Aerial Contact - GrandmasterJ

 

    Aerial Contact is a reimagining of the classic map series Apache Battle. Five Apache helicopters will assault the player and all five must be destroyed to win the map.

SCMapDB page

Author: Hezus

Date of final release: 2004

Maps in package: 1

Map review of Aerial Contact

(originally posted on SCMapDB)

by GrandmasterJ | February 19, 2022 | 2522 characters

    The map concept is simple, kill apache helicopters. The spawn area is at the bottom floor of a tower along with a door to the outside, a tiny bit of HEV and ammo, and a ladder up. The middle floor has a glass window that will instantly be shattered by the apache shooting inside. There is a shotgun and grenades along with some trip mines here. There is also a gun turret that is so very slow, I find it useless. The third level has unbreakable glass, a magnum with some ammo, and the button to open the door at the bottom floor. This door will close slowly both setting a time limit on getting out and ensuring players can not return to the safety of spawn.

    I want to point out that these different floors are connected by a ladder. This ladder sucks and I fell off of it many times, hurting myself in the process.

    If you just want to win, stay in spawn. There are health and HEV chargers on the second floor along with a vantage point to shoot at the apache. There is no reason to go outside. There is plenty of reason to avoid outside. Male assassins and human grunts continuously trickle in, landing devastating sniper shots and underbarrel grenades. There is a SAW outside but not a whole lot of ammo. Across the bridge is a missile turret, this is what my goal was for the first half of the map. This is a trap, the turret is hard to aim and fires too slowly to ever actually hit the helicopter. Even if you manage to use it well enemies will snipe and/or lob grenades at you while you are occupied.

    Players aren't given any guns besides revolver, mp5, and shotgun. I mean, we have grenades and satchel charges but how is that good against an apache helicopter? The turrets in the level don't help. Actually downing the helicopter was tedious. Helicopters can't be damaged by bullets except when hitting where the propeller attaches. This is my biggest problem with the map, actually downing the helicopters wasn't all that fun.

    This map works. It is playable, and there is even some fun to be had here. But ultimately it comes down to tedious gunfighting from a position of safety. The turrets are mostly useless.

Pros:

• fun arena layout
• plenty of health and HEV
• plenty of ammo

Cons:

• tedious gameplay
• useless turrets
• bad ladder in spawn tower
• bad weapon selection, boring weapons

Score: 5 / 10