Simulation Games of the 2010s Codexery

Air Conflicts: Secret Wars

Arcade flight combat spanning both World Wars.

Air Conflicts: Secret Wars is an arcade-style flight combat game that takes place across both World War I and World War II. The Slovak developer Games Farm created it, with bitComposer Games handling publication. It launched in 2011 on Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3, following up the 2006 original Air Conflicts. A Nintendo Switch port arrived in March 2019, bundled together with Air Conflicts: Pacific Carriers. The story follows Dorothy Derbec, a female pilot known as DeeDee, who investigates the murder of her father, Guillaume Derbec. She is joined by friends Tommy Carter and Clive. The campaign moves from Tobruk through Russia and the Balkans, ending in Berlin. Along the way, both Tommy and Clive die while progressing. During the Berlin missions, DeeDee learns that one of her friends killed her father during World War I—her father had refused to watch bombers drop chemical gas on a village. As players advance, they unlock aircraft ranging from well-known models like the Spitfire to experimental designs such as the Horten Ho 229. According to the review aggregator Metacritic, the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows versions each earned "mixed or average reviews."

Quick Facts

Developer
Games Farm
Publisher
bitComposer Games
Platforms
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Xbox 360
  • PlayStation 3
  • Nintendo Switch
Release year
2011
Genre
arcade-style combat flight simulation
Setting
World War I and II
Metacritic reception
mixed or average reviews

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The game follows a female pilot named Dorothy Derbec, nicknamed DeeDee, who seeks to solve the death of her father, Guillaume Derbec. She is joined by friends Tommy Carter and Clive as the story progresses through locations from Tobruk to Russia, the Balkans, and finally Berlin. Both Tommy and Clive die while progressing. In the Berlin campaign, DeeDee discovers that one friend killed her father in World War I because her father could not stand watching bombers drop chemical gas on a village. As the player progresses, they unlock airplanes ranging from classics such as the Spitfire to experimental planes like the Horten Ho 229.

Reader's Guide

Air Conflicts: Secret Wars is notable as a sequel to the 2006 title Air Conflicts, continuing the series' arcade-style approach to flight combat. Its release across multiple platforms in 2011 brought the game to a wide audience, and its later inclusion in a Nintendo Switch collection in March 2019 extended its lifespan. The game's story-driven campaign, centered on a female protagonist and a personal mystery set against the backdrop of both World Wars, distinguishes it from more purely historical simulators. Reception, as aggregated by Metacritic, was mixed or average across the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows versions, indicating a divisive response from critics. The inclusion of experimental aircraft like the Horten Ho 229 alongside classic warbirds reflects the game's blend of historical and speculative elements.

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