When I studied to become a history teacher, I wrote an essay about Manfred von Richthofen, the Red Baron. So whenever I can get my hands on a game or something related to the Red Baron, I always dive in headfirst. It’s a fascinating period of history since planes were a big part of World War I. And since the Americans didn’t join until the later end of the war, it’s great that someone took the opportunity to highlight the American Aces. And what those are, I’ll tell you about them in my review. Just read on.
History
Even before the United States’ entry into World War I in April 1917, many Americans volunteered to serve in the armed forces of Great Britain and France. Many eventually found their way into the Royal Flying Corps and Aéronautique Militaire (French Air Service). The British integrated the Americans into their existing squadrons. At the same time, the French set up separate American squadrons, such as the Lafayette Escadrille and then the Lafayette Flying Corps, and integrated the pilots into existing squadrons. Pilots who scored five or more aerial victories were classified as “air aces.” The lists below show the names, military rank, units they served, miscellaneous notes, and the known decorations they received.
During World War I, the Lafayette Flying Corps was given to the American volunteer pilots who flew in the French Air Force (Armée de l’Air). It includes the pilots who flew with the bona fide Lafayette Escadrille squadron. The estimations of the number of pilots range from 180 to over 300. The number of pilots who completed French flight training is 209. Of these, 180 served in combat. More than 50 Flying Corps personnel (including members of the Lafayette Escadrille) initially served in the Ambulance Corps of the American Field Service. AFS Surgeon-General Col. Edmund L. Gros, M.D., is credited with initiating the Corps.
Sixty-nine Corps members died during the war, 42 of them in action against the enemy. The rest were the results of disease, accidents, wounds, and suicide. The planes weren’t very sturdy, and sometimes guns jammed, too, just when needed. Nevertheless, the Corps is credited with 159 enemy kills. It amassed 31 Croix de Guerre, and its pilots were awarded seven Médailles militaires and four Légions d’honneur. Eleven of its members were deemed flying aces, claiming five air kills or more. The core squadron suffered nine losses and was credited with 41 victories.
Red Wings: American Aces
And it’s this Lafayette corps you follow in Red Wings: American Aces. The game puts you in the pilot’s seat of a nostalgic, action-packed arcade shooter illustrated in a vibrant comic-book style with a gaming mode for every occasion. Time to prove yourself in exciting aerial battles and make a name for your squad as the best aces of WWI! After completing the tutorial, the introduction tells you a bit about the Lafayette corps and throws you into a frantic story mode. A total of 30 ‘story’ missions range from defeating a certain number of enemies to completing target runs or defeating enemy kamikaze squads.
The introduction is in said comic book sense, and I felt like reading one of the older comic books from my father. The game itself feels more like a WW1 version of XIII but never gives a bit more flesh to the story introduced in the introduction. Since the Lafayette squad is exciting and covers a lot of historical material, this feels like a missed opportunity to show the current generation another side of World War One they get from books, movies, Netflix… etcetera. The mission themselves are challenging and often require upgraded planes and skill tree options to be completed on the maximum number of stars, so don’t be afraid to either restart your mission or come back later to re-run an older mission.
Game Modes
Players can also embark on three different gameplay modes, Score Battle, Time Battle, and Hide n’ Seek, in a game where fast, frenetic arcade gameplay and short gameplay sessions are sure to keep budding pilots on their toes. For more significant aerial battles, players can build a squad of 5 other players in elimination mode against other squads where safety in numbers can make all the difference. “Red Wings: American Aces honors the older arcade classics but adds a modern twist allowing for online multiplayer – the first arcade aerial shooter to do that!” said Norman Lenda, Development Director. “We wanted to pile on the fun factor in a big entertaining way rather than creating something locked into historical accuracy. There’s plenty of different planes and modes to choose from, so each play session offers a new experience.” And she’s not wrong; each accurate historical plane offers a different playstyle and setting, so try them all and figure out which one suits your flying habits the best.
Conclusion
So to conclude! Red Wings: American Aces offers an exciting insight into how World War I handled the upcoming existence of planes as tools of war. The story could have been more fleshed out but consists of refreshing gameplay and challenging missions to keep you on your toes. Even though it has its flaws, Red Wings: American Aces is one of those titles that should not fly under your radar.
