What with the Move launch titles proving to be somewhat lacklustre and few in number, there was always a danger that there would be a bit of a lull directly after launch, causing the buzz about the hardware to drop off. Although not enough to stop that from potentially being the case, the PlayStation Network is slowly turning into a good source of Move-compatible titles, with prices to suit every pocket.
Flight Control HD is one such title. Weighing in at a piffling £3.99, the infuriatingly addictive iPhone smash has made the leap to the PlayStation 3 incredibly well, and whilst not featuring the most energy-sapping Move support that you’ll find, has tamed Sony’s new toy very, very well.
If you’re not familiar with the concept, Flight Control HD sees you playing an air-traffic controller. A top-down view of your airfield is presented on-screen, with each runway or helipad being daubed a different colour. Your goal is to guide an ever-increasing number of similarly coloured planes in to land in the right place. You do this by pointing your cursor (controlled by your Move Motion Controller) at a plane, and then holding the T-button whilst drawing the path that you want the plane to take. The only thing that’ll end your game is a mid-air collision.
It all sounds very simple, and that’s the beauty of it. Generally, it’s just you versus your best score, and whilst that isn’t enough to get most games over, the addictiveness of Flight Control HD means that it really is the only game mode that you need. The game requires a deceptive amount of skill in order to post really decent scores, especially when you consider that some planes move faster than others, and even the most intricate path is useless if you’ve gotten your timing wrong.
Flight Control HD can be played using the standard controller and works well enough, but the accuracy of the Move controls really does it justice. When you consider that four players can jump in and play as well, you’ve got a product that really is worth more than the price they’re charging for it. A little more variation wouldn’t have gone amiss – such as some challenge modes – but to be fair, the developers have thrown in a stack of gameboards (of varying difficulty), as well as trophy support in order to provide some longevity beyond your initial addiction. Oh, and they’re only charging £3.99. Did I mention that?
Great stuff.
Review contributed by: Ken Barnes
