Project Wingman

A beautiful arcade flyer from a tiny 3-man team, Project Wingman is a love letter to the PS2-era Ace Combat games. There are no cut-scenes and you learn the plot through briefings and mission chatter, but the flying, graphics and action are first-rate. Whatever you bag during a mission translates to cash you can spend on new planes in between sorties and -- that's pretty much it. Once you buy a new plane, it's on to the next mission. There are two game modes (the scripted Campaign and a more rogue-like Conquest). but the game-play is pretty much the same between the two (one just has more plot than the other). The engine is silky smooth, the game-play, music and even voice acting -- spot on, and the game eminently customizable (including VR support). It's a great achievement for such a small "studio" and an awesome game for anyone who has ever dreamed of playing AC on their desktop.

Nothing else _CAME_ close. Now Project Wingman does. Core elements of the game are what you would expect, but there's some new innovations in the space. The conquest mode is a breath of fresh air that is reminiscent of the AC:Z days but incorporating more rouge-lite elements and with progression. I haven't explored the controller configuration of the game, but the presence of joystick deadzone calibation gives me hope. You can pick up the game having come directly from any Ace Combat game and instantly feel in control. What minor nitpicks I do have are easily forgiven because it's a very small team, and what they have is an extremely good start.

Project Wingman has the best combat in the flight action genre; aircraft have weight and each has its own feel. Missiles, guns, and an unmatched variety of specialized secondary weapons allow aircraft to be outfitted for any mission and they're all viable. Due to being a one-man development team with help from 2 other guys, the game finds its limits in story and voice acting, but that doesn't matter because the combat and level design are SO DAMN GOOD! There is also a "Mercenary difficulty" that unlocks after finishing the campaign. Instead of just changing damage and health values like some other games, it revamps every level with a different array of enemies, fixing any pacing issues one might have on a raplay. Speaking of replayability, the procedural conquest mode is excellent, with you building up your massive aerial armada while the enemy ramps up to match. Love this game, will be playing it for a LONG time to come and I'm already planning a third playthrough of the campaign with 2-seater aircraft only to absorb the voiced WSO, another first for the genre. Project Wingman shows how one passionate developer can push the boundaries of gaming.

A labor of love by a tiny indie team, Project Wingman is a carefully-crafted homage to the golden age of Ace Combat. With tight controls, a great variety of playable aircraft, and excellent production value, it scratches an itch that Bandai Namco hasn't been able to reach since 2006.