BlueMax4195, Don't think Il2-Sturmovik, think Il2-on-steriods
* I watched the trailer on the home page for IL-2 Cliffs of Dover. - The trailer was made with the original graphics & sound engine. Graphics & sound have improved markedly since then. Why 1C still have the original trailer on their site is a mystery to me?
* Sound are those of the original Il2-Stumovik. - No, They are much, much better.
* Has "update" been released? - Last update was Nov 2011, another update is expected in the relatively near future.
* what should I look for when purchasing the game to ensure I get the latest upgrades? - COD upgrades itself via steam. There is nothing to look for, just need to purchase game.
Or are the upgrades something that will end up having to be downloaded? - see above.
I guess I kind of need a good reason to spend the money for this game, but right now I'm still kind of on the fence as I stated. - If you like Il2-Sturmovik you will probably also like COD (notwithstanding bugs & other issues). The biggest problem may be your computer. COD is quite graphics intensive so a good CPU & GPU are required.