Sky Force
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2000 |
| Headquarters | Poland |
| Products | Sky Force series |
Sky Force is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up franchise created by the Polish developer Infinite Dreams Inc. The gameplay incorporates a system for upgrading weapons and features formidable bosses at the end of each stage, drawing influence from Capcom's 19XX and Seibu Kaihatsu's Raiden series.
The narrative of the original installment revolves around battling the villainous General Mantis and his military units, which include ships, aircraft, helicopters, and tanks. Its follow-up, Sky Force Reloaded, introduces Scarlett Mantis as a new antagonist seeking vengeance with comparable military forces.
Sky Force (2004)
The first release debuted in 2004 on Symbian and Pocket PC, later becoming available on Palm webOS (2005), iOS (2009), and Android (2010). This version utilized purely 2D sprite-based visuals.
Reception
Critics praised the game, with IGN awarding it a score of 9.5 out of 10.
Sky Force Reloaded (2006)
Initially launched in 2006 for Symbian, Pocket PC, and Palm webOS, this sequel also reached iOS (2009), Android (2010), and PSP (2011) under the simplified title "Sky Force." It blended traditional 2D graphics with 3D polygonal components such as destructible towers. The game was remastered for Android in 2016 and subsequently released on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One (2017), Nintendo Switch (2018), and Tesla vehicles (2021).
Reception
The PSP edition holds a Metacritic aggregate score of 69 out of 100 based on six reviews.
Sky Force 2014
Released as a Free-to-play title for iOS and Android in 2014, this third entry marked the series’ shift from 2D to polygonal 3D graphics.
Reception
The iOS release received positive feedback, earning an 83 out of 100 on Metacritic from eight reviews.
Sky Force Anniversary
This Windows adaptation of Sky Force 2014 was launched on Steam in 2015, followed by versions for Android TV and Apple TV 4 in 2016. Later that year, it expanded to PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation Vita via the PlayStation Network. Unlike earlier entries, this edition is not free-to-play and offers an enhanced weapon upgrade system. It is also accessible on Wii U through the Nintendo eShop.
Reception
Hardcore Gamer awarded it a score of 4 out of 5, emphasizing its advancements.
Sky Force Reloaded (2016)
The fourth installment arrived in 2016 for iOS and Android as a Free-to-play offering, continuing the use of polygonal 3D graphics.
Reception
The Nintendo Switch version holds a Metacritic rating of 74 out of 100 based on sixteen reviews.
External links
- Official publisher page for Sky Force 2014