Top Gun: Fire at Will

Top Gun: Fire At Will was released by Spectrum Holobyte in 1996 for DOS, Windows, PlayStation, and Mac OS. It was the first Top Gun game published since Second Mission. It is also the only title to feature any actors from the film, with James Tolkan reprising his role as a commanding officer (he is called "Stinger" in the film, but is called "Hondo" in Fire at Will).[1]

The game's overall plot focuses on the player-character, Maverick, going to combat in Cuba, North Korea, and Libya against a secret group of mercenary pilots called the "Cadre."

The PlayStation version differs greatly from the PC versions, emphasizing action over simulation; in particular, take-offs and landings were cut, and the player begins each mission with enemies near at hand, rather than having to hunt them down.[1]

Reviewing the PC version, a Next Generation critic called Top Gun: Fire at Will "a lacking flight sim with lacking video clips holding together a lame plot." While he complimented the variety of missions, the networked multiplayer, and aspects of the graphics, he held to his overall negative assessment of the game.[3]

The PlayStation version received middling reviews. Critics noted that the game is more of an action-heavy, arcade-style shoot 'em up than a realistic flight simulator,[2][4][5] but were divided over whether this unexpected choice of gameplay style was reasonably successful. Some praised the mixture of arcade-style and simulation style gameplay,[2][5] while others criticized the lack of takeoff and landing sequences and the way the controls differ from most flight sims.[2][4] However, critics generally agreed that the graphics are very good,[2][5] and that the enemy pilots are boringly easy to defeat.[2][4][5]

• PC Gamer Vol. 3 No. 5 (1996 May)
• PC Player (Germany) - Mar, 1996
• Computer Gaming World - May, 1996
• Entertainment Weekly - Mar 29, 1996