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Luftrausers – Review | CriticalIndieGamer

For a game such a long time in the making, it is difficult for us not to feel underwhelmed. With the exception of its presentation, Luftrausers disappoints across the board – an issue not helped in the slightest by its ridiculous price tag. While there is some fun to be had, boredom will set in much quicker than it should. If you absolutely must play this game, wait for a generous price cut.

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criticalindiegamer.com
grailly4434d ago

While I don't necessarily disagree with the point made, I really think that it's a case of the game not being for the reviewer.
It's a highscore game which shines by the depth it finds in it's simplistic gameplay, it's not supposed to have much content, which the writer complained about a lot.
I personally think the game is brilliant.

incendy354434d ago

I like it too.. Definitely for hardcore gamers though!

Thehyph4434d ago

Looks like we are hitting the same note.

TGR4434d ago

High score games are A-OKAY by me but they need to have a hook that keeps you playing. In this case it is the unlockables - which weren't interesting in my opinion. To be anywhere near worth it's price tag I think the game needs more variety - while keeping the highscore core intact. If it had been half the price I wouldn't have had much of a problem, but for £7.99 I expect more.

grailly4434d ago (Edited 4434d ago )

I don't agree at all. The only argument I need for this is tetris, but I'll add to that more recent games like threes or flappy bird. highscore games don't need content.

MoveTheGlow4433d ago (Edited 4433d ago )

Yeah, it seems like the gameplay itself wasn't for you. The missions are there to somewhat enhance the game, but mostly they're just there to push you in different directions in selecting parts and learning how the mechanics work (which takes a long, long, long time). I agree that some of them feel like they're luck-based (and if they planned some of these missions to be "without the Nuke body," I think it would have been more meaningful), but most of those missions I completed just by Rausing harder, aiming for a better score. This requires that you like the core game *that* much.

For me, one of the garish palette unlocks is enough to keep me grinding out those missions, but I'll still shoot for a high score once I get all of those done. It's because I loved the gameplay first - all those little extras are just icing.

It's a personal review - totally fine, not my impression of the game, but a valid review for what it is. The opaqueness of that game really makes it so that you're either in or out - the hook's the game, and the game's the hook, and if it doesn't get you, there's no reason to keep playing. (I seem to keep playing it though, it might even beat out my hour count on Spelunky.)

Thehyph4434d ago

I didn't regret my $8 purchase. (PS Plus first week, PS3/Vita cross-buy)

It seems the only other reviewer complaint besides price is that he was looking for a game with a more clear progression and a clear ending.

I purchased this game for the opposite: a fast paced arcade shooter where the only finish is the drive to beat or be satisfied with your top score.

It's not perfect, and it probably wont beat Super Stardust Delta as my go to arcade game on Vita, but it's up there, and with its small footprint it will remain on my Vita for a very long time.

TGR4434d ago

Progression isn't the issue here. My real issue with the game is that the hook - the unlockables aren't that interesting. Add to that the miniscule number of unique enemies and there being only one playing field and it just isn't worth the asking price. I expect more for my money, and I don't think Vlambeer earned it with this game.

GuruStarr784434d ago

I kinda agree with the writer on the price point, I feel like this game should be about $5, instead of $10.

I really wish I coulda played a demo before I bought it, although then myself (and probably some others) would have waited for a price drop or it to go free on plus.

MoveTheGlow4433d ago (Edited 4433d ago )

Hm. For the size of the content, I get why people would want it priced at 5 bucks. On paper, that's how it looks, and of course it would be less of a barrier to entry.

Still, what you're paying for there is a couple of years of polish on a simple premise - a ton of thought behind the controls, the balancing, the generation of enemies, the art style, etc. It feels the way a Porsche drives, and if you had to decide between a tricked-out Corolla and a standard-features Porsche, you *may* actually choose the Corolla, because it's more enjoyable for what you want.

For me, the car's the feature, and the game's the hook. That's hours of gameplay beyond what I'd put into a linear AAA cinematic release, but for others, it just won't work that way. It just isn't sustainable as a first-run sale at $5 because of the time put into it, basically.

Xof4434d ago

I can't tell if I like the game or not. I can't even tell if it's a good game or not. I'll have to try it on my PS3, I suppose, in case the Vita's tiny analog sticks are warping my impression of the game.

Controls just seem... too unreliable. Maybe it's something you get used to? Even just getting the plain to move in a specific direction confounds me. And, generally, if basic movement is difficult in your game, you've got a problem.

grailly4434d ago

you have to play with the directional pad, joysticks are too unreliable for this.

Xof4434d ago

Hm, I guess I'll give that a go. I spent maybe 30 minutes with it, trying everything out. I did use the D-pad a bit, but mostly stuck with the analogs.

At first I thought the analogs angled the plane and the shoulder buttons fired the rockets. But the rockets seem to fire at random (maybe the shoulder buttons are toggles?) and it seems like you don't actually angle the plane so much as turn it clockwise/counterclockwise (which is confusing).

Ideally, for a game like this, the aircraft should point in the same direction as the analog stick. I have no idea why the devs decided against that.

MoveTheGlow4433d ago (Edited 4433d ago )

Yes! Use the D-pad for sure! I rigged my PC to work with a Dual Shock 3 so I could use its D-pad on this game, it's way way better. After all, there are three directions - left, right, and forward. No need for an analog stick.

As far as the missiles, they're the weirdest weapon. It's not you. But they're really good for maintaining air combos and downing boats once you get the hang of it.

40°

Style, Grace, and Explosions: Why I Keep Coming Back to LUFTRAUSERS

Gamemoir's Ana likes to de-stress with LUFTRAUSERS because it makes her feel clever.

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gamemoir.com
higgins784147d ago

Hohokum appears to be (for me) the only glaring omission. Saying that, 101. A wonderful Wii U title which - while flawed - did a hell of lot more right and wrong. Ironic that the self-proclaimed 'hardcore' ask for Nintendo to release new IP's, then when they do, yes, you guessed it, they continue to be the same old chav fodder.

CJ64Bit4147d ago

I dont have a Wii U so have I couldnt include Wonderful 101, plus that was released in 2013 (at least in the US). I played Hohokum but I didnt have enough drive to finish it, and therefore left it off the list. But hey if you liked this list, please continue to follow us at Gamemoir.com.

traumadisaster4147d ago

Get em on steam for a few quid on winter sales...

80°

Top 10 Vita Games of 2014

2014 wasn't Vita's greatest year with the slowdown of Triple-A releases and the lack of units sold. It did provide with a set of great games though! That's what Night Tripper's will cover today when we look at the best of the best for Vita in 2014. Once again if you have any suggestions or comments leave them below and I'll surely take a look! Thank you everyone and have a wonderful day! :)

Protagonist4152d ago

DanganRonpa and Freedom Wars are already modern classics. Nice list ;)

Looking forward to play Persona 4: Dancing All Night on the Vita this year.

thisismytag4152d ago

Thank you very much! I totally agree! Persona 4: Golden is my absolute favorite game on vita but I don't know how to feel about Persona 4: Dance All Night, I guess I was really hoping for a vita centric Persona game or a port of Persona 5 to Vita whenever it comes out. I have yet to play Persona Q Shadow of the Labyrinth on the 3DS so I'll get to that when I have the chance! Thanks again for your comment and have a nice day! :)

Protagonist4152d ago

I also need to play Persona Q and I still haven`t bought Persona 4 Arena Ultimax. Hopefully P5 will also be released this year. 2015 is shaping up to an excellent gaming year, have a nice day too ;))

4152d ago Replies(1)
PSVitaPS4owner4152d ago

This is a terrible list. I agree with Final Fantasy X, Minecraft, and Child of Light. The rest are good games, but are rather average and nothing spectacular. Borderlands 2 and some of the other HD collections were the only real highlights for Vita for 2014. I hope 2015 is better than 2014. When one struggles to find top 10 for the year, that is not a good sign.

thisismytag4152d ago

It's true that 2014 wasn't Vita's finest year, but, these were the games I had the most fun with on Vita this year. I love Borderlands on console, however, the vita version was very un-optimized. The game was buggy and the frame-rate was sub 30 nearly the entire way through. While far more ambitious than most of these titles, I don't believe a broken game should make it into the top 10 list. There weren't a lot of stand out titles for Vita, but quite a few indie gems like Rogue Legacy. Games like Velocity 2X and Danganropa are definitely worth a play-through if you are a Vita owner. I hope 2015 is better as well! Have a nice day sir :)!

PSVitaPS4owner4152d ago (Edited 4152d ago )

You have good comments on Borderlands 2, but they only prove my point that we (Vita owners) have to struggle to find a top 10 list for 2014. That is not good. I have owned many handhelds, and Vita by far is my favorite. We need more games in 2015, ones of a higher quality caliber.

captainexplosion4152d ago

I've been playing the hell out of Borderlands 2 on Vita and actually prefer it over the PS3 version. And it's less buggy too. Have you actually played it or are you basing it off reviews from critics who played it before the patch?

captainexplosion4152d ago

Vita had a great 2014, but I don't agree with this list. The Ratchet and Clank Collection was my favorite game in 2014 on any console (and I have them all). It was a blast to replay Up Your Arsenal, my all time favorite game. After Ratchet I would have to go with Borderlands 2 and the Sly Cooper Collection. Amazing that none of those 3 games made this top ten list. Velocity 2X was also good.

Remy_S4152d ago (Edited 4152d ago )

Tales of Hearts R should be on the list, it is a fantastic Vita title for 2014.

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