Developer: Torus Games
Publisher: Ultimate Games
Platform: PS5, Switch, Xbox one, Xbox series x/s
Tested on Switch
Stunt Flyer – Review
Adrenaline junkies come in all shapes and sizes, as some like experience new things while others just jump out of an airplane. While the game we’ll be looking at today does not revolve around jumping from an airplane, it does involve piloting one. This game may look a bit childish, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be enjoyable. We have reviewed games in the past that are catered towards children, but still proved to be really enjoyable. Is Stunt Flyer the next guilty pleasure for parents, or will it only manage to entertain a younger audience? Let’s find out.
Story
In Stunt Flyer there is no story. There isn’t even anything that can give you pointers on what is happening or what has happened to the in-game character. This game’s main focus is flying around and doing achievements or missions. The story isn’t even an afterthought. It would be more fun if they had put in a small storyline to link to the in-game progression.
Graphics
Graphically, Stunt Flyer looks somewhat simplistic. This is not uncommon for a title that’s aimed toward children. Keeping things simple is often a lot easier to make children focus on the game’s objectives, and that’s also the case here. Everything is clear, the bright and colorful colors stand out, and all in all, for a Switch title it still looks reasonably okay. Sometimes less is more, especially for titles such as this.
Sound
In Stunt Flyer the sound design is the same as the graphics: simplistic. We would even dare to say that a few corners were cut when it came to the actual soundtrack. Music is mostly absent from the gameplay. At times, you’ll hear a bit of music, but this is mainly in the menu or when you aren’t flying yet. There were moments when some music would have been fun instead of the constant roaring of the engine. For a game geared towards kids, we would have appreciated an upbeat and catchy soundtrack.
Gameplay
In Stunt Flyer, it’s all about flying a plane. The game is advertised as an adventure action game, but it does feel like a casual game with no real adventure components. The tutorial is easy to understand as it explains everything on the go. You are let loose on the island quickly with no explanation on what you need to do, and just explore what’s there. While some explanation would have been nice, it did make us curious to see if we could uncover some objectives ourselves. We quickly discovered that some rings represent a mission, and some represent a collectible. There are two collectible items: rings and presents. The missions themselves are not difficult and require you to do something with no time limit. The game measures how fast you complete the mission, which is interesting for those players who want to break their earlier records.
There is also no risk in this game. When we crash into a mountain or into the sea, we just respawn not far from where we crashed. There is also no loss of progress when you meet your untimely demise. For example, we collected a present before crashing, and we still have it marked as collected when respawning. A slight progress reset would make us think twice before plunging into the ocean. It is still a children’s game, so we also get why the developer made it this way, as many children around a certain age find it more fun to fly at anything than follow the rules. The ragdolling when we crashed was rather funny to see.
How to unlock certain things was rather unclear. We actually unlocked new planes by accident when completing missions or picking up collectibles. While it’s nice that there is still a bit of a goal to work towards, it’s not marked that clearly. Perhaps a better mention of these things would motivate players to keep finding new things to unlock.
The plane controls as expected, with inverted controls for going up and down. This can be a bit confusing for younger gamers at first, but some practice will do wonders here. Stunt Flyer also has the option to be played in split-screen, which is nice for a parent to join in on the fun. While the gameplay remains as basic as it is in the single-player experience, it’s still a great way for kids to play with their parents or friends locally, instead of online.
Conclusion
Stunt Flyer is clearly aimed at children but is best enjoyed in short bursts. The game does have a certain charm for children thanks to the bright colors and cartoonish visuals, and the sound design was serviceable as well. Most importantly, the gameplay in Stunt Flyer is simple and easy to understand, making this a very accessible game for kids. The achievements and the missions are interesting, but perhaps a bit too forgiving at times, as there are no consequences when you crash. While most of the game proved to be straightforward, it’s a shame they didn’t properly explain more about how to unlock other planes, skins, or maps. The split-screen option is great for parents to join in on the fun. All in all, it’s a decent children’s game, albeit one that’s not truly memorable.
No Comments