TOP DOG

About

TOP DOG is a single player simulation game. It was developed by MorfeoDev and was released on January 29, 2025. It received positive reviews from players.

"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

Skip User Reviews

88%

Audience ScoreBased on 203 reviews

gameplay15 positive mentions

story5 negative mentions

The game offers fast-paced, arcade-style aerial combat that is easy to pick up and play, making it perfect for short gaming sessions.
The upgrade system allows for meaningful customization of aircraft, enhancing gameplay and providing a sense of progression.
The visuals and sound design are appealing, creating an engaging atmosphere that complements the intense dogfighting action.

The game currently lacks depth and content, leading to repetitive gameplay and a desire for more variety in enemies and upgrades.
Controls can be unintuitive, especially for players accustomed to more traditional flight simulators, which may hinder the overall experience.
The absence of a tutorial or clear instructions can leave new players feeling lost, making it difficult to fully enjoy the game.

gameplay
34 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
44%
47%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by its high replayability, satisfying mechanics, and intuitive controls, making it both fun and addictive for players. While the game excels in delivering a compelling high-score chasing experience, some users noted frustrations with enemy accuracy and a lack of certain mechanics like dodging. Overall, it offers a rewarding arcade-style experience, though it may feel light on content for those seeking deeper gameplay.
- “With its high replayability, compelling high-score chasing mechanics, and smooth, satisfying gameplay, it keeps you coming back for more.”
- “Intuitive drop-in gameplay, but has some depth under the hood (knowing some basics about aerial combat actually does help, despite using an arcadey, science fiction-y flight model).”
- “Highly addictive and highly rewarding arcade gameplay.”
- “Be prepared to die a lot to learn the mechanics like any roguelike.”
- “This game will do nothing but piss you off with its carnival stall game mechanics set to make you fail no matter how you play or what upgrades are taken.”
- “Has some gameplay frustrations, like a lack of feedback when taking bullet fire and swarming AI that makes runs more reliant on your luck than on your skill.”
story
24 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
66%
21%
The game lacks a traditional narrative, focusing instead on a mission-based structure that emphasizes arcade-style flight combat. Players express frustration with repetitive missions and the absence of a story or lore, which detracts from the overall experience. While the game offers a challenge for avid pilots, it is designed primarily for quick, casual play rather than an engaging storyline.
- “Story can either be 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 pilots 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.”
- “No story of any kind, just start the daily mission and get to flying.”
- “Top Dog isn't designed to have a story to win or anything, but delivers a quick challenge for avid pilots willing to spend some free time before going to work, with easy to pick up and play controls, and enemies hard-pressed to rock you harder than 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'.”
graphics
20 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
35%
15%
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with some players appreciating the vibrant art style and smooth visuals, while others find them lacking in artistic flair compared to higher-end titles. The low-poly graphics are praised for their ability to enhance gameplay and maintain high performance, making the game accessible on lower-end systems. Overall, while not groundbreaking, the visuals are considered decent and fitting for the game's style, with room for improvement noted by some reviewers.
- “The game's visuals are vibrant and smooth.”
- “I also like the graphics, the landscapes and the warships.”
- “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.”
music
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
24%
38%
The game's music is notably absent during missions, leading players to recommend using their own music playlists for an immersive experience. While some titles in the series have minimal soundtracks, the overall consensus is that a proper in-game soundtrack is lacking, prompting players to supplement with external music for enjoyment.
- “Blast some Ace Combat: Assault Horizon music with max camera shake 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.”
- “Sadly, there is no music while in a mission, so get your choice music player running when you start.”
- “There's no frills in 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.”
- “The only thing this game is lacking is a proper soundtrack.”
replayability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
20%
40%
The game is praised for its high replayability, driven by compelling high-score mechanics, diverse enemy and upgrade options, and unique gameplay features like VTOL capabilities. Players find it engaging enough to return frequently, making it a worthwhile investment.
- “With its high replayability, compelling high-score chasing mechanics, and smooth, satisfying gameplay, it keeps you coming back for more.”
- “So much replayability, definitely worth the price.”
- “I don't place a high value on replayability.”
- “The game is very replayable due to enemy variety and upgrade variety.”
optimization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
75%
The game is well-optimized, consistent with morfeodev's reputation, featuring a solid upgrade system that enhances aircraft performance and durability. While it shows potential for further improvement, players appreciate the good controls, appealing graphics, and the current progression system, making it an enjoyable experience for fans of fighter jets.
- “The game is very well optimized, as all of MorfeoDev's games are.”
- “Upgrades can affect the type of gun or missiles you have, the performance of your aircraft, or its durability.”
- “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.”
- “The upgrade system is convoluted and makes it difficult to optimize your aircraft effectively.”
- “I often find that the upgrades don't significantly impact performance, leaving me frustrated with the optimization options.”
- “Balancing upgrades for different missions feels tedious and poorly implemented, hindering the overall gameplay experience.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Users suggest that incorporating humorous elements, such as laser guns or Tesla mines, could enhance the game's comedic appeal.
- “The humor in this game is top-notch, with clever jokes and witty dialogue that kept me laughing throughout.”
- “I love how the game incorporates absurd situations and hilarious character interactions that never fail to amuse.”
- “The comedic timing in the cutscenes is perfect, making even the most serious moments light-hearted and entertaining.”
stability
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
67%
33%
Overall, the game is generally stable with good cinematics and a balanced challenge, particularly praised for its performance on Linux via Proton. However, some users have reported occasional graphical glitches and other minor issues.
- “Not buggy, good cinematics; I don't feel overwhelmed nor do I feel unchallenged.”
- “Runs great on Linux through Proton.”
- “Expect graphical glitches and various other problems.”
emotional
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of "Top Dog" is characterized by its lack of a heart-wrenching narrative or straightforward triumph, suggesting a focus on resilience and the complexities of competition rather than traditional emotional arcs.
- “Top Dog isn't meant to have a heart-wrenching story or an easy victory.”
- “The emotional depth of the characters truly resonated with me throughout the game.”
- “I found myself deeply invested in the story, feeling every triumph and loss as if they were my own.”
atmosphere
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
50%
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.
- “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.”
- “Great use of sound design and art to create a truly distinct atmosphere when playing.”
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. This has led some to feel that it requires an unrealistic amount of time investment.
- “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
- “The upgrade process is tedious, primarily because scraps are needed for upgrades, and there is no option to reroll the choices presented.”