iFighter
by Jeff Effendi on Saturday 16th May 2009

Video game developers seem to have a knack for putting you in the shoes of a hero ready to kill any Nazi you see on sight. In that respect, Epicforce's iFighter is no different. What is different is that this time planes are so damn easy to manoeuvre with it’s not a chore to fly one of these bad boys in WWII anymore. Swipe, d-pad or tilt your way through various levels bombing and shooting the hell out of evil-1940-Hitler-brainwashed-Germans (no way for the Europeans to get offended now) in style. iFighter boasts great visuals for such a sly, simple concept that’s been overcooked for the past two decades. It's not a WWII game without patriotic-themed music, and EpicForce delivers on this front of the war too. Despite its cookie-cutter name, the vertical shooter is nothing short of good, polished fun for your iDevice.

             

The visuals are crisp and clear, so it never feels like you’re playing a game from an arguably outdated genre.  The level designs are also spectacularly epic for a vertical shooter. From the seas to entrenched German outposts, this one impresses in all levels. As I usually state in all my reviews, never compare apples with oranges (with the exception of Underworlds). This one doesn’t boast an almighty 3D engine that’ll make you want to throw your beastly PS3 away. It’s a modest, stripped down version of all things 3D and leaves you with an aesthetically pleasing 2D shooter. The use of dark, dreary colours in the first level moulds an experience for the whole game. The developers have captured the mood most have been wanting from a WWII game. Right off the bat, you’ll feel like you’re part of a regime that aims to topple Hitler’s oppressive ways. The 2D explosions are well done, the frantic fire from the different types of enemy planes also spice up the stage. For $0.99, you’re getting your money’s worth if you’re looking for an attractive vertical shooter. Despite the countless WWII games I’ve played in my day (most recently Call of Duty: World at War), this one still managed to immerse me in its 1940s setting. iFighter's graphical prowess is evident right after you press that shiny red button that says “Bomb”. Press it, and you’ll be treated to sporadic, well-designed explosions that showcase how well the game is actually designed.

As I said before, WWII isn’t quite the full scale war without the sombre-yet-patriotic swings of the orchestral violins and trumpets, and iFighter has plenty of it – sort of. The old adage "quality over quantity" rings true to many occasions in life, and it does in some instances with the game. Quality wise, this will do. Quantity wise, not so much. I would’ve loved to see more variety in songs here, rather than the same old theme playing again and again in a loop.  Sure there’s the victory theme, the epic drum line menu theme, the brooding epic battle theme and the you-died theme, but apart from that I didn’t notice much else. I’m not taking this fantastic soundtrack for granted, but it’s a shame to see that they didn’t fully capitalize on this game sonically. It really could have been a 10/10 soundtrack material. Nevertheless, the other audio department also stands up well. Sound effects of destroying weak Nazi tanks and their airborne counterparts are oh so satisfying.  Not that I’m a machine-sadist, but firing rounds and rounds of fireballs have never been more gratifying.

             

By now, you’re probably familiar with vertical shooters. Hell, as kid, vertical shooters were all some of us could play. Nothing much has changed. iFighter gives you the option to use either a directional pad, fingers to swipe, or your palm to tilt to where you want to move. In addition, there’s also an auto fire feature you can turn on or off at your own leisure. The core gameplay remains the same, evade any oncoming fire at you and find the right place and time to shoot back. But is there anything different you ask? Not that it hasn’t been done before – but there is the satisfying Bomb button as I previously mentioned before. When things get rather hectic, you can always press the alluring button to send a large bomber plane to ease the frenzy a little. It’ll kill anything in sight, meaning the enemies on screen during that limited time. Once you kill these opposing warplanes, you get pickups such as stars and the usual “special” pickups. Varieties include multiple shots that spray all over the place, two smaller planes that assist you side by side and health boxes. Once the level reaches a certain point, a boss battle will be triggered. They pace the action well, and it gives you a little breathing room from all the onslaught the other mini planes have given you pre-boss battle.

Despite the two decades I’ve lived, no vertical scrolling shooter has captivated me like iFighter. Don’t ask what it is, because it’s hard to pinpoint one particular aspect that makes it so damn good. From the polished look of the menu, the level round-up scores, the variety of pickups, fluid animation, great art direction, classically moody soundtrack to the mastered vertical shooter gameplay, iFighter just synchronises so well. For some, the 2D graphics may steer them to the 2.5D Siberian Strike, the vertical shooter published by Gameloft. But for most, the essence of the genre can only be captured by plain 2D. Every WWII game post-PSX has been in 3D, and I say it’s time we take the fight to the Nazis in 2D. There is nowhere to hide, the plains are flat and you can’t shoot me from dark, hidden corners anymore! Blowing things up from the sky has never been so much fun. Hoo-Rah!

 

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