Red Shark

Welcome to 2010. A top secret Russia laboratory has just invented the first time machine: the Red Shark, a high-tech helicopter armed with the some of the deadliest weapons available. To serve the greater good and alter the face of history, the Red Shark is sent back to a pivotal point in time: World War II.

If the cheesy storyline wasn't a clear indication, know that Red Shark isn't a deep flight simulator that many will think it to be ' it's the complete opposite in fact. There's a definite emphasis on action that's evident in the unrealistic physics model and the simplistic control scheme. Missions are straightforward and usually entail destroying an enemy base or protecting an ally convoy ' the standard stuff. Things never get too complex and the action's always there, but it's hit or miss on some of the missions. Some missions seem to drag on and on without a serious threat ever being posed, while others are seemingly quick by comparison and are much more exciting. When it comes down to it, Red shark just isn't much fun in the long run. Tactics I used on the very fist mission carried through to the very last one and when coupled with the sometimes trite and drawn-out missions, an uninteresting gameplay experience results. In its defense, Red shark can be called a throwback to the shoot-em up arcade games of yesteryear, but there's not enough depth or variety to keep it interesting.

Much like the gameplay, Red shark looks purely average. It sports uninteresting objects and repetitive landscapes, with a dash of lackluster particle effects. There's even some noticeable fog, which is a cardinal sin for flight games. Audio doesn't fare much better as there's only a handful of techno-rock tunes that seem to loop the same redundant riffs over and over.

From the uninspired gameplay to the uninteresting graphics, Red shark is a purely average game through and through. It has its moments but is overshadowed by the shallow gameplay.