Nuclear Option by Shockfront Studios arrives as a compelling mix of action and simulation—a “flight sim lite” that squeezes strategic nuclear warfare into dogfights, missiles, and broad battlefield control. In its early access stage, it’s already making waves among fans seeking something between arcade ease and hardcore realism. With a modest price tag and surprising depth, it aims to scratch the flight‑combat itch in a way few games dare to try.

In this review, I’ll break down what works, what doesn’t (yet), and whether this nascent title deserves your attention right now.

First Impressions & Core Vision

From the moment you load up Nuclear Option, it’s clear the developer had a vision: small, focused, and bold. The idea of combining flight simulation elements with tactical nukes feels risky, but the execution is audacious. The game lets you fly near‑future aircraft, engage air, ground, and naval threats, and yes—unleash nuclear weapons when the battlefield allows it.

That said, it’s still early access; some systems are rough around the edges, but the foundation is very promising.

Firing off a couple of air to ground missiles while evading an incoming air to air missile in the Compass in *Nuclear Option*.

Flight & Control Mechanics

One of Nuclear Option’s strongest points is how it handles flight controls: it bridges the gap between arcade and full sim in a satisfying way.

The game supports a variety of control schemes—gamepads, keyboard + mouse (virtual joystick), and even HOTAS setups.
While the keyboard is used for a few critical commands (e.g. ejection, map navigation), the bulk of handling falls to your primary flight input.
The learning curve is real: takeoffs and basic maneuvers feel manageable, but advanced moves—high speeds, tight turns, managing g‑forces—demand finesse.
The damage model is detailed: each aircraft comprises dozens of simulated parts, and damage to wings, control surfaces, and even internal instruments can cripple your performance.
In short, it’s forgiving enough to let you get into the air quickly, but punishing enough that sloppy flying gets punished—just the right balance for many players. It is easy to learn, but has the depth you would expect from a game about futuristic combat aircraft.

Aircraft, Units & Strategic Layer

Roster & Unique Roles

The game offers a variety of craft, each with distinct strengths and quirks. Here are a few, and more are being added all of the time.:

Cricket — light, low speed, stealthy
Compass — multirole, good all-around loadouts
Revoker / Ifrit / Vortex — faster jets, better air-to-air capability
Darkreach — the strategic stealth bomber, your main nuke delivery platform
Chicane — stealth attack helicopter, with co‑pilot gunfire support
Medusa — the EW (electronic warfare) option

These fictional craft are inspired by real designs but are free from licensing constraints, which allows creative flexibility.

Battlefield & Map Systems

The game launches you into a 100 km–wide map that features varied terrain (mountains, deserts, forests, ocean). It’s the only map currently but versatile enough for many mission types.
A surprisingly robust map interface plays an important tactical role. You can zoom in, view unit names, preselect targets, and plan your route.
While the game supports beyond-visual-range weapons, much of the combat is within visible range—targeting is done via reticle + HUD interface.

Overall, there is a nice synergy between battlefield awareness, mission planning, and flight execution.

Missions, Modes & Replayability

The content on offer is already rich.

Single missions: A dozen or so prebuilt missions, varying in length (5–15 minutes), with objectives like destroying convoys, bombing depots, interceptions.
Conquest / Escalation mode: This is where Nuclear Option shines. You pick a side (North vs South), and a dynamic war unfolds—capturing bases, destroying factories, pushing lines with AI ground and air units.
- No fixed front line, but nuanced gameplay lets you choose which targets to strike or support.
- Nukes become a high-stakes wildcard: powerful, but risky if defenses aren’t cleared first.
Mission Editor: Perhaps one of the biggest hooks. Players can create custom missions and scenarios, mod and experiment. This adds enormous replay potential.

There is also always the steam workshop, where user created content is sure to fill the gap in Singleplayer options.

Nuclear Weapons: The Showstopper

Of course, the name Nuclear Option sets expectations, and the game delivers—though with caveats.

You get to deploy tactical nuclear bombs and cruise missiles (1.5 kt and up to ~20 kt yields). These are visually impressive—the explosions, shockwaves, and devastation are dramatic.
Nukes can wipe out whole swathes of units or bases at once, but they’re not a “free win.” They're expensive, must be protected from anti-air/AA, and often require you to clear defenses first.
There is no current penalty mechanics for radiation, area denial, or long-term consequences from nuking zones—yet. That means nukes feel powerful, but somewhat “clean” in their effect.

In many matches, nukes act like the ace up your sleeve: a last‑resort knockout card more than a routine weapon.

Fighting another plane in the Revoker in *Nuclear Option.*

Strengths & Highlights

Balanced accessibility + depth: Not so forgiving as an arcade, but not so punishing as a hardcore sim. You can drop in quickly yet still be rewarded for mastery.
Strong visual and damage feedback: Craft break apart, explosions leave lasting scorch marks, and the world feels destructible.
Mission editor & community potential: The ability to create, share, and play new content is a huge plus.
Clever use of the map as a tactical whiteboard: It’s more than just a navigation tool—it helps you plan strikes, preselect targets, and monitor the war front.
High value for price: With what’s in already, many players feel it delivers far more than its relatively modest price tag.

Weaknesses, Bugs & Missing Pieces

Dual map limitation: Just two battlegrounds for now—which feels a little repetitive if new maps are not released soon.
UI quirks & inconsistencies: Weapon descriptions sometimes fail to show, aircraft unreserving logic is awkward, FOV resets during zoom transitions, etc.
Multiplayer instability: Co‑op/multiplayer is hosted locally; if the host drops, the session goes down. Some players report hosts disconnecting mid-match.
Overpowered missile/radar ranges: Some weapons (cruise missiles, radar locks) feel overly generous in range, making defenses less meaningful in some scenarios.

Experience & Impressions

From my time flying missions, experimenting in the editor, and trying escalation battles, Nuclear Option feels like a rare breed: a war game that’s also truly fun to fly.

Early on, you’ll crash, get shot down, misdrop bombs—but gradually, you see nuance. I’ve had flights where I limped back in a damaged jet, dumped countermeasures, outflown missiles, and scored an epic nuke on an enemy airfield. That feels special.

I also came from players of War Thunder and other heavier sims like DCS: many seem to agree Nuclear Option offers a refreshing alternative—less grind, more action, fewer inscrutable systems.

Communities seem excited. On Reddit, you’ll find fans calling it “a beautiful game” and praising how it reminds them of classic combat flight experiences.

Verdict & Recommendation

If you like:

Flight combat but dislike excessive grind
Games where the thrill of dropping nukes is balanced with real risk
Sandbox mechanics and player creativity (missions, mods)

Then Nuclear Option is a must-watch—and probably a must-own.

It isn’t perfect yet: stability, UI improvements, and expanded content remain needed. But as an early access title, it’s already outperforming expectations. The gamble taken by a small dev team is paying off.

Score: 8 / 10

Strengths: Balanced flight mechanics, satisfying combat, strategic depth, strong core systems
Weaknesses: Limited maps, multiplayer fragility, UI issues, lack of nuclear aftermath mechanics
Potential: High — future updates could push this into cult classic status

If you’re curious about tactical, mid‑spectrum flight games (neither arcade nor hardcore sim), give Nuclear Option a shot now. You’ll be supporting devs pushing bold ideas—and likely get in on early development conversations.

Nuclear Option Review: A Tactical Flight Sim You Didn’t See Coming