HAWK – Air Force Raid
Challenging arcade shooter marred by push for upgrades.
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HAWK – Air Force Raid
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this app.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that HAWK – Air Force Raid is an arcade shooter that pits players against waves of aerial enemies. It's an arcade shooter, meaning there's nothing particularly objectionable, but there's an emphasis on upgrading your ship. Players can also cooperatively take on levels with friends or strangers, but any communication between the two is done via a set of pre-selected statements such as "nice," "thanks," or "sorry." To learn what the publisher does with your personal information, be sure to read their privacy policy.
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What’s It About?
In HAWK - AIR FORCE RAID, players fight a series of aerial battles against a tyrannical autocrat. While there's a story that accompanies each level, it's easily ignored as players focus on the fight and upgrading their ship to be able to adequately defeat the enemy waves (which get stronger each time). If you're unable to beat a level yourself, or lack the funds to upgrade, you can enlist the support of a friend or stranger to help you beat the level and earn rewards.
Is It Any Good?
Bringing the fun of classic arcade games into the modern era is a challenge, but it's a feat this action game manages to pull off fairly well. The elements are classic. Face wave after wave of enemy fighters, flying a ship that fires nonstop. Bobbing and weaving around their projectiles and their own aerobatics is as much a challenge as shooting them down. The modern twist comes in a truly cooperative mode, where players can invite friends or team up with strangers to beat a level.
The only hurdle is the game's strong push for upgrades. To advance, you constantly need to improve your ship. And while in-game currency is easily acquired, you still have to play a lot to get enough to buy some upgrades, especially planes (and there are levels that require you to own a certain plane before you can explore them). At some point, it stops feeling like game mechanics and feels more like the developers are rigging things so that you have to spend money. That feeling of manipulation can wear off the fun.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about working cooperatively with a friend or stranger. What's the line between helping and taking over?
Talk about spending assets wisely. Do you take the quick upgrade or save your in-game dollars for something better, like a more advanced fighter?
App Details
- Devices: iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad
- Pricing structure: Free
- Release date: July 7, 2017
- Category: Arcade Games
- Topics: Adventures
- Publisher: My.com
- Version: 1.6.0
- Minimum software requirements: Requires iOS 8.0 or later; Requires Android 4.0.3 and up
- Last updated: September 12, 2017
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