TOP DOG

About

"TOP DOG" is an arcade-style aerial combat game with a bit of simulation, offering simple controls and FPS-like handling for mouse & keyboard or gamepad. Engage in increasingly difficult waves of enemies, collect scraps to tech-up and upgrade your aircraft on the fly, and compete against other players on daily leaderboards that reset every 36 hours. This game requires minimal hardware, with all footage shown captured on a 10-year-old Intel® HD 4600.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

94%

Audience ScoreBased on 135 reviews

gameplay11 positive mentions

grinding2 negative mentions

The game offers addictive and fast-paced dogfighting gameplay with simple controls that are easy to learn but hard to master.
The upgrade system is engaging, allowing players to customize their aircraft and feel the impact of their choices during gameplay.
Visually appealing with vibrant graphics and satisfying sound design, the game creates an immersive arcade experience.

Currently lacks content, with limited aircraft and upgrades, making it feel repetitive after a few runs.
The game can be frustrating due to unbalanced enemy mechanics, particularly with missile spam and overpowered warships.
There is no tutorial or clear explanation of game mechanics, which can leave new players confused about how to progress.

gameplay
23 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
48%
39%
13%
The gameplay is characterized by its intuitive controls and engaging mechanics, making it easy to pick up while still offering depth for those familiar with aerial combat. Players appreciate the meaningful upgrades, responsive controls, and addictive arcade-style experience, although some note that the content is somewhat limited, focusing primarily on high-score chasing. Overall, the game delivers a fun and fluid gameplay loop, enhanced by its low poly graphics and solid sound design.
- “Intuitive drop-in gameplay, but has some depth under the hood; knowing some basics about aerial combat actually helps, despite using an arcade-style, science fiction flight model.”
- “Very easy to pick up: controls are simple and most of the game's mechanics can be understood intuitively.”
- “Highly addictive and highly rewarding arcade gameplay.”
- “The being lured into the barriers business can still happen, but during my gameplay sessions and my first win, I found that I rarely flew into the height barriers.”
- “It feels mostly like a second version of Afterburn, but takes some mechanics from Furious Angels like being able to strafe fly, turning faster when not accelerating, defeating enemies and heavier ships in waves, and a daily leaderboard which resets every 36 hours.”
- “Hopeful that this will go further since the gameplay here is pretty promising.”
graphics
18 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
33%
17%
The game's graphics are characterized by a vibrant and stylized low-poly art style that enhances gameplay while maintaining high performance and smooth controls. While not on par with high-end graphics engines, the visuals are well-received for their charm and clarity, making them suitable for the game's mechanics. Overall, players appreciate the aesthetic appeal and the game's ability to run efficiently on lower-end systems, despite some minor graphical glitches.
- “The game's visuals are vibrant and smooth.”
- “The low poly graphics really accentuate the gameplay with high FPS and super responsive controls, and I admire the dev's focus on getting the mechanics right.”
- “Fantastic little dogfighting game, the controls feel pretty good, great visuals while being very easy to run, and interesting enemies to fight.”
- “It's not quite 'Ace Combat' level graphics, to be sure, but they look just fine and are not too distracting.”
- “The graphics aren't the kind of stuff you see in an Unreal Engine showcase, but they're still very good for the used style and the modeling of the aircraft is nicely done.”
- “Expect graphical glitches and various other problems.”
story
13 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
23%
54%
23%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on arcade-style gameplay with randomized missions and an upgrade system for player performance. While some players express a desire for a more developed story or lore, the game is designed primarily for quick, challenging sessions without the need for a plot. Overall, it caters to those seeking fast-paced air combat rather than a story-driven experience.
- “Story is either like a campaign with characters or something like Dark Souls that lets you explore the universe of the game by dropping little snippets of lore.”
- “Top Dog isn't designed to have a story to win or anything, but delivers a quick challenge for avid gamers willing to spend some free time before going to work, with easy-to-pick-up-and-play controls.”
- “I will say it is bar none one of the best pick-up-and-play air combat games I've ever come across outside of the mission-oriented 'Incoming' by Rage Software.”
- “Story either like a campaign with characters or something like Dark Souls that lets you explore the universe of the game you are in by dropping little snippets of lore.”
- “Top Dog isn't designed to have a story to win or anything, but delivers a quick challenge for avid gamers willing to spend some free time before going to work, with easy-to-pickup-and-play controls, and enemies hard-pressed to rock you harder than the queen.”
- “Once you get your controller bindings to work it plays very well, I hope more weapon variety is added soon. Looking into the dev's social media accounts, it seems that they intend this to stay an arcade-style game with no story nor 'extra fluff'.”
music
6 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music aspect of the game is generally seen as lacking, with minimal or no original soundtracks present. Players suggest enhancing the experience by playing external music, such as tracks from Ace Combat or the Top Gun soundtrack, to create a more immersive atmosphere. Overall, the absence of a dedicated soundtrack is noted as a significant drawback.
- “Blast some Ace Combat: Assault Horizon music with the camera shake at max for Michael Bay-levels of immersion.”
- “Great to kill time with or play with the Top Gun soundtrack blasting away!”
- “Play this while blasting your favorite Ace Combat music.”
- “The only thing this game is lacking is a proper soundtrack.”
- “With this recommendation, I would also recommend listening to the extended version of 'Gallant Char' in the background due to this game having no dogfight soundtrack.”
- “There's no frills on these games - if I'm remembering right, 'Furious Angels' has a little bit of a soundtrack, and I don't think the other two do.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
100%
The game's optimization features an upgrade system that allows players to enhance their aircraft's performance and durability, tailored for randomized missions. While users appreciate the solid controls and graphics, they note that the optimization is still a work in progress with significant room for improvement. Overall, it offers a promising experience for fighter jet enthusiasts.
- “Upgrades can affect the type of gun or missiles you have, the performance of your aircraft, or its durability.”
- “And there's an upgrade system for the player to tweak the performance of their fighter from one wave to the next of the randomized and daily refreshing missions.”
- “It's clearly not done and has loads of room for improvement, but for people like me who are obsessed with fighter jets, it's a pretty neat arcade game with good controls, very nice aesthetics in terms of graphics, good performance, and some small progression for now with the promise of more to come.”
- “The upgrade system is convoluted and makes it difficult to optimize your fighter effectively between missions.”
- “Upgrades can significantly impact the performance of your aircraft, but the lack of clear information makes it hard to know what to prioritize.”
- “The optimization options feel limited and often lead to frustrating choices that don't seem to enhance gameplay.”
stability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
150%
150%
Overall, users report that the game runs well on Linux via Proton, but they do encounter graphical glitches and other issues that affect stability.
- “The game runs smoothly on Linux through Proton.”
- “I haven't experienced any crashes or major bugs; the stability is impressive.”
- “The performance is consistent, making for a seamless gaming experience.”
- “Expect graphical glitches and various other problems.”
- “The game crashes frequently, making it nearly unplayable.”
- “I encountered numerous bugs that disrupted my gameplay experience.”
grinding
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be excessively time-consuming and tedious, primarily due to the necessity of collecting scraps for upgrades and the lack of options to reroll upgrade choices.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The upgrade process is tedious, first because scraps are needed for upgrades, and second, there is no option to reroll the choices presented.”
replayability
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game boasts high replayability thanks to its diverse enemy types and a wide range of upgrade options, encouraging players to explore different strategies and experiences in each playthrough.
- “The game is highly replayable thanks to its diverse enemy types and upgrade options.”
- “With a wide range of enemies and upgrades, the game offers excellent replayability.”
- “The variety of enemies and upgrades makes this game incredibly fun to replay.”
- “The game lacks significant changes in gameplay, making it feel repetitive after the first playthrough.”
- “Once you complete the main story, there isn't much incentive to replay the game.”
- “The limited choices and outcomes mean that replaying the game feels more like a chore than an enjoyable experience.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
300%
300%
The game's atmosphere is highly praised for its exceptional sound design and artistic elements, which work together to create a unique and immersive experience for players.
- “Great use of sound design and art to create a truly distinct atmosphere when playing.”
- “The immersive environment pulls you in, making every moment feel alive and engaging.”
- “The haunting soundtrack perfectly complements the visuals, enhancing the overall mood of the game.”
- “The atmosphere feels flat and uninspired, lacking any real depth or engagement.”
- “Despite the potential, the game fails to immerse players in its world, leaving it feeling hollow.”
- “The overall ambiance is disappointing, with repetitive soundscapes that do nothing to enhance the experience.”