UPDATE February 5th, 2023:
New content has been added to the sim: AH-1Z Viper, APKWS pods (guided 70mm rockets) + fixes and polish!


Original Review:

If you are an older sim enthusiast or grew up in the 80s and 90s, you' probably remember some of the great flight sims of the time. And if names like Microprose or Jane's Combat Simulations evoke memories of the golden era of flight simulations, then this game is for you!

Survey Sim? Sim-Lite? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

Before we go into more detail about Helicopter Gunship D.E.X. (or HGDEX for short), we should first define the terms "survey sim", "sim-lite" or "lo-fi sim".

Back in the 80s and 90s, flight sim devs were very ambitious - but they had to be really creative in order fit the limitations of PCs with limited processing power So while many aspired to deliver a realistic and engrossing experience, simulating every nut and bolt just wasn't feasible back then. Additionally, information about military equipment was limited, so some guesswork was involved.

The resulting experience was one that had a certain level of authenticity, yet was also easy to pick up and learn. Modern "hardcore sims" such as DCS are a prime example of going 'too far' towards realism. Arcade action games, on the other hand, can be fun but lack depth and long-term motivation. Oldschool "survey sims" (as opposed to "study sims") strike a perfect balance between the two. And I am happy to say that HGDEX is firmly rooted in the survey sim category.


A love letter to the zenith of flight simulations

The lone developer of HGDEX cites the likes of Enemy Engaged and Comanche Gold as main inspirations; and it shows in the best way possible! What this means is that specifications for vehicles and their equipment is close to reality, with realistic behavior. Where HGDEX takes artistic liberty to serve gameplay is simplified controls for accessbility.

The developer has even found a way to make this sim accessible for gamepad users. Surprisingly, this does not disqualify HGDEX as being a sim - I can assure you that it is perfectly playable (and probably WAY more fun!) using a joystick or HOTAS. TrackIR is also being supported!
(Side note: I have used both a Saitek X45 and Logitech G940 HOTAS and both work fine.)

A diamond in the rough

Keep in mind that at the time of this review, HGDEX is still in Early Access. If you see any asset that looks rough you can sure that it's a placeholder and will replaced in time. Features and content are being added regularly - the developer aims to release at least one significant update each week.

If you head over to the discussion forums you'll see that the dev is very active and usually offers quick and detailed responses to user questions. And it is also a rare pleasure to see someone who is as open towards feedback!

So if you have concerns about Early Access, I hear you. Chances are you've been burned by EA titles before. There is no guarantee that a title will be developed to your satisfaction or even be completed at all! But if the quality of the current features as well as the developer's dedication are any indication, things are looking good for the future of this sim.

So what's in the box?

There isn't a huge amount of content yet. One of the goals is to have a dynamic campaign, but right now there are only single missions generated by the mission generator. Sortie types include SEAD, Search & Destroy and Strike missions. The number of ground vehicles in the game is also somewhat limited, with one type of AAA (Shilka), SAM (Strela) and MBT (T-62M) each, plus other vehicles such as APCs and armored scout cars (BTR-60 and BRDM-2 respectively).

When it comes to flyable choppers, you get 3 distinctly different helicopters with several models each: 3 different models of Apache, 3 Gazelle versions and 2 different Lynx models are currently playable. Available weapons include Hellfires (Laser & Radar), unguided Rockets, Gunpods and different types of wire-guided missiles (TOW and HOT-3). Additionally, artillery strikes are also available (which are spectacular to use!).
UPDATE 2023-01-23: I forgot to mention that many more flyable choppers are planned: Hind, Viper, Blackhawk, Kiowa, Tiger/Tigre, Bo 105, Alligator/Blackshark, Mi-26, Chinook and more...

Aside from setting things to random, you can set OPFOR difficulty and choose from time of day/night, but weather is currently limited to clear visibility only. As for locations, there is only one available at this time ("lush desert").


Ugh, so many words! I just wanna shoot stuff!

Remember, this is no action game. This IS a sim, even though it is designed to be accessible! Don't fly high and go in guns blazing. Flying low, utilizing cover, evaluating the situation and exposing yourself as little as possible is the name of the game. The flight model is really good and controls are precise, so flying nap-of-the-earth is easy to learn.

At one point you ARE going to be shot at with guns and missiles and will go down sooner or later. But that only means there's more to learn: How can you adjust your approach next time?

tl;dr HGDEX is easy to learn, but already deep enough to provide many hours of fun.

How well does the game perform?

HGDEX performs reasonably well, especially for a game that hasn't seen significant optimization yet. On my machine (Core i7-6700K @4.3GHz, 32 GB DDR4, RTX 3060 Ti) I get between ~48 and 54 FPS at 4K. At slightly lower rendering resolution constant 60 FPS is possible. There are also more gfx options to be added in future updates.

Graphically speaking, you can't expect the level of fidelilty of MSFS 2020 or DCS, of course - but the assets and effects that aren't obvious placeholders are looking pretty good already. I would also like to point out that for a military sim the aesthetics of certain things are more important than sheer fidelity - i.e. the way "hot" units look when viewed through FLIR, how light sources appear in nightvision, the look of weapon impacts. All of these are stylistically consistent and provide a believable, immersive experience. You should still expect some things to look odd or unpolished, though - but that is the nature of the beast that is Early Access.


Verdict and a few personal words

Do I recommend Helicopter Gunship D.E.X.? Yes, I wholeheartedly do! Just understand this is a survey sim, not a hardcore study sim or arcade action game; you can have a lot of fun already!. And if you want to keep up with the latest features and content I recommend looking if a beta version is available (right click the game in your steam library -> properties -> betas), which is where new features and content will be added first. At the time of this review there is a Beta containing an early version of the frontlines feature, and I have spent most of my current playtime in this beta. The game is remarkably stable (no crashes in 11+ hours) and bug-free for an Early Access game, even in its beta release.

On a personal note, I would like to add that this sim already holds a special place in my heart because it reignited my love for flight simulations that I had thought all but lost. For years my various joystick/HOTAS were mostly collecting dust, as the only remaining sims these days were much too hardcore, expensive and time-consuming for me to enjoy; EEAH/EECH community development has ceased almost completely and it is getting increasingly hard to run properly on modern hardware as well... And there aren't many comparable helicopter sims available nowadays. The developer behind HGDEX loves the sims of old just as much as many of us who grew up in the 80s and 90s do, and understands what made them so much fun in the first place. This provides me with hope and confidence regarding the future of this project.

If you love survey sims, give it a chance and I am sure you won't be disappointed!