Echelon: Wind Warriors
- August 8, 2014
- MADia Entertainment
Get on Steam"Echelon: Wind Warriors" is an arcade-style flight combat game set in a futuristic world of floating islands and powerful airships. Players take on the role of a skilled pilot, battling enemies in intense aerial battles using a variety of aircraft and weapons. The game features fast-paced action, upgradable planes, and stunning visuals, making it a thrilling experience for fans of flight combat games.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- The game provides a nostalgic experience for players who enjoyed it in the past, offering a unique and enjoyable flight simulation.
- Despite its age, the game features a variety of aircraft and weapons, along with a long and engaging campaign that includes well-voiced dialogues.
- With some community support and workarounds, players can get the game running on modern systems, allowing for a fun experience if they are willing to invest the time.
- The game is plagued by significant technical issues, including failure to launch and a lack of official support from the developers, making it unplayable for many users.
- It has not been modernized for current gaming standards, resulting in outdated graphics and gameplay mechanics that do not hold up against contemporary flight simulators.
- Many players report that the game feels like a cash grab, as it is sold at a high price despite being essentially abandonware with numerous bugs and no fixes in sight.
- story11 mentions
- 36 % positive mentions
- 36 % neutral mentions
- 27 % negative mentions
The story of the game is characterized by a moral about perseverance and the unpredictability of life, though it suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the final mission. While the campaign features a good length and some non-linear elements, it lacks the immersive impact of its predecessor and has quirky mission mechanics that can lead to frustration. Overall, the narrative is engaging with well-voiced dialogues, but the absence of sequels leaves the story feeling incomplete.
“The story/campaign is good, long, and even non-linear at some places, with fully and nicely voiced dialogues (yeah, with yelling commander, etc.).”
“I would recommend this game if you like open locations, sci-fi VTOL, atmosphere (in both meanings, the game takes place only on the planet), some hard missions to challenge your skills, epic and dynamic battles, and unexpected turns of the plot.”
“Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
“Last mission sucks though, most of it is spent waiting for some tanks to make their way from one side of a valley to the other to destroy some cannons while you just fly around in circles on autopilot, and then when that's done after, I shit you not, 45 minutes (and you can't speed it up either, you're flying over a destroyed enemy base and the onboard computer says 'attention enemy contact' every time you try to speed it up).”
“Sadly this game didn't get any sequels (forget about Operation Matriarchy) so the story is incomplete due to publishers counting this type of games as not profitable.”
“The modern gaming industry develops flight simulators with a new graphic component that pleases the eye of virtual pilots; they are delighted with the mechanics of aircraft control, but somewhere there is, perhaps, an exciting plot ...”
- gameplay5 mentions
- 60 % positive mentions
- -20 % neutral mentions
- 60 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally accessible and enjoyable, with engaging aircraft control mechanics reminiscent of the MechWarrior series; however, some players find it becomes repetitive over time. While the graphics enhance the experience for virtual pilots, technical issues have hindered gameplay for some users. Overall, it offers a nostalgic experience for long-time fans.
“The modern gaming industry develops flight simulators with a new graphic component that pleases the eye of virtual pilots, and they are delighted with the mechanics of aircraft control.”
“I enjoyed the gameplay many years ago, and I enjoy it now.”
“Game mechanics have a lot of similarities to the MechWarrior series, just you control the aircraft there.”
“6.8 / 10 gameplay (again, easy to get into gameplay, but sadly at one point it becomes repetitive)”
“I bought this game and have spent the most 'gameplay' hours trying to get it to work.”
“Game mechanics have a lot of similarities to the MechWarrior series, just you control the aircraft instead.”
- graphics4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 75 % negative mentions
The graphics in "Windwarriors" have been criticized for being outdated, as they largely mirror those of its predecessor, "Echelon" from 2001. While modern flight simulators offer visually appealing graphics, "Windwarriors" falls short in this aspect, which may detract from the overall experience for some players. However, those willing to overlook the visuals may still find enjoyment in the gameplay mechanics.
“The modern gaming industry develops flight simulators with a new graphic component that pleases the eye of virtual pilots; they are delighted with the mechanics of aircraft control.”
“The graphics of Original Echelon (2001) were next-gen for its time, but in Windwarriors, not much has changed.”
“The graphics of original Echelon (2001) were next-gen for its time, but in Windwarriors, not much has really changed.”
“7/10 graphics (uses the same graphics as its previous game).”
“Tl;dr if you ignore the outdated visuals and the hassle to get it properly set up the first time, this would be a fun flight sim for you.”
- music1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The music in the game is noted for its calming and soothing qualities, providing a relaxing experience that can help players feel at ease.
“I relaxed for 5 minutes listening to this music, long enough to realize that I would be okay.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game suffers from poor optimization, lacking support for modern display resolutions and widescreen monitors, which results in subpar performance on contemporary gaming PCs.
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game is perceived as exploitative, with users suggesting it serves primarily as a nostalgia cash grab rather than a genuine effort to revive abandoned content.
“This seems to have been put on Steam as a nostalgia gouge, or just a cash grab to try to profit from abandonware.”
“The monetization strategy feels exploitative, as it prioritizes profit over player experience.”
“I can't believe how many microtransactions are crammed into this game; it ruins the overall enjoyment.”
