PSN Review – Afterburner: Climax
If you’ve ever had a shot of epinephrine, then you probably know what it feels like to play Afterburner: Climax, but if you haven’t, then prepare for one heck of a ride because this game can be summed up in just two words… adrenaline rush.
From the get-go, Afterburner: Climax pulls you in with some of the most gorgeous visuals ever to grace a PlayStation Network release. The game runs ultra smooth with essentially no slowdown whatsoever, despite the constant barrage of missiles tearing through the sky. Each stage is beautifully done, with players soaring over everything from gorgeous, crystal blue seas to the awe-inspiring aurora borealis; the artists certainly took their time in the graphical department and it shows. This is one case where standard-def television owners will feel awfully jealous of their HD counterparts, as Afterburner: Climax will have you salivating over the sharp, crisp presentation; everything from the smoke to the clouds are beautiful.
The gameplay in Afterburner: Climax is actually quite straightforward, as you have your choice of three different aircraft, each armed with regenerating missiles and an infinite supply of machine gun ammo. During your missions you’ll also be able to initiate climax mode which, when activated, causes the game to shift into slow motion, enlarging your reticle and enabling you to target as many enemies as you can on-screen while the button is held, then taking them all out it one huge barrage of missiles once the button is released. The goal of the game is to progress through each of the thirteen stages (fourteen once the secret stage is unlocked), ripping through hoards of enemy fighters in order reach your target and stop a nuclear war. There are three instances where levels will branch, allowing you to choose one of two paths, meaning it will take multiple playthroughs to see them all.
Now, progressing through the game is easier said than done, at least at first. Your first 2-3 playthroughs will undoubtedly be your most difficult as you’ll start out with only three lives and three continues, which you’ll run through pretty fast if you’re new to the Afterburner scene. But as you progress, you’ll unlock EX options which are, simply put, modifications that you can make to the arcade mode to unable things like a larger reticle, unlimited missiles, and an unlimited climax gauge, with 35 mods in all. As more and more EX options are unlocked and enabled, the game’s difficulty dive bombs into the category of insanely easy, however, having all these perks really adds to the fun of the game, making you feel like a regular Maverick as you obliterate any and all enemies that dare cruise into your airspace, while still trying to see just how much higher you can get your score.
In addition to the regular arcade mode, there is a score attack mode which has you playing through the game with an infinite amount of lives to see just how high of a score you can get, with results uploaded to the online leaderboards upon completion. Also, Sega took full advantage of the PS3 and utilized custom soundtrack support which is absolutely perfect for this type of title, and because it doesn’t completely override the game by silencing the sound effects, you’ll find yourself high on adrenaline as you tear through hoards of enemies to your favorite tunes.
The only real downside to Afterburner: Climax is its length, as it is ridiculously short and can be beaten in about 20 minutes or less. But the various bonuses, rewards and endings will have you coming back again and again. All you trophy collectors out there will also be pleased to know that the trophies for the game, twelve in all, are some of the easiest to snag on the PSN and can all be earned by the time you decide to put down the game for the night.
Overall, Afterburner: Climax is a fantastically fun PSN title that is well worth the ten dollar price of admission. Sega certainly didn’t pull any stops with this remake of a classic, with newcomers and veterans alike sure to have a blast. Despite the game’s length, you’ll no doubt find yourself lured back in time and time again, and if you’ve yet to play it, there’s really no excuse… do it now!
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Fun, addictive gameplay with custom soundtrack support. Incredibly short campaign mode, although bonuses will keep you coming back for more.
|  |
Absolutely gorgeous visuals.7 Responses to “PSN Review – Afterburner: Climax”
Nice review… Was holding on for 1 and thats it! im off to buy after burner climax NOW!
Great review Mike it looks like this is one I have to get for the “Kids”…
No, see what bothers me is what they don’t say. What I enjoy a lot is taking part in challenging boss battles, and that is where the review is COMPLETELY void of. Why? Because there are no boss battles!!! And this game got a 5/5 based on 20 minutes of going through stages, firing at enemies, and that’s it!? C’mon.
Informative review. PSLS is great at letting me know whether I should buy a game or not… great visuals + custom soundtrack + trophies = easy buy. I don’t know about the 5/5 score if it really is only 20 minutes long… Still picking this up though, when I finish Shatter and Groovin’ Blocks.
@peroxadic
was that a sarcastic statement? If it was It was pretty funny
the game is less than 20 mins… I got all the trophies in 1 hour 14 mins, the game gets easier and easier as you unlock new modes and things, and if you dont use them though you get a challenge how many times do you really want to beat the game?
To get all the trophies for instance… you got to beat it 5 FULL times if you cant pull off 1 task… if you can then 4 MINIMAL
the game never changes, you fire your gun and rockets at moving targets till you die or you hit the end… there is really no challenge in this game =\ if you play score mode you got unlimited tries to get to the end, and if you play arcade the more you lose the more chances you get… playing 10 games = x9? or something like that continues… and though some of the add ons are fun since they add challenge
rockets dont respawn
1% hp
etc
others make the game a joke…
Climax target circle *you can get a 100 chain without much effort AT ALL*
unlimited rockets
auto fire rockets/guns
weaker enemies
stronger weapons
faster speed always on
because of all of this, I believe youll get bored of it rather fast *i doubt ill play it again after that hour* making it in no way worth the money… so i would say a 2/5 would be far more suitable
I bought it day 1 because I remember playing afterburner in the arcades
yeah it’s easy to get the trophies and can be beat in 20 minutes with no problem with all the ex options turned on but still I have played it through a lot .
and if you turn on the ex options that up the difficulty you are in for a challenge – not to mention they aren’t available in score attack so trying to get a high score to post is fun and not so easy .
my rating is 4.5/5