GroundFall

The pros: As of 2025-02-16 my experience with the game has been mostly positive. Since Groundfall has been in the EA category for a few years now, progress has been intermittent. It's one person developer has of course, life to contend with in creating this 'little treat' that any large team would likely shrug off. That being said, there is definitely a lot of effort that went into this project. I fills a niche that it allows you to play the roll of a short take-off or landing (STOL) bush pilot. Anyone who liked the TV series about 'Worst places to be a pilot' could find their itch scratched. There is a survival mode option that can be toggled on or off at a whim, that adds depth to gameplay. There are many landing challenges in the game that will tax your abilities as well as your plane. There are in field repair options (if you have tool box's) Supplies loaded on board your plane and in personal inventory, ensure whether or not any journey will be successful. Good chill value if you want to have a virtual camping experiences at various altitudes or on beaches. Weather events, day/night, on foot exploration, building tree. The cons: Graphically the game is surprisin…

There should be (at least) three types of flying games out there. But, alas, there is mostly only two of them: the flight simulators with high learning curves and extremely high level of realism on one side. And on the other side,there is a massive amount of dog fight, war games, shooters. What is missing is peaceful, funny, interesting flying games. Games where the flying and the fun of flying (take off, landing, flying, manoevering, missions in the air, ...) is in focus. These games rarely exist. I like GroundFall for trying to be one rare pearl we miss in flying games: A game where you have small islands with small runways and small planes. You take off, fly around, land, but you can also run around in person to do stuff. There will be interesting missions. Sometimes your landing won't be optimal and your plane takes damage, but then you will be able to repair it and go on. The game could be giving us hours of charming and interesting time with planes, flying, exploring and fulfilling missions - with a decent amount of realism to make it feel real, but not feeling like in a complicated simulator flying for hours across an ocean. While you can opt-in to add survival to make it m…

I think this game has a lot of potential and I'm excited to see where it goes. I love pilot games, but I get bored just flying around. I love this idea, it'll give me purpose to the flights. Some tips for new players that helped me out a lot: One the training map, don't worry about the missions. Just fly to all the landing strips to proceed to the next map. When you land, make sure to reset your flaps to align with the wings. There's a bug that will make the position when you leave your plane the standard position. So you can't get your flaps level again until you respawn your plane. This makes flying very difficult if not impossible. Pay attention to your stamina. If you run out, it will start depleting your health. Go back to the home base to sleep. I slept at a random cabin once, and when I respawned I was there, but my plane was not. Avoid flying at night. The lighting might seem good enough, but in a flash it can change to complete darkness. This game is in a rough state currently, but I still find it to be a ton of fun. If you have any interest in a game like this, please support the dev with a purchase.

SHORT REVIEW Wonderful and regularly updated indie game that mixes proper flight simulation with some more adventure/career elements, that satisfy the desire for escape and the great outdoors, allowing you to live them at our own space, whether that's daredevil flying or a more relaxing slow experience. You are a bush pilot in Alaska and have to complete various jobs (delivery etc) or simply fly around for fun. The simulation is focused on STOL (short take-off and landing) with small planes, as the territory you're flying over is w,ild and you would mostly land on improvised airfields. The simulation is rather precise (you can hit rocks and wildlife if you're not careful), graphics are immersive, and control compatibility could be improved. LONG REVIEW This is the kind of game I've been waiting for. I love flight simulation, but I am mostly focused on bush flying on small propeller planes in wild locations, rather than big commercial flights and airports. This title is exactly about this. You are a bush pilot in Alaska (but there are many various maps, including islands and deserts) and have to complete various jobs, or simply enjoy flying about for leisure. The gameplay is intu…

Just a note, my HOTAS works find in including the throttle and rudder, so some reviews are out of date.

GroundFall presents itself as a bush-flying survival sandbox, but what makes it memorable is not any single system—it’s the way its small, deliberate parts come together to create an experience that feels quietly adventurous. Rather than overwhelming you with complex avionics or a dense survival grind, it thrusts you into a rugged wilderness with a dependable STOL bush plane and lets you carve your own routes, destinations, and footholds. The premise is refreshingly hands-off: you are a pilot with a machine, a handful of tools, and a vast, uneven landscape that dares you to explore it. From the very first flight, you sense the game’s intention to blend freedom with tension. Every uneven riverbank you approach, every patch of grass you test for takeoff, and every improvised landing spot pushes you into small gambles that feel quintessentially “bush pilot”—half-official, half reckless, but incredibly satisfying when they succeed. The flight model aims for authenticity without drowning you in manuals. Your aircraft has weight, momentum, and limits that you quickly learn to respect. Short takeoffs, rough landings, and approaches into tight treelines demand attention to speed, flaps, a…