MiG Alley Review (no fat)

Game Description

Flight simulators rarely touch on the realism that MiG Alley brings to the table. Realistic plane models and mechanics will help you to feel the action, and better yet, appreciate history at its most dangerous times.

Having one of the most diverse and largest plane offerings in a combat flight simulator, MiG Alley has set a new standard for PC gaming.

MiG Alley Gameplay

An overwhelming interface awaits, one which is highly customizable once learned. In-game training is skipped, and gamers are instead expected to find their way through the game.

A comfortable joystick setup is prepared, but may require some easy tweaking depending on your level. It is a non-complicated affair, and therefore forgivable.

The planes are not the only detailed pieces in the game, as players will benefit heavily from crystal clear mission objectives. Even if there is some doubt, briefing screens and menus are readily available.

Also, a feature that other developers would do well to remember, every item of importance on a map can be toggled on or off. This makes it a lot easy to see only the things you want, without causing confusions. Adding more use to the detailed map is clickable icons showing the information of the items you choose, with a cleanly laid out menu categorizing all important information.

The entire setup of MiG Alley is just a beautiful thing to behold. Even with its high levels of customization and stats, the game still manages to not scare off an everyday gamer.

MiG Alley Modes

Spring offensive is a good point for beginning pilots, but is far from a tutorial. Think of it as more of an easing in campaign for starters.

There are 4 other single player modes, that change dynamically depending on how you play them. Take charge of missions from the commander’s chair, or show some guts and play as an airborne offensive. With the two types of ways to play, and a dynamically changing single player mode, the playability is extremely high and rarely gets stale.

The hardest mode, but most fun to play, would be the ‘Entire War’ mode. Combining all the single player campaigns into one, gamers can play from beginning to end and see if they have what it takes to own the skies.

Multiplayer is your standard fanfare, including the free for alls and co-op. No innovation in this area, but enough meat in the final product to not make it such a big deal.

MiG Alley Graphics

Perfect. The planes look exactly like their counterparts in real life. From the F86 Sabre, to the B29 Super Fortress, even the ugly looking F80 Shooting Star looks ‘gorgeously ugly’ in MA.

The interface, while not huge on the graphics scale, gets points simply for being intuitive and straightforward without getting in the way. Details are abound in the game, but the interface is truly the most wonderful part of the game.

MiG Alley Sound

With a huge tag on realism, proper due goes to the sound effects and battle. Much too often, sounds in fast paced games such as this are downplayed, but the small amount of voiceovers in the game is done well and compliments the realistic destruction all around you. One of the coolest effects is the explosions, which has more to do with the sound than the graphics.

A nice soundtrack would have been a nice addition, but gamers will just have to settle for superior sound effects.

MiG Alley Summing up

Simulations are not hard to come by, except in the areas where realism matters the most. MiG Alley nails every possible angle on the head, and despite an average multiplayer showing, destroys many of its competition in the genre. The multiplayer mode, however, is not completely lacking. It is just a far cry from what multiplayer gaming has accomplished in the gaming arena of today.

With little to no flaws, MiG Alley is a gamer choice for any fan of combat simulation.

MiG Alley cost

The flight simulation retails for $3.33, at the time of writing.