Virtual Skipper - PC Games

Control of the boat is very simple and with the aid of the on-screen race radar and the boat displays, it doesn't take long to get going. But there does seem to be a lack of controls overall--as the virtual skipper, you basically just steer into the best point of sail and off you go against your virtual opponents. Playing in real time, this does lack the action you might find in a driving sim.

However, you can play in a network regatta, or even participate in tournaments on the Internet, to make you opponents a little more interesting. The weather generators are effective and do have a realistic effect on the boat. Some careful thought has also gone into points of sail, so the handling of the boat is quite realistic, and the boat does respond to the wind and waves as would be expected.

Virtual Skipper is processor hungry, which seems a little unfair considering how simple the game appears. If you are a seasonal sailor you could enjoy taking out a virtual vessel, but the game lacks the excitement of real sailing and the control does leave you wanting more to do. However, the strong multiplayer side of this game makes it original and a welcome change from other sims on the market. --Chris Hall