Project Wingman Demo

Flight simulators are not easy to design, given the fact that it takes some work to come up with a convincing physics engine. However, even arcade games can provide you with quite a bit of fun, at least as long as the action is engaging and there’s a sense of achievement. Graphics are important as well, especially when it comes to the terrain you fly over.

Project Wingman is an arcade flight sim with an emphasis on action instead of simulation, which means that you can concentrate on having fun instead of keeping the plane steady at all times. The game is in early development at the moment, on the other hand, which means that it lacks many features, not to mention the fact that the missions are a bit too repetitive and boring.

There are a couple of fighter jets to choose from, and they each come with different weapon configurations. They also require a slightly different approach in regards to how you handle them, because some are more agile than others, or they can accelerate faster in some conditions. The arcade-ish gameplay mechanics make it easy to do so, on the other hand, except when it comes to aiming and shooting.

Speaking of which, it can be rather difficult to use your weapons, because the aiming system does not always work as intended. It takes some practice to get used to the action, mainly because there’s very little feedback to keep you in check. This can be very frustrating when you are trying to bomb targets but you keep missing, at least until you get used to it.

Lastly, the graphics are nothing to write home about, but they are fairly detailed, at least for an indie production. You can tell that some work went into the plane models and the special effects that make the experience feel authentic, such as motion blur or depth of field. However, the terrain is a bit too featureless and repetitive, so that can hurt the atmosphere.

In spite of its shortcomings, Project Wingman is still a fairly polished game, even in this early alpha state. Obviously, it needs more missions and better gameplay mechanics, as well as a smoother aiming system, but these issues can be fixed in later versions with enough work and dedication.