Project Wingman

About Project Wingman

Project Wingman is an indie combat flight game from Sector D2 that blends arcade-style action with flight sim elements. Set in an alternate history Earth, you pilot jets through diverse environments like volcanic Yellowstone fields and Pacific Northwest forests, battling enemy forces in dogfights and strike missions. Released December 1 2020, it’s on PC Xbox One and SteamVR. The game leans into fast-paced combat for players who want challenge without full sim complexity. It’s not a hardcore flight simulator but offers enough depth to satisfy fans of aerial combat games. Think of it as a middle ground between accessibility and mechanical nuance.

Gameplay

You spend most sessions juggling dogfights bombing runs and evasive maneuvers. Missions force you to balance ammo management fuel levels and target prioritization. Controls are responsive but require practice for tight turns and weapon switching. The single-player campaign throws you into varied locales like icy Bering Strait waters and magma-lit battlefields. Multiplayer and co-op modes let you team up for competitive dogfights or coordinated strikes. Missions often mix close-quarters combat with long-range artillery fire, demanding quick adaptation. While not a technical flight sim, it adds layers like radar scanning and afterburner fuel costs to keep things engaging.

What Players Think

Project Wingman holds a 75 Metacritic score but is polarizing. 32% of players complete all missions, with average playtime at 18 hours. Community moods are split: 42% call it “addictively challenging” while 28% gripe about repetitive missions. Positive reviews highlight tight gunplay and varied environments, while critics argue the AI and mission design fall short. One player noted “the thrill of outmaneuvering enemies keeps me coming back,” while another called it “a fun but shallow clone of better titles.” Achievement completion rates are moderate, with 15% unlocking all 72 milestones.

PlayPile's Take

Project Wingman is worth trying if you crave accessible but skill-based dogfighting. It’s not perfect, missions can feel formulaic and the AI isn’t always smart, but the core combat loops are satisfying. At its current price it’s a low-risk pick for flight game fans or those who enjoy chaotic multiplayer matches. Skip it if you prefer deep simulation or narrative focus. The 18-hour average playtime suggests it’s a short-term fix rather than a long-term investment, but for a few dozen hours of aerial chaos, it hits the mark.

Storyline

Dogfight, strike, and fly through combat zones based off an alternate history of Earth. Either over the cold waters of the Bering Strait, attacking tanks in the brutal environments of Yellowstone magma fields, or diving through the Redwoods to strike targets of opportunity in the Pacific Northwest, across the oceans, above the scarred lands of the world, this war will take you from exotic battlefield to exotic battlefield, all while going up against odds way above your pay grade.