Bullet Hell in Sepia-tone
Luftrausers is a game that comes at you initially with more style than substance. After a quick cutscene introduction and menu navigation, a press of the d-pad sends you into a desaturated, sepia-toned view of World War II. The text "Original" appears on the bottom of the screen, and the filthiest riff begins to play through the Vita's speakers (or your headphones). Suddenly, you're being attacked from the sky as well as beneath you, in the sea. Hover too close to the water and your engine makes a small wave. It's a small but gorgeous touch.
In a year when so many AAA games failed to engage the player, Luftrausers' simple concept of a bullet-hell 2d shooter is refreshing. I'm reminded of two other previous indie titles which merged style into the game play as effortlessly: Papers, Please and Hotline Miami. There is certainly more comparison to Hotline Miami than Papers, Please's bleak aesthetic, but again this is a silly points based game.
The game's hook is in the customization: score enough points and the next level is unlocked, but also new parts for your ship. The ship contains three specific customized parts: the gun, the body, and the engine. Sacrifices are required. Having problems scraping by for more than ten seconds because battleships constantly keep taking you out from below? Use the heavy armor and laser beam combo, but at the risk of mobility and impending aerial forces. It's an addicting system that requires a bit of strategy, and a slight modification on the audio.
As mentioned, the soundtrack is pummeling initially, but changes as you customize your ship. Some may say the same track on loop for two minutes is repetitive for a game so much about its soundtrack, but the changes in tempo are welcome. No session will last more than two minutes anyway, as the screen loads up with enemy fighters at an alarming rate.
Add Luftrausers to the increasingly impressive list of affordable indie titles with one or two incredibly engaging hooks that continue to outshine the big blockbusters of 2014. It is a brief but refreshing experience, a game that should have more people talking. The soundtrack got me interested, but the game itself kept me glued to the Vita, something I can say regarding very few titles on the hardware.