Well I didn't get the chance to play the Beta, so I can't compare the full version to it. But, I did play IL2 for a while, so I know my way around WW2 sims.
I've been playing WoP a bit today, and I have some first impressions:
Pros: Excellent atmosphere and visuals. Challenging campaign and AI. A no ****-er multi-player mode (even though there aren't many people online, If you do get into a match it is a hell of alot of fun...and yes I used hyperlobby in IL2). 3 different difficulties (arcade, realistic, simulation) which can be used in all tutorials, campaign missions, duels, and all MP modes (they even have different leaderboards for the 3 modes). The tutorials are simple, but informative. In the campaign, it gives you the option to take-off at the start, and also gives you essientaly the amount of "lives" to pick (if you crash, just press enter and you're right back into it). In the campaign, when you finish a mission, you can end it there, or fly back to base (which is normally a bad idea, because you're plane is normally torn to bits and won't make it most of the time...or maybe I'm just a bad pilot...). There are plenty of options to pick from in the display and control arena...You have the choice of controlling mixture, prop, and other engine stuff...From the handful of missions I've been through in the campaign, each was unique and immersive (a nice experiance from the mostly boring campaigns in IL2...IMO).
Cons: In sim mode, it is pretty difficult to fly the airplanes...But not as hard as IL2...I think IL2 has the edge in flight dynamics/crazy-flying-stuff, but it's hardly an edge...Most simmers won't care...This isn't really a con, but because the visuals and detail are so dam amazing, it has to be packed into a smaller space. This isn't exact, but I want to guess that each map (in campaign mode) is 300/400km x 300/400km ...and that's a far guesss, it may be nothing near that. It's big enough to where you won't be running into boundries, atleast in my experiance...Again this isn't really a con, I actually prefer it, the sim is so much more immersive this way. A big con I see in the future will be DLC...I hate DLC, I mean look at IL2 1946 and ALL the aircraft you can fly in. WoP has a good amount of aircraft, but nothing to the amount of IL2...I think they will definitly milk us for more aircraft...I don't mind paying a few dollars for another campaign though, or more MP options.
This is it for now, I've only put in a few hours today, so don't take this as a legit review...Just my first impressions, all in my opinion.
Have a good christmas.
