WW2 Beachhead for iPhone OS Review

Sunstorm Interactive is quickly becoming one of my favorite developer of game applications for the iPhone OS.  I recently reviewed their Real Deer Hunting application and found it to be quite entertaining.

Now Sunstorm is back with a new title, WW2 Beachhead.  Here’s how they describe the game play……

Buried in a beachhead bunker, players must demonstrate courage, quick reflexes and decision making ability to stand their ground against the attacking enemy. You play as the last units remaining at the critical line of defense where you fight against ever growing hordes of soldiers, shattering tank fire, and strafing gunfire from fast moving fighter planes. Bonus crates parachute in bringing extra health or more ammo. Players must use precise aim and fast reflexes to suppress the attacking waves and win the chance to fight another day.

Does Sunstorm score a direct hit this time?  Read on to find out.

The game’s initial launch screen includes 6 choices.

You can view more titles from Sunstrom Interactive, read the help documents on how to play the game, start a new game, continue a game in progress, view your high scores and finally change the game’s options.

The game’s options are pretty straight forward.  You can edit the game’s sensitivity, choose where the analog pad (which is what you use to move along the beach) is placed, set the degree of drag control (also used for moving), toggle the tilt control (uses the device’s accelerometer) on or off, adjust the volume of the game’s sound effects and finally clear your high scores.

Once you’re ready to play you launch a new game and are taken to a mission briefing/map screen.  This screen shows your position in the game, the missions you’ve completed, have remaining and are about to partake in.

There is a brief synopsis of the mission you’re about to begin and when you’re ready to start in you simply press the “defend beachhead button.”

You can also return back to the main menu by pressing the “menu” button up in the upper left corner of the screen.

The game begins and you’re in your bunker.  There is no moving forward or backwards in the game.  The only movements you need to execute are side to side.

As you swing your gun to the left or right enemy soldiers begin to appear as they exit their boats at the water’s edge.

The soldiers start off very small by grow larger, and more dangerous as they get closer.  Using the red fire button your goal is to shoot each soldier but lining him up in the gun’s sights and firing.  The machine gun you begin the game with fires quite rapidly.

Parachutes begin to fall from the sky and if you’re able to shoot these you’ll gain power ups in the form of additional health or new weapons.

The game contains three different weapons to assist you.

*AA Machine Gun – the primary gun for taking out the enemy. This gun has unlimited ammo and is easy to master.
*Artillery Cannon – firing explosive shells this gun is most effective against troops. One well-placed shot can wipe out 12 soldiers.
*Rocket Propelled Grenade – the definitive tank killer but also effective on planes or hordes of soldiers.

Althogh the game seem easy to play it’s not.  You must not only carefully place your shots but also budget your ammunition.  I ran out several times and was quickly captured by the enemy.

Good use of the power ups ensure this doesn’t happen and the better, more powerful guns make advancing easier.

WW2 Beachhead is currently available in iTunes App Store at an introductory price of only 99 cents.  At this price it’s a great game to pick up.  The concept is simple but gameplay is challenging.  It does get somewhat repetitive after time but different missions help alleviate that issue.

Click here (link opens iTunes) to download.

M.S.R.P. – 99 cents.

What I like – simple yet challenging concpet.  Inexpensive.

What I don’t like – can be repetitive.