A much more enjoyable game than reflected by most publisher's scores. Trust me on this one.
First off, this game is NOT a flight simulator. If that is what you are looking for, then stick to the PC. Simple controls and dynamics are what this game is all about. Think Crimson Skies with real planes, real history, less detailed (but still quite solid) graphics, but with planes that will stall if you push them far beyond their capabilities - e.g. too steep of a climb or allowing your air speed to dip too far down.
Lots of content ... The campaign is long and each mission contains a nice variety of objectives. By "variety" I mean, all of the missions involve variations on the following themes - escorting; strafing/bombing/torpedoing ground and/or sea targets; and of course dogfighting. There are also a ton of unlockables and upgrades as well as historical missions that you can unlock. Lots of rewards available for completing the campaign and there is online play ... although no one seems to be playing it.
Gameplay ... Not sure why some reviewers give gameplay a low score. The controls are as simple as can be and the planes responsive with noticeable difference between upgraded planes and/or Japanese vs. U.S. forces. While the early planes can be somewhat stiff at times, what do you expect? These are planes that were built more than 60 years ago ... they don't turn or stop on a dime.
Graphics, presentation and sound ... Great presentation ... good graphics and sound that could have been better. While the game is not on par with the breathtaking graphics of Crimson Skies (sorry for the continued comparison) it's no slouch either. The graphics provide true depth to the skies thanks to the detailed clouds, sun and shimmering on the water. Light up a plane and marvel as it burns, comes apart and spins out of control until crashing into the water in a white froth. Blew apart a ship last night with a torpedo and actually saw it upend in the water and sink. As far as sound goes, more variation in the voice acting of your squadron and louder engine sounds would have been nice, but this is really nitpicking. I love the sounds of flak and bullets tearing through the fuselage.
In a nutshell, you'd be wrong to underestimate and miss out on this game. It's worth the money and is easy to pick up and enjoy. Kudos to the manufacturers for taking a stab at a console game exploiting the WW II Pacific Theater which, in my opinion, was long overdue. Hopefully, if the word gets out and more people buy this game, online play will improve.