Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight

 Switch
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 10 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 10
  3. Negative: 4 out of 10
  1. Pure Nintendo
    Mar 24, 2019
    75
    I was genuinely surprised by the game’s level of depth outside the cockpit and how much I enjoyed it. If you like simple shooters and sims that extend beyond the tarmac, I’d consider checking this one out.
  2. GameSpace
    Feb 28, 2019
    75
    WarPlanes: WW2 Dogfight offers a fun light-hearted dog fight experience for players. Despite its repetitive mission types and unbalanced visuals, the title still is a fun arcade experience. If your looking for a quick dogfighting flight fix, then it might be worth checking out WarPlanes.

User Reviews

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User Score
5.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 5
  3. Negative: 2 out of 5
  1. Slyderule
    Sep 8, 2020
    9
    I suppose the game's title sets up some incorrect expectations. This is fundamentally a resource-management game where aerial battle is howI suppose the game's title sets up some incorrect expectations. This is fundamentally a resource-management game where aerial battle is how you acquire your basic resources. The only progression is in your squadron equipment and people, airbase facilities, and reserve basic resources. The combat sequences aren't connected to each other.

    You have four basic resources. Gold is mainly used to acquire aircraft, recruit crewmembers, and build aircraft-support facilities like hangars and fuel tanks. Silver is used for routine airfield maintenance costs and for airfield defense equipment, for upgrading aircraft, and for training crewmembers. Either gold or silver can be used for buying gasoline, which is of course used by your aircraft. Prestige points can be used for management training, reducing costs and increasing income. Gold and prestige points can be converted to silver if you need more of that; especially after you've finished all of your management training, it gives you something to do with your prestige points. Occasionally you'll be give the option to convert some of your fuel into a small amount of gold.

    Each combat mission will provide you with some of all four basic resources. There are four types of missions, and each will provide extra of one kind of resource. Attack missions involve air-to-air combat and/or ground attack (basically bombing), and provide extra gasoline. Defense missions are air-to-air combat, defending friendlies against bombers, and provide extra silver (there are some forced missions defending your own airfield). Naval missions involve air-to-air combat and/or attacks against ships (bombing or torpedoes or both, your choice), and provide extra prestige points. Special missions are generally harder versions of attack missions, and provide extra gold.

    And yeah, there's not all that much variation in missions. You've got air-to-air and air-to-ground (or air-to-ship), and what else is there? Some missions are easy, some are hard. Some of the tougher air-to-ground (or ship) missions require that you keep sending your bombers back to reload because there are too many hardened targets to take out with one run... unless you've built up a fleet of impressive bombers.

    The aerial combat is 3D third-person arcade combat. Nobody's going to confuse it with a flight simulator. In "normal" usage, you can use the ZL key to lock on a target, continually track it, and even automatically lead it for your shots. ZL doesn't work on ground targets, and you're not forced to use it on airborne targets. If you want, you can disable the ZL in the Settings menu and get some extra points on the mission.

    Combat management starts with selecting a mission. Then you select which aircraft will go on the mission. If there are air-to-ground or air-to-ship aspects, you'll need to select appropriate bomb loads.

    Once the mission starts, if you've got more than one plane, you have some more management to do. You can select which plane you're controlling at the moment, and tell the other planes what they should do: attack aircraft, attack ground vehicles and installations, or bomb structures or ships. You can give them multiple options, or if you don't assign them anything, they'll just loiter outside of the combat zone. As the mission progresses, you may need to send bombers back for reloading, or send damaged aircraft back to base. All the while dealing with your own plane.

    With Version 2 just released on Switch, there are now five countries you can fly for: America, England, Germany, Russia, and Japan. Each offers a large variety of planes. Each country is like its own game-save slot: you build up your squadron and your management skills separately in each country. Although the countries are basically separate, there is an ability to transfer gold from one country to another.

    Considering the low cost, Warplanes: WW2 Dogfight provides a lot of value. That is, IF you're interested in a resource management game where your "bread-winning" is arcade aerial combat. If you're looking for a strong combat game, this might not be it.    … Full Review »
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