Development of the automobile was slow and science and technology has favored air transportation. Across the strange fragmented land goods and people fly by Zeppelin. But with the growth of air travel and freight a new menace has come into being, the air pirate. It's as one of these new breed of swashbuckling air menaces, one Nathan Zachary, that the player becomes when playing Crimson Skies. The scene is set in a superb opening rendered opening sequence presented in glorious crackling monochrome in the style of 1930s movietone news.
Huge airships fill the air and strangely futuristic retro-fighters swoop between the massive blimps.
At the opening menu the games first problem arises. The menu is backed by a billowing crimson and black flag. Yes it may have seemed a good idea at the time but it brings the menu framerate to its knees. It doesn't fill the player with confidence, having the mouse pointer judder because the menu can only cope with a framerate in single figures. But onto the options.