These Wings shouldn’t be hired
I had such high hopes for Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire, based on some screenshots I looked at the game seemed to evoke feelings that made the game look similar to Skies of Arcadia. Sky Oceans is developed by Octeto Studios and unfortunately, despite its charming premise and good-looking visuals, the game falters in many areas which just make it feel like a chore to play.
MSRP: $24.99
Platforms: Xbox (reviewed), PlayStation, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $9.99
The game follows young Glenn Windwalker who of course has of bigger and better aspirations; in this case its to be a sky pirate captain. The story begins with Glenn’s town being attacked by the Alliance, of course Glenn and his friends escape the attack and vow revenge against the Alliance. The setup isn’t an uncommon one and even hints at a grander adventure, however as the game progress the narrative loses a lot of its initial allure. Much like Skies of Arcadia, Sky Oceans has some on-foot levels as well as air-based ones. Being on foot the controls are extremely clunky and the camera sensitivity is tuned to the max for some reason. Even the missions that players will go on feel like glorified fetch quests.
Sigh, the air-based combat, which should have been a highlight in Sky Oceans ends up just being disappointing. Flying around the world is cumbersome, and the camera issues continue as well. The combat, which is turn-based and should be thrilling and exciting just feels devoid of any excitement; with long and un-skippable attack moves and extremely repetitive combat these sky battles don’t evoke the thrill of dogfighting among the clouds and just fall flat. While there are a lot of attacks that players can unlock for their planes and characters; none of them really felt fun to use. Overall combat just takes way too long and would be better without all the repetitive visuals for attacks.
The one thing that Sky Oceans: Wings for Hire has going for it is its visual design. The developers had to have been inspired by Studio Ghibli hits, as the game features charming characters designs and a beautifully world. Unfortunately, the game is marred with some visual issues that keeps players from seeing it properly. There is a severe lack in draw distance on the Series X, even the floating islands all seem to just pop-in as players fly through the world. Not only does this break immersion but also makes it hard to navigate, you know when a tree just pops up in front of you it’s very frustrating. Frame rates also drop quite frequently.
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.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
