Aces of the Luftwaffe
- May 8, 2015
- HandyGames
Get on Steam
Get on Apple StoreIn "Aces of the Luftwaffe," become a fighter pilot during the Battle of Britain, battling waves of Axis planes and tanks, including elite ace pilots. Upgrade your plane and pilot, utilize power-ups, and complete bombastic missions to thwart the occult plans of the Luftwaffe. The game features thousands of enemy air planes, super tough bosses, and intense action.
iPad
iPhone
PC
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Playstation 4
Windows
Mobile Platform
PlayStation
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Reviews
- Unique and enjoyable boss fights that provide a high degree of challenge.
- Simple gameplay is easy to learn, making it accessible for players.
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic SHMUPs like 1942/1943.
- Way too much necessary grinding for upgrades, making progression tedious.
- Unvaried gameplay becomes monotonous and boring rather quickly.
- Visual language can be confusing, especially during chaotic moments, making it hard to read the screen.
- grinding13 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is widely criticized for being tedious and monotonous, particularly as progression slows significantly after the initial hours. While the game avoids a pay-to-win model, players still face a substantial grind to power up pilots and unlock story chapters, leading to a repetitive experience. However, some users have found a workaround by editing the save file to bypass the grind.
“Grinding medals to power up your pilots and unlock campaigns is downright tedious sometimes.”
“While not bad for the first hour or so, the progression soon slows down and then the grind gradually kicks in to become a tedious waste of time.”
“[Way too much necessary grinding, unvaried gameplay becomes monotonous and boring rather quickly; lack of flair makes it look like a flash game.]”
- graphics12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally considered good for a pixel art style, with a modern touch reminiscent of '80s arcade visuals. However, some players note issues with alignment and resolution orientation, particularly for portrait mode, which detracts from the overall experience. While the graphics are appealing, they are overshadowed by gameplay concerns such as poor controls and level design.
“Fast game with modern day graphics with easy controls that moves from location A to B to C and so on.”
“The graphics fill the first half of the screen and nothing lines up.”
“It clearly looks like it was designed for a tall resolution (i.e. holding your phone in portrait mode to play), as all the graphics are oriented that way, if you look closely.”
“The graphics are very '80s arcade' and the sound is decent.”
- story10 mentions
- 20 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is hindered by a paywall, requiring players to use in-game currency to unlock missions and chapters, which leads to repetitive grinding of easier missions. While the narrative touches on historical themes, such as the consequences of war, the monetization model detracts from the overall experience, making progression feel tedious.
“One interesting point to note: allied pilots got to go home after a fixed number of combat missions.”
“It needed this story to tell the truth about how Germany eventually lost the war.”
“Since it was originally designed to have micro-transactions, it has a progressively steep price for upgrades, which forces you to grind easier missions over and over again.”
“Also, in-game currency is needed to unlock each successive chapter in the story, which leads to even more grinding.”
“My biggest dislike of this game is that you have to pay in-game currency for missions; the boss does drop a large amount of medals, but if you don't have enough, well, go replay missions.”
- gameplay6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by good pixel graphics and simple mechanics, offering a moderate difficulty level with a few challenging bosses that provide rewarding progression. However, some players find the experience marred by excessive grinding and monotonous gameplay, leading to a lack of engagement over time. Overall, while there are enjoyable elements, the gameplay can feel repetitive and lacking in variety.
“Gameplay mostly features a moderate difficulty, with only a few bosses and levels presenting a hard challenge.”
“[Unique and enjoyable boss fights, simple gameplay is easy to learn, high degree of challenge makes any kind of progression feel rewarding].”
“Good graphics, especially for a pixel game, along with solid mechanics.”
“The gameplay is mostly of moderate difficulty, with only a few bosses and levels presenting a hard challenge.”
“There is way too much necessary grinding; the unvaried gameplay becomes monotonous and boring rather quickly, and the lack of flair makes it look like a flash game.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been criticized for being poorly adapted from its mobile origins, with a heavy reliance on microtransactions that neglects the interests of single-player PC gamers. This has led to frustration among players who feel that their experience is compromised by aggressive monetization strategies.
“Yet another mobile game thrown onto Steam without the microtransactions business model properly taken care of and zero consideration for the single-player PC gamer who, in good faith, shows an interest in the game.”
- music2 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received enthusiastic praise from users, with many expressing their love for it.
“Love the music!”
