Drop Ship Video Game

To most people, this would sound like you're being restricted to some transport helicopters. However, there is so much more depth to enjoy in this game. There's battle and transport, as well as a multiplayer mode that lets you get in on the action with friends too!

Drop Ship Video Game Mini Review

Dropship: United Peace Force has been available for quite some time now, having been originally released for the PS2 back in 2002. As such, the video game graphics and renders aren't quite as crisp and detailed as the intense visuals you find on the current generation of video game consoles like the Sony PlayStation 3 and the Microsoft Xbox 360. In fact, even at the time of its release, the Drop Ship video game was said to have mediocre graphics.

But, that shouldn't necessarily steer you away from this flight simulation game. As mentioned above, the aircraft that you will be piloting in this game often serve dual functions and for most of the missions, you will be taking on both roles at some point. You may start out in some sort of attack formation, using your plan as a fighter, but then you will also be given the task of retrieving survivors from a particular location and transporting them to another location. The aircraft in the game vary in size considerably, with the largest being compared to "a flying tugboat." Naturally, the smaller fighters are much more nimble and agile.

In terms of the video game controls, you'll find yourself right at home if you've ever played another flying game on the PS2. Using the left analog stick, you adjust the pitch and roll, whereas the L2 and R2 buttons are used to control your yaw. This is while you are in "flight mode". When it comes time to act as a transport, you'll need to enter hover mode so that you can rise and fall in a perfectly vertical fashion. To gain altitude, press the L1 and R1 buttons simultaneously; to descend, press the L2 and R2 buttons.

It's this sense of variety, combined with the realism and complexity involved with keeping track of your AI-controlled allies that has given Dropship such a positive reception among the flight-loving PS2 gaming community.

Drop Ship vs. Drop Shipping

To clarify, there are several meanings that can arise when one is discussing a drop ship or drop shipping. In military and science fiction terms, a drop ship is a mode of transportation -- typically airborne -- that is designed to carry infantry and other soldiers into and out of the battlefield. We've seen instances of drop ships in many video games, television shows, and movies. For example, they were deployed in the movie Starship Troopers as well as the PS3 first-person shooting game Resistance: Fall of Man.

By contrast, drop shipping is a procedure used in the warehousing and retail world wherein customers order a product from a retailer, but they have the product delivered to them directly from the wholesaler. In this way, the retail outlet does not need to carry any physical stock. Instead, if there is a physical storefront, there will likely only be a catalog or a few sample items available for viewing by the customers. If it just an online store where people can buy things over the Internet -- like computer games -- then they do not need to carry any stock at all.

Other Popular Flight Simulator Games

If you enjoyed the Drop Ship video game for the PS2 because its intense realism, variety of missions, and fun control schemes, then you may want to check out some of these other flight simulator games.

For people who are less inclined to deal with the "battle" side of things, there is the Microsoft Flight Simulator for the PC. There are various versions of this simulation game out there for you to consider, so if you are just starting out, it might be in your best interest to buy an older copy so that you can take it for a test drive and save yourself a few bucks. The most current edition will usually sell for around $60. On a side note, there is also the Microsoft Combat Flight Simulator game if you're more about dog fights.

On the PlayStation 2, there is also the Ace Combat series. As you can probably guess, these games don't involve much in terms of transporting individuals. Instead, it's all about mid-air fighter jet battles!