Review: Radio Flare Redux - Plus Win a Copy!
by Staff Writer
March 9, 2010
Overview
Radio Flare Redux is a sequel to the original Radio Flare, and is a unique game that combines a side scrolling space shooter with a rhythm based music game. You fight off waves of enemy ships in by controlling your ship with one hand, and targeting enemy ships with your other. You blast away enemies to the beat, as everything in the game is a sensory overload.
Features
33 Levels are included of techno space shooting with each level constituting a planet, and each planet a excerpt or full song. Every level is scored, as well as having a star rating system which is used to unlock new levels. Every five levels make up a sector with each sector containing one boss battle.
You drag your ship around through the entire 2D space, and not just vertically. Then with your second finger you drag over incoming enemies to target them, and when you release your finger you fire. Some enemies require you to hold on them to deplete their health bar. When you destroy enemies they leave gold squares you can pick-up to boost your multiplier.
There are two control options allowing you to control your ship by directly tapping on it and dragging, or using a virtual control stick, though dragging is default. Chillingo’s social platform Crystal is included for online high scores for each level as well as 12 achievements.
The Good
What sets the game apart is the interconnectedness of the production values and the gameplay. The gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack are great individually, but become exceptional combined together creating the entire experience. The game appeals to your sense of sight, hearing, and touch equally to make them all in-tune together.
It’s amazing flying through the varying backgrounds that change to the tune. Then as you blast away enemies they explode in flares to the beat visually and audibly. The songs you play to are great to listen to in their own right, but actually playing to the beat is a whole new experience.
Enemies come at you in huge waves, and you will need all of your finger skills to avoid them with the ship, and target them at the same time. The side scrolling space shooter fun is near the top of the App Store even without everything else included. The game gets your heart pumping, fingers twitching, and feet tapping in every level you play.
It’s so simple to just drag your finger around screen to avoid enemies, and then use your other finger to target them, and let go to see them blast away. The game is all about combos and multipliers where you try to target as many enemies as possible, and then collect the gold pieces left over of destroyed enemies. The original Radio Flare limited the amount of enemies on screen, and limited targeting to four ships.
You will enjoy playing every one of the 33 levels with each providing a unique experience. The star unlock mechanic coupled with Crystal online high score and achievements really provide a high replay value. Some levels you’ll want to replay just because you like the song, or think you can do it without destroying a ship.
The Bad
The only concern with the game is the controls. The default dragging ship method is a little cumbersome as your fingers take up some of the limited screen real estate resulting in covering up some enemies. Also as you progress in a song your fingers occasionally cross-over like some Twister action which interferes with your success. The joystick is even worse though as the ship just moves too slow with it.
The Verdict
Radio Flare Redux is an experience like none other on the iPhone, or any platform. It’s simply amazing as all of your senses are tensed to the beat of outstanding songs. The space shooting is extremely fun, and then you get the wonderful overload audibly and visually. You will without a doubt enjoy every one of the 33 levels, and will want to replay them just to hear the songs again, plus there’s Crystal.
Radio Flare Redux is not only one of the best games in the App Store, but one of the best apps that is a must buy for $2.99. It blurs the line between being simply a game to a joyous sensory overload that every idevice owner should feel.
***To win a copy simply leave a comment telling us what you would want to read about from GDC or Retweet this post. US itunes only, please provide a valid e-mail address or follow us on twitter so we can send you the code. Contest ends 3/10 at 11:59PM PST. Good Luck.
