B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th

About

"B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th" is a WWII flight simulation game that puts you in the role of a B-17 bomber crew chief. Experience the intensity of historically accurate missions over Nazi-occupied Europe, with fierce air battles and precise bombing runs. Manage your crew, customize your bomber, and complete a 25-mission campaign or quick start assignments. Face the challenges of flying in dangerous conditions and evading enemy fighters in this immersive and exciting game.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th screenshot

+10

85%

Audience ScoreBased on 67 reviews

graphics6 positive mentions

The game offers a deep and immersive simulation experience, allowing players to manage a bomber crew or take on various roles within the aircraft.
Despite its age, the game still provides a unique and enjoyable gameplay experience, with a high level of detail and historical accuracy.
Players appreciate the game's complexity and the ability to customize their experience, making it suitable for both casual and hardcore simulation fans.

The game suffers from outdated graphics and controls that can be unintuitive, making it difficult for new players to get into.
Technical issues and compatibility problems with modern systems can hinder gameplay, leading to frustration for some users.
The steep learning curve and reliance on the manual can be off-putting for players who prefer a more straightforward gaming experience.

story
21 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
14%
71%
14%
The game's story immerses players in the harrowing experiences of World War II bomber missions, allowing them to take on various roles, from squadron commander to individual crew member. Players navigate historical scenarios, facing the challenges of planning and executing missions while managing the fates of their crew, which fosters a deep emotional connection and appreciation for the dangers involved. Despite its complexity and steep learning curve, the narrative remains engaging, with each mission offering unique challenges that prevent repetition.
- “This is one of those games that no matter how many years have passed, it still is great fun to play. If anyone has a fascination with World War II bombers or the B-17, this is a great game for you. You can play as a pilot of a single bomber, command a bomber squadron, or even role-play as a crew member of a single bomber and try to last for 25 missions.”
- “But I have to remind you that this mode is the most rewarding as well as punishing because you only mind about your aircraft and crew. When your crew gains a lot of experience from missions, you start to relate to them and treat them as real humans. As weird as this may sound, you'll realize this when one or more of them are KIA or taken as POW, then they will be replaced by newly fresh recruits ranging from skilled to knowing absolutely nothing, brave to being a massive coward.”
- “16th mission in, flak damaged my B-17, missed the target, got attacked by what seems to be the entire Luftwaffe, tail gunner gets shot and dies, barely makes it home, get diagnosed with PTSD. 10/10, would do again.”
- “With out reading it, I bet you will even struggle to find out how to start the mission, let alone control everything the B-17 has to offer...”
- “It tends to be repetitive after a couple of missions.”
- “The controls are messy at first; not a lot of things are clear, and even the training missions just put you in a safe environment and let you do whatever training you're supposed to do. They don't actually say 'now press this button, now do this'; they just assume you know the buttons already.”
graphics
19 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
32%
53%
16%
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as dated, reflecting its 22-year-old origins, with many reviewers noting that while they were impressive at the time of release, they do not hold up well against modern standards. Despite these graphical shortcomings, players emphasize that the gameplay experience remains enjoyable and unique, particularly for fans of flight simulators and historical contexts. Overall, while the visuals may not win any awards today, the game's depth and content are often seen as compensating factors.
- “The graphics may be aged and dated, but this is one that stands the test of time for being great.”
- “Graphics for that time were stunning as I remember it, and while it somewhat struggles today, it still holds up enough to be playable.”
- “Quite simply, this game is the very embodiment of 'graphics don't make the game.' That being said, I think these were stunning graphics for 2000.”
- “The graphics and sounds are dated, as is the physics engine compared to newer games.”
- “I purchased this game; it is a poor game with bad graphics. I don't recommend it.”
- “While this game won't win any awards for graphics these days, the gameplay is still the only one available to my knowledge that centers around the WWII B-17 bomber.”
gameplay
7 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
43%
14%
43%
The gameplay of this WWII B-17 bomber simulator is highly customizable, allowing players to choose between simple and complex mechanics, including operating authentic controls like the Norden bombsight. While the graphics may be dated, the depth and variety of gameplay options make it a standout experience in the genre, offering a unique blend of simulation and accessibility. However, some users have reported issues with keybindings not functioning correctly during actual gameplay.
- “The great thing about this game is that you can play it however you want, focusing on the aspects of gameplay that you find more appealing.”
- “What other game lets you operate a Norden bombsight, navigator sight, and fly a B-17 with almost exact mechanics to the originals?”
- “You can either go with a simpler approach to gameplay, do the full simulation, or anything in between, and enemy/friendly experience can also be adjusted depending on the experience you want.”
- “While this game won't win any awards for graphics these days, the gameplay is still the only one available to my knowledge that centers around the WWII B-17 bomber.”
- “The gameplay is certainly unable to become outdated, and it's among the best of any game I've ever played.”
- “Graphics may be dated but there is no sim out there with gameplay as complex as this for a bomber sim.”
stability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
Overall, users find the game's stability impressive for its age, noting that it runs smoothly without significant issues.
- “For an old game, this is actually pretty good and runs great.”
- “The game maintains a steady frame rate, which enhances the overall experience.”
- “I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs, making it a reliable choice for long play sessions.”