Test device: Samsung Galaxy Nexus
Android version: 4.0.1
Mods: Root
This application requires 10 MB internal storage and 35 MB on the SD card.
If you find the role of a pilot during the Great War a bit daunting, why not try out the practice mode in order to get your bearings. You can choose a plane to fly (only one model is available if you're playing the test version), all of which feature different flight qualities, namely velocity, handling and armour.
Once you've made your selection you can take off and start playing. In the first rounds this mainly means flying through hoops in order to practice your flying techniques. An arrow is meant to indicate the flight direction towards the next hoop, but the arrow wasn't always easily discernible, and at times it wasn't visible at all. Thankfully, the developers have included an in-game minimap to help lost pilots find their way to the next target.
The second mission is all about finding the enemy aerodrome—but you're not actually told what to do until you arrive at the goal. This is a bit unfortunate and to my mind it would make more sense if the mission were displayed at the beginning of the level.
Multiplayer mode
Take down enemy air crafts using machine guns and ultimately destroy the enemy camp using heavy artillery such as bombs. Another goal is to keep your own camp safe. This involves team work, and you can communicate with your comrades via chat in order to determine who stands guard at the camp and who goes out on the prowl. This is where multi-tasking comes into play, because you will have to confer with your team mates whilst simultaneously defending your base or conducting bomb raids—not unlike what real fighter pilots must experience. The tilt controls work really well, even when you're typing out a message to your fellow fighter pilots, and luckily the chat window only takes up a relatively small portion of the display.
Having said that, we don't recommend typing out messages right in the heat of the moment—you're better off waiting till you're in the clear, preferably coasting along without interruptions. In addition to the basic my, the free version has a series of additional multiplayer maps– including air craft carrier maps– but you'll have to deal with a time limit until you buy the full version.
The camera perspective can be changed in either mode, that is to say that you can see what's happening from the pilot's point of view within the cockpit or via the virtual 3D camera behind the plane. If you go for the latter camera mode you will find that control elements are transparent, meaning you have a better view of what's happening around you. Speaking of control elements, they were designed in that nostalgic early 20th century look, which won't be everyone's cup pf tea, but then again you probably won't be interested in a WWI fighter simulator if you don't dig old-fashioned aviation design.
The game has a great soundtrack which unfortunately only plays in the main menu. Once you begin to play you will hear engine sounds—very reminiscent of older computer games. In previous versions, there had been some problems with the FX, including sound loops cutting out but the developers have been able to root out the bugs. Developments like these are what we like to see at AndroidPIT.
Go to settings to change control mode, graphics settings and language. Sound effects can also be de/activated.
Bottom line:
Dogfight has a lot of things going for it and, while we once had been a bit critical of the game, AndroidPIT can't find anything wrong with it in our latest test. It's a fun reto-flight simulator, both exciting and addicitng.
sar
good