Sid Meier’s Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies Review Summary

Fun, addictive turn-based WWII aerial dogfighting and quick sessions are undermined by constant crashes, fast repetition, and poor outdated graphics.

Fun and addictive gameplay: The game is widely described as fun and addictive, with many reviewers highlighting its engaging nature. This is a core strength that keeps players coming back.

Great for quick sessions: Players appreciate that the game is well-suited for short play sessions, making it easy to pick up and put down. It fits perfectly into brief breaks.

Simple yet challenging: The game is easy to learn but offers a surprising challenge, especially on higher difficulties. This balance appeals to both casual and hardcore players.

Turn-based strategy fun: Reviewers enjoy the turn-based plane battling and hex-based tactical strategy elements. The gameplay is praised for being fun and well-executed.

Simple and accessible: The game is easy to understand and play, making it accessible to a wide audience. Its simplicity is often highlighted as a positive.

Constant crashes make game unplayable: Numerous players report frequent crashes, often multiple times per session or mission, rendering the game unplayable for many. Crashes are described as persistent and occurring even on systems meeting requirements.

Gameplay becomes repetitive quickly: Many players find the game highly repetitive, especially after extended play or multiple playthroughs. Missions and objectives feel repeated, reducing long-term enjoyment.

Lacks new features compared to predecessor: The game is essentially the same as the original with a new backdrop, offering no innovation and fewer features. It is described as not a major iteration and stuck with the same formula.

Graphics are outdated and poor: Graphics are frequently criticized as very bad for a 2013 game, not up to 2021 standards, and reminiscent of 2004 games. Visuals are described as ugly and hurting the eyes.

Less fun than original Ace Patrol: Many players find this game less fun and satisfying than the original Ace Patrol, with combat feeling less engaging. It is seen as more of the same but lacking the charm of the first game.

Turn-based WWII aerial dogfighting: The core gameplay is a turn-based strategy game where players command WWII aircraft in tactical dogfights on a hex grid. Maneuvers such as rolls and flat spins are used to outmaneuver and shoot down enemy planes.

Pilot progression and skill unlocks: Pilots gain experience and level up, unlocking new maneuvers, abilities, and equipment. This progression system adds depth to the tactical combat.

Multiple campaigns and factions: Players can choose from four campaigns representing US and Japanese Army and Navy forces, each with distinct missions and aircraft. This adds replayability and historical perspective.

Turn-based strategic gameplay: The game is fundamentally turn-based, with players alternating moves with the enemy. This allows for thoughtful tactical decisions rather than real-time action.

Hex-based tactical movement: The game uses a hexagonal grid with altitude levels and directional facing, requiring players to carefully position their aircraft. This board-game-like movement is central to the strategy.

Frequent crashes reported: Many players report the game crashes often, sometimes every few minutes, making it unplayable for some. The crashes occur on various systems and are not isolated incidents.

Crashes after missions: A common pattern is the game crashing immediately after completing a mission, often before players can save their progress. This affects both Ace Patrol games and forces players to save after every mission.

Startup and launch failures: Numerous reports describe the game failing to launch, showing a blank or white screen, or crashing on startup on various systems including Windows and Mac. Some users must verify Steam files or reinstall to fix the issue.

Graphics and rendering bugs: Players experience various graphical glitches such as black objects, missing textures, incorrect colors, and UI elements not displaying properly. These issues range from planes rendered as outlines to menus flickering.

Windows 10 compatibility issues: Many users report crashes and incompatibility with Windows 10, often requiring compatibility mode settings. The game may crash frequently or fail to start on Windows 10 despite meeting system requirements.

Worth buying on sale: Many reviewers recommend purchasing only at a discount, noting the game offers good value at a reduced price. Some consider it worth full price, but sale pricing is the common recommendation.

Appeals to WWII aviation fans: Reviewers frequently recommend the game to players interested in WWII history, Pacific air combat, and military aircraft. The theme is a major draw for the target audience.

Original Ace Patrol is better: Several reviewers prefer the first Ace Patrol and suggest playing it instead, stating the original is superior. Some recommend this game only for those who already exhausted the first.

Good for turn-based strategy fans: The game is recommended for those who enjoy turn-based strategy and light tactical gameplay. It offers accessible strategy suitable for fans of the genre.

Not recommended for purchase: Some reviewers explicitly advise against buying the game at any price, calling it a waste of money. Their negative experiences outweigh any positive aspects.

Community fair range: $2.99 - $9.99.

Game completion: 5.5h.

Story completion: 5.5h.

Session length: 0.2h.

Players most strongly report the game as fun and addictive from the outset, especially in short sessions and at a low price. Repetition, limited scope, and tutorial crashes cause some players to sour quickly or disengage.

Friction: Repetitive missions and objectives; Crashes after the second tutorial mission; Clunky animations and small annoyances; Early repetition that can become boring quickly; Limited phone-game scope.

Casual Hex-Grid Tactician: Casual hex-grid or board-game-like turns, taking time to position aircraft without flight-sim complexity. Motivation: Relaxed, accessible turn-based tactical play with quick positioning decisions. Stance: buy.

WWII Air-Combat Enthusiast: Turn-based air combat focused on positioning planes and taking time to set up shots, with a board-game or miniatures feel. Motivation: To experience WWII Pacific air combat with a light tactical, historically flavored approach. Stance: buy.

Ace Patrol Franchise Veteran: Campaign play using familiar light strategy air-combat mechanics, with attention to iteration and replayability. Motivation: More of the original Ace Patrol formula with faster planes and a new setting. Stance: sale.

Largely identical to Ace Patrol: Reviewers frequently describe the game as essentially the same as the original Sid Meier's Ace Patrol, with some calling it a reskin or just a new setting. The changes are seen as minimal, and several reviewers prefer the predecessor.

Slightly more polished than original: Some reviewers acknowledge that the game is a bit more polished than the first Ace Patrol, with improved features and additional content. However, it is still seen as fundamentally the same game.

Available in Humble bundles: The game is frequently obtained through Humble Bundle purchases, often bundled with the first game or sold as part of a package deal. This contributes to its low cost and wide availability.

Low price excuses shortcomings: The game is consistently noted as being sold cheaply, especially during sales or in bundles. This low price point is often used to justify or excuse its missing features and lack of polish.

Mobile port to PC: Multiple reviewers point out that the game is a port of a mobile or tablet title, not a native PC release. This is sometimes framed as a negative, contributing to the perception of it being a simple app game.