Search and Rescue

Real helicopters aren't easy to fly, but this game doesn't make it much easier. Search and Rescue is all about Coast Guard realism, and focuses on saving virtual people's lives rather than on blazing chopper battles. Typical tasks might include saving a drowning swimmer and taking him aboard, and can involve flying long routes without any action on the way. We found a joystick is utterly essential--with mouse and keyboard, controlling the copter is a disaster. The helicopter is slow to respond, and commands must be precise, which is absolutely impossible to achieve without a joystick. There are no tutorials or instructions inside the game, although the game's folder contains a picture where the noncustomizable keyboard commands are shown. Graphics and sound are fairly primitive. Gamers who have joysticks and who want to try a bare-bones helicopter simulation might want to give the demo a whirl, but thrill-seekers might want to look elsewhere.