DUSTOFF HELI RESCUE 2

Invictus Games, a Hungarian studio with more than 50 games for PC, mobile and VR, brings to Xbox One Dustoff Heli Rescue 2, a friendly and challenging blocky style action game. In this game, by controlling different helicopters, you’ll fight the enemies from the Redfor, escort convoys, protect bases, transport supplies and vehicles and rescue hostages in many different battlefields. Choose the right helicopter for each one of the 35 missions and prepare to takeoff, pilot. The Blufor needs you!

THE GOOD

• Gameplay in Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 is actually very simple. The main mechanic is to control your helicopter’s altitude and speed, engaging the enemies from the Redfor while dodging enemy fire and obstacles. In each mission, you must use a specific category of helicopter, from those specialized in combat to those focused in transportation of soldiers or cargo, and fly to objectives indicated in your minimap. However, it is not going to be an easy task: each level is filled with a good number of enemy forces ready to shoot you down! Good thing that you can always return to your HQ or spots indicated on the map to replenish your ammo or health.
• After each accomplished mission or for each enemy destroyed, you receive some money that can be used to replenish health and ammunition during stages or can be used to buy new helicopters and weapons for them. New vehicles and guns are unlocked during your progression, so there’s always a feeling of progression and accomplishment.
• Even though you have no control over your guns (front, wings or mounted gun, depending on what kind of heli you are using), combat is pretty intense! You must always keep your craft aligned with your enemies, not too high and not too close to the ground. However, keeping it in mid-height leaves in enemies reach so you must be always ready to make some quick maneuvers to avoid enemy fire.
• To complete each stage is enough to keep going on campaign, but there’s always more if you want to unlock everything in the game: to get three stars, you must beat the time challenge in each level (they start easy, but become more and more complicated as you progress). Each level also have five dog tags scattered around the scenario that you can collect to buy some special aircrafts (like a lunar pod and an alien ship!).

MIXED FEELINGS

• Graphics in Dustoff Heli Rescue 2 keeps yelling at me that Minecraft has gone to the war. So, if you don’t like games that resemble Minecraft in visuals, maybe you won’t feel engaged to play it. It’s worth mentioning that, after some time playing it, you will feel so immersed into the battle that you won’t remember about its graphics at all.
• Sound in the game is very simple. So simple that you almost can’t distinguish the sounds of your guns firing from the sound of your enemies guns firing. Nevertheless, to balance things, music is pleasant. Simple, but enjoyable.
• A coop mode, with a second player controlling the guns would feat nice into this game. Just suggesting.

THE BAD

• The game doesn’t present any kind of back story. Why are you fighting the Redfor? Because they are evil and you’re with the good guys, I presume. Not that it diminishes your fun with the game, but some reasoning behind the conflict would be welcome.
• The game UI and menus are very simple, what reminds us this game is already available in mobile and PCs since 2016. Some more attention could have been given to it.
• Controlling your helicopter can be very frustrating. Different crafts have different status between speed and maneuverability, what’s very nice, although the game doesn’t tell us that. Depending on what ship you’re flying, you’ll feel how heavy or how light it is, what’s also very nice. But some of them will insist in making flips and backflips with no apparent reason. It’s exciting or comical at the first time you see it during combat, but it fast becomes frustrating when a cargo helicopter is doing the same with a vehicle attached to it by a rope.
• It’s hard to figure out what objects you can pass by and in what objects you’ll collide. I can’t tell how many times I failed a mission by hitting a tree, a fence or an antenna in the heat of the battle. Never happened to hit a rock/mountain because I always thought I’d hit them, but they’re also catchy.

[Score: 6.7/10] Invitus Games did a good job with Dustoff Heli Rescue 2! It’s an addictive and worth checking sequel that’ll keep you absorbed for its 30+ challenging missions. Controlling your ship can become frustrating sometimes and its art could have used more of console’s horsepower, but it doesn’t diminish your fun: its engaging gameplay can sustain the game by itself. Now get to da choppa, pilot! The enemy forces are waiting for you!

 Dev: Invictus Games Publisher: Invictus Games
Played on: Xbox One | LifeisXbox received a digital review code, provided by Invictus.