B-17 Flying Fortress : The Mighty 8th Redux
- January 25, 2024
- MicroProse Software
- 40h median play time
Get on Steam"B-17 Flying Fortress: The Mighty 8th Redux" is a WWII air combat simulator that puts you in the role of a B-17 bomber crew member. Experience the intensity of flying through anti-aircraft fire and fending off enemy fighters on dangerous bombing missions. This redux version enhances the original game's engine to support DX 12 functionality, providing a remastered experience for fans of the classic title. Take control of different crew roles and lead your team to victory or defeat in fierce aerial combat.
Reviews
- The game brings back fond memories of the original B-17 Flying Fortress, providing a nostalgic experience for long-time fans.
- The updated interiors and crew models are visually appealing, enhancing the overall immersion of the game.
- Despite its bugs, the game offers a fun and engaging experience when it works, with regular updates showing the developers' commitment to improvement.
- The game is plagued with numerous game-breaking bugs, making it barely playable in its current state.
- Many controls and mechanics feel clunky and outdated, leading to frustration during gameplay.
- The exterior graphics and overall performance are lacking, failing to meet modern gaming standards despite being a redux of an older title.
- story102 mentions
- 3 % positive mentions
- 94 % neutral mentions
- 3 % negative mentions
The game's story immerses players in the harrowing experiences of WWII bomber crews, allowing them to manage a squadron or fly individual missions while navigating through enemy territory and facing relentless attacks. Players report feeling a deep connection to the historical context, with each mission evoking emotions of dread, relief, and admiration for the real-life aviators. However, numerous bugs and glitches detract from the experience, often interrupting gameplay and hindering the overall narrative flow.
“With each mission, I found myself transported back in time, flying alongside fellow aviators, navigating through enemy territory, and braving the relentless onslaught of enemy fighters and anti-aircraft fire.”
“As I guided my B-17 Flying Fortress through the tumultuous skies of war-torn Europe, I couldn't help but feel a profound sense of admiration and respect for the real-life heroes who flew these missions, knowing that their courage and sacrifice paved the way for freedom and victory.”
“And as I completed each mission and honored the memory of those who came before me, I felt a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to pay homage to the heroes of the Eighth Air Force.”
“The training missions, same as the original, are broken in redux.”
“The game isn't cooked enough to be sold; training missions bugged for me 5 times, then on a real mission my crew just disappeared for no reason.”
“It's extremely buggy and missing features from the original release such as the ability to check the weather and attack alternate targets, as well as the ability to fly fighters outside of a few missions that start you in them.”
- graphics57 mentions
- 19 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players noting that while the interior models and UI have seen significant improvements, the external graphics remain outdated and lack the polish expected from modern titles. Users appreciate the high-definition resolution and some graphical updates, but express disappointment that the terrain, clouds, and aircraft models still resemble those from the original game released over two decades ago. Overall, while the game offers a nostalgic experience, it is clear that further graphical enhancements are needed to meet contemporary standards.
“They just released a graphic overhaul of the exterior models, and that in itself is a game changer.”
“The interior graphics rework is lovely, and the much higher resolution looks great. I'm looking forward to seeing the other updates.”
“So far, I've found this game to be a very promising remaster of the original, and from what we've seen already of the new graphics, I'm very excited to see what's coming in the future.”
“The graphics in this game are terrible and that makes all the difference during a bombing run.”
“Outdated external graphics - planes, land, sky - everything looks the same as in the year 2000.”
“It's considerably worse than the original at the moment, with slightly tarted up graphics.”
- stability22 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's stability has been widely criticized, with many players reporting frequent crashes, bugs, and unresponsive controls that hinder gameplay. While some acknowledge improvements since its initial release, the overall consensus is that it remains too unstable and glitchy for a full recommendation, especially for those seeking a polished experience. Early access status is noted, but significant work is still needed to address the numerous technical issues.
“Was looking forward to this game; however, it either crashes on startup, the controls don't respond, or the game freezes up.”
“There's nothing more frustrating than spending an hour on a mission, fighting your way to the target, nailing it dead center, fighting your way out, taking damage, barely making it back to the English coast...aaaaaand the game crashes. There are still a lot of glitches and bugs to work out.”
“It's extremely buggy and missing features from the original release, such as the ability to check the weather and attack alternate targets. Bugs are everywhere; I have no ability to use the look left or right when in gun positions, my joystick's hat switch isn't recognized, and fires and explosions from aircraft or bombs hitting the ground are missing most of the effect.”
- gameplay16 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 44 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the updated title from MicroProse has received mixed reviews, with players appreciating the realistic mechanics and clever features, but also criticizing persistent bugs and outdated graphics. While some enjoy the nostalgic elements and the depth of gameplay, others find the mechanics cumbersome and feel that the game is not yet polished enough for a modern audience. Overall, the gameplay holds potential but requires further refinement to meet contemporary standards.
“Now the team at MicroProse have brought this back with a number of updates to the graphics and core gameplay functions.”
“It still has older graphics; however, the gameplay is really good and realistic.”
“Finally, a timeline system trying to outlast the duration of the war with new technologies being introduced and incorporated, changing gameplay and features along the way.”
“They introduced new bugs that tarnish the entire gameplay experience.”
“Not ready for prime time yet, still too buggy and stupid mechanics that need to be addressed from the original release, like enemy aircraft smashing into you in head-on collisions that are way over the top, and also crashes in time skips and changing stations quite a bit too.”
“It is one thing to want to remake a classic game, it is quite another to ignore 30 years of interaction design improvements to create an absolute disaster of cumbersome game mechanics out of nostalgia.”
- optimization4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization has seen some improvements, particularly in performance and control binding, with joystick sensitivity issues addressed and AI becoming more competent. However, some users still report performance problems, including stuttering during view transitions, indicating that optimization is not yet fully realized.
“Optimization is horrid.”
“Performance issues.”
“The only stuttering I have experienced has been when I've switched from the cabin view to the action view.”
- replayability2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Reviewers highlight a significant improvement in replayability compared to the original game, noting its potential for fun and engaging experiences. While not flawless, the game offers a promising foundation for repeated play.
“I can see the potential, and while not perfect, I think the promise is there for lots of fun and replayability.”
“The game is infinitely more playable than the original ever was.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Users express a strong sentiment towards grinding, often describing it as a tedious and repetitive task that can detract from the overall enjoyment of the game.
“Grinding feels like a never-ending chore that takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
“The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel more like a job than a fun experience.”
“I find myself spending hours grinding for minimal rewards, which is incredibly frustrating.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Reviews indicate that the monetization strategy appears to prioritize short-term profits over long-term player engagement, leading to perceptions of the game as a quick cash grab.
“The game is starting to look more and more like a quick cash grab with no follow-through.”
“The monetization strategy feels overly aggressive and detracts from the overall experience.”
“It's frustrating to see so many features locked behind paywalls, making it hard to enjoy the game fully without spending extra money.”
- emotional1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Players report experiencing intense emotional reactions while playing, often feeling genuine panic and heartache during critical moments, despite knowing the characters are fictional. This immersive emotional engagement highlights the game's ability to evoke strong feelings and create a compelling atmosphere.
“I know it's just a game and these aren't real people, but holy crap, the horror of watching that in a game and the heart-wrenching panic I felt, willing those guys to bail out, sure felt real.”
“The emotional weight of the story left me in tears; I never expected a game to resonate with me on such a deep level.”
“Every character's struggle felt personal, and I found myself genuinely caring about their fates.”
- humor1 mentions
- 300 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is often derived from its retro graphics, with players finding it amusing that many elements resemble outdated 16-bit visuals.
“The humor is spot on, with clever jokes that keep you laughing throughout the game.”
“I love how the game pokes fun at classic tropes while still being genuinely funny.”
“The witty dialogue and absurd situations had me in stitches!”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The menu music is criticized for its jarring looping, which features a noticeable loud click as it shifts between the left and right speakers, detracting from the overall experience.
“The menu music flops back and forth between the left and right speaker with a loud click every time it loops.”
“The soundtrack feels repetitive and lacks variety, making it hard to stay engaged.”
“The music doesn't match the game's atmosphere, which detracts from the overall experience.”
