1942: The Pacific Air War
- April 1, 2015
- MicroProse Software, Inc
Get on Steam"1942: The Pacific Air War" is a combat flight simulation game set in the Pacific theater of World War II. Players can choose to fly for either the American or Japanese side, with a variety of aircraft and missions available. The game features both single-player and multiplayer modes, allowing players to engage in dogfights, bombing runs, and other aerial combat scenarios.
Mac OS
PC
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Linux
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Reviews
- The game is a nostalgic classic that many players enjoyed in the 90s, offering a unique flight simulation experience.
- The flight simulator and gameplay mechanics are well-designed, providing a challenging and engaging experience for fans of the genre.
- Despite its age, the game features a variety of scenarios and modes that can still be enjoyable for those who appreciate retro gaming.
- The graphics have been poorly re-implemented, resulting in a significant downgrade from the original SVGA quality, making the game unplayable for some.
- The game suffers from technical issues, including broken sound and compatibility problems with modern systems, leading to frustration for players.
- There is a lack of tutorials or guidance, making it difficult for new players to understand the controls and gameplay mechanics.
- graphics32 mentions
- 22 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have been widely criticized, with many users noting that the once high-quality SVGA visuals have been replaced by poor EGA graphics, making the game nearly unplayable. While some appreciate the nostalgic charm of retro graphics, the overall consensus is that a significant graphical upgrade is necessary for modern playability. Despite the game's solid mechanics and engaging scenarios, the outdated visuals detract from the overall experience.
“The graphics were as good as they get then.”
“I can read the chunky graphic instruments in this sim.”
“(Truth be told, however, I'd rather fly this old sim than, say, later efforts such as MSFS 2 or Pacific Fighters!) But for the graphics -- which are that lovely mid-90's smear of big textured pixels -- Paw's flight model is surprisingly good (if actually a little too punishing), the enemy AI is challenging, and there are many scenarios to choose from.”
“Sadly, the SVGA graphics that I remember have been replaced by some terrible EGA quality graphics that make this game unplayable.”
“I love to revisit old classics and primitive graphics have their charms, but this one has been very poorly re-implemented.”
“I play MSFS, FSX, and MSFS2020 currently, and the graphics here, well, it kind of kills it for me.”
- story8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The game's story revolves around various single missions, including dogfights and bombing runs, as well as a career mode where players create their own pilot and build a reputation through flight missions. Additionally, players can engage in carrier battles, managing air patrols and strike groups against enemy forces. However, some users find the controls confusing and the outdated graphics hinder situational awareness during missions.
“Career pilot: you create your character, flight missions, and make a name for yourself.”
“Carrier battle: you control the carrier and send air patrols, search missions, and strike groups to enemy carriers and bases.”
“Single missions: dogfights, bombing, torpedo attacks, and ground attacks.”
“I have not much experience with flight sims, but I find the controls confusing even after reading the manual. The old graphics and interface make it difficult to have situational awareness in the mission.”
- gameplay4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the flight simulator is highly praised for its excellence, with users suggesting that a modernized version by a capable studio could enhance its appeal while preserving its core simulation elements.
“The flight simulator and gameplay are excellent.”
“Protip: if a studio (I could see Gaijin doing well with this) picked this up and modernized it while keeping all the gameplay and sim elements, they'd be on to a winner.”
- music4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Users have reported significant issues with the music and sound functionality, expressing frustration over their inability to get it to work despite trying various solutions. The suggestion to simply turn off the sound and music has been deemed inadequate and absurd by multiple reviewers.
“Could not get sound and music to work no matter what solution I tried.”
“Sorry, but 'turning the sound and music off' is not a solution... that's just absurd.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game is widely criticized for its instability, with users reporting numerous bugs that significantly detract from the experience. Many feel that the game's performance issues make it a poor value, likening it to a subpar product available on Steam.
“The game is incredibly buggy and feels like a complete rip-off from Steam.”
“The stability issues make it nearly unplayable at times.”
“Frequent crashes and glitches ruin the overall experience.”
