Rise of Flight: The First Great Air War

 PC
Metascore
77

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 14
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 14
  3. Negative: 0 out of 14
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  1. Games.cz
    Jul 19, 2011
    90
    The best World War I combat flight simulator ever. To hold your airplane in the skies is an easy task. But it will take some time and lot of training to become a real ace. Rise of Flight is heavily inspired by IL-2 Sturmovik's style and it is able to deliver and entertain almost every virtual pilot.
  2. PC Format
    86
    A fantastic WWI flight-sim for the hard-core that might encourage a few others to join the ranks. [Oct 2009, p.93]
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  3. PC Gamer UK
    82
    Has all the ingredients for sim greatness, except a strong singleplayer campaign and a robust number of planes. [Jan 2010, p.108]
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  5. GamingXP
    82
    Rise of Flight really surprised me. If you like hardcore simulations you will get what you want topped with detailed aircrafts and a great physics engine. If you prefer action you should rather pick IL2 Sturmovic: Birds of Prey.
  6. Pelit (Finland)
    81
    Shines in flight and physics modeling as well as the actual combat, but AI and especially the campaign engine could use a lot of further development. Whether or not the engine can handle proper campaigns remains to be seen, however. [Apr 2010]
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  7. Gameplanet
    80
    A meticulously detailed World War One flight and combat simulator that will entertain and enthral devotees with its period accuracy.
  8. IGN
    79
    Rise of Flight has, hands down, some of the best flight modeling and graphics of any sim I've played. Given the lack of good flight sims, that alone is more than enough to justify its presence on my hard drive. But as impressive as the overall visuals and flying are, the campaign system and plane roster just feel more than a little anemic.
  9. Gamers.at
    79
    Rise of Flight offers a great simulation of the planes of WWI, lacks however in terms of campaign design and multiplayer.
  10. GameStar
    77
    Rise of Flight offers great and realistic battles during the First World War, but without a story and variety it's short-lived fun. But there's no comparable game out there where you can just go and fly into battle without much hassle. A joystick is recommended.

Awards & Rankings

66
#66 Best PC Game of 2009
57
#57 Most Discussed PC Game of 2009
23
#23 Most Shared PC Game of 2009

User Reviews

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User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 84 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 59 out of 84
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 84
  3. Negative: 15 out of 84
  1. vongrube
    Aug 26, 2012
    7
    I have ROF, and I am here to tell you WITHOUT A DOUBT that the Fokker Dr1 flight model is NOT accurate! And before you say "how would you knowI have ROF, and I am here to tell you WITHOUT A DOUBT that the Fokker Dr1 flight model is NOT accurate! And before you say "how would you know that?" , let me just say... Because I own one!
    I am the owner of a full size Fokker Dr1 Triplane that I have been flight testing for the past three months. Look up "vongrube" on YouTube and you can watch my flight videos.
    The ROF Dr1 flight model is horrible! Watch my videos. You don't see the nose pitching up and down, or the plane skittering all over the sky. If my plane acted that way on the first test flight, I would probably not have survived the experience. Granted...my plane IS touchy, and unstable...just like the original. But no where close to what ROF depicts! In 35 years as a fixed wing and helicopter pilot I have NEVER flown any aircraft that flies the way ROF depicts their triplane!
    I wish these game designers would actually sit down with REAL pilots of these classic planes and interview them intensly. Then, allow them to fly the simulator and listen to their input. If you really want to know how a plane flies, talk to an actual pilot OF that plane. Stop taking second, third, and fourth hand stories from magazines and books, and then try to interpret the meanings. There are plenty of pilots who fly actual and replica warbirds out there (including myself) who would be more than willing to help out with an accurate flight model simulation.    … Full Review »
  2. EdwardR
    Apr 24, 2011
    10
    Rise of Flight is a first rate flight sim and probably the best all around World War One sim currently available. The graphics areRise of Flight is a first rate flight sim and probably the best all around World War One sim currently available. The graphics are outstanding, and the developer has included a number of scaling options to fit a wide range of PCs. Any standard joystick will work fine for controls. The flight model is very good, with each airplane having its own unique personality - none feels generic. Overall, Rise of Flight recreates the sense of flight better than any sim I've ever played. Just flying the planes is great fun. With a new campaign mode scheduled for the next (free!) update, Rise of Flight is a worthy successor to Red Baron. NOTE: The DRM system has changed substantially since the early reviews. Apart from logging on to install the game, download updates, or change your in-game profile (the nationality of your pilot), the game can be played entirely offline. I go weeks without ever logging on to the server; there's absolutely no need to for day-to-day single-player play.… Full Review »
  3. ZaPPPa
    Jun 16, 2011
    10
    Some of the earlier reviews are out of date and should be re-evaluated. In May 2011 the developer released the 1.019 superpatch that added aSome of the earlier reviews are out of date and should be re-evaluated. In May 2011 the developer released the 1.019 superpatch that added a dynamic campaign to the game and the game has been extremely stable on my machine. This at no extra cost to the customers who already paid.
    The game plays fine with just a simple Logitech Extreme joystick without TrackIR. It supports padlock, snap view and all other normal features. Their business model of having to buy additional playable planes allows the developer to continuously add features to the game instead of creating a new version or new game. Best of all, as a user.. you don't HAVE to buy those planes. The AI will fly them whether you pay for them or not. A free demo is now available that has all features enabled, including the full campaign. The only limit is that only two types of planes are available to the player.
    Pros: The graphics are gorgeous. The planes are a joy to fly and the damage model is impressive. Land a bit rough and see you plane topple over, bend struts and tear cloth. The new campaign really added a lot of atmosphere to the game.
    Cons: AI can be clumsy and needs work.    … Full Review »
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