Eagle Flight
- December 19, 2016
- Ubisoft Montreal Studio
A unique experience with plenty of replay value, Eagle Flight is as fun as it gets right now on PlayStation VR.
"Eagle Flight" is a virtual reality game that allows players to experience flight as an eagle in the skies of Paris. The game features a single-player campaign and multiplayer mode, where players can compete or cooperate in various challenges. Explore a beautifully recreated Paris, 50 years after humans have disappeared, and soar through the city's landmarks and secret spaces.
Reviews
- Eagle Flight offers a unique and immersive experience of flying through a beautifully rendered Paris, providing a sense of freedom and exploration.
- The game features intuitive controls that allow players to navigate by tilting their heads, making it accessible for both casual and experienced VR users.
- Despite some technical issues, many players find the gameplay enjoyable and engaging, especially in multiplayer mode, which adds a competitive element.
- The game requires the use of the Ubisoft launcher, which can lead to frustrating setup issues and crashes, detracting from the overall experience.
- Many players report discomfort due to the constant 'tilt your head' prompts that obstruct the view, leading to immersion-breaking moments and potential motion sickness.
- The content can feel repetitive, with a lack of depth in gameplay and limited mission variety, making it less appealing for long-term play.
- story104 mentions
- 15 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The game's story is generally considered a secondary aspect, with players noting that while it exists, it lacks depth and is often overshadowed by repetitive mission design. The campaign consists of 23 short missions that serve as a framework for various gameplay challenges, but many players find the narrative unengaging and the gameplay mechanics frustrating, particularly in terms of mission variety and controller responsiveness. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the immersive experience and the engaging nature of the missions, especially the fast-paced flying segments.
“The narration and storytelling are great.”
“Overall the campaign consists of 23 story missions each lasting 2-3 minutes to complete, and a lot longer to '3 star'.”
“You'll get a solid story mode, free flight, and a sportful and entertaining multiplayer.”
“And while yes there is a story and a campaign, me and a lot of other players (see global achievement statistics) cannot bring themselves to finish this.”
“There is a story to it, but it's pretty lame.”
“The story mode lacks a captivating story... it's mostly excuses to go do stuff in the city but that doesn't bother me in the slightest; every mission is engaging and immersive.”
- gameplay64 mentions
- 34 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
Gameplay in this title is a mixed bag, with intuitive flight mechanics and a well-designed environment that provide enjoyable moments, but it suffers from repetitiveness and a lack of depth. While some players find the experience fun and relaxing, others criticize certain game mechanics as frustrating and the overall gameplay as simplistic and limited. Despite its flaws, the game is accessible and can be enjoyable for casual play, especially in a VR context.
“The gameplay is fun.”
“Gameplay is fluent and instinctive.”
“The flight mechanics are so intuitive, and the environment so well-designed and full of surprises, that it's a joy to just soar around aimlessly, barreling through chimneyed rooftops and spooking giraffes.”
“And they did a decent job of adding some gamification, but it is these separate mini-games in the world and doesn't flow well, making gameplay seem like a secondary concern.”
“Within about an hour, you've seen everything 'Eagle Flight' has to offer in terms of gameplay.”
“Unfortunately, the game underneath isn't nearly as strong as the mechanics it's built on.”
- graphics55 mentions
- 31 % positive mentions
- 64 % neutral mentions
- 5 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally described as cartoony and simplistic, which some players find charming and atmospheric, particularly in a VR setting. While many appreciate the art style and smooth performance, others express disappointment, expecting more realistic visuals from a major studio. Overall, the graphics contribute positively to the gameplay experience, though opinions vary on their quality and depth.
“The graphics are slightly cartoonish, not too photo-realistic, but definitely atmospheric, so it's a joy to fly over this large chunk of Paris reclaimed by nature.”
“So far I’ve put 86 hours into Eagle Flight and I’m sure I am going to put many more. This is pretty much a full bro game with tons of side missions and graphics so stunning I felt like I was actually flying. Ubisoft did so well with this one and I can’t wait for more.”
“The combination of the visuals on the screen and the sound/music makes it such an amazing experience.”
“Now it won't display the actual graphics.”
“On top of that, the graphics are way too cartoonish.”
“From a big game company, I expected AAA graphics, and instead got something a little more cartoony, and far less realistic.”
- music16 mentions
- 63 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game has received high praise for its compelling and immersive soundtrack, often compared to the scores of 'Avatar' and 'The Settlers.' Reviewers appreciate how the music complements the visuals, enhancing the overall experience without being distracting, and many find it enjoyable and fitting for the game's atmosphere. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's appeal.
“The combination of the visuals on the screen and the sound/music makes it such an amazing experience.”
“I really love the game soundtrack - exactly fitting music, not distracting and definitely not boring with its pushing rhythms.”
“Great setting, intuitive steering, excellent music and graphics that not only don't give you eye cancer, but are the best I've seen so far on the Vive.”
“With the music and narration, it feels like a David Attenborough bird program.”
“I really love the game soundtrack - it's exactly fitting music, not distracting and definitely not boring with its pushing rhythms.”
- optimization10 mentions
- 80 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 20 % negative mentions
Overall, the game is well-optimized, delivering smooth performance even on lower-end hardware like the GeForce 1050 Ti, with users reporting high frame rates and minimal issues. Some players experienced slight stuttering when using wireless connections, but this was often attributed to their Wi-Fi rather than the game's performance. The balance of detail and performance contributes to a satisfying gameplay experience.
“Very well optimized, I get 120fps with 240% supersampling like nothing!”
“The performance is great even with bare minimum SteamVR specs.”
“The game runs smoothly on my GeForce 1050 Ti, maybe exactly because the level of detail is not exaggerated.”
“I noticed a little bit of stuttering while playing wirelessly on Air Link and Virtual Desktop. It's noticeable but still very playable, and it could be my Wi-Fi.”
- replayability7 mentions
- 43 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The game offers strong replayability through unlockables and rankings for each mission, encouraging players to improve their performance. However, the lack of progression in multiplayer mode detracts from its overall replay value, although the fun factor remains high, especially when more players are online. Overall, it provides a unique experience with significant replay potential, particularly in single-player modes.
“There are unlockables and rankings for each mission and area, giving replayability and a hook to keep you wanting to improve.”
“But the fun and performance are there, and it has replay value if more people were online.”
“A unique experience with plenty of replay value; Eagle Flight is as fun as it gets right now on PlayStation VR.”
“There is no progression to the multiplayer, which is unfortunate as it takes away from the replayability of the title.”
“There is no progression to the multiplayer, which is unfortunate as it takes away from the replayability of the title.”
- stability6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game has been reported to have significant stability issues, including bugs that prevent it from loading on certain systems like the Vive Pro. While it performs well on some hardware configurations, users have noted occasional lag that, although disruptive, does not render the game unplayable.
“Runs great on my 970 i5 4690k - it does lag on occasion but doesn't break the game.”
“The game is buggy.”
“Buggy game that will not load on the Vive Pro.”
“The game is buggy.”
- atmosphere6 mentions
- 67 % positive mentions
- 33 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its freedom and immersive quality, enhanced by slightly cartoonish graphics that create a unique charm. Players enjoy exploring a nature-reclaimed Paris, making it an appealing experience for both VR newcomers and those seeking a captivating environment.
“The graphics are slightly cartoonish, not too photo-realistic, but definitely atmospheric, so it's a joy to fly over this large chunk of Paris reclaimed by nature.”
“Great for people who are new to VR or just want a more atmospheric game.”
“There's a lot of freedom in this game and I love the atmosphere.”
- grinding2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding aspect of the game frustrating due to the frequent return to the mission start screen after every five attempts, making it tedious to achieve objectives like earning five stars, which can require numerous retries.
“The game sends you back to the mission start screen after every five attempts, which is super annoying since if you are grinding for 5 stars, it can take you dozens of attempts to get it right.”
- emotional2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
Users express disappointment that the emotional impact of the game is perceived as "mixed," indicating that while there are moments of heart-wrenching storytelling, they may not resonate universally with all players.
“It's kind of heartbreaking that it's rated 'mixed'.”
Critic Reviews
Eagle Flight Review - PS4
A unique experience with plenty of replay value, Eagle Flight is as fun as it gets right now on PlayStation VR.
90%Eagle Flight Review
A fun game that lacks depth but makes up for it in with charm and the fact anyone can play and enjoy it.
70%Eagle Flight PlayStation VR Review
Eagle Flight is amazing immersive and surreal experience on the PlayStation VR
86%