Two facts about space: it's empty, and there's no "up" or "down." Project Sylpheed: Arc Of Deception fills the black void with luminescent gases and exhaust trails, but to get your bearings, you're dependent on your spaceship's instruments, from the radar that lends you perspective to the markers that guide you to every goal and foe. This means the backdrops look great, but you won't pay attention to them. All that matters are the instruments, and you'll rarely even get close enough to see an enemy fighter before your missiles lock on and blow it sky high. Instead of immersing players in the dogfights, Project Sylpheed disconnects them from their surroundings, making them feel like… well, like they're playing a computer game.
It doesn't help that most of your missions stick to one thin formula: fight a bunch of small planes, pick away at some big ones, and make sure your own fleet stays in one piece. A few new tactics and weapon upgrades can't fix the content, and it's baffling that the game doesn't support online play. The team behind Sylpheed has made a beautiful spaceflight simulator, but they gave it absolutely nowhere to go.