Fighter Ace gets reinforcements

Microsoft's massively multiplayer World War II flight sim "Fighter Ace II" has been updated with a new version, adding 13 more planes to the already impressive line-up on offer, including the Dornier Do217, America's Hellcat, and the British De Havilland Mosquito. Perhaps even more exciting is the addition of two new maps, including one representing the English Channel region for those of you wanting to recreate the Battle of Britain from the comfort of your own home. On top of the major changes, the flight models have also been improved, and weapons have been tweaked to make things more realistic.

The game now features a total of 59 flyable planes, and over 300 players can take part in a single online dogfight, allowing for some massive aerial battles. There is even a persistent world element to the game, with players destroying enemy installations such as airfields, hangars and rail depots, fighting to capture new territory and secure their own. Graphics are rather good for an online-only flight sim, and at just 17Mb the war won't be over before you can download it. You can sign up for a three day free trial, but after that it will cost you $9.95 a month to play the game on Microsoft's Zone gaming service. Check the Fighter Ace website for more details...