinnati.com/freetime/games/reviews/011602_sturmovik.html |archive-date=June 3, 2008 |url-status=dead |access-date=December 15, 2014}}
}}
IL-2 Sturmovik received a "Silver" sales award from the Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association (ELSPA),{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221154943/http://www.elspa.com/?i=3942 |url=http://www.elspa.com:80/?i=3942 |title=ELSPA Sales Awards: Silver |work=Entertainment and Leisure Software Publishers Association |archive-date=February 21, 2009 |url-status=dead }} indicating sales of at least 100,000 copies in the United Kingdom.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918063107/https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/112220/ELSPA_Wii_Fit_Mario_Kart_Reach_Diamond_Status_In_UK.php |title=ELSPA: Wii Fit, Mario Kart Reach Diamond Status In UK | author=Caoili, Eric | date=November 26, 2008 |work=Gamasutra |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |url-status=dead }} As of 2014, the game's overall sales had surpassed 2 million copies.{{cite web|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804232731/https://www.usgamer.net/articles/il-2-sturmovik-preview |url=https://www.usgamer.net/articles/il-2-sturmovik-preview |title=IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad Carries a Lonely Torch for Flight Simulators | author=Bailey, Kat | work=USgamer |archive-date=August 4, 2014 | date=July 25, 2014 |url-status=live }}
The review aggregator Metacritic gave IL-2 Sturmovik a score of 91 out of 100,{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/il-2-sturmovik/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=IL-2 Sturmovik for PC Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=January 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150122200959/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/il-2-sturmovik |url-status=live }} while GameRankings, another review aggregator, gave it 90.65%.{{cite web |url=http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/354449-il-2-sturmovik/index.html |title=IL-2 Sturmovik for PC |publisher=GameRankings |access-date=2011-03-31 |archive-date=2012-06-29 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120629131350/http://www.gamerankings.com/pc/354449-il-2-sturmovik/index.html |url-status=live }}
=Awards=
IL-2 Sturmovik was named the best computer simulation of 2001 by Computer Games Magazine,{{cite journal | author=Staff | journal=Computer Games Magazine | title=11th Annual Computer Games Awards |date=March 2002 | issue=136 | pages=50–56 }} Computer Gaming World,{{cite magazine | author=((Editors of Computer Gaming World ))| magazine=Computer Gaming World | title=Games of the Year; The Very Best of a (Sometimes) Great Year in Gaming |date=April 2002 | issue=213 | pages=69–73, 76–84 }} The Electric Playground,{{cite web | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031013014200/http://www.elecplay.com/feature.html?article=8152&page=1#mr_toppy | url=http://www.elecplay.com:80/feature.html?article=8152&page=1#mr_toppy | title=Blister Awards 2001 | author=Staff | archive-date=October 13, 2003 | work=The Electric Playground | url-status=dead | access-date=January 20, 2020 }} GameSpy and GameSpot,{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090206121431/http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2001/index.shtml |url= http://archive.gamespy.com:80/goty2001/index.shtml |title= Welcome to the GameSpy 2001 Game of the Year Awards! |work= GameSpy |archive-date= February 6, 2009 |url-status= dead |access-date= January 20, 2020 }}{{cite web |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20020204194024/http://gamespot.com/gamespot/features/pc/bestof_2001/index.html |url= http://gamespot.com:80/gamespot/features/pc/bestof_2001/index.html |title= GameSpot's Best and Worst PC Games of 2001 |author=GameSpot PC Staff |work= GameSpot |archive-date= February 4, 2002 |url-status=dead }} and was a runner-up for IGN's award in this category, losing to Independence War 2.{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020222102030/http://pc.ign.com/articles/100/100906p1.html |url=http://pc.ign.com:80/articles/100/100906p1.html |title=2001 PC Game of the Year Awards |author=Staff |work=IGN |archive-date=February 22, 2002 |date=January 14, 2002 |url-status=dead |access-date=January 20, 2020 }} Similarly, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated IL-2 Sturmovik for its "PC Simulation" award,{{cite press release |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020602183409/http://www.interactive.org/newsandevents.asp?show=138&thetype=1 |url=http://www.interactive.org:80/newsandevents.asp?show=138&thetype=1 |title=Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Finalists for the 5th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |date=February 5, 2002 |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=June 2, 2002 |url-status=dead |location=Los Angeles |access-date=January 20, 2020 }} but ultimately gave the prize to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2002.{{cite press release |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020306070041/http://www.interactive.org/newsandevents.asp |url=http://www.interactive.org:80/newsandevents.asp |title=Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Announces Recipients of Fifth Annual Interactive Achievement Awards |date=March 1, 2002 |publisher=Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences |archive-date=March 6, 2002 |url-status=dead |location=Las Vegas |access-date=January 20, 2020 }} It also "narrowly" lost PC Gamer US{{'}}s "Best Simulation" award to Flight Simulator 2002, according to that magazine's editors.{{cite journal |author=Staff | date= March 2002 |title= The Eighth Annual PC Gamer Awards |volume=9 |number=3 |pages= 32, 33, 36, 36, 37, 40, 42 |journal= PC Gamer US }}
While awarding the game, the editors of Computer Games called IL-2 Sturmovik "the best World War II flight sim—the best flight sim of any kind, for that matter—to come along in years." Similarly, those of Computer Gaming World wrote, "IL-2 Sturmovik{{'}}s election to Sim of the Year was one of the biggest shoo-in votes in the history of this magazine. [...] Know this: Sturmovik is not only the best simulation of 2001, it's the best WWII-themed sim ever, and one of the best flight sims of all time."
{{Clear}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://il2sturmovik.com/ IL-2 Sturmovik official website]
- {{moby game|id=/windows/il-2-sturmovik|name=IL-2 Sturmovik}}
{{IL-2 Sturmovik series}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Il-2 Sturmovik (Video Game)}}
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:Video games developed in Russia