Secret Weapons Over Normandy

 PlayStation 2
Secret Weapons Over Normandy Image
Metascore
81

Generally favorable reviews - based on 26 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 21 Ratings

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  • Summary: Join a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over twenty authentic aircraft across thirty daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Lawrence Holland, the legendary creator of "Star Wars X-Wing," "Star Wars Tie Fighter" and "SecretJoin a secret squad of pilots dedicated to thwarting the most heinous plans of the Third Reich. Fly over twenty authentic aircraft across thirty daring missions in this new WWII action-flyer. Lawrence Holland, the legendary creator of "Star Wars X-Wing," "Star Wars Tie Fighter" and "Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe" returns with an exhilarating new game of action and intrigue. Can you be trusted with the most dangerous secrets of the war? Immerse yourself in intense WWII flight action as you make your way through the ranks of an elite fighter squadron. Fly more than twenty realistic aircraft across a variety of combat theaters over World War II Europe and other territories as you make your way through the ranks of an elite fighter squadron. Engage in over thirty action-packed missions featuring air-to-air and air-to-ground battle scenarios. [LucasArts]… Expand
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 22 out of 26
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 26
  3. Negative: 0 out of 26
  1. GamePro
    100
    Takes off in a fresh new direction with riveting air combat that mixes thrilling missions with simple controls, solid multiplayer support, and an intriguing story line.
  2. GameSpy
    90
    With its intuitive, intense gameplay and rich atmosphere, Secret Weapons Over Normandy is the best flight-action game for the PlayStation 2.
  3. Next Level Gaming
    87
    While I would have liked to have seen online gameplay (and I do take off points for that), the single player campaign is very stong, and the storyline will keep you sucked into it. The controls are great, and the presentation is great.
  4. IGN
    80
    I can appreciate it as a fun action game but it holds little of the weight you'd expect from a World War II dogfight game. The lack of a compelling narrative enhances this pick-up-and-play mentality and detracts from my own involvement in what's going on.
  5. Edge Magazine
    80
    Isn't a game that does anything obviously or overtly clever or innovative. But any game that takes such a simple premise and polishes it, hones it and refines it until it's this engrossing, this absorbing, and this much fun, is quite obviously doing something very clever indeed. [Christmas 2003, p.114]
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  6. Playboy
    75
    The confusing gauges have been banished and the pesky laws of aerodynamics relaxed, freeing you to focus on sending Japanese and German pilots to their graves. [Dec 2003, p.44]
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  7. Village Voice
    60
    Secret Weapons' assortment of bombing runs, dogfights, and detail missions fly by thanks to an emphasis on arcade-style ease-of-play, but one simply leads into the next.

See all 26 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 2 out of 13
  1. NeoconTom
    May 23, 2019
    10
    Truly the best World War II I've ever played, and certainly one of best Lucas Arts Games of all time, one of best PS2 games of all time, oneTruly the best World War II I've ever played, and certainly one of best Lucas Arts Games of all time, one of best PS2 games of all time, one of the best video games of 2003, and one of the best games of all time.… Expand
  2. AaronB.
    Nov 29, 2003
    10
    Great game! Look past the unrealism!! Have FUN!! To me, it's much more fun to have a blast with a fun, yet unrealistic game, than be Great game! Look past the unrealism!! Have FUN!! To me, it's much more fun to have a blast with a fun, yet unrealistic game, than be frustrated with a hard, realistic game. … Expand
  4. forlornjohn
    Apr 6, 2012
    10
    This GAME/ is a piece of junk! I have played a lot of PS2 games in my time buit NOTHING as bad as this. I intend to smash the CD so that someThis GAME/ is a piece of junk! I have played a lot of PS2 games in my time buit NOTHING as bad as this. I intend to smash the CD so that some poor Gamer doesn't go through the misery of trying tp play it. Lucas Arts should be selling blank CDs instead of ruining them by recording games like this one!

    forlornjohn    … Expand
  5. SergioG.
    Nov 27, 2003
    9
    Easy to use, lots of fun.
  6. faizala
    Dec 10, 2009
    9
    great game although we are going into 2010. more flexibility required on the flight controls. very enjoyable.
  7. ShawnG.
    Dec 5, 2003
    9
    This game is over all pretty good... compared to crimson skies its a beast. Gameplay is smooth. Graphics are awsome although they could have This game is over all pretty good... compared to crimson skies its a beast. Gameplay is smooth. Graphics are awsome although they could have worked on the special weapons cam. The only problems I had with it were that you can't do barrel rolls and there is no adjuster for difficulty settings so you just have to go at it at whatever difficulty its at.… Expand
  8. JohnC.
    Nov 20, 2003
    2
    I read as many reviews of this game as I could find. Most described it as ?arcade like?. That is an understatement. Now I have been playing I read as many reviews of this game as I could find. Most described it as ?arcade like?. That is an understatement. Now I have been playing Lucas games since the days of Battlehawks 1942 (circa 1988) and Their Finest Hour (circa 1990). They were really fun to play and they were as realistic as could be reasonably expected at the time. SWON is neither. The flight dynamics are laughable. I know it wasn?t made to be a flight sim. But how Lucas Arts could honestly put their name on such an inferior product is shameful. They have so much experience creating flight-based games that this acts like something that could pre-date Intelivision. If it weren?t for the graphics this game would be almost worthless. I do wish to commend Lucas for the narrator and the music. Fantastic! The combination does give the player a History Channel feel of the game. Unfortunately the game gets silly after that. The main character, Chase, is so busy bad-mouthing his flight instructor you wonder if he will turn coat and start fighting for the Germans. The dialog seems to have been written by a teenager with some kind of complex. The in-flight dialog isn?t as bad but I found myself too busy trying to figure out the flight dynamics (or lack thereof) to really listen to it. I have only played the game through a couple of missions. So far, it?s about 3 hours worth. It?s a shame Lucas Arts didn?t take this to the level I know they can achieve. It could have rivaled MSCFS for players that don?t want a full flight sim but want the feeling of flying combat. Perhaps Lucas should just stick with Star Wars where they can get away with make believe flight dynamics. How I yearn for a game that can rival Ace Combat 4. I was hoping Lucas wouldn?t let me down. Alas? … Expand

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Awards & Rankings

51
#51 Best PS2 Game of 2003
82
#82 Most Shared PS2 Game of 2003