When I spotted the trailer for Last Wings while browsing through YouTube, I was intrigued by the preview image. I wanted to see if it was the colorful air combat-type game that the thumbnail seemed like it would be. I give the developers credit for showing the gameplay throughout the trailer, but wow…That art on the thumbnail was pretty darn misleading.
Graphics
First, here’s the cover art.
And now here’s the game itself.
“What the actual heck?”
Audio
The audio is also relatively pathetic. The music is…well, there is none. No music at all. Not on the menus. Not during gameplay. Nowhere. The only sound you hear is machine gun fire coming from any plane onscreen. Sorry if I’m not being too elaborate as I’m discussing the game’s presentation. There is just hardly anything to really talk about. I could slam the game for taking such a lazy route, but then the review would turn into one long rant on the lack of bells and whistles.
Gameplay
At least there’s something to Last Wings‘s gameplay, albeit not much. There are a few game modes to pick from before starting the game, but they don’t really change that much of the game; at most, only the objective is different. Every mode will have the select number of maps planes can fly around in, and the planes are split into teams that must dogfight each other to the death, unless if bases are involved.
To be fair, the game is functional to a degree. The game is purely for the multiplayer crowd, and can be played online or locally. If not enough players join you in air combat, however, you are accompanied by AI opponents and/or teammates, which is actually pretty cool. Also, even if the interface is purely in 2D instead of what the cover art suggests, the flying control is responsive and works well enough.
What doesn’t work, however, is the general gameplay. There’s a lack of depth, which makes shooting at things scrappy since that’s all you can ever do to be any significant on the server. It seems like there are unlockable types of planes to make shooting things more satisfying, but it doesn’t change that all you’re doing is flying around, sometimes in circles, trying to shoot down a plane or two.
Verdict
Judging from all that made up my experience with Last Wings, the game literally feels half-baked. If the flying and shooting could be expanded on, I think there could be a great online game to be had here. As is, it feels like something to kill time with for a few minutes if I can’t make up my mind on what else I should be playing.
