Luftrausers Review

You want a game that sends you straight into the action without a long winded introduction, or even tutorial then this is the one for you.

With a press of the X button, and your plane will be launched into an empty sepia toned sky, but fear not, the skies will not be empty for long. Indeed planes will be sent after you to take you down hard. And as you proceed, jets will zip across the sky and gun boats and eventually warships and blimps will be shooting at you.

The more you destroy, the more in game money you will earn (there are no real money purchases here, and that makes a nice change) and with this money, you can buy new weapons, new fuselages and engines. Do you sacrifice speed for firepower or vice versa? Do you want a tougher, slower moving plane that can take more damage but will take a cut in damage it can deal? The more you shoot down, the higher your mutiplier will grow and like Brucie says, "Points mean prizes!"

Sounds simple eh? It's not, far from it. This in some ways, resembles a game on onslaught mode, with little or no break in enemies coming after you. So it's fly or die, kill or be killed as plainly put as that.  Controls are basic as are the graphics. X to shoot, left stick to fly and shoulder buttons to speed up and slow down. That's it.

But this simplicity while it sounds fine and dandy hides the fact that this game is tough. Prepare to brace yourself to face the Demon Soul's die and die again factor. You will either just accept or find your thumb hovering over the Vita's off button. At least when you die you get to keep the credits you have earned so that's some compensation but you will find yourself wondering if and when and what you will have to do to beat this game.

Battleships are hard to sink and do not get me started on blimps...you see blimps are big, very big and hard to shoot down. Heck they can even survive a blast from a nuke.....

The game tries your skills, and your patience to the max but it IS enjoyable but oh my, it does push you. Like I said there is no gap between waves of enemies, they just keep coming at you, and there is also the dangers presented by potential natural disasters such as the sea or indeed, the clouds above. The cloud bank will damage your craft, but it will also damage the enemy planes too, so remember that as you may be able to lure the enemies into the trap that lurks in the sky.

Water is a hazard, it will damage your craft for sure, unless you get a craft that can survive hitting the water BUT the sea will NOT hurt the enemy ships and getting close too the sea, will bring you into range of any battleships guns.

If you want a game that is challenging this is it, if you want a game that takes you back to the heady days of playing on the original Game Boy then this is it. If you want a game that IS fun, this is it, but if you want a game that is forgiving then I suggest you look elsewhere.

It won't be everyone's cup of tea.