When it comes to military history, World War II historians will quickly point out well-known battles that not only took place on the battlefields but also above them. Then again, there were missions and battles the War Department has kept hidden from the public as classified missions. This is the premise behind Ubisoft’s second helping of aerial combat action with Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII for the PlayStation 3. Fans of the first game will find themselves gladly flying the unfriendly skies once again despite the fact that this one still has its share of problems.

The sequel doesn’t continue the story told in Blazing Angels: Squadrons of WWII but rather it tells a new story that has you assuming the role of an American ace combat pilot named Captain Robinson. You see, the good Captain has accepted the command of a small squadron to complete a number of dangerous and highly classified missions to stop the German war machine and - most importantly - it’s secret weapons division that plans to unleash a few new deadly prototypes. It’s up to the Captain and his small band of fighter pilots to take on a number of interesting and diverse missions.

The story in Secret Missions of WWII is told through graphic novel-styled panels that introduce a small number of characters but it is through Capt. Robinson that we see the action that takes place above a number of key locations including Egypt. The game’s basic flight tutorial begins in another time as the then-retired captain takes to the skies in an air show and suddenly reminisces about his most hairy combat situation over enemy territory. It is then that we follow the captain on his secret missions. One such mission, for instance, introduces a female Allied spy you must fly towards a moving train just so she can jump from your plane and onto the train that holds a Nazi secret.

There are a number of surprisingly enjoyable mission scenarios and side missions that are just as fun as the extra missions in the first game. You’ll be swooping down to bomb or shoot at an enemy camp or destroy a convoy of trucks headed to an enemy base. The best part about this sequel is that the secret operation - known as Operation Wildcard - you are given the freedom to complete the mission any way you see fit and that includes destroying anything and everything that might aid the Germans. The 18 missions will have you flying over Moscow to help keep the Nazi forces back or attempting to take down a well-guarded zeppelin. You will even go on bombing runs, which is one of the game’s finer moments.

Once again, the flight controls make this a fairly simple game for beginners and veterans to simply pick up a controller and begin flying like a true ace. You’ll begin with limited weaponry and a few choices in the aircraft department but at the game progresses you can pick a number of aircrafts as well as classified prototypes. You’ll earn extras such as bombs in order to complete bombing runs. The problem is that unlike the first game this game is actually too easy. It’s quite possible to zip through the game quickly and make short work of the enemy that occasionally will do a good job trying to shoot you down but mostly they don’t do a good job of attempting to shake you off. It’s almost like they want to get shot down. This, of course, makes the game far too easy to complete.

Secondly, your very own squad is able to take orders but they don’t perform the way you would like them to perform and are thus no help at all. The only real help comes in the form of real players (offline co-op) and that also goes for find a challenge (online) because real players actually do try to shake you off. Online, the game runs at a steady framerate without stutter and there are a number of fun multiplayer game types.

As far as the graphics are concerned, Blazing Angels 2 is no slouch when it comes to displaying some sharp visuals but somehow they’re not as gorgeous as they could have been but at least they outshine the first game. From afar, the visual effects dazzle and the aircrafts look nicely detailed although they still don’t show damage. Sadly, up close though you will encounter a few jaggies and slightly blocky buildings if you fly too close to a city or town. The improvements are there and it’s still good to see the black puff of smoke a downed plane leaves behind or watching enemy planes explode.

There is a decent soundtrack here that isn’t as beautifully orchestrated as other WWII-themed games but the real gripe I have with the score is that it repeats often in the game. If a mission goes too long, the soundtrack will loop and get tiresome very quickly. At least the voice acting is not bad and the sound effects really sound good when you play this game with a good sound system.

Blazing Angels 2: Secret Missions of WWII for the PlayStation 3 is an improvement over the first game but it still has a lot to go considering this one is far from the perfect aerial combat game. The game’s few problems are considerably noticeable but so are the game’s good qualities such as the great single-player missions and the solid multiplayer mode that makes this a fun flight-combat game fans of the genre will certainly like long enough to see the campaign all the way through.

Gameplay: 7.0
The flying controls are purely arcade quality so there are no realistic engine sputters or fuel problems in the game. The aerial combat is designed wonderfully enough but it is ruined by unreliable squad mates and a difficulty setting that makes the game easy even for first time gamers. At least there’s co-op and good online multiplayer.

Graphics: 8.0
Visually, Blazing Angels 2 looks good but it doesn’t push the PS3 to its limits as seen in the game’s backgrounds. From afar the aircrafts look great but up close things don’t look as good. At least the visual effects light up the screen and explosions look decently enough.

Sound: 7.0
The game’s soundtrack isn’t epic nor is it as grand as the one featured in the first game but the bad part is that it repeats throughout the game in a loop. The voice acting is actually good and the sound effects do a somewhat decent job of driving home the feeling that you’re in the middle of a major battle.

Difficulty: Easy
Even if you play the game in its hardest difficulty setting, this game is relatively easy with mission objectives that are far too simple to complete. The enemy AI can be a bit inconsistent throughout the game so air combat can be unrealistically easy.

Concept: 7.0
The single-player game’s story and missions are intriguing and the various secret missions will have you in a number of exotic locales as you attempt to thwart Germany’s quest for world domination. You’ll get to fly a number of fighters, including some classified aircrafts. There’s online multiplayer and an excellent new co-op mode.

Multiplayer: 7.5
Online the game flows smoothly thanks to a framerate that’s just as good as the single-player portion. Up to 16 players can take each another on in a Dogfight deathmatch game as well as racing action. There are co-op game modes for two players and it is handled well enough. You can even communicate with members of your own squad via headsets.

Overall: 7.0
As a sequel, Blazing Angels 2 is a much better game than the original but its few problems keep this game from being an excellent arcade-styled aerial combat game for the PS3. While the missions are fun and the online multiplayer more than adequate, the game can be completed with very little trouble. If you enjoyed the first game you will certainly like this one even more.