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.
Reviews
- Fun and nostalgic gameplay reminiscent of classic arcade shooters.
- Visually appealing graphics for a pixel game, with engaging boss battles.
- Short levels make it easy to restart after defeats, keeping the game enjoyable.
- Progression is slow and requires tedious grinding for upgrades and unlocking chapters.
- The game suffers from difficulty spikes, especially in later levels and boss fights.
- As a port from mobile, it lacks optimization for PC, leading to control issues and low resolution.
- grinding6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game is often described as tedious and typical of mobile games, with slow progression that becomes increasingly frustrating over time. While the pay-to-win elements have been removed, players still face significant grinding to unlock content and power up characters, leading to a sense of wasted time. However, some players 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.”
“It's very typically grindy, and appears to have been balanced around the usual mobile model of, 'slow progress unless you pay.' Thankfully, any actual 'pay-to-win' has been stripped from this port, but the grind remains.”
- graphics6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as good for a pixel art style, with a modern touch that evokes an '80s arcade feel. However, some users criticize the design for being poorly aligned and optimized for portrait mode, leading to gameplay issues such as invisible bullets and frustrating controls. Overall, while the visuals have potential, they are marred by significant gameplay flaws.
“Good graphics, especially for a pixel game, along with solid mechanics.”
“Fast-paced game with modern graphics and easy controls that smoothly transition from location to location.”
“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.”
- story4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the game 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. This design choice detracts from the narrative experience, as players are often forced to replay content rather than progressing through the story organically.
“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.”
“In-game currency is needed to unlock each successive chapter in the story, which leads to even more grinding.”
- gameplay2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- -150 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by good pixel graphics and solid mechanics, offering a moderate difficulty level overall. While most levels are manageable, a few bosses and stages provide a more significant challenge.
“The gameplay features good graphics for a pixel game, with solid mechanics and engaging elements.”
“The gameplay offers a moderate difficulty level, with only a few bosses and levels presenting a significant challenge.”
“Gameplay mostly consists of moderate difficulty, with only a few bosses and levels presenting a real challenge.”
“The mechanics feel clunky and unresponsive, making it frustrating to execute basic actions.”
“There is a lack of variety in gameplay, leading to repetitive and uninspired experiences.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization model of the game has been criticized for being poorly adapted from mobile platforms, with a heavy reliance on microtransactions that neglects the interests of single-player PC gamers.
“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.”
“The monetization system feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money to enjoy basic features that should be included in the game.”
“It's frustrating to see a game that could be great, but instead, it's bogged down by constant prompts to purchase in-game currency.”
- music1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received enthusiastic praise from users, highlighting its appeal and enjoyment.
“Love the music!”
“The soundtrack is absolutely captivating and enhances the overall experience.”
“The music perfectly complements the gameplay, creating an immersive atmosphere.”
