Puffin Planes
- September 4, 2024
- CATINRAIN LLC
- 2h median play time
A casual airline manager. ■ Fly from Tokyo to LA, the short way. Build your dream airline network on a custom-made globe of the Earth as you listen along to the game's original music. Or if you want, you can even play on terraformed Mars! ■ New planes are always around the corner. Planes have a mix of speed, range, fuel consumption and capacity which means there is no one-size-fits-all solution …
Reviews
- The game is simple and fun, providing hours of enjoyable gameplay with a casual management style.
- The developer is very active and responsive to community feedback, promising future updates and improvements.
- It captures the nostalgic feel of classic airline management games while offering a relaxing and engaging experience.
- The game lacks depth and complexity, making it feel simplistic and sometimes repetitive.
- There are issues with inflation and economic balance, leading to frustrating gameplay experiences.
- The route planning system is cumbersome, as it requires selecting planes for each route rather than allowing for more flexible management.
- gameplay29 mentions
- 14 % positive mentions
- 76 % neutral mentions
- 10 % negative mentions
The gameplay is characterized by its simplicity and ease of learning, with a brief tutorial that allows players to quickly grasp the mechanics. While the core mechanics are straightforward and enjoyable, they offer a satisfying progression that can be addictive, making it suitable for fans of management games. The minimalist design enhances focus on gameplay, providing a quick yet strategic experience that can be completed in just a few hours.
“The progression is fun, the gameplay is very satisfying, and I really highly recommend fans of management games try this one out.”
“This game is addictive, the mechanics are easy to learn, harder to master, and you can even play on Mars!”
“Its simple, but effective gameplay, combined with a minimalist design, makes it an ideal choice for those looking to manage an airline without getting bogged down in too much complexity.”
“I just find the expansion mechanics to not make much sense.”
“The core gameplay is the same as Fly Corp; cities spawn, you connect them.”
“With a gameplay experience that can be completed in just a couple of hours, it’s perfect for those seeking a quick, strategic challenge.”
- music24 mentions
- 58 % positive mentions
- 29 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The music in the game is widely praised for its relaxing and peaceful qualities, with a particular emphasis on woodwind instruments that resonate well with players. Many reviewers find the soundtrack to be a perfect fit for the game's theme, enhancing the overall experience and making it enjoyable enough to inspire covers and performances. Overall, the soundtrack is considered a standout feature that contributes significantly to the game's charm.
“A fantastic plane management simulator with a lovely & peaceful soundtrack.”
“The music instantly caught me -- I am a woodwind player (all of them - professional theater pit orchestra nerd), and the music is heavy on woodwinds.”
“The music is very nice as well, fits the game and theme.”
“They had me two songs in!”
“The music instantly caught me -- I am a woodwind player (all of them - professional theater pit orchestra nerd), and the music is heavy on woodwinds. What's that you say?”
“Let's make this game popular, because I want to play covers (and hear other people play covers) of this music on Twitch.”
- graphics20 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 55 % neutral mentions
- 15 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are generally praised for their modern and clean art style, which complements the sound and UI design effectively. While some users noted minor glitches, the overall visual experience is considered pleasant and enhances gameplay. The 3D globe maps and improved graphics compared to similar games contribute to a more engaging experience.
“Very cool airline manager game, similar to others but has better graphics, more options and features; the 3D globe maps are very well done.”
“The art style perfectly pairs with the sound and UI design.”
“- no UI to expand network past the graphics limit (number of connections)”
“The visuals may not be flashy, but they serve the purpose of keeping the player focused on gameplay.”
“The art style is simple but modern—not 8-bit, but clean and straightforward.”
- story10 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 70 % neutral mentions
- 30 % negative mentions
The game's story is largely criticized for its lack of coherence and defined objectives, with many players finding the mission progression nonsensical. There is a call for a more structured narrative or overarching goals to enhance the experience, as the current setup feels incomplete despite its relaxing nature.
“The progression of missions in the main part of this game are just nonsensical a lot of the times.”
“A storyline or more explicitly defined overarching objectives/win conditions would make it one for the ages.”
“☑ no story”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers significant replayability due to its varied routes, fleet management challenges, and a rewarding system, allowing players to engage in multiple sessions despite relatively quick completion times. Different starting points and hub locations further enhance the replay value.
“There is also lots of room for replayability.”
“Though each game can be finished relatively quickly, the reward system and the challenge of managing routes and fleets provide enough replayability for multiple sessions.”
“Can already see a bunch of replayability based on the type of routes, planes, where you start, where the hubs are, etc.”
- grinding4 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Players find the grinding in Puffin planes to be excessive, often requiring significant time investment, which can lead to boredom and tedium during extended play sessions. However, the game is enjoyable in shorter bursts, making it more suitable for casual play rather than marathon sessions.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“Puffin Planes overall is a fun game to play, yet sometimes it feels repetitive and can become boring and tedious if played for a long time. However, it is a good sandbox strategy game to enjoy in short bursts.”
- stability4 mentions
- 75 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while many players praise its performance and graphics, there are reports of occasional glitches that detract from the experience.
“A+ amazing game, runs great! Love it!”
“A+ amazing game, runs great! Love it!”
“A+ amazing game, runs great! Love it!”
- atmosphere2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of the game is characterized as simple yet enjoyable, contributing positively to the overall experience.
“Simple as it comes, but fun with a good atmosphere.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
Overall, optimization is generally well-received, with negligible bugs reported; however, players with lower-end machines may experience performance issues during extreme late-game scenarios.
“Bugs appear to be negligible, though extreme late-game performance may be a bit of an issue for lesser machines.”