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Dogfight - Battle In The Skies

Dogfight - Battle In The Skies

Simulation

Dogfight - Battle In The Skies Review

Overview

Dogfight - Battle In The Skies delivers solid aerial combat thrills wrapped in surprisingly polished 2D presentation, though significant hurdles prevent it from soaring to greater heights. The core flight mechanics shine with satisfying controls and explosive action that captures the adrenaline of WWI-style dogfights. While the language barrier presents an initial challenge that may deter some players, those who persevere discover a surprisingly competent combat experience. Recent updates adding English support and expanded content have addressed the most glaring issue, transforming this from a curiosity into a legitimate contender in the freeware flight combat genre.

The graphics are crisp, smooth and very, very nice all round. The explosions are none short of brilliant. The game is worth playing just for a look at this.

Gohst

Taking Flight Through Language Barriers

The most immediately apparent challenge comes from the game's German-only interface, creating genuine accessibility issues that dominated early player experiences. Menus remain intimidating puzzles requiring either language knowledge or careful memorization of button placements. This language wall initially obscures gameplay objectives, weapon systems, and critical options - particularly frustrating when trying to deploy specialized equipment like bombs. The good news comes through recent updates; diligent players can now find English localization options buried in the settings, though the process requires navigation through those same German menus first. This transition period creates a strange duality where new players struggle while returning veterans celebrate the newfound clarity.

Combat That Soars When It Connects

Where Dogfight truly excels is in its fundamental flight mechanics. The planes handle with responsive precision, creating that magical sensation of dancing through clouds while tracking targets. Gunplay delivers visceral satisfaction with impactful bullet hits and spectacular explosion effects that remain visually impressive years after release. The audio design complements these visuals perfectly - engine roars, machine gun chatter, and detonation blasts create an immersive battlefield atmosphere. Just piloting these aircraft delivers simple joy, with one player perfectly capturing the experience: "Just driving the plane is fun. Shooting the other planes and everything else is a bonus."

The expanded aircraft roster deserves special recognition, particularly the unexpected inclusion of Star Wars fighters alongside historically accurate WWI-era planes. Each craft features distinctive handling characteristics, encouraging experimentation across the 150+ available models. The attention to detail extends to technical specifications and historical backgrounds for non-fictional aircraft, showing remarkable dedication from a freeware developer.

AI and Longevity Concerns

Unfortunately, the single-player experience suffers from inconsistent AI behavior that undermines otherwise solid combat mechanics. Enemy pilots alternate between laughably incompetent and frustratingly precise, creating unpredictable difficulty spikes that disrupt mission flow. This inconsistency becomes particularly problematic in extended play sessions where repetitive mission structures begin to surface. Without human opponents, the limited AI routines grow stale within several hours, exposing the game's primary weakness.

Replay value remains a legitimate concern despite the expanded content. While the sheer number of aircraft provides initial excitement, the core mission design lacks sufficient variety to maintain engagement beyond a few days. The gameplay loop follows predictable patterns: take off, hunt targets, return to base. Without meaningful progression systems or dynamic objectives, that fundamental repetition eventually dampens enthusiasm despite the excellent core mechanics.

The lack of replay value is annoying; you'll probably get bored within a week.

RS

Multiplayer Renaissance

The game transforms significantly when experienced as intended: against human opponents. Multiplayer matches showcase Dogfight's true potential, with the expanded capacity for 10v10 battles creating chaotic, thrilling engagements. The aerial duels become strategic dances where positioning and marksmanship trump the AI's erratic behavior. Recent updates have stabilized these online experiences, though connectivity issues occasionally disrupt matches. For those with willing comrades, these multiplayer sessions deliver the game's most memorable moments and justify its continued relevance years after release.

Verdict

Dogfight - Battle In The Skies remains a fascinating study in contrasts. Its core combat delivers genuine exhilaration with best-in-class explosion effects and satisfying aerial maneuvers, while persistent flaws in AI behavior and mission design prevent it from achieving true greatness. The recent English localization and content expansions have addressed the most glaring initial weaknesses, making this freeware gem significantly more accessible. While unlikely to hold your attention indefinitely, it delivers several hours of thrilling dogfights that justify the download - particularly for flight combat enthusiasts seeking nostalgic 2D action. Just be prepared to navigate some turbulence on your way to those breathtaking airborne duels.

Verdict

Solid aerial combat with repetitive missions and AI issues

STRENGTHS

70%
Flight Mechanics90%
Visual Effects85%
Aircraft Variety80%
Multiplayer Experience75%
Sound Design85%

WEAKNESSES

30%
AI Quality80%
Replay Value70%
Language Barrier65%
Mission Variety60%

Community Reviews

10 reviews
Komdour
Komdour
Trusted

I downloaded this game because it looked fun and I wanted some airplane action. Guess what? You guessed it. It is the best freeware dogfight on the world wide web. I've tired to prove that statement wrong, but I can't. Even better, the maker decided to start working on it again. Now they have an English version with more than a hundred and fifty aircraft, including many Star Wars fighters. The author did his research in making this game. Most of the plane have dates (except the Star Wars ships) and even background info in fluent English. You can now play up to ten on ten (only one human on each of the two teams). And he has improved the AI too. I don't review a game unless I think it is truly exceptional. Don't fret when you open the game it starts in German, but go to the first pull-down menu on the bottom right and set it to English.

Gohst
Gohst
Trusted

Dogfight is an incredibly fun game, which is all in German. But don’t let that disparage you, the menus are intimidating but the game play is excellent. The graphics are cool, they’re in 2D and beautifully rendered. They’re crisp, smooth and very, very nice all round. The explosions are none short of brilliant. The game is worth playing just for a look at this. Just driving the plane is fun. Shooting the other planes and everything else is a bonus. The music and sounds are well placed and do their job well. The gunshots, the explosions, the noise of hitting your opponents with bullets, they’re all fantastic. The music is wonderfully paced and adds a superb atmosphere to the game. In short, you should download this game, sure it’s in German, but don’t be put off by that, it’s definately worth playing.

EXpl0si0nZ
EXpl0si0nZ
Trusted

"Dogfight - Battle In The Skies" is nice. Not more, not less. The graphics are good, the animations are flawless, the gameplay ain't bad. It's just too repetitive, and the AI sucks. As someone who didn't have the chance to play it 1 vs 1, I could only make games against the AI, which sucks badly... I'm sorry to say that... A bit more AI instead of the graphics and this game definitely would've gotten an "Excellent", but like it is right now, it only gets an "Average". I admire the professionality of the game, but the gameplay needs some more work. All in all - a NICE game, not bad if you have some time to kill. -eX

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