No Dogs Were Harmed In My Playing Of This Game

So I had one review for Dogfight 1942 all typed up after I completed Story Mode. I was going to talk about how the controls are solid, and I like how easy landing is (because I’m not playing to practice landing). I liked that while I could give wingmen commands, it was rarely a necessity. I was going to mention I was disappointed I only got to fly one Axis plane, the Me 110, and I could do without the “Jap bastard” comments from my character and his wingmen during the missions in the Pacific. I’m just in this to fake fly planes from an era of aviation I find interesting in fake combat with other planes from that era. I’m not looking for a vicarious thrill in winning World War II single-handed in a virtual environment. Which might explain why my two favorite flight combat games were Starfox 64 and Crimson Skies, which had their own, distinct worlds and histories.

I had all that typed and ready to go, which would have resulted in a lukewarm review of the game, most likely. Then I investigated the Quick Play option, found the Dogfights, and that improved my mood significantly. All that other stuff still applies, but dogfights, that’s what I wanted out of the game. Pick a plane, pick an opposing plane, add some wingmen if I want, throw it all together and shoot each other down to my heart’s content. There’s no story, no stupid dialogue, no damn escort mission or avoid detection nonsense. Just seeing which planes are better, and in cases where I’m flying the inferior craft, see just how much I can do to overcome that. My attempt to defeat 4 P-38s with 4 Stukas (counting me), did not go well. But we got a few of them! That part of the game, at least, I’m much more kindly disposed to.