$20 Game of the Week: Luftrausers (PC, OS X, Linux, PS3, PS Vita, Amazon Fire TV)
by William Talley, filed in $20 Game Of The Week, Articles, Games on May.22, 2015
If you’re a fan of all those old school arcade games where the goal was to get as high of a score as possible, Luftrausers is for you. It’ll bring back memories of Space Invaders, Galaga, and Time Pilot while at the same time smartly integrating some innovations from today. Developed by Vlambeer (Ridiculous Fishing), Luftrausers puts players in control of a plane, and your goal is to shoot down as many of the enemy as you can before going down. Your aircraft allows for 360 degree movement, but you have to turn manually, and you can only shoot from the front. This adds some strategy, as the angle of your turn comes into play everytime you make a move to attack. As you score higher, you can unlock different parts to customize your craft with (each changing the music). Instead of a one-hit kill, your aircraft can regenerate its health long as you aren’t currently firing. The game also includes goals to meet and achievements to unlock. If you’re one of those old-school games that thing today’s titles are too overwhelming for you, Luftrausers brings back an old school experience right down to its limited color palette. There is no storyline, online multiplayer, voice acting, or dlc, but a shooting experience this fun doesn’t need any of that stuff.