F-22 Lightning III

F-22 Lightning III is a combat flight simulation game developed and published by NovaLogic for PC, released in 1999. The third entry in NovaLogic's F-22 line, following F-22 Lightning II and F-22 Raptor, it puts the player in the cockpit of the Lockheed Martin F-22 fighter across a series of mission-based campaigns. In keeping with NovaLogic's house style, the game favored accessibility and fast, action-oriented play over hardcore systems-level realism, with straightforward controls, customizable keyboard and joystick mapping, and a generous loadout that included external hardpoints and a wide range of munitions. NovaLogic was known through the 1990s for accessible military games such as the Comanche and Delta Force series, and the F-22 titles applied that same philosophy to modern jet combat. The game's standout feature was online multiplayer through NovaLogic's free Novaworld service, which supported large-scale matches of up to 128 players in deathmatch and team modes, along with cooperative play and an in-game voice-over-network feature. Its visuals, weather, and lighting effects were praised at release, and its low price made it an easy recommendation for players who wanted fast multiplayer dogfighting rather than a study sim. Novaworld, like many online services of its era, has since shut down, taking the game's signature multiplayer with it. POCG reviewed F-22 Lightning III in 1999.