Hyperburner 9+

I thought this game was fantastic. While the experience was somewhat short (it took me less than a week to complete every stage,) each stage was exhilarating and jam-packed with fun. Only at a couple instances did it feel unfair/copy-pasted, and the difficulty curve is otherwise well-crafted. The controls are excellent, as is the aesthetic of the game. The cell-shaded, futuristic visuals made the game optically interesting while I whizzed by obstacles. It seems like some users experienced lag, but I did not on my iPod 6. In terms of dollars to hours, this game provided me over 3 times my money's worth. The extra challenges from the achievements do seem extraordinarily difficult, and perhaps I will never complete them (I currently have an achievement completion rate of 65%.) Regardless, the original levels are fantastic, and I think everyone interested in this type of game should play Hyperburner.

While the graphics are amazing to look at, the mechanics are an issue. Even in some of the early stages, you must make split-second calculations in order to dodge the oncoming obstacles; level five of the first world in particular. Towards the end of this level you have less than a second to maneuver your craft into a hole barely big enough for it. Not to mention the rapidly shifting camera angles. The camera constantly rotates and, due to the quick finger movements required, rapidly zooms around, as well.

The biggest issue I found, and the one that inspired the title of this review, is the hit box. If you are within what I'd say is a virtual foot, your ship will blow up. Clipped a pixel of ship's wing? Boom. Flew by too fast? Boom.

In the end, it's a good game with flawed mechanics, like many other games. Don't just take my word for this, though. Take it as a suggestion, but try the game yourself. Who knows? You might find it amazing regardless of the issues. You might not even see any issues! Anyways, have fun and happy spacefaring!