Project Wingman

83%
Game Brain Score Based on 9,406 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Project Wingman Game Cover
Project Wingman is a wonderful flight game. If you’re looking to get your wings, but Flight Sim is way out of your realm, this is the next best thing. The story is forgettable through a lot of the game, but that isn’t the full selling point really.
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Project Wingman is a combat flight action game set in an alternate history of Earth, with a variety of exotic locations to battle in and formidable enemy forces to face. Players can expect a range of difficulties, making it accessible for newcomers while still providing a challenge for experienced pilots. The game features an array of exotic weaponry, including railguns and geothermal-powered armaments, ensuring intense and engaging combat .

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

Reviews

83%
Audience ScoreBased on 9,406 reviews
story1,140 positive mentions
stability48 negative mentions
  • story4,513 mentions

    The story of "Project Wingman" is generally well-received, with many players appreciating its engaging narrative and character development, despite some critiques regarding its predictability and lack of depth compared to titles like "Ace Combat." The game presents its story primarily through mission briefings and in-flight dialogue, which some players found effective, while others missed traditional cutscenes. Overall, the story is described as a fun, over-the-top experience that complements the intense aerial combat, with memorable moments and emotional beats, particularly in the final missions. However, the absence of checkpoints during lengthy missions has been a common frustration, as it can lead to repetitive gameplay when players are forced to restart after dying.

    • “The story was well done, and even had me a little emotional after the enemy launches a terrible attack.”
    • “The story is interesting, and the game definitely has a bit of a learning curve if you're unfamiliar with other Ace Combat titles, but the gameplay is flawless and never seems to get boring for me.”
    • “The story is simple but still good.”
    • “The story is pretty weak admittedly.”
    • “The story is bland, and its in-game economy a little stingy, but a single play-through of Project Wingman is a special experience that will leave you thinking about the absurdity for a long time, even if its replayability is on the lower side.”
    • “The story is well-written and is reminiscent of ace combat games with corny lines and enjoyable characters.”
  • music1,314 mentions

    The music in "Project Wingman" has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its exceptional quality and emotional impact. Composed by José Pavli, the soundtrack is described as a standout feature that enhances the gameplay experience, fitting seamlessly with the game's intense aerial combat and dramatic moments. While some comparisons to the iconic soundtracks of the Ace Combat series are made, the consensus is that "Project Wingman" offers a unique and memorable musical score that elevates the overall experience.

    • “The soundtrack is absolutely stellar - not quite ac style but in a good way.”
    • “The music truly enhances the entire experience.”
    • “The soundtrack is phenomenal, from the subdued tones of the solo missions to the epic themes that accompany boss battles.”
    • “The music is decent (with 'calamity' being my favorite track) while the voice acting is solid, avoiding taking you out of the experience through badly delivered lines.”
    • “The music lacks variety and punch in my opinion.”
    • “The music would not seem out of place in any ace combat game & is really really good.”
  • gameplay1,286 mentions

    The gameplay of "Project Wingman" has been widely praised for its fun, engaging mechanics that closely resemble the beloved "Ace Combat" series, often noted as an improvement in certain aspects such as weapon loadouts and overall responsiveness. Players appreciate the fast-paced, arcade-style dogfighting, complemented by a stunning soundtrack and visually appealing graphics, although some mention minor bugs and a lack of depth in mission variety. Overall, the game delivers a satisfying experience for both newcomers and veterans of flight combat games, making it a strong contender in the genre.

    • “Simply an amazing game, incredible soundtrack, responsive gameplay, a basic yet captivating story with a very strong climax. I think this game has everything Ace Combat fans and newcomers could ever ask for.”
    • “The gameplay is outstanding, the music is masterful, and the story is perfect for the genre, fitting with what you'd expect from a game like this.”
    • “The gameplay is very solid and is probably the best I've seen for a fighter jet game.”
    • “The gameplay might get repetitive after a while, but how different each mission gets and how beautiful each mission location is, I have to give recognition to the devs for making them so well all around.”
    • “Overall, a good game, just sad their level design didn't meet the same standard as the gameplay to keep the game feeling fresh and engaging.”
    • “The gameplay is a bit samey, but it's still hella fun and a beautiful game; hard recommend.”
  • graphics945 mentions

    The graphics of "Project Wingman" have received mixed but generally positive feedback from users. While many praise the game for its stunning visuals, vibrant colors, and impressive effects, particularly in the sky and during combat, some note that it falls short compared to "Ace Combat 7" in terms of overall polish and detail, especially regarding ground textures and certain graphical glitches. Overall, the game's graphics are considered a strong point, especially given its indie development background, with many players finding them enjoyable and immersive despite some minor issues.

    • “Overall, the graphics look amazing, the soundtrack is an unironic masterpiece, the story is engaging, and the flight combat feels smooth and rewarding.”
    • “Despite Project Wingman being an arcade game, its stunning graphics, action-packed battles, and thrilling soundtracks take immersion to a different level, pumping that adrenaline long after the battle's end.”
    • “The graphics are gorgeous and the game has a lively modding community able to deliver further content as it is needed in addition to the campaign and conquest game modes.”
    • “The graphics in this game are pretty poor; it took me back to Microsoft Flight Sim... and not the latest version.”
    • “The graphics are perhaps a little dated compared to other games of its type, with the ground and buildings often looking a little less 2023 and a little more 2008, but this is balanced by beautiful skyboxes and some wonderful effects.”
    • “The graphics, while good, aren't as good as Ace Combat 7.”
  • replayability195 mentions

    Project Wingman boasts high replayability, primarily due to its engaging conquest mode and various gameplay modifiers that enhance the campaign experience. Players appreciate the dynamic challenges presented by different difficulty levels and the ability to unlock new planes and features, making each playthrough feel fresh. While some users noted minor bugs affecting replay value, the overall consensus is that the game offers a wealth of content that encourages multiple playthroughs.

    • “The campaign will take about 3-6 hours to complete depending on pilot skill, with modifiers and difficulty settings available to add replayability.”
    • “The conquest mode brings great replayability on top of its already replayable story missions.”
    • “The addition of a conquest mode also allows for close-to-limitless replay value...which makes the game worth every penny.”
    • “I personally hate that, and it really ruined the replay value of this game for me.”
    • “The only thing I would say is a negative is the conquest mode, which is supposed to offer replayability after completing the campaign.”
    • “The replay value is pretty decent, but there isn't too much to do after you beat the campaign.”
  • optimization190 mentions

    Overall, the game's optimization is a mixed bag, with many users reporting significant performance issues, particularly in VR mode, where frame rates can drop dramatically during intense scenes. While some players found the game playable with adjustments to settings, others experienced frequent stuttering and lag, even on high-end hardware. Despite these challenges, many acknowledged the game's fun mechanics and engaging story, suggesting that further optimization could enhance the experience.

    • “Congrats to the small developer team that created the well-optimized game, that works without issues and can be generally put in the same category with the legend that is Ace Combat.”
    • “The game feels amazing to play with very solid and stable performance even on a mid-range PC like mine.”
    • “Despite this, performance is very solid - was running 2k 32:9 on max settings on a RTX 2070 + 8770k at around ~120 fps average.”
    • “Unfortunately, due to small team size, the performance is under-optimized, and I encountered framerate drops when there were lots of explosions or clouds in view.”
    • “The performance in VR is just okay.”
    • “Awful, awful performance.”
  • humor108 mentions

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its absurdity and over-the-top scenarios, with players enjoying the colorful characters and their hilarious dialogue. Many reviews highlight the game's blend of dark humor and ridiculous plot twists, such as the destruction of California, which adds to its comedic charm. While some moments may fall flat or feel dry, the overall consensus is that the game successfully delivers a fun and entertaining experience filled with laugh-out-loud moments.

    • “The planes are awesome, missions are fun, the dialogue and background chatter has a bunch of good funny moments, though sometimes it's a bit dry and emo-ey, especially Crimson 1, but other than that (and no checkpoints) I love this game!”
    • “Great soundtrack, completely insane story and a cast of colorful characters that range from hilarious to batshit insane, and I loved all of them.”
    • “You think it's just a funny plane game and then California explodes.”
  • emotional85 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game has been widely praised, with many players expressing deep connections to the story and characters, often leading to tears during pivotal moments, especially in the final battles. The narrative is described as simple yet effective, capable of evoking strong feelings through its well-crafted dialogue and an outstanding soundtrack that enhances the emotional experience. While some critiques mention a lack of character depth compared to other titles in the genre, the overall consensus highlights the game's ability to engage players on an emotional level, making it a memorable experience.

    • “Some say Ace Combat has a great story, but this is the first game that made me cry while fighting the final boss.”
    • “I honestly can't put the emotions that this game made me feel into words; for such a simple plane game, the campaign has so much emotional depth.”
    • “The story and characters are endearing, the twists are so jarring that my jaw was on the floor, and the ending actually made me cry; it was so beautiful, but also frustrating because there isn't much closure.”
    • “Unfortunately, it was ruined by an awfully boring story, very different from the rest of the franchise.”
  • stability61 mentions

    Overall, the game's stability is a mixed bag, with many players reporting occasional visual glitches and minor bugs, particularly in VR and with controller support. While some users experienced significant issues like crashes and game-breaking glitches, others found the game to run smoothly with only infrequent, non-disruptive problems. Regular patches are expected to address these concerns, but players should be aware of potential stability issues, especially in the initial release.

    • “The game looks great, runs great, feels great, has an intriguing story, and I got it for a good price.”
    • “As for technical stuff, I have played and experienced no glitches or flaws that I could see; gameplay is smooth and transitions from mission to mission easily.”
    • “The game runs great in VR, 3080, 5600x, running at 150% resolution with absolutely no problems in terms of performance.”
    • “Bought this a few years ago and it was a buggy and laggy mess.”
    • “There seems to be some game-breaking glitches like priority targets spawning outside the area of operation.”
    • “The fact that the game crashes and freezes a lot, and the fact that no checkpoints make that worse; I lost 2 hours of progress total from all those crashes and freezes.”
  • grinding60 mentions

    Overall, players find the grinding aspect of the game to be quite tedious and time-consuming, often requiring significant effort to unlock planes and complete missions. While some reviewers note that it is less grindy than previous titles like Ace Combat 7, many still express frustration with repetitive gameplay, long mission retries, and the lack of checkpoints, which can lead to a monotonous experience. Despite these criticisms, some players appreciate the immersive nature of the game, suggesting that the grind can feel more rewarding compared to other genres.

    • “A bit grindy sometimes.”
    • “That's the problem though, as of right now there is pretty much nothing to do after you complete the campaign (which I did in about 10 hours, not grinding that hard).”
    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “The fight is long, tedious, and repetitive.”
    • “If you die in any part of the mission, you go back to the very start that may be 20 minutes ago, and it was a very tedious 20 minutes, and expect for another tedious 20 minutes, and likely another 20 tedious minutes thereafter, for the same frustrating mission.”
  • atmosphere50 mentions

    The atmosphere in the game is widely praised for its immersive quality, enhanced by a compelling soundtrack and effective sound design that captures the intensity of aerial combat. Players often feel transported into the game world, with many noting the menacing presence of enemies and the engaging radio chatter that adds depth to missions. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in voice acting and story coherence, the overall ambiance is described as beautiful, gritty, and reminiscent of classic titles in the genre.

    • “The atmosphere they set up in the game is so good that I often lost myself in the game, as if I was there in person.”
    • “The sheer atmosphere in some missions, combined with the game's godly soundtrack, is legitimately beautiful and I haven't found that sentiment since the PS2 Ace Combat games.”
    • “The music is top-tier, adding to the atmosphere of every mission, giving a sense of victory or desperation or sheer panic.”
    • “The general atmosphere of the late campaign is very post-apocalyptic, which is cool.”
    • “The sound design is good, but lacks the dynamic range of Ace Combat - you don't get quite the distinct engine noises and Doppler-effect flyby sounds we have grown used to, but the rest of the atmosphere more than makes up for it.”
    • “As far as atmosphere goes, it is definitely grittier and more 'punk' than Ace Combat.”
  • character development11 mentions

    Character development in the game is generally viewed as lacking, particularly regarding the wingmen and supporting characters, with many players expressing a desire for deeper personal stories and emotional connections. While the game compensates for this with intense flight combat and mission-driven storytelling, the absence of cutscenes and meaningful interactions leaves character development feeling shallow and underexplored. Overall, players appreciate the gameplay but wish for more substantial narrative elements to enhance the characters' depth.

    • “It manages character development even without showing a single person on screen!”
    • “Mission debriefs are all you get as far as cutscenes go, which is tolerable, considering each mission is long and full of story progression and character development.”
    • “Overall, it is a dogfighting game; you get what you pay for. I don't have any large complaints other than a slightly longer story, more fleshed-out tutorial, and more memorable character development.”
    • “The worst criticisms I have for the game are aimed at its writing, character development, and storyline.”
    • “There are no cutscenes in the game like Ace Combat, which makes it hard to convey character development and what is happening between missions.”
    • “Apart from your wingmen, you also have a co-pilot if you choose a two-seater plane whose dialogue responds to your actions in-game, but she receives very little character development.”
  • monetization5 mentions

    The game is praised for its lack of microtransactions and DLC, creating a genuine experience reminiscent of AAA titles. Players appreciate the reasonable pricing and the absence of annoying timers, which enhances the overall enjoyment and freedom in gameplay. This approach contributes to a perception of high quality, distinguishing it from competitors.

    • “No microtransactions or DLC!”
    • “If I had been given this game with no context about the developers or price tag, I would assume it was made by a AAA company. If there were any microtransactions, the illusion would be complete.”
    • “If I had been given this game with no context about the developers or price tag, I would assume it was made by a AAA company. If there are any microtransactions, the illusion would be complete.”
    • “The lack of microtransactions also makes the game feel genuine.”
    • “This doesn't feel like an early access or cash grab title at all, and the quality exceeds that of its nearest competition, Ace Combat, in many ways.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

75% average critic score

Buy Project Wingman

Play time

13hMedian play time
21hAverage play time
10-30hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 26 analyzed playthroughs

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