Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire
Top Critic Average
Critics Recommend
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire Trailers
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire – Official Launch Trailer
Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire | Gameplay Trailer
Critic Reviews for Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire
We can forgive a game for being too ambitious for its own good, trying something bold, and possibly falling short. The trouble with Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is that it tries to deliver something we've seen before and still manages to fail at it. Even if you stripped out every technical issue, improved the camera, and polished up the visuals, you would still be left with a painfully average gaming experience. Sky Oceans doesn't even crash and burn – it fails to leave the runway.
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire looks to recapture the magic of Skies of Arcadia, but slow combat and clunky controls let it down significantly.
Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire needed a lot more time and work to get it into a proper release state. If this was an early access title, some of the issues would be forgivable, but it isn't.
I really feel like Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire had the potential to be a charming and engaging RPG, but it falls short in many areas which keeps it from getting airborne. The clunky controls, repetitive gameplay and numerous tech issues make it a really frustrating experience rather than an enjoyable one. Don’t be tricked by the fantastic ‘Studio Ghibli’ visuals because sadly its all smoke and mirrors with this one; the visual design just isn’t enough to save this game.
Despite its earnest story and the potential, Sky Oceans struggles to soar due to its obtuse gameplay systems, dull combat, and raft of glitches.
Sky Oceans: Wings For Hire has lots of potential but doesn't draw it all out of the game and its ideas and concepts. A lack of voice acting makes moments hit more hollow than they should. The gameplay becomes more repetitive the longer you play.
The sky was definitely not the limit for Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire.
I wish I enjoyed Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire more than I do. There is plenty to love, such as its charming visuals, fun narrative and worldbuilding. However, it's simply hard to look past the clunky gameplay, from the incredibly slow and repetitive animations to the clunky menu navigation, and that's not even mentioning the bugs. Hopefully, the worst of them will be patched out, but at least at launch, Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire is a turbulent experience, and worth recommending only for those willing to brave the game's flaws.
