Parents' Guide to Strike Vector EX

By mixing elements of mech games and dogfighters, this downloadable aerial sci-fi shooter will engage those looking for combat that isn't two-dimensional. In Strike Vector EX, you pilot a ship (called a Vector) that can switch from a jet to a hovering tank on the fly. That's handy since you're going to get into a lot of battles with similar ships while flying over, around, and into floating industrial sites made of platforms, scaffolding, and power supplies. You can even do such cool moves as a quick dash to the right or left, which helps you avoid incoming missiles. In the game's multiplayer, which is its centerpiece, you'll play such familiar modes as "King of the Hill" and "Team Deathmatch" (called "Squad Battle" here), while the campaign has you battling through 15 short but varied missions. All of this you'll tackle with a customized Vector that not only can use a variety of guns but also some cool sci-fi systems such as nanobots that fix your ship in mid-flight and a Tesla Coil that painfully shocks any nearby enemies. But while this has you getting into some furious firefights in both modes, the campaign comes up a little short, not only because it only lasts a couple hours but also because it has a silly story that's badly acted. Not that it matters, since Strike Vector Ex still gives you a compelling reason to be flying around and shooting stuff in an exciting sci-fi game.