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Dogfight 1942

Dogfight 1942 Game Cover
74%Game Brain Score
story, graphics
replayability, stability
75% User Score Based on 505 reviews
Critic Score 65%Based on 1 reviews

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Dogfight 1942 Game Cover

About

Dogfight 1942 is a single player and multiplayer shooter game with a warfare theme. It was developed by City Interactive and was released on September 21, 2012. It received mostly positive reviews from both critics and players.

"Dogfight 1942" is an aerial combat game set in WWII, featuring 40 historically accurate planes and varied mission types. The game offers a balance between arcade accessibility and realistic flight dynamics, allowing for both fun and challenging gameplay. It also includes three unique co-op split-screen modes for joint air domination.

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Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
Dogfight 1942 screenshot
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75%
Audience ScoreBased on 505 reviews
story35 positive mentions
stability5 negative mentions
  • Dogfight 1942 offers a fun and accessible arcade-style aerial combat experience, making it easy for casual players to jump in and enjoy.
  • The game features a variety of missions across different theaters of World War II, providing a good mix of dogfighting, bombing runs, and escort missions.
  • The inclusion of local co-op play adds to the enjoyment, allowing players to team up and tackle missions together.
  • The game suffers from technical issues, including poor optimization and a lack of joystick support, which can hinder the overall experience.
  • The graphics and presentation feel dated, with low-resolution environments and simplistic visuals that do not hold up well against modern standards.
  • The campaign is relatively short, with a lack of depth and replay value, leaving players wanting more content after completing the main missions.
  • story
    201 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's story is largely superficial, serving primarily as a backdrop for a series of short, action-packed missions set in various WWII theaters, including the European and Pacific fronts. While players appreciate the variety of mission types—such as dogfights, bombing runs, and escort missions—many note that the narrative lacks depth and cohesion, often feeling like a collection of unconnected tasks rather than a cohesive campaign. Overall, the focus is more on gameplay and mission variety than on delivering a compelling story.

    • “The story isn't anything special, but the banter between your squad members really makes the game shine and stay memorable.”
    • “Dogfight 1942 is surprisingly an enjoyable game that features a solid campaign, fun story objectives, a nice variety of aircraft, and excellent voice acting, dialogue, and characters.”
    • “The campaign has a nice mix of missions both in the European and Pacific theaters, and the two expansions add campaigns in the African and Eastern theaters.”
    • “The story is quite absent, just a collection of a couple dozen unconnected missions with very few high moments and a lot of repetitiveness.”
    • “Don't expect anything in depth as the missions are quite short and to the point.”
    • “The missions are only about 5-10 minutes max, and the storyline, other than it being WWII, is not needed at all as we can all drop into any part of WWII without a backdrop.”
  • graphics
    86 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of the game have received mixed reviews, with many players acknowledging that while they may appear dated, especially for a title released in 2012, they are still adequate and charming for the arcade style of gameplay. Some users appreciate the vibrant colors and detailed maps, while others note performance issues and a lack of modern graphical fidelity. Overall, the visuals are considered decent for their time, enhancing the fun and immersive experience without being the main draw of the game.

    • “The graphics, while retro, have a charming quality that perfectly captures the era, and the maps are beautifully designed with plenty of detail.”
    • “Stunning visuals enhance the experience, but don't expect a hardcore simulation – this is pure, adrenaline-pumping arcade action where you can rack up dozens of kills per mission.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous in ultra settings, the gameplay is fluid.”
    • “The graphics aren't superb by today's standards by any means.”
    • “The game came out in 2012, so you wouldn’t expect that the graphics are going to be world-beating, and they aren’t.”
    • “For a game that's still that recent, the graphics resemble something from a PS2 title more than anything else.”
  • gameplay
    59 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay is designed to be accessible and engaging, striking a balance between fast-paced action and simplified mechanics, making it suitable for newcomers to the flight genre. While it offers enjoyable dogfighting experiences and fun missions, many players note a sense of mechanical repetition and a lack of depth compared to more realistic flight simulators. Despite some technical flaws and criticisms regarding mission design, the overall experience is often described as fun and easy to pick up, though it may not satisfy those seeking a more immersive or challenging gameplay experience.

    • “Rather than aiming for the hyper-realistic depth of flight simulators, it seeks a balance between fast-paced action and simplified mechanics that let anyone pick up a controller and immediately take to the skies.”
    • “The gameplay is fast-paced and engaging, allowing you to experience the thrill of dogfighting in iconic WWII aircraft.”
    • “The gameplay is very accessible, with both arcade and simulation modes available and even a hardcore mode that eliminates the HUD from the game completely.”
    • “Even when the action is intense, there’s a sense of mechanical repetition that sets in before the credits roll.”
    • “If you Google 'bad gameplay design', this is going to be one of the top 10 results, perhaps even top 5.”
    • “The gameplay is ridiculously easy; the only death I had was while botching my first landing on a carrier.”
  • music
    12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in the game receives mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the epic score and immersive sound effects that enhance the intensity of battles, while others find it generic and uninspired, contributing to a functional but lackluster overall presentation. Despite the varied opinions, many agree that the soundtrack complements the fast-paced action effectively, though it may not stand out in a crowded genre. Overall, the audio experience is described as a blend of quality elements that can elevate gameplay, but it lacks distinctiveness.

    • “The soundtrack and sound effects enhance the immersive experience, making every battle feel intense.”
    • “You have to remain alert at all times as the enemy is always after you, and the music feels entirely appropriate to the fast-paced action on historic battlefields.”
    • “What really surprised me about this game was the great epic music and even better voice acting.”
    • “The soundtrack and radio chatter, while serviceable, never quite rise above generic war-game ambience, which makes the overall presentation feel functional but uninspired.”
    • “ just filling noises/no music”
    • “(this is, like, the fourth game of this kind I get. The others were either too arcade, too simulation, too lame graphics, bad or no soundtrack, or got unfairly hard too early)”
  • replayability
    11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Dogfight 1942 offers limited replayability due to its short campaign and relatively few missions, which may leave players wanting more depth. However, the inclusion of a survival mode and the ability to replay missions with different planes provide some variety, making it a decent choice for casual gamers despite its overall low replay value.

    • “ Infinitely replayable (or almost).”
    • “Very easy to play with a decent selection of planes to replay the missions for a different experience - easy, simple, and replayable. I just wish more games were like this.”
    • “Missions are fun and there's replay value there.”
    • “Dogfight 1942’s campaign offers a brisk experience that can be completed within a few hours, leaving many players wishing for more depth or replay value.”
    • “Because the number of missions is relatively limited, the replayability is somewhat limited as each mission is relatively short.”
    • “If you're looking for a really casual flight game then I'd recommend this game, but the replay value is low.”
  • optimization
    10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's optimization is a mixed bag; while it performs well on certain systems, such as the Steam Deck with tweaks, many users report poor optimization overall, especially on high-end systems where stuttering occurs. Despite its vibrant visuals and intuitive controls, some levels are poorly designed, requiring excessive skill for completion. Overall, while the game is enjoyable and reasonably priced, its outdated optimization detracts from the experience.

    • “With some settings tweaks and Proton compatibility, it runs smoothly and looks great on the handheld screen.”
    • “For being a decade old, the game's performance is quite good, and the controls and on-screen HUD are pretty intuitive once you get the hang of them.”
    • “The game is well optimized and runs smoothly on my system - it's worth the asking price, although if you're patient, you can pick it up on sale quite often.”
    • “Some levels on the hard difficulty are poorly designed, requiring an inhumane performance to get 100%.”
    • “Not optimized; outdated game.”
    • “It's not really worth more than that; poor optimization (graphics look early PS3 era and it stutters on even high-end systems) and no joystick controls.”
  • stability
    8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players report a generally enjoyable experience with minimal bugs, some encounter frustrating glitches and performance issues, particularly with handling and graphics. Co-op functionality is lacking, and certain missions can be buggy, but many still find the gameplay fun despite these drawbacks.

    • “For an old game, it's alright. Okay, the co-op doesn't work, which is only one achievement; but gameplay is great, it's not buggy, and it's fun.”
    • “Two missions in and I saw no glitches. The game looks cool and runs better.”
    • “It runs great.”
    • “Terrible handling, slow feedback from mouse, no possibility to use joystick, bad graphics with glitches and running low fps even on a good computer.”
    • “Slightly buggy game with no true cohesive story.”
    • “It's short and sweet, kinda fun but suffers from a couple small glitches that took me a while to get past (landing a plane off a runway).”
  • humor
    6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is highlighted as a strong point, with players finding the voice acting and the exaggerated scale of ships particularly amusing. The comedic elements, such as the frequent kamikaze-like maneuvers and the overall lighthearted tone, contribute to an entertaining experience, especially in split-screen mode. Overall, the game balances action with humor effectively, appealing to those who appreciate a comedic twist in their gameplay.

    • “Voice acting is hilarious.”
    • “The scale of ships is hilarious.”
    • “It's funny that you will probably perform kamikaze more often than the Japanese did, even though you don't play as them.”
  • grinding
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Players appreciate the option to delegate tedious tasks to AI, allowing them to focus on exciting gameplay and skillful maneuvers, particularly on lower difficulties where health regeneration is also available. This design choice minimizes grinding and enhances the overall experience.

    • “The grinding in this game feels endless and repetitive, making it hard to stay engaged.”
    • “I find myself doing the same tasks over and over just to level up, which quickly becomes boring.”
    • “The amount of time required to progress through grinding is frustrating and takes away from the fun.”
  • atmosphere
    3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is criticized for feeling empty and lacking depth, contributing to an overall sense of ease that detracts from the immersive experience.

    • “The game is too easy and feels empty in the environments and atmosphere.”
    • “The atmosphere lacks depth, making the world feel lifeless and uninspired.”
    • “There is a distinct absence of tension or immersion, resulting in a flat and unengaging atmosphere.”
  • monetization
    2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization strategy, particularly through the sale of mission packs for the African and Russian fronts, is criticized as a cash grab, with many users feeling that these should have been included in the full-priced retail game.

    • “These mission packs (containing the African and Russian fronts) are a clear cash grab and should have been part of the full retail game, which costs enough as it is.”
  • emotional
    1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    While the game features some minor annoyances, such as restrictive landing zones that can lead to frustrating explosions, it still manages to evoke emotional responses from players through its immersive storytelling and character development.

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65%Critics’ scoreBased on 1 critic reviews
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4h Median play time
3h Average play time
2-4h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs
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Frequently Asked Questions

Dogfight 1942 is a shooter game with warfare theme.

Dogfight 1942 is available on PC, Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and others.

On average players spend around 3 hours playing Dogfight 1942.

Dogfight 1942 was released on September 21, 2012.

Dogfight 1942 was developed by City Interactive.

Dogfight 1942 has received mostly positive reviews from both players and critics. Most players liked this game for its story but disliked it for its replayability.

Dogfight 1942 is a single player game with multiplayer and local co-op support.

Similar games include Flying Tigers: Shadows Over China, Combat Wings: Battle of Britain, Battlestations: Midway, Project Wingman, Sky Rogue and others.