What do you do when you have already published the number one shooter game for the Pocket PC?  Simple.  Do it again.   That is exactly what Infinite Dreams did with SkyForce Reloaded.  They added updated graphics and weapons, and sent Sky Force right back out to fight some more with eight all new levels.

Sky Force Reloaded is, of course, the sequel to the extremely popular Sky Force shooter game.  I reviewed the original SkyForce game last November, and thoroughly enjoyed all of the high flying action it offered.  SkyForce Reloaded continues the same concept as the original game.  In fact, it is almost more like an additional level pack then a true sequel.  It picks up right where the original game left off and takes you on eight new adventures.

Installation and Registration:  If you played and loved the original Sky Force, however, then you pretty much know what you are getting here.  Still, for those of you who have not played the original game, there is a short trial version which provides you with the opportunity to try before you buy.  To install, simply download the file to your desktop and install it on your Pocket PC via ActiveSync.

Overview: As I have already mentioned, gameplay is exactly the same as the original Sky Force.  Take your fighter plane through enemy territory while dodging attacks from the air, land, and sea.  Collect power ups to restore your shields (when your shields reach zero you will be destroyed) and increase the power of your weapons.  If you are destroyed three times, then your game will end.

Difficulty: There are three difficulty settings in this game.  Depending upon which difficulty setting you select, the enemy fighters will become more or less aggressive, and it will take a higher kill ratio to complete the mission.

Missions: Each of the eight levels requires you to complete a mission in order to finish.  Typically, the mission will require a minimum kill ration (such as destroy 70% of the enemies on the level).  Additionally, however, some missions may also require you to rescue a particular number of humans who are hiding throughout the level, or complete some other task or series of tasks.

Graphics: The graphics, while similar to the original game, have been significantly updated.  The basic layout is the same amazing 3-dimensional view, which sees you flying in and out of cloud banks, around high reaching obstacles, and of course in and around enemy fighters.  The interaction with the background is one of the truly outstanding elements of the game.  Not only do you need to be aware of enemy attacks, but also avoid crashing your fighter into the looming cliffs or towers ahead.

Audio: The music track sounded like a cheesy arcade game from the 1980′s.  It simply did not work for me.  In addition to the music, I felt the background noises simply were not forceful enough.  Explosions were subdued and there was little environmental noise (such as wind or rain) in the game.  I typically play games on the train with the sounds off so I can listen to music.  The audio tracks in Sky Force Reloaded did nothing to make me change this practice.  Overall, I did not feel the music or audio tracks significantly advanced the flow of the game. 

Fighters: Like the original game, there are three fighters from which you can choose.  Each fighter has its own advantages and disadvantages.  My favorite fighter has great shields, but is terribly slow.  Another one has significantly increased speed, but minimal shields — which is great if you can dodge enemy fire.  At the beginning of each game, you can choose which fighter to use, which means you will have plenty of opportunities to test them all out out, and determine which one works the best for you.

Bonus Objects: As you destroy enemies, they will frequently release bonus objects.  These can be weapons which increase the firepower of your fighter, shield upgrades, or bonus stars.  Stars, which are released by every defeated enemy, provide you with bonus points at the end of each level.

Additionally, in each level, there are humans hiding in amongst the enemy fighters.  These humans can be rescued for extra bonus points by flying over them with your fighter.  In some levels, rescuing humans is part of your mission requirements, but this is not typically the case.  Be careful if you set your guns to auto-fire, however, as this makes it virtually impossible to rescue humans without shooting them.

Enemies: Of course, an arcade shooter game would hardly be exciting without an array of enemies shooting back at you.  The variety of enemies has been significantly improved since the first Sky Force game.  While there are still the groups of fighter planes flying circles around you, there are also tanks, helicopters, boats, and more.  These enemies have more firepower and are generally more difficult to destroy than the original game.   This is exactly what I would expect, given the fact that most of the users of this sequel will be people who enjoyed and successfully completed the original game.  Making the enemies stronger and more difficult to destroy keeps the game fresh and challenging for those players who have been through the first game already, but not so difficult as to frustrate new players as well.

Controls: Like the original game, SkyForce Reloaded is played by flying your fighter around the screen.  Use the D-Pad controller to steer your ship and fire your weapons.  These controls, however, are fully customizable, so that you can determine what the easiest way is to control the ship on your device. 

Additionally, SkyForce Reloaded, like the original Sky Force, gives you the option of using the auto-fire feature.  When this feature has been selected, your fighter will fire continuously.  If it is not selected, then you must press the fire button to fire (that seems somewhat obvious).  Frankly, I found it was impossible to both steer the fighter and fire my weapons with one hand.  It was equally difficult, however to play the game two handed, given the layout of the controls on my Dell Axim (this may work better with other devices).  This is why the auto-fire feature is so critical. With this option selected, you can pay attention to steering your fighter without worrying about firing your weapons.

Saving: As many of you know, I frequently play games on the train, and in other short snippets of time.  As such, saving my game is important to me.  Like the original Sky Force, the game is automatically saved at the end of each level.  New to this edition, however, you have the option of beginning from any unlocked level (a level is unlocked once it has been begun).  

Conclusion: Sky Force Reloaded is a fantastic follow-up to the original Sky Force game.  Gameplay is virtually identical to the original Sky Force, to the point that this could almost be called an expansion pack rather than a sequel.  Many of the graphics have been updated, which added even more realism to the game.  Additionally, new enemy crafts and fighters have been added, with significantly more firepower and defenses, making this thrilling game even more challenging than the original Sky Force.   Overall, I thought both Sky Force and Sky Force Reloaded were fantastic games and well deserving of their reputation as some of the best arcade-style shooter games available for the Pocket PC.

Vital Statistics:

Name: Sky Force Reloaded

Version: 1.0

Platform: WM 2003 SE

Also Available: WM5, Symbian, Palm OS, SmartPhone.

Developer: Infinite Dreams 

Available From: Infinite Dreams

                           JAMM Store 

 Price: $9.98. 

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