A More Civilized War - Sid Meier's Ace Patrol: Pacific Skies

I haven't played the first of the Civlord's Ace Patrol games, released just three months ago but immediately gaining the prestigious Tim Stone Handlebar Moustache Of Approval. "This superb £6 tactical wargame is friendly, fleet, and fresher than a dawn patrol in December," he said, only he didn't because I've crudely mashed two of his sentences together for the sake of quote-worthiness. Now the turn-based dogfighting game has an expanded and refined sequel, Pacific Skies, which is out now, but only on the Steams. Can I get a 'chocs away' in here? No, you're quite right, that does read an awful lot like 1994 games journalism.

RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT and goodness me that's a satisfying thing to type RATATATATATATATATAT. Sort of meta-onomatopoeic too: typing what a machinegun sounds like also makes the keys make the noise of a machinegun RATATATATATAT.

...

Sorry.

As the title suggests, the setting's hopped continents over to the Pacific Ocean, as well as hopping World Wars from 1 to 2. In this new theatre, some 180 missions of plane-bothering and plane-upgrading await you. Sadly I've yet to play the original so I am ill-qualified to be stating what I wouldn't want this follow-up to be, but I really should check it out - just to restate that lovely concept, it's turn-based dogfighting with customisable planes. And the option for lady pirates, which immediately makes it better than the real World War 2.

It's rare that I bounce off a Firaxis game, and seeing the legendary Mister Meier attempting something a little more pop really appeals (especially as I really loved the divisive Civ Revolution). It looks cute, too:

'ook at de iddle planes d'awww.

That's out on Steam as of yesterday, for a seemingly very reasonable £3.99. It's due on iThings in a couple of days too, if that's your particular poison.