This is a clever way to add replayability without having to spend a fortune on level design. Complete the objectives on hard and Insane unlocks, and so on. Each level begins on normal difficulty, and if you can beat all four challenges, which I’ll delve into shortly, you then unlock hard. Surprisingly, the difficulty curve is nearly perfect, with the first level or two being no problem to complete, but then it starts to ramp up as you unlock more levels.

You'll find them amongst a wide selection of choices to suit your play style. While yes, it has all of these checklist items for a great shmup, it’s when you start to spend more time with the game and work on the included objectives that you realize how much more is under the hood for the gameplay and progression.ĭestroyed enemies drop stars that you collect and use as currency to purchase specific upgrades. When I played my first few levels, I initially thought it was going to be yet another generic shmup, navigating the screen to avoid bullets, shooting anything that gets in your way, and picking up any power ups left floating around. I know I’m shooting the endless waves of bad guys, so adding fluff to a story I won’t care about is unneeded. Typically this would be a knock against a title, but let’s be honest, we play shmups for their addictive gameplay. Normally, this is where I could delve into the story, and while there technically is one, it’s basically a throw away. It’s quite a shock going from a flying death machine to only having a peashooter, but that’s part of its charm to entice you, and I know it worked for me. This clever introduction to the game is a sneak peek at what the endgame can be like, if you’re willing to put in the time and effort into the game. You battle against a boss and inevitably lose, almost as if you woke up from a dream. Reloaded begins right away, as you pilot a fully upgraded ship, destroying anything in your path. Reloaded becomes incredibly difficult, but only for a matter of time, depending on how much you want to put into it, not only improving your skills and memorization of each level, but improving your ships as well.

It’s very easy to pick up, but the true challenge is there for those that seek it. Sky Force Reloaded is all about fluidity and coming back stronger than ever each time you replay a level. Like any good shmup, you’re going to have to learn the levels, the enemies and the shooting patterns, hoping to reach the final boss before you die and start again. It’s no secret that I’m very fond of the genre, especially classics like the brutally hard Ikargua or classic Raiden, so I wasn’t sure where Sky Force Reloaded would fit in amongst this crowd, especially being from a smaller indie studio, but man, was I blown away. Like any shmup, this is a vertically scrolling shooter that will challenge your skills, reflexes and patience to grind your way to the best upgrades. We enjoyed Sky Force Anniversary when we reviewed it last year, and this year they are back with Sky Force Reloaded, a completely re-imagined and vastly improved version of their previous game. Infinite Dreams and Crunching Koalas know what they do best: shmups (shoot-em-ups).

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