Developer: Gambit Games Studio
Publisher: CreativeForge Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Aircraft Carrier Survival – Review
In war games, we almost always play the frontline soldier and we tend to forget how much logistics and tactical management is done behind the scenes before and after the mission. In Aircraft Carrier Survival you do exactly that: you are the commander of an aircraft carrier fleet and must keep the seas safe while getting attacked by hostile ship fleets, submarines, and planes. This all plays out during the American campaign at Pearl Harbor during World War 2. Will you become the renowned general that turns the tide during the war, or will you be buried at sea?
Story
It all begins in 1940s Pearl Harbor, the Second World War is in full swing and you have just finished your training to commandeer an aircraft carrier. Not only are you given control over the ship, but you will have to lead the whole naval fleet to safety. It is your job to keep the waters secure while gathering more information about hostile forces in the area. Before each mission, you get a full briefing on what your next assignment is, so there is a bit of story in each segment, but this can be skipped without impacting the gameplay.
Graphics
Graphically the game left us with mixed feelings. There is a lot going on at all times and those who have played Fallout Shelter will see certain similarities. Your ship is filled with crewmen working to keep the ship afloat, officers navigating the traitorous waters, and planes being loaded and unloaded onto the deck. Not only is this all viewable and animated, but when you upgrade certain assets like ships or planes, these will change form and you have the ability to customize their looks with a different paint scheme. While the front end looks good, it is more the water effects and battle videos where you see a drastic decrease in overall quality. During attack runs, you have the ability to see this footage as a video playing out, but this looks pretty simplified in comparison to the epic battles that you see while defending your ship.
Sound
Luckily, unlike the graphics, the sound design is a lot better. Life on the water is loud and this can be heard with everything that is currently going on. There is a lot of detail to the various sound effects, and thanks to the many-voiced lines, you will hear what the current problem is on the ship even before seeing the text prompt pop up.
On the music side of things, this has also been handled pretty nicely. The war-themed music that plays in the background is one that will give you drive and strength through the campaign against the Axis.
Gameplay
Aircraft Carrier Survival is a strategical management game where you take control of a naval fleet during the Second World War. Your main base of operations is an aircraft carrier that is equipped with a lot of different quarters to manage your ship and its crew. The game starts with an elaborate tutorial that carefully holds your hand from the beginning until the end. This is really good as managing everything can be a bit intimidating at first. There is so much to keep track of and you’ll have to do this in real-time while the enemy is closing in on you. When the tutorial is over, you get to equip your naval fleet and set off outside Pearl Harbor for your first real mission.
Before you start your journey you’ll have to decide what troops you want on board, how many planes of each type, and what kind of fleet. Everything has an impact on your combat readiness for the mission, but luckily running the standard setup to learn the game proves to be one of the most versatile decisions. Now with experience come upgrades and the better you score on the mission the more points you will unlock to improve the skills of your crewmates, have more anti-aircraft cannons on board or increase plane capacity, and much more. Next to your offensive capabilities, you have a few ships that sail along with you for extra defensive capabilities. Some can offer you better defense against submarines, while others increase detection range or serve as a decoy.
Once you are done and have set sail, it is time to conduct some intel gathering. Most missions play out in the same way. You’ll have planes scout for you to see who is near (if they are friend or foe) and plan accordingly. Once you have acquired the target, you can set up an attack. The concept of attacking works like a card game with three styles of cards: offensive, defensive and special. You’ll have to set a total of five cards, and they all have an influence on each other. This means that you can go for an all-out attack, or try to give a hard push while preserving most of your aircraft. Before you lock in your decision, an officer will tell you how he predicts the outcome, so you can always adjust accordingly.
In between events, you have to manage your ship, and this is rather easy once you have the hang of it. You’ll need to prepare planes for a mission, or change the way your deck is lined up by putting the planes on the end so your planes can land. This can be a bit time-consuming but once you have figured out the flow, you will notice that this goes really smoothly. In the command center (or Island), you move around officers to different posts. These posts give you different bonuses, but some are necessary, such as a post that increases your Damage Control units. Damage Control is everything under the deck. This is where the crew quarters are, the engine room, the hangar bay, etc. These places can become damaged, start to burn or get flooded. Steering your crew members to the right job is mostly automated, if you select the right job for them in the user interface.
Conclusion
Aircraft Carrier Survival is a game that is fun for those who like management games or have an interest in naval warfare. Having to manage your fleet on the traitorous seas while being under attack, all while trying to keep your men safe can be stressful, but thanks to the good tutorial, you will be an ace captain sooner than later. The graphics are somewhat decent but lack refinement in certain departments. The sounds are good, with period-correct music playing, and the troops being fully voiced for your convenience. Having to play cards for an attack might feel a bit strange, but luckily you have the freedom to adjust and search for the best plan without any real consequences.
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