Chris Reviews Aces of Thunder – A Good Entry For A VR Library

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Reviewing Aces of Thunder is tough. I can see why it’s not for everyone, but personally, it feels like the game was designed just for me.

  • Genre: Flight Simulation | Simulation | Virtual Reality
  • Developer: Gaijin Entertainment
  • Publisher: Gaijin Network Ltd
  • Price: $29.99 | 29,99€ | £25.99
  • Release Date: 3 February, 2026
  • Reviewer: Chris Irwin (PC)
  • Target Audience: Flight-sim players, World War 2 and World War 1 enthusiasts, VR enjoyers
  • Final Score: 7/10

Some flight simulator fans have very expensive, high-end equipment, aiming for the most realistic experience possible. I personally use a more affordable setup – a Thrustmaster T.16000M HOTAS with pedals. I played flight sims a little as a child in the 90s, but I didn’t become truly dedicated until I could afford the hobby as an adult.

When it comes to classic aviation, the original Red Baron stands out to me. I’m especially fascinated by World War I-era planes. I also really enjoy playing Rise of Flight; it’s easier to control and feels more realistic. It’s amazing to think that pilots during that time were sometimes refused parachutes to prevent them from leaving their planes behind! I’ve always been drawn to stories like the one in Blaine Pardoe’s Terror of the Skies, which tells the incredible story of Frank Luke, the first American pilot to earn the Medal of Honor. Growing up near several Air Force bases – even what was considered the very first one in America – definitely fueled my lifelong passion for aviation.

I’ve been into VR flight games for a while now. I’ve had a blast with titles like Falcon 4.0 and the IL-2 Sturmovik series, but I’ve also jumped into the cockpits of games like Warplanes, Gunship Sequel: WW2 VR, Dawn of Jets, and VTOL VR. Basically, I’ve logged a ton of hours soaring through the skies in virtual reality.

Now, back to this review.

I understand this game has received some criticism, particularly from War Thunder players. Personally, I don’t plan on playing either War Thunder or World of Tanks. I prefer games that aren’t dependent on ongoing servers – I want to be able to play a game years down the line and still have it work. I also dislike games where you have to spend a lot of time grinding to make progress.

However, the game does have some real problems. It isn’t well-designed for players using HOTAS setups (hands on throttle-and-stick controls), which will disappoint many dedicated flight sim fans. The menus are awkward and hard to navigate, and the campaign sometimes feels like it’s happening to you rather than because of your choices. Everyone speaks English, and often with the same voice actor, which breaks immersion. Plus, the game launched with opportunities to spend extra money on planes, and the initial selection of aircraft feels limited compared to War Thunder—a game that’s free to play. To top it all off, there’s a lack of a good tutorial, leaving many players feeling lost.

That’s a long list of negatives — enough to tell many players to stay away.

Some players think it’s too much like an arcade game, while others say it’s overly realistic and difficult to control. The reality is somewhere in the middle – you still have to manage important flight controls like fuel, trim, and landing gear. Personally, I think it strikes a good balance between fun and realism.

I really appreciate the mission checkpoints – they’re not common in flight or tank simulations. If you’re having trouble with something like taking off from an aircraft carrier, the game will eventually let you skip ahead. It’s definitely more forgiving, and honestly, that’s great for me. I have a new baby, and I don’t always have half an hour to keep replaying a section just to get to the exciting parts. This mix of realistic simulation and arcade-style play is exactly what I need right now.

This game features both guided missions and the ability to create your own battles, letting you customize the location, objectives, time of day, and how challenging the enemy AI is. There’s also a team deathmatch multiplayer mode. You can experience missions set in both World War I and World War II, although currently, World War I content is mostly available through the custom battle option.

The game looks fantastic for a VR experience. I’d put its visuals on par with titles like IL-2 Sturmovik: Battle of Stalingrad. It definitely surpasses many other VR flight games designed for standalone headsets. However, it’s not aimed at players who need extremely high frame rates or the latest ray tracing technology.

I’ve been really impressed with how quickly the developers have been responding to feedback since the game launched. They’ve been consistently releasing updates to fix issues players have been raising. It’s good to know they’re a big company with the ability to keep improving things, and I’m especially hopeful that they’ll really polish the HOTAS support – I think it has a lot of potential!

I realize my preference for using motion controls instead of traditional joystick controls for flight games is likely to be unpopular. Some might consider me a casual player, and that’s okay with me. Having tried the Intersolar 83 demo, I can explain why I enjoy motion controls so much – they make the experience feel much more immersive. I don’t want to take my headset off to look for keyboard commands; I’d rather physically interact with the virtual cockpit. I get that many players prefer the feel of a physical stick and dislike the feeling of controlling things with just hand movements. While there are ways to add sticks or build custom setups, I’m happy with how things are right now.

My biggest worry is how the game will add new content over time. I anticipate that many future planes will be released as paid add-ons, and that could get pricey. However, I’ve always avoided spending money on extra items in games like this, and I’m happy with the planes currently available – the Russian, American, Japanese, German, and British ones. I probably won’t buy any more planes or cosmetic items unless the future updates include significant new campaigns.

I think this game is great, and I’d give it an 8 out of 10 personally. With a few updates, it has the potential to be a perfect 10 in the future. However, my official score is a 7 out of 10. A lot of players, especially those who use HOTAS setups and enjoy realistic PC simulations, are unhappy with how the game handles controls, and their numbers are much higher than mine.

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2026-03-05 17:44