14 DAY TRIAL // Flight games, either simulators or dogfighters, have enjoyed a loyal following on many platforms, particularly on the PC one, but in recent years, this genre has all but dried up, as the sheer complexity of its mechanics and the finicky user base hasn't exactly persuaded developers to make new titles.
One small Swedish independent studio, however, has decided to buck the trend. As such, Wilnyl has just released Air Brawl as part of the Steam Early Access program, an arcade dogfighting experience that delivers some pretty intense aerial battles, not to mention many imaginative plans and powers.
Does Air Brawl manage to soar the skies or should it come crashing down to earth? Let's have a quick look.
Air Brawl is basic but quite intense
Air Brawl impresses from the get-go with its responsive controls and its pretty sharp colors. You can always fiddle around with them in the options menu, but standard things are quite good as well.
While a controller feels best, even if you have to try out all the buttons before you figure out what each of them does, the mouse and keyboard combination is also pretty good. However, you have to invest some time in learning to maneuver the mouse in such a way so that your plane doesn't always start rolling around. You can turn towards left or right, increase of decrease speed, or kick in the afterburner for a burst of speed.
There are six planes with plenty of interesting weapons, ranging from regular machine guns and rockets to melee hammers, holy swords, and so on. Their visual design is really good, and while only a few feel like they come from our own world, they all feel pretty good, thanks to the tight controls mentioned above.
Right now, there are four maps in the Early Access version of the game and most strike a good balance between offering large, open areas and smaller pathways surrounding them. You can engage in different multiplayer modes throughout them, from Team Deathmatch and Free for Fall, to Capture the Flag and a few more Flag-oriented game types.
Unfortunately, right now, there aren't that many players and servers, so expect to play a lot of Free for All with either complete beginners or experienced players who can easily take out your plane.
One area where the game can improve is enemy spotting, as you really have to squint in order to see others from afar, and it's even tougher to see if they're on your team or not.
The visuals are decent and the sharp colors manage to make even the basic structures and textures pleasant. The sound effects are also pretty Spartan, but this isn't a bad thing.
Air Brawl is expected to spend around 6 to 12 months in Steam Early Access. You can check out a short gameplay video and a few screenshots below.
