QuoteThe flight sim genre may be flying under the radar these days, but Ubisoft's IL-2 Sturmovik franchise has consistently captured critical accolades from the series' beginning in 2001. Having taken 2010 off after 2009's well-regarded multiplatform installment Birds of Prey, the franchise will return later this year, as Ubisoft announced today that IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover will be available for the PC on March 22 in the US.

As its name suggests, Cliffs of Dover primarily concerns itself with the British skies during World War II, as the Royal Air Force sought to defend Queen and Country against the German Luftwaffe and Italian Regia Aeronautica in 1940. In particular, the game will be set over London and other southern England locations, Northern France, and Belgium, with "thousands of historical cities, towns, roads, airfields, radar stations, ports, and industrial areas" all featured in the game.

Players will have access to more than a dozen aircraft designed to replicate those from the period, including true-to-life damage modeling. An additional 13 non-playable aircraft will also be in the game.

Cliffs of Dover will feature a single-player campaign mode from the perspective of the Royal Air Force. The game's multiplayer modes feature standard deathmatch-style battles, as well as a persistent 128-player match with an indeterminate end time.

Gamers interested in preordering IL-2 Sturmovik: Cliffs of Dover can do so through the publisher's website. Those who do will receive a free copy of Silent Hunter III, which received a strong critical response upon its release for the PC in 2005.