Highwind offers up an interesting proposition. It's a shooter, but it's deconstructed, chopped up into different parts and then delivered in a minimalist mobile package.
It takes a while to get going, but when things start to click there's definitely a lot of fun to be had blasting down the waves of paper aeroplanes that are swooping around in front of you.
Sure it gets a little repetitive sometimes, but a decent progression system and some solid ideas mean you're still going to enjoy the time you spend with it.
Paper the cracksThe game is split into distinct sections. When you're shooting, you can't move. Instead you're in control of your weapons and shield.
Tap the left of the screen and your shield charges up to deflect projectiles. Tap the right and you'll blast out some shots. Both of these have cool down bars, so you need to be careful you're not wasting them.
The game throws different obstacles into your path. There are portals that suck up your bullets and throw them out elsewhere, and bumpers that slow down or speed up your ammo depending on what direction you're firing through them.
The other sections involve movement. You're weaving through a maze of blocks, spikes, and other items. Sometimes you're in control of two ships, moving in opposite directions. Other times it's more like an endless runner with multiple lanes. A third style is reminiscent of a bullet hell boss.
It's certainly interesting to see the shooter picked apart and put back together in this way. It's original, that's for sure, although some of the ideas fall a little flatter than others.
But because the sections are so brief, and there's always a new type of plane to unlock or a different kind of play mode to discover, you'll still want to push on.
Plane sailingNo it might not be perfect, but Highwind tries something new, and that alone makes it well worth checking out.
It might not have the nail-biting tension of a bullet hell shooter, but as an intriguing piece of game design there's a lot here to love.