Retro Game Walkthroughs for Crimson Skies: High Road To Revenge (Xbox)
Submitted By: mikelar
Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge is undoubtedly the best combat flight-sim out there today. Clean, crisp graphics and original, exciting gameplay make the game stand head and shoulders above any competition. However, it may be hard to enjoy the game to it’s full if your constantly being blasted out of the sky. As such, here is some help to aid you in your quest to become the greatest Fortune Hunter that ever didn’t live...
From which planes are the best, the upgrades available to them, the best anti-aircraft gun and damn dirty cheats, I’ve tried to include the most relevant and helpful information to help you complete the game, the next step would probably be me playing the game for you and that just isn’t going to happen.
Anyway, let the fruitful helpfulness begin:
~~The Planes~~
Your choice of plane is vital to completing each mission well in Crimson Skies. The vast array means it can be tricky to determine which plane suits which situation so here is a small guide to help you make the decision of which metal bird you should take to the skies in.
==Dog Fighters==
The dog fighter planes are good all-rounders mixing speed, firepower and armour well to create a deadly combination. Though not proficient in any one attribute, their general handling does give them a slight edge when pulling evasive maneuvers. All the Fortune Hunters fly dogfighters making them a formidable force. Even though you won’t be able to out-fly an Interceptor plane or withstand a prolonged attack from a Zep-killer in a dog fighter, they still shouldn’t but either overlooked or underestimated in battle.
TIP: Dog fighters can handle numerous planes at a time due to balancing armour and fire power well so if you need to take a lot of planes out fast, you should choose a dog fighter plane.
==Interceptor==
The fastest type of plane in Crimson Skies. If you’re trying to get somewhere in a hurry then these planes are your first port of call when making the decision on what to fly. There advantage in speed does mean that they lack, somewhat, in the fire power department but keeping in mind the fact that you can evade attacks (and then counter attack) using the sheer speed, this shouldn’t be a problem.
TIP: Don’t get cornered in the bottom of a canyon or outnumbered in this plane, it’s strictly for swift attacks on one or a small group of planes. If your fighting Zep-killers specifically, use an Interceptor to out-fly them.
==Zep-killers==
The most heavily armoured and packing the most firepower, Zep-killers make for formidable planes. Being bulky, they can’t move as fast as the other planes but they make up for it by being well armoured. The gun on the back of the plane means you won’t be able to tail it for long so use a Dog Fighter or, ideally, an Interceptor to fly side on to Zep-killers to take them down.
TIP: As their name implies, the Zep-killers will destroy an undefended zeppelin in seconds. On missions where you need to take them out fast, use a Zep-killer to attack the zeppelins from below to avoid the guns.
~~Tokens~~
Once you’ve decided on the type of plane you want to fly, your going to want it to be the best of its type out in the skies. As such, you will need to collect the tokens scattered around the levels so that, along with the money you make, you can upgrade your planes parameters to make it faster, stronger and better armoured. There are a few things to keep in mind when collecting tokens though:
+ Tokens revolve when waiting to be collected making them easier to see. Fly slow as not to miss them.
+ Search all buildings, ruins and tunnels, they’re mostly in tricky places to get to.
+ Some tokens will only appear after you complete an objective.
Bare these in mind when searching for the tokens. As to help give you an idea of the amount of tokens that are around when playing the game, here is a list of total tokens for each level:
Mission 1 - A Ship Without a Captain: 10 Tokens
Mission 2 - Man Overboard: 1 Token
Mission 3 - Send 'Em Packing: 3 Tokens
Mission 4 - A Dark Knight: None
Mission 5 - A Mine in the Desert: 9 Tokens
Mission 6 - A Desert Mirage: 1 Token
Mission 7 - A Gift for the Navajo: 3 Tokens
Mission 8 - Soloho and the Three Trials: 1 Token
Mission 9 - The Mystery of the Mine: 1 Token
Mission 10 - A Spider to the Fly: None
Mission 11 - Finding Brooklyn in Chicago: 7 Tokens
Mission 12 - Jail Break: None
Mission 13 - Payback: 2 Tokens
Mission 14 - The Spider Menace: None
Mission 15 - The Lost City: Eight
Mission 16 - The Puzzle of the Sun Circle: None
Mission 17 - Darkness Within: 1 Token
==Upgrages==
After collecting the tokens scattered throughout the levels, you will then have the opportunity to upgrade your plane. Here is the list of all the upgrades made to help you decide which plane you’d like to see souped up [N.B. The planes name is signified by “++”. The “>+/-?>” refer to what that attribute is upgraded and by what number so you can see what effect the upgrade has]:
++Brigand++
Agility: 7 >+2> 9
Speed: 1 >+1> 2
Firepower: 9 >+1> 10
++Bulldog++
Agility: 2 >+2> 4
Speed: 9 >+1> 10
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Coyote++
Agility: 4 >+2> 6
Speed: 6 >+1> 7
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Daulphin++
Agility: 6 >+3> 9
Speed: 3 >+1> 4
Firepower: 7 >-1> 6
++Desert Fox++
Agility: 2 >+2> 4
Speed: 8 >+1> 9
Firepower: 5 >+1> 6
++Devastator++
Agility: 5 >+2> 7
Speed: 5 >+1> 6
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Doppelganger++
Agility: 8 >+2> 10
Speed: 1 >+1> 2
Firepower: 8 >+1> 9
++Dust Devil++
Agility: 4 >+2> 6
Speed: 5 >+1> 6
Firepower: 4 >+1> 5
++Piranha++
Agility: 5 >+2> 7
Speed: 4 >+1> 5
Firepower: 7 >+0> 7
~~MOUNTED GUNS~~
You’ll notice throughout the game the different guns positioned in watch towers, on trains and on trucks. You can fly up to these and press B to enter them. Once inside, you can lay waste any planes that may be circling above. You should keep in mind that the guns don’t rotate very fast so shooting down fast planes can be tricky and that, since the guns mounted on watch towers remain stationary, your an easy target - get out of them when your energy is low. Weighing up the pros and cons of each gun, you should be able to find the one that suits you most:
Missile Launcher
The most powerful of the mounted guns, the Missile Launcher is the weapon of choice when you need to take large groups of planes down fast. Bare in mind however, that the range is limited so you won’t be able to sit thinking you can finish each level in a Missile Launcher. In addition, the slow rate of fire puts the Missile Launcher at a disadvantage in relation to the other guns, especially when you’re trying to shoot down the faster planes.
Cannon
Mixing power with a good rate of fire, the Cannon will fire for as far as you can see making it the best mounted gun in the game. They can take on all types of planes as well as zeppelins down in a feasible amount of time. The Cannon will probably be most useful on the level where you have to guide a train, not only is it positioned centrally on the train giving it a vantage point but it will take the enemy trains out faster than the other guns.
Machine Gun
The fastest yet weakest mounted gun in the game, the Machine Gun is more suited to taking down faster planes where you can pepper the sky with bullets. It’s slightly easier to take planes down in the Machine Gun because you can track ahead of their path, the only problem is that it will take you longer than the other guns.
==Cheats==
If all else fails (and it can quite easily if you’ve got the game on hard) then here are some cheats to help you out. If you just want to upgrade your plane to make it a better all rounder, then just go for some tokens however if you really want to take down some planes, mix god mode with the big guns cheat - show time!
Whilst playing the game, enter these codes:
X, B, X, B, Black :: Extra Tokens (10)
Y, X, B, Y, Black :: All planes Unlocked
B, X, A, B, Black :: Big Time guns (1000 points damage per shot)
A, Y, A, Y, Black :: Money ($5000)
Y, A, X, B, Black :: Godlike mode
X, B, A, X, Black :: Unlock Super Hard Difficulty
From which planes are the best, the upgrades available to them, the best anti-aircraft gun and damn dirty cheats, I’ve tried to include the most relevant and helpful information to help you complete the game, the next step would probably be me playing the game for you and that just isn’t going to happen.
Anyway, let the fruitful helpfulness begin:
~~The Planes~~
Your choice of plane is vital to completing each mission well in Crimson Skies. The vast array means it can be tricky to determine which plane suits which situation so here is a small guide to help you make the decision of which metal bird you should take to the skies in.
==Dog Fighters==
The dog fighter planes are good all-rounders mixing speed, firepower and armour well to create a deadly combination. Though not proficient in any one attribute, their general handling does give them a slight edge when pulling evasive maneuvers. All the Fortune Hunters fly dogfighters making them a formidable force. Even though you won’t be able to out-fly an Interceptor plane or withstand a prolonged attack from a Zep-killer in a dog fighter, they still shouldn’t but either overlooked or underestimated in battle.
TIP: Dog fighters can handle numerous planes at a time due to balancing armour and fire power well so if you need to take a lot of planes out fast, you should choose a dog fighter plane.
==Interceptor==
The fastest type of plane in Crimson Skies. If you’re trying to get somewhere in a hurry then these planes are your first port of call when making the decision on what to fly. There advantage in speed does mean that they lack, somewhat, in the fire power department but keeping in mind the fact that you can evade attacks (and then counter attack) using the sheer speed, this shouldn’t be a problem.
TIP: Don’t get cornered in the bottom of a canyon or outnumbered in this plane, it’s strictly for swift attacks on one or a small group of planes. If your fighting Zep-killers specifically, use an Interceptor to out-fly them.
==Zep-killers==
The most heavily armoured and packing the most firepower, Zep-killers make for formidable planes. Being bulky, they can’t move as fast as the other planes but they make up for it by being well armoured. The gun on the back of the plane means you won’t be able to tail it for long so use a Dog Fighter or, ideally, an Interceptor to fly side on to Zep-killers to take them down.
TIP: As their name implies, the Zep-killers will destroy an undefended zeppelin in seconds. On missions where you need to take them out fast, use a Zep-killer to attack the zeppelins from below to avoid the guns.
~~Tokens~~
Once you’ve decided on the type of plane you want to fly, your going to want it to be the best of its type out in the skies. As such, you will need to collect the tokens scattered around the levels so that, along with the money you make, you can upgrade your planes parameters to make it faster, stronger and better armoured. There are a few things to keep in mind when collecting tokens though:
+ Tokens revolve when waiting to be collected making them easier to see. Fly slow as not to miss them.
+ Search all buildings, ruins and tunnels, they’re mostly in tricky places to get to.
+ Some tokens will only appear after you complete an objective.
Bare these in mind when searching for the tokens. As to help give you an idea of the amount of tokens that are around when playing the game, here is a list of total tokens for each level:
Mission 1 - A Ship Without a Captain: 10 Tokens
Mission 2 - Man Overboard: 1 Token
Mission 3 - Send 'Em Packing: 3 Tokens
Mission 4 - A Dark Knight: None
Mission 5 - A Mine in the Desert: 9 Tokens
Mission 6 - A Desert Mirage: 1 Token
Mission 7 - A Gift for the Navajo: 3 Tokens
Mission 8 - Soloho and the Three Trials: 1 Token
Mission 9 - The Mystery of the Mine: 1 Token
Mission 10 - A Spider to the Fly: None
Mission 11 - Finding Brooklyn in Chicago: 7 Tokens
Mission 12 - Jail Break: None
Mission 13 - Payback: 2 Tokens
Mission 14 - The Spider Menace: None
Mission 15 - The Lost City: Eight
Mission 16 - The Puzzle of the Sun Circle: None
Mission 17 - Darkness Within: 1 Token
==Upgrages==
After collecting the tokens scattered throughout the levels, you will then have the opportunity to upgrade your plane. Here is the list of all the upgrades made to help you decide which plane you’d like to see souped up [N.B. The planes name is signified by “++”. The “>+/-?>” refer to what that attribute is upgraded and by what number so you can see what effect the upgrade has]:
++Brigand++
Agility: 7 >+2> 9
Speed: 1 >+1> 2
Firepower: 9 >+1> 10
++Bulldog++
Agility: 2 >+2> 4
Speed: 9 >+1> 10
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Coyote++
Agility: 4 >+2> 6
Speed: 6 >+1> 7
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Daulphin++
Agility: 6 >+3> 9
Speed: 3 >+1> 4
Firepower: 7 >-1> 6
++Desert Fox++
Agility: 2 >+2> 4
Speed: 8 >+1> 9
Firepower: 5 >+1> 6
++Devastator++
Agility: 5 >+2> 7
Speed: 5 >+1> 6
Firepower: 6 >+1> 7
++Doppelganger++
Agility: 8 >+2> 10
Speed: 1 >+1> 2
Firepower: 8 >+1> 9
++Dust Devil++
Agility: 4 >+2> 6
Speed: 5 >+1> 6
Firepower: 4 >+1> 5
++Piranha++
Agility: 5 >+2> 7
Speed: 4 >+1> 5
Firepower: 7 >+0> 7
~~MOUNTED GUNS~~
You’ll notice throughout the game the different guns positioned in watch towers, on trains and on trucks. You can fly up to these and press B to enter them. Once inside, you can lay waste any planes that may be circling above. You should keep in mind that the guns don’t rotate very fast so shooting down fast planes can be tricky and that, since the guns mounted on watch towers remain stationary, your an easy target - get out of them when your energy is low. Weighing up the pros and cons of each gun, you should be able to find the one that suits you most:
Missile Launcher
The most powerful of the mounted guns, the Missile Launcher is the weapon of choice when you need to take large groups of planes down fast. Bare in mind however, that the range is limited so you won’t be able to sit thinking you can finish each level in a Missile Launcher. In addition, the slow rate of fire puts the Missile Launcher at a disadvantage in relation to the other guns, especially when you’re trying to shoot down the faster planes.
Cannon
Mixing power with a good rate of fire, the Cannon will fire for as far as you can see making it the best mounted gun in the game. They can take on all types of planes as well as zeppelins down in a feasible amount of time. The Cannon will probably be most useful on the level where you have to guide a train, not only is it positioned centrally on the train giving it a vantage point but it will take the enemy trains out faster than the other guns.
Machine Gun
The fastest yet weakest mounted gun in the game, the Machine Gun is more suited to taking down faster planes where you can pepper the sky with bullets. It’s slightly easier to take planes down in the Machine Gun because you can track ahead of their path, the only problem is that it will take you longer than the other guns.
==Cheats==
If all else fails (and it can quite easily if you’ve got the game on hard) then here are some cheats to help you out. If you just want to upgrade your plane to make it a better all rounder, then just go for some tokens however if you really want to take down some planes, mix god mode with the big guns cheat - show time!
Whilst playing the game, enter these codes:
X, B, X, B, Black :: Extra Tokens (10)
Y, X, B, Y, Black :: All planes Unlocked
B, X, A, B, Black :: Big Time guns (1000 points damage per shot)
A, Y, A, Y, Black :: Money ($5000)
Y, A, X, B, Black :: Godlike mode
X, B, A, X, Black :: Unlock Super Hard Difficulty