Today we’ll talk about combat flight games which do not care about realism.
They’re about pure, unadulterated fun. You know, planes being able to pull off the craziest maneuvers without breaking a sweat and carrying insane loadouts – like hundreds of missiles and bombs. Crazy combat scenarios during which you’ll destroy enemies aplenty. Superweapons and prototype planes straight outta sci-fi in addition to real-world ones.
PC gamers for the most part had the so-called “sims lite,” which were more forgiving than their more hardcore counterparts. These were still pretty demanding and while simpler to play, they didn’t really fit the bill, i.e. the description above.
Console gamers, on the other hand, got a series called Ace Combat. It began in 1995 with Air Combat, a PS port of an arcade title. It introduced the gameplay model described in the intro. So, throwing realism out of window in favor of good, old-fashioned shooter fun. Today, Ace Combat is one of the longest-running arcade flight game series and definitely an influential piece of gaming history.
But it is also mostly console-based, with, like, one, maybe two exceptions. What if you wanted to play it on PC? Well, there’s a whole bunch of options. Let’s take a look.
Make note that this list will not feature “sims lite,” as these are a wholly different category. We’re looking at action games only.
Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown
| Release date: | 2019-01-31 |
| Genre: | Combat flight simulation |
| Developer: | Project Aces |
Let’s get the obvious one out of the way, shall we? While not the first part of the AC series on PC – Ace Combat: Assault Horizon – this is the biggest release on this platform, popular to this day. And for a good reason.
The game puts you in the shoes of a silent protagonist named Trigger, an Osean pilot. Framed for a murder you didn’t commit, you end up in a penal squadron, trying to end a destructive conflict between the Osean Federation and the Kingdom of Erusea, as well as clearing your name. Expect corny dialogue and over-the-top action.
You fly a range of different missions during which you’ll shoot down enemy aircraft, destroy ground targets, protect allied convoys and installations, and sometimes put your flying skills to the test while navigating difficult terrain. You get to pilot a wide selection of unlockable aircraft: American, Russian, and European fighters, attack aircraft, and even bombers, like Su-34. Fictional prototype planes are also available, as well as futuristic weaponry: railguns and laser cannons.
In addition to the campaign you can get 3 new missions taking place sometime during the main plot. There’s also the multiplayer mode, which is decent fun, even if a bit underwhelming and under-utilized. If you’re looking for a great arcade combat flight game, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown is one of your best bets.
Project Wingman
| Release date: | 2020-12-01 |
| Genre: | Combat flight simulation |
| Developer: | Sector D2 |
Here’s another great game, this time primarily made for personal computers (though console ports are also available). Project Wingman is pretty much an Ace Combat game made by the obvious fans of the series.
There’s not much to add here. Just like most of AC games, Project Wingman is also set in a fictional take on Earth. Sometime in the future a massive cataclysm rocked our planet and changed its shape forever. A new resource, known as cordium, also appeared. You play as “Monarch,” a pilot employed by the Sicario Mercenary Corps, completing various missions.
While in-game planes have fictional names, they’re obviously modelled after their real-life counterparts. PW supports HOTAS setups and VR headsets, as well as offers the first-person cockpit view for more immersion. One interesting difference from the AC series is that PW lets you pick a larger number of special missiles, depending on the plane, offering more versatility in gameplay.
Once you complete the campaign, you can try your hand in the rogue-lite Conquest mode where you conquer territories, complete all sorts of missions, fight ace squadrons, hire mercenaries and airships, buy new planes, and so on. Of course if you perish, you have to start again, but you retain access to the prestige and planes you managed to unlock during the previous playthroughs.
You can also get the Frontline-59 DLC, featuring new protagonists and six new missions taking place during the main campaign. Project Wingman is super fun to play. It looks and sounds great, too, making it your best bet, especially if you’re looking for something else than Ace Combat.
Tom Clancys H.A.W.X 1 & 2
| Genre: | Arcade & Platform |
| Developer: | Ubisoft Bucharest |
These games are no longer available for purchase, but we’re including them for posterity. The HAWX series is pretty much Ace Combat, but grittier and more serious, which might be a welcome change.
Gameplay-wise there’s not much else to talk about. You get a range of different missions to complete using a wide variety of real-life aircraft. Cockpit view is also available and the game supports joysticks and HOTAS setups. You can also issue orders to your wingmen. Set in the near future, the game presents a vision of the world where private military corporations are becoming more and more powerful and you happen to be flying for the biggest of them, completing all sorts of missions. Things are not the way they seem to be, though…
The sequel introduced some interesting changes to the gameplay, including take-off and landing sequences. Weapons are no longer of the fire-and-forget variety. Instead, they’re either unguided or operator-guided. You’ll also make more use of guns. You’re no longer a flight leader, though, so you can’t issue orders to your wingmen anymore. You’re also no longer allowed to pick a plane for missions.
Sadly, these games have been delisted from stores, but maybe you’ll find a used copy somewhere. Who knows, maybe they’ll be re-issued sometime in the future? Maybe we’ll get H.A.W.X. 3? Time will tell.
These are just a few games like Ace Combat available on PC (including the latest installment in the hit series). They’re perfect picks if you’re looking for something you can jump right into without having to read manuals counting hundreds of pages, spending countless hours playing training missions, worrying about realistic flight physics, and so on. Heck, you don’t even need a fancy setup. Keyboard and mouse will do fine (though you’ll still be better off playing these with a flight stick instead).
Naturally, if you’re interested in more hardcore flight sims, we’ve got an article with just what you need. If you’re looking for a good selection of games striking a good balance between realism and accessibility, we’re working on that one, too. Many of the more advanced flight sims still offer various options which make these easier to play and more on the arcade side of things, so they’re worth checking out, too.
There’s also a whole bunch of other action flight games which you might like. PC gamers had stuff like Top Gun: Fire at Will, Top Gun: Hornet’s Nest, various World War II-themed games, and you can totally pick up War Thunder for that – it’s a great game striking a perfect balance between fun and realistic physics. Until next time and good hunting!