Overall Rating

SkyGunner 1The flight sim genre has seen its share of deep, overly complicated titles such as Microsoft's "Flight Simulator" and the "Falcon" series. So this week on "Extended Play" we take a refreshing look at more lighthearted, arcade-style games such as Atlus' "SkyGunner." Much like Atlus' many other releases, this title pulls off its anime theme well enough that one might mistake this game as a take on an already existing anime.

Originally developed by Sony Japan, "SkyGunner" is a steampunk shooter starring a trio of valiant pilots: Femme, Ciel, and Copain. The three are trying to stop Venter, a malevolent powermonger who leads an army of baby robots. Venter is looking to steal the Eternal Engine, a device that promises to solve many of the world's energy problems. The game's setting is a fictional faux-European city named Rive.

Control

As mentioned, "SkyGunner" plays like an arcade flight sim. Many missions involve constant dogfighting with dozens of enemy squadrons looking to shoot you down. The game isn't restricted to just dogfighting, though. For instance, you'll also have to defend airships from a barrage of torpedoes and destroy whole battleships in the air.

The game has a variety of flight-control settings for factors such as roll, pitch, and yaw. The basic arcade-style setup will be available to those who want just a pick-up-and-play experience or who don't want to bother with complicated controls. After a few test flights, you'll see why you might want to keep your control setup simple; the game features nonstop aerial combat with planes coming from all sides.

You have your standard machine gun (i.e. Vulcan cannon) attack as well as a variety of special attacks. There's also a boost feature that'll get you to point B in no time. Most of the game plays in a wide 3D area that stretches for miles, while a couple of stages run on rails.

SkyGunner 2Unique planes

The planes in "SkyGunner" handle very well and each has its own unique strengths and special attack. Femme can pull off quick 180-degree turns that make for some frenetic eye-catching maneuvers. Ciel can hit air brakes and then pound down enemies with heavy machine-gun fire. Copain can execute agile spin rolls to dodge enemies. They also have their own selection of special attacks, which complement the game's cartoonish feel. These include fireworks attacks and doglike hunting missiles that slow down their targets.

Replay value

While the main story spans only five stages, you'll want to play this game more than once. Each character's game is seen through his or her point of view, revealing a unique story with each pilot. Many of the specific mission assignments differ when switching characters. Indeed, the third stage of each pilot is completely different from the others. When playing Femme you have to protect a telescope. As Ciel you take on a mysterious gunner in an intense dogfight. And as Copain you duke it out with a large snakelike boss through the winding streets and waterways of Rive. Extended playtime and repeated game completions also reveal other surprises, including an art gallery and the option to change the frame rate to a steady 30 fps.

Graphics and sound

SkyGunner 3The graphics is the true star of "SkyGunner," as this is one of the best-looking PS2 games to date. Just the fireworks effect is pretty enough to warrant a double take. While you're trying to get the oncoming foes in your crosshairs, it's all too easy to get distracted by the rest of the action surrounding the stage, including your fellow pilots in the distance trying to hold their own against Venter's fleet.

The game truly captures the lighthearted anime aesthetic with its vibrant colors and Miyazakiesque designs. You might be thrown off by the occasional slowdown (a result of having too many onscreen objects), but this is something most gamers should get used to eventually. The slowdown may become more of a blessing than a problem, as you now have a little more time to plan your next move.

The sound isn't too shabby either. The music matches the intensity of the aerial combat, and both the cut scenes and the actual stages are chock full of dialog. In addition, there'll be many times when characters will vocally react, depending on their situation. Atlus should also be applauded for providing the option of hearing the dialog in either Japanese or English (the text is in English the whole time).

As a flight shooter, "SkyGunner" is a nice take on the genre. As an anime-themed videogame, "SkyGunner" is a top-notch release, complete with its original voice acting and well-produced cut scenes. If you're looking for a great flight sim that won't bog you down with complex controls, you're going to want to play "SkyGunner."