If Ace Combat’s too pricey, this excellent indie alternative is on sale for just $12.50

If there’s an Ace Combat fan in your life, you’re likely already aware that it’s a very good time for fighter jets dogfighting with arcade intensity. But if you’re not already certain that exchanging near-infinite missiles is for you—you should be, but I acknowledge we all find truth at our own pace—Ace Combat 8’s $70 price tag might seem a bit too high for a trial run.

Luckily, there’s a phenomenal alternative that you can pick up for a fraction of the price: Project Wingman, a celebrated Ace Combat-inspired passion project that’s currently available for $12.50 in the Steam Autumn Sale.

Project Wingman began development as a “portfolio piece” for its developers, eventually graduating to a successfully-backed Kickstarter project that nearly tripled its funding goals and ultimately launching on Steam in December 2020. It’s an unabashed homage, drawing on the missile-heavy excess of its spiritual predecessors and elevating it to an even greater intensity of near-absurdist air combat.

It’s more than an imitation, however: Project Wingman implemented its own roguelike Conquest Mode, where players can battle for territory against enemy squadrons and use the funds they earn in completed missions to build out their own airfleets. And unlike the latest Ace Combat—which had to issue an apology for its lackluster flight stick support—Project Wingman boasts comprehensive HOTAS compatibility for the intensive air combat sickos among us.

It’s also got native VR support, if you think your stomach can tolerate the simulation of hammering a high-G turn.

But don’t just take my word for it: Project Wingman is currently enjoying an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, where 93% of its more than 22,000 reviews are favorable. We were marginally less enthusiastic in our own Project Wingman review from 2020 due to an unsated hunger for a more hardcore flight sim experience, but if you’re looking for an affordable entry into indulgent jet jousting, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better option.

Project Wingman is available now on Steam at a sale price of $12.50.