Aeropack :: steampunk retro platformer – Review
By App Type: Uncategorized
Our rating: 
By: Micah Lee
Version #: 1.0
Date Released: 2010-02-09
Developer:
Price: 2.99
User Rating:
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I made the mistake of downloading Aeropack sometime ago only to be overlooked until recently on account of the bevy of new apps and games that have sprouted in the App Store in the interim. It was an honest mistake, and it’s one I hope not to commit ever again. If anything, though, I guess my inadvertent foregoing of the game contributed to my unexpected enjoyment. Admittedly, not since playing Archibald’s Adventures on my iPhone for the first time a year ago had I been as impressed about a game as I was with Aeropack.
The back story of the game has you strapping on a steam-powered aeropack that enables you to levitate yourself meters off the ground and fly to wherever you need to go. Your objective is to conquer thirty levels wherein you must collect a number of gems that you’ll be using to power an engine you’ve been building in hope of shooting yourself beyond the skies and into the moon’s surface. Did I mention the game contains thirty unique and consistently exciting platform levels? With levels that many, offering a good many hours of fun, I say this game is well worth its price.
Each level is a chamber filled with the aforementioned precious stones, some of which are guarded by hostile robots and curious-looking creatures, others blocked by deadly, oscillating gears and bullet-spewing cannons. Moving about the chambers looks a bit difficult at first, but as soon as you get the hang of it you’d feel as though you’d been flying with a steampack on your back all your life. Give it a try and you’re good to go in no time: Tap on either end of the bidirectional arrow on the bottom-left corner of the screen to go left or right, and tap on the red, round button with the upward pointing arrow on the opposite side to levitate or to stay airborne as well as to climb ladders. Both control inputs are indispensable not only in gathering gems but also in collecting fuel packs to sustain your personal mode of transportation.
Aeropack, which may have been designed as a sort of homage to the gorgeous Japanese animated film "Steamboy," looks fresh and exciting even as it is decidedly steampunk- and retro-inspired. At its core, Aeropack: steampunk retro platformer is just that. It’s filled with elements of steampunk, it’s retro-styled, and best of all, it’s a largely enjoyable two-dimensional platformer.
Quick Take
Value:High.
Would I Buy Again:Yes.
Learning Curve:Medium to High.
Who Is It For:People who enjoy well-designed platformers.
What I Like:Thirty unique levels to keep one occupied for hours on end. "Steamboy"-inspired character design and graphics.
What I Don't Like:The controls take some fair amount of time to get used to. Some pages outside of the game have slow loading time.
Final Statement:As a platformer iPhone game, Aeropack does not only fly. It soars.
