Here’s the gist of the game: pick up people, drop ’em off, and fly away to pick up some more damn people all while trying to avoid a heavy barrage of firearms and explosions. Choplifter HD is a remake of the classic going back to 1982. Developed by inXile Entertainment, the game is available for $14.99 on XBLA, PSN, and GFWL systems.
You take over the role of a helicopter pilot, having to deploy from base to weave through a 2D sidescrolling environment and save hostages in a war torn land. That is about all the game allows you to do and right of the bat, I can tell you that it gets pretty repetitive. There really isn’t even all that much variation to this formula besides some hidden objectives like having to pick up Scoop the local TV reporter (who has a knack of getting stranded with his crew), zombies, chickens, and goats….yes, goats!
You do however get frequent upgrades towards choppers and every one of them gives you access to bigger and better arsenal. You can acquire these unlocks by attaining stars within each level. You are awarded them based on your performance, which means you must try and save as many people as you can, kill as many enemies possible and also time taken to do so. What with all these criteria to keep in mind, it gets harder and harder to achieve stars but the one saving grace is that you’re allowed to return to the mission with a chopper you may have unlocked later on.
The game itself offers about 30 levels to play through along with 3 difficulty levels: Normal, Hardcore, and Survival. I found the first one itself fairly challenging and hardcore was a real pain. I cannot fathom how insanely ridiculous survival mode can possibly be. There are some pretty cool mechanics within the game besides the standard fuel gauge and health meter. You sometimes have to rescue wounded who have health timers of their own and you much prioritize all your actions accordingly. The game even offers you a “boost” option which can get you back to your base (where you must drop off all rescued personnel) at the cost of a greater fuel consumption and inability to fire back.
The game also allows you to switch between panes where you can either fire left, right or at the enemies in the foreground, and gives it the little edge taking it above your average 2D sidescrollers. Included in the game are also some pretty fun appearances from familiar faces. Apart from it all, there really isn’t much else to go on since there aren’t any multiplayer or competitive modes to speak of. The graphics are sort of sub par  and the audio isn’t all too fantastic either. Overall, the game is the sort of “meh” title in the sea of arcade games but is definitely worth the try if you’re into 2D games or even better yet, enjoyed the original game.
