1942: First Strike
Score: 78% ESRB: Not Rated Publisher: Capcom Developer: Capcom Mobile Media: Download/1 Players: 1 Genre: Arcade/ Action/ Flight
Graphics & Sound: "[1942: First Strike] is the game that you're playing when your girlfriend is taking way too long in Forever21, and you're sitting outside and you're just like 'Alright, fine...'" Those are the exact words I heard from Capcom's Mike Larson at E3. Nobody could have come up with a better description for the game. This is a title that knows its role in the handheld space; it offers a quick distraction from the kinds of situations that most gamers usually want to escape. First Strike isn't the kind of game you'll want to play when you're reclining on your sofa, but if you're on the go and want to get a really quick arcade fix, this game will do you right. First Strike is faithful to the original franchise when it comes to graphics. Nothing looks particularly impressive, but then again, the game's not exactly trying to push the technical limits of the iPhone. The cutscenes look good, but most of them look sped up and don't last any longer than about three seconds. First Strike's presentation leaves little to complain about, as well; sepia and camouflage is really the only color scheme needed when it comes to old wars. First Strike has a really good soundtrack that makes up for the somewhat subdued sound effects. However, it's hard to fault the sound effects for two reasons: the iPhone can't handle booming explosions and the like due to the functional but admittedly weak speakers. Also, the occasional "pewpewpew" sounds were present in the original games, if memory serves me correctly.
Gameplay: Pick one of three aircraft and blaze across eight levels while blowing enemies out of the sky. Sound simple enough? It is. 1942: First Strike is a good old-fashioned arcade shooter, one that hearkens back to the age of Raiden, Gradius, and yes, 1942. Like its predecessors, First Strike is played from the top-down; it wouldn't be 1942 if it wasn't. You move your plane around the screen, blasting enemy planes and tanks and picking up power-ups. Regardless of which plane you choose, the controls are largely the same -- by that, I mean they are minimal. All you have to worry about is keeping your plane under control and out of the way of enemy fire. Your own weapons fire is automatic. If you want to use of missiles or screen-clearing bombs, their functions are relegated to two icons at the bottom of the screen.
Difficulty: As far as difficulty goes, all top-down shooters follow the same template. The first level is almost always easy, and as you go through the game, it gets harder and harder. Such is the case with 1942: First Strike. Enemy planes and tanks will start to move faster as you progress, and the same goes for the projectiles they'll be shooting at you. In games like First Strike, patterns are almost everything. Enemies often fly in formation. The key to performing well in this game is knowing how to intercept those formations with your own automatic fire. Taking out entire squadrons usually yields a sweet pick-up. Still, patterns are almost everything: you'll have to keep an eye out for lone wolves and stragglers. This becomes much more of a challenge later in the game, and it actually leads to one of the game's biggest problems.
Game Mechanics: Oh, sweet simplicity. The iPhone is usually where you go to find virtual D-pads and simple game controls. 1942: First Strike doesn't bother with D-pads; instead, it goes for something more accessible. You can choose between two control settings: Tilt and Touch. Tilt makes use of the iPhone's accelerometer, allowing you to move the aircraft by simply tilting your phone in the direction you want it to go. Touch is almost self-explanatory. You simply drag the plane around in this mode. Unfortunately, this leads to my biggest gripe with the game: neither of these settings are ideal. The problem with Tilt mode is that the accelerometer isn't always reliable. You'll often find yourself colliding with enemies. Touch mode feels a bit more natural, but enemies are capable of approaching you from every angle. You'll have a blind spot in Touch mode, regardless of how you play. Sure, you can try different angles with your finger, but you're sure to find some inconvenience somewhere. It's easy to appreciate 1942: First Strike for what it is, and as long as that lines up with your expectations, I can recommend it with no problem. Plus, it's only $2.99. If you can't bring yourself to buy a game that doesn't have much meat on its bones regardless of price, you may want to go for something else. The rest of us can be at least a bit happier when we're dragged off to do something we really don't want to do.
-FenixDown, GameVortex Communications AKA Jon Carlos
Related Links: Official Website of 1942: First Strike
Transformers: War for Cybertron - Autobots Nelson Tethers: Puzzle Agent