Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies
- November 4, 2013
- Firaxis
Get on Steam"Sid Meier's Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies" is a turn-based strategy game that puts players in command of aircraft squadrons during World War II in the Pacific theater. Engage in tactical aerial combat, manage your pilots' skills and aircraft upgrades, and complete various missions to gain an advantage in the war. This game sequel expands on its predecessor with new planes, campaigns, and features for a more immersive and challenging experience.
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Simple and fun gameplay that is easy to learn but difficult to master.
- Offers a nostalgic experience for fans of Sid Meier's games, with engaging turn-based combat.
- Affordable price point, especially during sales, making it a good value for casual gamers.
- Frequent crashes, especially after missions, making the game frustrating and often unplayable.
- Graphics and interface feel outdated, lacking modern features like fullscreen mode.
- Repetitive missions and limited depth in gameplay can lead to boredom over time.
- story92 mentions
- 4 % positive mentions
- 89 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The game's story is set against the backdrop of World War II, featuring various missions that allow players to engage in tactical dogfights with different factions. While the narrative includes some interesting elements, such as the ability to upgrade pilots and aircraft, many players find the missions repetitive and lacking in variety, often leading to frustration due to frequent crashes after missions. Overall, the story provides a classic turn-based strategy experience, but it suffers from technical issues that detract from the enjoyment.
“Good story and gameplay.”
“This is a great game... classic turn-based game but you can upgrade your pilots and aircraft... and when you get the majority of the missions done your planes should be a part of the Red Devils.”
“Both the two American and Japanese factions do dog fighting over land and sea and there are a few new twists added (instead of offensives it is now eight famous WWII battles of the campaign with six missions each to do) like a mission to shoot down a pilot or towers to save one of your crashed pilots from a POW camp.”
“The missions are very repetitive (180 are claimed, but they're really a variation on four or five missions with different enemy planes in them), the animations are clunky, and there are endless small boneheaded things that will annoy you.”
“Another change is that you no longer get to select which mission you fly. In the first Ace Patrol, you could choose between three missions, but in Pacific Skies, the mission is given to you.”
“As each campaign consists of four missions, you could easily end up flying the same type of mission four times in a row.”
- graphics38 mentions
- 16 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 32 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game are widely regarded as outdated and not meeting modern standards, with many users noting a lack of fullscreen mode and limited customization options. While some players find the graphics sufficient for the game's style, others express disappointment, especially given the legacy of the developer. Overall, the visuals are described as simple and lacking polish, which detracts from the overall experience.
“Graphics are well above sufficient for this type of game.”
“It's a lot of fun, plays well, and has great planes and graphics.”
“I play on the PC which works fine, and the graphics aren't bad.”
“Graphics are outdated, and there is no fullscreen mode.”
“The graphics are not up to 2021 standards, some of the maneuvers are ridiculous and not very realistic, and the 'customization' features are very limited.”
“Shameful for a Sid Meier's game having such 1990's graphics... especially after being spoiled by a lot of his other name-bearing software titles.”
- gameplay32 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- 53 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The gameplay is generally well-received, featuring a blend of charming, easy-to-learn mechanics and clever maneuvering that appeals to both casual and hardcore players. While some reviews note dated graphics and occasional crankiness in execution, the overall experience is described as engaging and nostalgic, with unique mechanics that enhance the gameplay. The game successfully recycles enjoyable elements from its predecessor while introducing new features that maintain player interest.
“Very pleasant gameplay.”
“Easy to learn mechanics allows you to just play.”
“A great fun, quick easy game full of charm and old school gameplay.”
“Graphics are dated and gameplay is cranky.”
“Overall, the gameplay is about the same; the game takes a lot of the things that were fun about the first game and recycles it well enough.”
“Primarily the setting, although quite a few game mechanics have been changed.”
- stability6 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is reported to be highly unstable on Windows, with numerous bugs causing frequent crashes and startup issues. Many users have experienced the need to force-kill the process to attempt relaunching, indicating significant reliability problems.
“The software starts, but you have to force-kill its process in order to try launching again. It's buggy and there are known issues with the game starting for a lot of folks.”
“Very buggy on Windows.”
“Still, the game is horrible and buggy.”
- music4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music and sound effects in the game are generally well-received, but some players have experienced significant issues, including game-breaking bugs that prevent them from enjoying the audio experience. Overall, while the music is appreciated, technical problems have marred the experience for some users.
“Music and sound effects are overall good.”
“Broken game. Tried everything in support to get it to work. Waste of money. All I got was some music and a white screen.”
- humor4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game is described as a lighthearted and amusing experience, perfect for short breaks. However, players find it odd that while there is a save option, loading saved games can only be done from the main menu, which detracts from the overall enjoyment.
“Funny little game for when you have a break.”
“Very nice, funny, and happy game.”
“Funny little game for when you have a break.”
- replayability4 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 25 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The reviews indicate a mixed perspective on replayability; while some players find the games simple and lacking in complexity, others appreciate the unique experiences each session offers, particularly fans of classic board games. Overall, the replayability seems to hinge on personal preference and nostalgia for the genre.
“Ace Patrol and AP: Pacific Skies are very old board games, Blue Max ported to PC. For those who are lovers of these kinds of board games, it's a great buy and an awesome game. Simple graphics, but each game is unique, making it very replayable.”
“Not complex enough to merit replayability.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game is praised for effectively modeling plane performance and integrating RPG elements seamlessly, contributing to an overall positive gameplay experience.
“It models the performance of the planes really nicely, and the RPG elements work well.”
