FirePower-onrush (ppc2003) 1.0
With so many games (freeware and otherwise) out there for your ppc, there are bound to be plenty of great ones that slip through the cracks. I've decided to start doing reviews based solely on these non-Argentum/AOE/Everquest-type games i.e. the sleepers. My initial review will be FirePower-onrush by Mana Mobile Software Co.,Ltd.
Don't ask how I stumbled upon this title. I'm not even a big fan of shooters on a handheld because the d-pads just aren't conducive to them. If you've ever played games like
R-Type, Darius, or Gradius, then you would know that reflexes and quick maneuvering are vital to playing and enjoying such games. Most ppc d-pads can make this a frustrating experience.
I'm getting way ahead of myself and showing why I probably shouldn't be reviewing these things. Here's the low-down. The clumsily-named
FirePower-onrush is a side-scrolling shooter game that is graphically the 2nd cousin of
Metal Slug. You fight your way through 4 hectic stages (including bosses) in one of 2 aircrafts which determine the difficulty of the game (don't ask) - a fighter plane named FIRE-I or the helicopter LIGHT. Power, speed, and range are what separate one from the other. Easy enough.
As I mentioned before, this game could have been drawn by the same fine people that brought us
Metal Slug. The graphics are gorgeous. Check out some screenshots
here. On my x3i, it runs smooth as silk. Aesthetically, this is some well-done stuff.
The levels have some nice sound and music as well. The 1st level opens with a rather loud rock-type sounds. The sound effects leave little to be desired. First-rate.
Controls may be the only real problem. I've been playing these types of games for many years, and it really wore on me when I would repeatedly go down in a barrage of bullets that I would have found laughable had I been using an arcade stick at the time. Luckily, you can set it to auto-fire so that your only worry is dodging gunfire. You can also pilot with your stylus, but unless you have x-ray vision so that your hand is not obstructing the screen, this is rather pointless.
One other aspect of the game that may not appeal to some is the limited number of continues (5). I personally live for the difficulty of video games and long for a time when the internet didn't provide people with instant access to walkthroughs and infinite life codes... but that's just me :D
Ultimately, you're left with a pretty arcade shooter with some repetitiveness (how many of these types of games don't have that?), little innovation, a yearning for an arcade stick or gamepad, and plenty of targets to take your time as you try to stretch out those 5 continues. My idea of a good time! I'm not being facetious - I really enjoy this game for what it is. It's still plenty of fun. I mean... only 256 downloads? It has incredible graphics, and it fills the need for a great shooter on your ppc.
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