Game Reviews

iBomber 3

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iOS
| iBomber 3
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iBomber 3
|
iOS
| iBomber 3

In the first sequel, whether it's a film, book or game, we want and need something new. It's too soon to rehash what the original material delivered, so a sequel has it's work cut out in order to develop a franchise while staying true to its lineage.

A second sequel, as we have in Cobra Mobile's iBomber 3, has a different objective. It has a strong fan base to please, it has newcomers to seduce, and it's still expected to improve on what's come before.

One advantage a third-in-the-series can enjoy is that there's a lot of mileage in a return to form, and that's what iBomber 3 brings to the iPhone.

Go in too close, and then go closer

In good iBomber tradition, you're taking a a B-17 or Lancaster bomber into enemy skies, and leading the assault on the ground forces.

Although you're in control of the aircraft, this isn't a simulator. At least, it's not a flight simulator. It might be reasonable to suggest it's something of a gunner simulator, though.

You take a rather unique perspective when playing iBomber 3, looking straight down at the ground through the bomb bay doors. A crosshair is used to range your targets, and a quick tap on the fire button drops a bomb where X marks the spot.

Tilt controls guide the bomber about the battlefield. Touch controls are included, but motion is far superior. Leaning left and right rotate the old bird, while tilting forwards and backwards controls your speed.

Your enemies on the ground are shooting wildly into the air at all times, so pottering around and taking careful aim is a sure way to catch bullets and flack. The quicker you fly the safer you are.

Gone for a burton

You're heading into multiple theatres of war carefully selected from WWII history, with various missions taking place in the Pacific, Mediterranean, and across north Africa.

There's a lot of diversity in what's required of you, but whether you're sinking ships or pinpointing fuel dumps, it all comes down to your prowess with a bomb drop.

Visually iBomber 3 has upped the stakes, and adds a beautiful lick of digital paint to the intricately detailed enemies, terrains, and, most of all, the explosions. Every detonation is felt in your back teeth (play wearing headphones), which adds a distinct satisfaction to a well-played game.

As ace fighter pilot Captain Eddie Rickenbacker famously said, fighting in the air is not sport; it's scientific murder. As brutal as that epitaph might sound, a casual paraphrasing of Cap'n Eddie fits iBomber 3 beautifully. It's not a flying game; it's scientific carnage.

There's a precision to the design, gameplay, and overall experience of iBomber 3 which wasn't as noticeable in its previous incarnations.

It's dangerously close to the original in terms of content, admittedly, but the spit and polish makes it gleam anew, so you can take this kite into the blue with confidence.

iBomber 3

iBomber 3 manages to refresh its own concept and add real value to an incremental update. A great wingman for fans of the original
Score
Spanner Spencer
Spanner Spencer
Yes. Spanner's his real name, and he's already heard that joke you just thought of. Although Spanner's not very good, he's quite fast, and that seems to be enough to keep him in a regular supply of free games and away from the depressing world of real work.