Virtual Fighter Maneuvers

VTOL but focusing on dogfighting rather than large campaigns or BVR, has tutorials players new to dogfighting or flight sims in general very cool

VTOL VR-lite would probably be the best descriptor since it is developed by the same person, but having the ability to drop into a dogfight within minutes of starting up the game is an experience that definitely was sorely needed. It is an absolute blast and the default conditions for a match is well balanced to be engaging and realistic, but not too drawn out.

My only major concern is whether this game will receive the update and support it will need to maintain a steady player base. VTOL VR is very well supported and is updated frequently with great communication on the VTOL VR discord server, but then there is Jetbourne Racing, which was another offshoot project that has been abandoned pretty soon after release.

I have faith that Baha will maintain the game as long as it has traction, but I also recognize that he is one person and it is a lot to juggle to major projects at once.

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Don't let the simplistic graphics fool you!
This is basically a standalone DCS 1v1 dogfighting server that's been stripped from everything that's not needed for a dogfight to become extremely optimized while keeping all the essentials, but now with ranked quick matches.


PROS:

- EXTREMELY helpful post-fight debrief room
biggest pro this game has in my opinion, along with streamlined matchmaking.
has literal built-in tacview IN 3D that's projected in front of everyone to interact with after each fight. this IS hands down the best tool for teaching BFM to anyone that ever existed, period. you want to teach or practice Jet BFM with someone? don't buy DCS module or WT aircraft. buy a VR headset and this game.

- VERY streamlined matchmaking
you click fight you fight

- Nicely made flight models
not simulator level but everything is there. gravity is there, parasitic and induced drag is there, AoA response and everything won't feel too off no matter where you come from

- Nice characteristics of each aircrafts:
we get F15, F16, F18. 16 focuses on rate fight, 18 focuses on AoA, 15 focuses on thrust and low speed stability. nice roster to pick from
I haven't flown anything extensively to have opinion on if one is overperforming or not but it probably isn't given dev is actively turning the knobs to make sure nothing is OP
you can also see the EM chart-esque speed-rate plot in game, which is very nice


Cons:

- For GMT+9 timezone at least, ranked game is dead as expected
>> EDIT: looks like public lobbies are thriving lot more than ranked <<
to be fair even DCS BFM community becomes dead at this time, but 3 days into release and I'm already fighting the same person 3 times in a row. 8 matches flown, and I've only met 4 different pilots.
I knew this would be an issue right after I saw the announcement trailer given how niche a 1v1 guns only BFM is within flight sim fanbase as a whole, but I am very sad that this absolute gem is not receiving the recognition it deserves.

- VR only likely hindering flatscreen users from joining
I respect the dev, this is a spinoff from Vtol*VR* but I can't help but think this game would have attracted a lot more people had this not been a VR exclusive.

- You probably haven't bought this yet.

- No Sukhoi my beloved (/j)


========= Conclusion & my setup ===========
Please buy. if you are into 1v1 BFM, have VR and have someone to play with, I expect this will be the greatest investment compared to every other options out in the market (unless you wish to grind WT for few hundreds of hours)

R7800X3D, 32Gb, 5080, SSD installation, Quest 3 with virtual desktop wireless
Used both VR controllers and HOTAS(T50CM3 throttle, Gunfighter Mk.3 stick) - both works fine, would have preferred vr controllers if it wasn't for rather uncontrollable yaw input while pulling the stick

(I've played for a few hours during the beta test)

Absolute MUST have game like VTOL. Everything just WORKS, though from what I've heard there are some compatability issues with some HOTAS systems which I'm sure will be fixed by time. The artstyle Looks AMAZING, I honestly like it more that VTOL. I can only recommed it.

Another excellent entry to the Boundless Dynamics line up. It's good to see one of the earliest PCVR devs making forward progress and getting releases out the door. I know a lot of folks want updates to VTOL over these smaller projects, but I can really see the dev honing their craft here.

The multiplayer UI with everyone sliding in and out of the lobby in their own cockpit is a fun system. The post match 3d analysis being a collaborative space, to look at what just happened while chatting with your team mates and opponents is great. You can run into a vet, get demolished, but then ask questions after the match and they can show you where you can improve, then a few seconds later you can try it again. I got 7 hours in on launch day and I feel like I improved in that time, and a lot of that was helped along by tips from other players in the post-match.

I've mostly played arcade style flight sims in the past, but I'm getting more interested in more realistic flight models. This game feels like a good jumping on point to start learning about ACM and I've had a lot of fun with it so far. Has actually got me studying some flight manuals and learning terminology and strategies for dog fights. I think it's a nice gateway for folks who are interested in this sort of thing without having to jump straight into something as complex as DCS or VTOL. Those games represent a steep time investment up front for the uninitiated. This is pickup and play, and could lead to more interest in the more complex sims.

It has motivated me to go back and spend some more time in VTOL and learn more about the other systems in a modern fighter jet.

Cheers Boundless Dynamics, always looking forward to what you guys do next!

If you've played VTOL VR, this will feel familiar. It's a lot simpler than VTOL, but it's focused on dogfighting. The games start with two teams (1v1, 2v2, 3v3, 4v4) flying towards each other and once they pass, the fighting starts. It's some what bare bones right now, one kind of missile, and three planes, but the gameplay is solid. It's really cool having a PvP focused fighter jet game in VR. Bonus: It supports HOTAS!

Not a bad game, not a great game. It lies somewhere in the middle. It’s essentially a stripped down VTOL VR. It runs well on my dated equipment with nice, fluid movement. It’s just that it’s nothing but dogfighting. It does it well, but it’s a one trick pony.

If that’s what you’re looking for, then this one ticks the box. But for me, VTOL VR strikes the perfect balance between immersion, complexity, and fun.

I love how lightweight and quick to start this game is, just boot it up and instantly hop in a dogfight. There's an infinite skill ceiling so it's super addictive and fun to play round after round. I've seen some reviews complaining about it being "more simplistic" than VTOL and that just isn't the point. It's clean, refined, and fast. Think of it as a Ranked Dogfighting mode Add-on to VTOL. Well worth the price.

This game scratches an itch for instant action dogfights and it does so very well. I have never been any good at dogfighting in any game, but this game forces me to get better or I die in a flash. Unfortunately not many people are playing though, but maybe that'll change soon. If you want to just get into quick close range dogfights with good mechanics without all the setup and complexity of VTOL VR, I definitely recommend this game.

P.S: shoutout to the random person named "frost" in a ranked match who exclaimed "holy shit" over the radio after I did a crazy 40 degree AOA maneuver to get behind them at really close range and remove their right wing

Great fun - no better way to quickly get into some great BFM action. Native HOTAS support was a key reason I bought this - please also add it to VTOL VR, and I will be sure to buy that as well.

Absolutely brilliant right out the gate! The game runs smooth and looks good. With the F15, 16, and 18 to select from, you have varied strategies to employ, and an understanding of how your opponent might like to fly. Ranked ladder is great fun, and its usually quick to find a match. The after-action TacView replay is very helpful to understand how a fight went down. Native HOTAS support is a key feature for me, and makes this an instant pickup!

Overall pretty impressed. the scope of the game is really limited compared to VTOL VR, but this game must be the quickest way of getting into semi realistic dogfighting. additionally the AI bots you can fight against are surprisingly hard and there is no difficulty setting currently, so hopefully that gets added soon. I have also experienced some bugs in multiplayer, like getting kicked from lobbies for no reason or the match not ending when its supposed to, but ive only had those things happen once or twice so far.

Fun game, but dont expect VTOL. Its more basic and just dog fight. Nothing more ( yet) its allsow not an upgrade, maybe a bit more basic than VTOL. Even if you like dog fighting i tgink VTOL is still the better option. Do you recommend this game? Yes and no, it depence on what you like, for me VTOL is better

Experienced on the Meta Quest 3

You can view my gameplay & early impressions here: https://youtu.be/u24PQvrHqkU

Another flight simulation game from Boundless Dynamics and another banger. At this point, let's just agree that Boundless Dynamics is the VR gold standard for flight simulations in VR built from the ground up for VR. Do you like VTOL? You'll like this game. Do you like Jetborne Racing? You'll like this game.

However, be warned, if you're a flight noob like without many flight hours in VR, then you will probably struggle. This game doesn't hold your hand. I think it expects you to know how to fly already. I was getting mauled by the bots and I imagine it would be even worse against experienced VR flying veterans. There's no chance I would currently enter a 1 v 1 unless I am feeling particularly masochistic that day. There's a high skill learning curve you must overcome to be competitive.

So is the game still worth it if you're not Top Gun? Well, maybe not. But if you like a challenge, there's still fun to be had here, even if you're not winning. It's just fun flying around really. At only $15 bucks, this is an easy recommend from me given what you're getting - a realistic dogfight 1 v 1 experience. And realistically, I would get destroyed IRL too.

Game is running on the Unity Engine. On my RTX 5090, I was getting a steady 90 fps. I did not experience any serious issues or bugs. It is fun looking at replays, to see how good or how badly you did.

Rate ?/10. I'm too much of a flight noob to properly rate this game, but it's an easy recommend.

[quote]I bought this game! If you enjoyed my review, please consider joining my Steam Curator group Oculus Rift Reviews.[/quote]

VFM is a promising game, with little downtime and quick-match dogfighting. i also enjoyed going through the tutorials on the various dog fighting techniques and terminology, i do have one negative point:

As of now, The forest maps/levels ABSOLUTELY NUKE my FPS :(
(i will update this review once more optimization has been made)

Overall, fun game, would recommend to those who like flight sims but don't want the time commitment some other flight sims require

The only 1v1 dueling focused flight sim, and it's really good.

This game gives you the quickest feedback loop if you care about improving your dogfighting skills.
It has HOTAS support, so if you're looking for a new flight sim to try, it's definitely worth a shot.

Dev must have pulled some of the most voodoo ass shit to somehow make the positional joystick control feel offcenter and mushy.

Got the 'sale' notification. Bought 30 seconds later. Joined the first ever lobby. Absolute chaos. Immediate radar lock before the merge. Constant blackout and teammates yelling in my ears. Beautiful replay. Obnoxiously loud RWR.

It's VTOL VR's twisted brother. 11/10 would dogfight again.

Very good game (9/10)

[PRO'S]

First off.
-Its a dogfighting game; every plane has the necessary equipment to do so and that's it.
For me that means two things:
1. The planes are really entry level, as opposed to DCS.
2. The workload on my poor quest 2 and 1660 are bearable, as opposed to... DCS..

-You CAN connect and bind your HOTAS!
I hated the VR controls, because that's not my thing. When I turn my head I like to keep my hand on the stick, preferably on one that's fixed on the table, not in my hand (could've worded that better).

[PRO/CON depending on your underchins]

-The bots are quite hard.
Ive fought about 10 bot matches and the bots are tough, all my VR cntrls matches I lost but with HOTAS it became easier. I managed to win the last one (barely). Also, it's a workout for the neck compared to almost every other game on here.

[CONS]
-I don't like the FOV (at release), its too narrow. I don't know if there's owl's who playtested this but there's just 10-15 degrees of vision I lack when I turn my head IRL/compared to IRL.

Did a few AI dogfights, very challenging and fun, definitely a good practice tool for games like DCS, VTOLVR, and War Thunder