Battlestations: Midway

65%
Game Brain Score Based on 392 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Battlestations: Midway Game Cover
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Battlestations: Midway is a WWII-themed game that combines action and strategy. Players can control over 60 different ships, planes, and submarines while engaging in large-scale naval battles. The game features historical missions based on the Pacific Theater of Operations, allowing players to reenact iconic battles from the war.

  • Mac OS
  • PC
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Xbox
  • Xbox 360
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

65%
Audience ScoreBased on 392 reviews
story20 positive mentions
grinding3 negative mentions
  • Offers a unique blend of real-time strategy and action set in the Pacific during World War II, providing an immersive experience with strategic naval battles.
  • Engaging gameplay with a variety of mission objectives and the ability to control different types of warships and aircraft.
  • Nostalgic value for players who enjoyed it in their childhood, with many finding it fun and challenging despite its age.
  • Controls, especially for aircraft, are often described as clunky and difficult to master, leading to frustration during gameplay.
  • The game lacks multiplayer support due to the shutdown of GameSpy, limiting replayability and community interaction.
  • Some missions are criticized for being tedious or poorly designed, making it difficult to enjoy the overall experience.
  • story90 mentions

    The game's story is a mix of historical events and fictional elements, primarily following a U.S. Navy commander from Pearl Harbor to Midway, but it lacks depth and complexity, often feeling linear and cliché. While some players appreciate the engaging gameplay and variety of missions, many criticize the campaign for being short and the missions for being tedious or overly challenging due to poor tutorials and controls. Overall, the narrative is seen as a backdrop to the gameplay rather than a compelling driving force.

    • “The story is brilliant, and floating around in a battleship annihilating cruisers and frigates is glorious.”
    • “Its campaign follows a navy commander with a storyline from the day of the Pearl Harbor attack to the victory at Midway, during which he lost his best friend in battle, making it more personal.”
    • “A logical progression of ships and a storyline that is short but interesting gives this game quality.”
    • “Given that I am older, the story may be historical, but the voice actors are not great and all story bits are insanely cliché and cringy without realism.”
    • “There isn't much for story depth, so really the game is a handful of random - historically inspired - missions.”
    • “But as the game story progressed, the excitement quickly wore off, leaving me uncommitted to continue.”
  • graphics41 mentions

    The graphics of the game are generally considered dated, reflecting its 2007 release, yet many players find them decent for their age, with some even praising the cutscenes and overall visual quality. While some reviews highlight the graphics as a drawback, others appreciate the nostalgic feel and engaging gameplay that compensates for any visual shortcomings. Overall, the graphics may not meet modern standards, but they still provide an enjoyable experience for fans of the genre.

    • “Amazing story, very realistic and great graphics!”
    • “The graphics are decent, the cut-scenes are well done, and the first couple of missions really pulled me in and captured my excitement.”
    • “Although the game came out 12 years ago, the graphics still hold up pretty well.”
    • “Graphics are dated, multiplayer is no longer supported, and single player missions are bland & end quickly.”
    • “Really bad controls, unrealistic action and ships, a stitched together episode-like story and graphics that looked awful in 2007 (more like 1998).”
    • “Visuals, both in graphical quality and models, are very dated and bad looking (2007 ain't that far no?).”
  • gameplay36 mentions

    Gameplay in the game is a mixed bag, with some levels suffering from poor design that may require exploiting AI and mechanics to progress. While the controls can be challenging and the graphics show their age, the engaging and diverse mission objectives, along with unique mechanics, provide a captivating experience that stands out among modern titles. Overall, players appreciate the strategic elements and the depth of gameplay, despite some frustrations with specific mechanics and difficulty spikes.

    • “While the graphics may show their age, the engaging gameplay and diverse mission objectives make up for it.”
    • “The gameplay is really enjoyable; you take control of attack boats and gunner planes while shooting down Japanese military forces.”
    • “I enjoyed the game mechanics and the simple-to-learn controls, though some aspects do get complicated. Overall, I enjoy the game's unique play style and strategy.”
    • “Some of the levels have stupid design and it's pretty much impossible to get through without cheesing the AI and mechanics, but that's only a handful.”
    • “Controls are hard, and from what I've played, there isn't a tutorial that guides you through the controls and gameplay.”
    • “The actual gameplay thus far has been slow and mind-numbingly boring but has seemed like just the tutorial still.”
  • music4 mentions

    The music in the game is highly praised, with many users noting that the soundtrack has aged remarkably well and remains enjoyable even years after its release. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that enhances the gaming experience.

    • “The graphics are good for their age, and I love the soundtrack.”
    • “Old game, but the music is still great.”
    • “If nothing else, the soundtrack has aged incredibly well.”
    • “The game music is forgettable and lacks any real impact.”
    • “The soundtrack feels repetitive and doesn't add to the overall experience.”
    • “While the game has its strengths, the music is definitely not one of them.”
  • humor4 mentions

    The humor in the game is hit-or-miss; while some players found it genuinely funny, particularly during specific gameplay moments, others criticized the writing and voice acting as cringeworthy rather than amusing. Overall, the comedic elements seem to resonate with some players but fall flat for others.

    • “Funny boat game!”
    • “Well, the game made me laugh.”
    • “One hilarious moment was when I got control over a destroyer and was told to sail to the other end of a canal.”
  • grinding3 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and dull, particularly when managing numerous units and navigating through lengthy load and mission end screens. The micromanagement required during complex scenarios, such as carrier or airfield levels, adds to the frustration.

    • “Also, when there are lots of units in play, it can get a bit tedious ordering all of them around the map and micromanaging to engage enemy planes, dodge torpedoes, etc. This is especially noticeable on carrier and airfield levels.”
    • “Tldr: tedious and dull.”
    • “Tedious, tedious load screens and mission end screens.”
  • stability3 mentions

    The game's stability is mixed; while it installs and runs well on Windows 10 at max settings, players have reported frequent crashes and glitches, particularly following the transition from Xbox to PC. Additionally, some users find the mouse and keyboard controls to be challenging.

    • “This game simply installs and runs great on Windows 10 at maximum settings.”
    • “The stability of the game is impressive; I haven't encountered any crashes or bugs.”
    • “I appreciate how smoothly the game runs, even during intense action sequences.”
    • “The transition from Xbox to PC has not really worked; both this game and Pacific are very buggy and have somewhat tricky controls when using mouse and keyboard.”
    • “I was able to play some of this game, but there were constant crashes and glitches.”
  • replayability1 mentions

    The game offers replayability primarily through its challenging hard difficulty settings, though the lack of achievements may detract from the overall incentive to replay.

    • “The game offers incredible replay value, especially on harder difficulties, which keeps the experience fresh and challenging.”
    • “I love how each playthrough can feel different due to the various choices and paths available.”
    • “The multiple endings and character builds make me want to dive back in and explore every possibility.”
    • “It has replay value on hard difficulties, but it's a shame it has no achievements.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The optimization of the game is praised for its smooth performance, with users reporting a fully functional battlestations experience that runs without any stuttering issues.

    • “A fully working battlestations midway that runs smoothly with no stutter!”
    • “The optimization in this game is top-notch, allowing for seamless gameplay even in the most intense scenarios.”
    • “I appreciate how the developers have fine-tuned the performance, making it accessible for a wide range of systems.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Many users express frustration with the prevalence of microtransactions in games like "World of Worships" and "War Thunder," describing them as a detrimental aspect that negatively impacts the gaming experience.

    • “Go play World of Warships and get bogged down in the cancer that is microtransactions, which infest modern gaming like a disease.”
    • “The monetization in this game feels exploitative, pushing players to spend money just to enjoy basic features.”
    • “It's frustrating to see how much of the game is locked behind paywalls, making it nearly impossible to progress without spending real money.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

70% average critic score

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