The game captures the essence of the tabletop experience with engaging turn-based aerial combat mechanics.
Visually appealing graphics and attention to detail on aircraft models enhance the Warhammer 40,000 atmosphere.
The simultaneous turn system adds a layer of strategic depth and excitement to gameplay.
The game feels unfinished and lacks significant content, with minimal customization options and a barebones campaign.
Controls and UI are clunky, making it difficult to manage aircraft effectively during gameplay.
The absence of voice acting and a cohesive narrative detracts from immersion, leaving the experience feeling hollow.
story
150 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
9%
80%
11%
The game's story is largely criticized for being minimal and lacking depth, with many reviewers noting that it consists mainly of basic premises without any engaging narrative or player choices. The campaign is described as a series of repetitive, barebones missions that fail to create a compelling storyline, often feeling like standalone scenarios rather than a cohesive campaign. Overall, players express a desire for more narrative elements, customization options, and a more structured gameplay experience.
“Scenarios are closer to traditional campaign - there is always some story before the battle and they are pretty diverse (small skirmishes like saving 2 planes surprised by 4 orc dakkajets or big battle like the battle of Arcalan Pass where you also operate Hydra anti-air mobile artillery and you have to save 5 Leman Russ tanks running from the orc army chasing them - you can control only Hydras and airplanes, not the tanks).”
“Campaign itself is non-linear, you choose at the start the difficulty and how long it should be (10-30 points, after wins you get more points to reach the bar slowly to the right which means you are going to have air superiority=win) and then you just choose which 'custom' mission to play (there are some rules like you can invest some small amount of progress back to choose different type of mission for example, or you can improve your pilots a bit after they gain some experience and gain ace status).”
“- exciting (or should I say nerve-wrecking) campaign with progression, permadeath and sandbox missions.”
“There are no voices, little story, next to no customization, and what takes place in combat is confusing.”
“The campaign is just a bunch of barebones missions cobbled together, no real story or stakes... it's just boring.”
“There's no real story or narrative here other than the basic premise of 40k.”
gameplay
78 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
31%
65%
4%
The gameplay of the game features exhilarating dogfights and strategic depth, appealing to fans of air combat, though it requires a willingness to learn its mechanics. While some players find the core loop engaging, others criticize it for being slow, confusing, and lacking in customization options, leading to a mixed reception overall. Despite its flaws, many reviewers see potential for improvement and express hope for future updates to enhance the gameplay experience.
“Despite these issues, the core gameplay mechanics shine with exhilarating dogfights and strategic depth.”
“Gameplay is good and you need to take your time learning and experimenting; once you do, it's so fun to make 3 kills in 1 turn.”
“I was fortunate to participate in the closed beta of the game, and despite only two scenarios being offered, I found the gameplay very engrossing and wound up putting 10+ hours into the game - replaying those scenarios to try to get the highest score possible, or playing them against a friend.”
“The core gameplay loop consists of setting orders before watching 5-10 second clips of action while both sides move before repeating until either twelve turns are up or everyone is dead.”
“Disappointing to say the least, the game lacks any kind of gameplay bar the dogfight mode; managing the squadron just revolves around rolling the dice for abilities, there is no customization, pilots can fly anything, and you can't change what you bring into the fight.”
“I was already bored on the tutorial; while it started promising, there was too much information, too much to read; the gameplay is really slow and more frustrating than fun; the UI and HUD are confusing and the goals unclear.”
graphics
28 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
36%
50%
14%
The graphics in the game are generally described as decent, with some users appreciating the artwork and visuals while noting that the combat animations can be juddery and fast-paced, making it hard to follow the action. While the graphics options are considered limited, many feel they are adequate for the game's style and gameplay, with some praising the overall presentation as well put together. Overall, the graphics receive mixed reviews, with some users rating them highly for the price point.
“I'm giving this game a recommended if you can get it cheap, also for all the work that went into the artwork, which is very pretty.”
“Visuals are nice, respecting the actual models, the terrain isn't shiny but it gets the job done, all in all very well put together.”
“Graphics - 10/10 (for that price)”
“In-game UI is weird and unwieldy, arena size is way too small for this kind of game (every fight's a dogpile). The graphics are okay, but the combat animations are juddery and go so quickly one after another that there's no way to really tell what's going on.”
“The menus and the in-game graphics settings feel like something I could create myself in Unity.”
“It's extremely bare, it feels clunky (which is okay). The graphics are okay, but the mechanics are a bit cluttered and reflective of the tabletop counterpart.”
music
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
5%
75%
20%
The music in the game has been widely criticized for being lackluster and uninspired, with many reviewers noting that the soundtrack feels like a generic, royalty-free offering rather than the high-quality compositions typically associated with the Warhammer 40k franchise. Additionally, the absence of voice acting and the limited audio options contribute to a dull auditory experience, leaving players feeling unengaged during both gameplay and menus. Overall, the music fails to enhance the game's atmosphere or provide any memorable moments.
“The audio options consist of the ability to mute all sound, disable the music, and a variety of sliders for volume settings.”
“The soundtrack is boring and feels like the royalty-free version of the typically great offerings other 40k games give us.”
“The soundtrack is merely there, failing to offer any enrichment of what is playing out on screen.”
“There are no voices in the game, so you're left with a very mellow soundtrack with the beep-booping of menu options.”
optimization
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
21%
50%
29%
Overall, the game's optimization is severely lacking, with users reporting significant stuttering, frame drops, and a general feeling of poor performance, even on high-end systems. The camera controls and HUD customization options are also criticized for being inadequate, contributing to a frustrating user experience. While the game is stable at launch, the optimization issues overshadow its potential.
“I'll start this game off with about the only positives I can come up with: it appears to be a stable release without the performance issues seen on some YouTube pre-release footage.”
“The barebones menus and unoptimized performance are frustrating to deal with out of the box, and the tutorials don't teach you some of the most important lessons of the game.”
“The barebones menus and unoptimized performance are frustrating to deal with out of the box, and the tutorials don't teach you some of the most important lessons of the game.”
“Optimization is non-existent.”
“It's a janky, poorly optimized mess that feels like a mobile game.”
“Yet the optimization is not very well done, with stuttering and consistent frame drops on my relatively high-end computer.”
stability
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game's stability is a mixed bag; while some players appreciate its fun gameplay and find it less buggy than many other titles from the same developer, others report persistent glitches and a lack of updates, leaving it feeling unpolished. Overall, it appears to be in a beta-like state, requiring players to tolerate its instability.
“Been a while since it came out and it's a buggy, glitchy mess still.”
“What's there is fun for a beta but it is severely unpolished, buggy, and is not receiving updates.”
“Unlike 90% of other game workshop games, I don't feel this one is a complete bug-ridden mess, but you need to like air combat and be willing to learn the gameplay.”
atmosphere
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
25%
25%
The atmosphere of the game is highly appreciated by Warhammer 40k fans, who find the battle scenes immersive. However, outside of combat, the experience is diminished by the presence of a faceless character and a lack of engaging visuals, leading to a loss of immersion.
“If you're into Warhammer 40K, you will enjoy the atmosphere of this game.”
“Atmosphere: While I can find immersion in battles, as soon as I leave them, my suspension of disbelief is shattered, as I am met by a faceless character on a silent blue screen.”
replayability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
50%
The game has a moderate level of replayability, with users noting that it is fun and addictive, encouraging multiple playthroughs. However, the overall rating of 5/10 suggests that while enjoyable, it may not offer enough variety or depth to keep players engaged long-term.
“The game is fun, replayable, and addicting.”
“The game is fun, replayable, and addicting.”
“The game offers endless replayability with its diverse gameplay options.”
humor
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is initially amusing, providing some light-hearted moments, but it can quickly become frustrating, especially in a strategy context where players feel their careful planning is undermined. Reviewers suggest that while the comedic elements are enjoyable, there is potential for deeper and more consistent humor throughout the gameplay.
“It's funny the first few times but deeply frustrating in a strategy game when you're robbed of the ability to 'make your own luck' to an extent through careful planning and positioning of that sniper, and leaving the assault in the wings to flank that muton or whatever.”
monetization
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The monetization strategy is perceived as a cash grab, lacking effort and thought, which ironically aligns with the essence of the tabletop game it is based on.
“In short, it seems like a cash grab with not much effort or thought behind it, which is the most faithful thing it can be to the tabletop game it's based on, if I'm being honest.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews indicate that the grinding aspect in most 40k games is often accompanied by repetitive and overly dramatic voice acting, which can become tedious for players over time.