Sky Force Anniversary

72%
Game Brain Score Based on 708 reviews
  • graphics
  • gameplay
  • grinding
Sky Force Anniversary Game Cover
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"Sky Force Anniversary" is a vertical scrolling shoot'em up game with modernized graphics and intense battles. The game features various aircrafts to upgrade, numerous enemies and bosses to defeat, and challenging missions with increasing difficulty levels. With its vibrant visuals and captivating gameplay, Sky Force Anniversary offers a thrilling shoot'em up experience.

  • iPad
  • iPhone
  • Mac OS
  • Nintendo Switch
  • PC
  • Phone
  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
  • Xbox One
  • Android
  • Linux
  • Mobile Platform
  • Play​Station
  • Play​station 3
  • Play​station Vita
  • Tablet
  • Wii
  • Wii U
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

72%
Audience ScoreBased on 708 reviews
graphics118 positive mentions
grinding86 negative mentions
  • Sky Force Anniversary offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic shoot 'em ups, with beautiful graphics and engaging gameplay.
  • The game features a rewarding upgrade system that encourages replaying levels to collect stars and complete challenges.
  • It is beginner-friendly, making it accessible for newcomers to the genre while still providing enough challenge for experienced players.
  • The game can feel grindy, requiring players to replay levels multiple times to unlock new stages and upgrades.
  • Some players may find the difficulty spikes frustrating, particularly in later levels where the challenge increases significantly.
  • The lack of variety in levels and enemies can lead to repetitive gameplay, diminishing the overall experience.
  • graphics169 mentions

    The graphics of the game have received widespread acclaim for their vibrant, detailed, and modern aesthetic, effectively blending nostalgic elements from classic arcade shooters with contemporary visual design. Players appreciate the smooth performance across various hardware setups, with many noting the impressive quality even at lower specifications. Overall, the visuals are described as stunning, colorful, and a significant highlight of the gameplay experience.

    • “The graphics are detailed, vibrant, and high resolution.”
    • “Stunning graphics!”
    • “The visuals and sound are a treat for the eyes and ears, too.”
    • “I use the same PC, same monitor, same graphic settings, but hardly can see what's happening on the screen.”
    • “The game has multiple times to just watch the background graphics, but it only makes me bored.”
    • “Like I said, it is a retro game without modern touch except graphics.”
  • gameplay121 mentions

    The gameplay is generally praised for its straightforward, addictive mechanics and smooth controls, effectively blending old-school shoot 'em up elements with modern graphics and progression systems. While many players enjoy the challenge and variety of upgrades, some criticize the repetitive nature and grind required to unlock new features, which can detract from the overall experience. Overall, the game successfully captures the essence of classic arcade shooters while introducing engaging new mechanics.

    • “Despite the game being a simple shoot 'em up, it's still impressive in every aspect, whether it's the gameplay, visuals, or audio.”
    • “With fun, simple, and challenging gameplay that updates a retro game to a modern visual standard, it’s definitely worth your time.”
    • “The gameplay is addictive due to the nature of the upgrade system.”
    • “Particularly, the card mechanic, with random (rare) drops as you play, is ill-suited and out of place.”
    • “Bad gameplay design makes this game impossible from hard onwards, and in the latter levels too.”
    • “It's too grindy, has huge difficulty spikes (I think because of its mobile pay-to-win origins), and frustrating mechanics.”
  • grinding87 mentions

    The reviews indicate that grinding is a significant aspect of the game, with many players finding it both necessary and somewhat tedious. While some enjoy the repetitive nature of replaying levels for upgrades and achievements, others feel it detracts from the overall experience, leading to frustration and boredom. Overall, the enjoyment of the game seems to hinge on individual tolerance for grinding, with some players appreciating the challenge it brings, while others find it excessive and detracting from the fun.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “It falls short in that it is rather grindy--you'll play the same 9 levels a few hundred times to get all achievements.”
    • “Your enjoyment of the game will hinge on how much grinding you're willing to tolerate, as it gates your progress with the amount of medals you earn across three difficulty levels for each stage, and the upgrades to your ship that you'll likely need to get those medals.”
    • “My only complaint is that the game is way too grindy before you are powerful enough to take on the later levels, so be prepared to replay earlier levels a lot.”
  • music75 mentions

    The music in the game is a nostalgic blend of chiptune and modern electronic influences, effectively capturing the essence of classic arcade soundtracks while providing a fresh, upbeat experience. While many players praise the catchy and immersive quality of the soundtrack, some express disappointment over its repetitiveness and lack of variety. Overall, the music enhances the gameplay atmosphere, making it a significant aspect of the game's appeal.

    • “The genre is a straight homage to those classic arcade booths you’d feed quarters into behind the pizza counter, but with an updated graphical palette and soundtrack.”
    • “Another important thing that made this game so good is its music, which set the whole mood and atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Music was done in a style hard to categorize; some may call it 8-bit, some may call it 16-bit, some may call it chiptune, some may call it tracker or demo scene music, but in fact, it has elements of all of these styles, and it really sounds amazing, old school enough, yet modern enough, recognizable enough yet unique enough.”
    • “Music sounds kinda dull too.”
    • “I am sick of looking at the same nine levels and hearing the same music.”
    • “My only complaint would be the variety of music, or lack thereof.”
  • story61 mentions

    The game's story is minimal and often described as forgettable, with only brief snippets provided through cutscenes and dialogues that fail to engage players. Many reviewers noted the lack of a coherent narrative, suggesting that the focus is primarily on gameplay mechanics rather than storytelling, leading to a repetitive experience as players grind through missions to unlock upgrades and new challenges. Overall, the story aspect is seen as a weak point, detracting from the otherwise enjoyable gameplay.

    • “Anecdotic cutscenes and dialogues will bring context to some missions.”
    • “The last stages, however, are quite another story.”
    • “Great storyline.”
    • “Story is not there and the little pieces you can see and hear are pretty cringe.”
    • “All you'll be getting from the story is presented with short snippets throughout the levels.”
    • “The story is never explained; it would have been nicer to get a little more, or nothing at all. I don't get the point of what we get.”
  • replayability30 mentions

    The game offers substantial replayability through a variety of features, including collectible cards, multiple difficulty settings, and an engaging upgrade system that encourages players to revisit levels for higher rewards and achievements. Players can unlock new challenges and medals, enhancing the overall experience and providing a satisfying progression that keeps them coming back. While some reviews note a grindy aspect, the combination of RPG elements and weekly tournaments contributes to a rich replay value.

    • “The game encourages replayability if you want to fully upgrade your ship, earn all the medals, as well as unlock every achievement and card.”
    • “Great game with lots of replay value featuring accumulative high score listings, in-game achievements in the form of medals, different difficulty settings, and an over-the-top rogue-like upgrade system for permanent ship power-ups.”
    • “The gameplay is deeper now with upgrades as well as replayable levels with incentives to replay based on higher rewards.”
    • “This game, however, lacks killjoy and replay value.”
    • “A slower top-down shoot-em-up capitalizing on grinding replayability than lightning-quick action.”
    • “That said, the graphics are nice, and it is addictive once the upgrades get to a certain point it becomes slightly more playable although still very grindy.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    Overall, the game is praised for its smooth performance, vibrant graphics, and engaging soundtrack, making it a worthwhile purchase in terms of price-to-performance ratio. Players report excellent optimization across platforms, including Linux, with no significant stuttering or slowdowns. However, a notable downside is the inability to delete profiles, which can hinder the experience for new players.

    • “It runs smoothly, the art style is colorful and vibrant, and the music is infectious after a few plays.”
    • “Price to performance, this is definitely worth a buy.”
    • “The game runs smoothly, has good graphics, and a good soundtrack.”
    • “The developers have opted to remove the ability to delete profiles, so short of deleting the entire game (and then hunting down the actual save files, wherever they are), you are stuck with whatever poor spending choices you made in your first attempt at this game with little to no understanding of how each upgrade affects your plane's performance!”
    • “Stuttering or slowdowns?”
    • “The game is also very solid on Linux in terms of both performance and stability.”
  • monetization6 mentions

    The monetization model of the game is praised for its absence of microtransactions and grinding, offering a seamless experience reminiscent of classic titles. Unlike its free-to-play mobile counterpart, the PC version provides a more complete experience without the pressure of in-app purchases or ads, making it feel less like a cash grab. Overall, players appreciate the balance between accessibility and enjoyment without the typical monetization pitfalls.

    • “Solid levels, good upgrade system, fluid gameplay, no microtransactions, and it's basically a modern day NES 1942.”
    • “Unlike the free-to-play version on phones, it has no microtransactions nor waiting for upgrades to be developed or ships rebuilt, but even then the game is no slouch.”
    • “It's the perfect formula for a free-to-play game with in-app purchases; it also makes the game feel like work.”
    • “Now I have it on my Android phone, Android tablet, and PC... and I bought some of the in-app purchases on the phone.”
    • “A port from Android that doesn't feel like a watered-down cash grab?”
  • atmosphere5 mentions

    The atmosphere of Sky Force is praised for effectively blending retro and modern aesthetics, enhancing the enjoyment of repetitive gameplay. The game's music, featuring catchy rhythms and memorable melodies, significantly contributes to its overall mood and leaves a lasting impression on players.

    • “Sky Force does a great job bridging the gap between the retro genre and modern aesthetic.”
    • “Great atmosphere that makes the repetition more enjoyable.”
    • “Another important thing that made this game so good is its music, which sets the whole mood and atmosphere of the game.”
    • “Another important thing that made this game so good is its music, which set the whole mood and atmosphere of the game.”
    • “They add to the atmosphere of the game and sometimes have useful information for new players that may get overlooked the first time.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The game is praised for its humor, featuring amusing characters and bosses that enhance the fun gameplay experience. Players enjoy the comedic elements, particularly in cooperative play, making it a delightful choice for family gaming.

    • “Summed up, the game is a fun and pretty romp with some funny characters and bosses.”
    • “Great graphics and funny gameplay; I often play co-op with my son.”
    • “Funny.”
  • emotional2 mentions

    Players find the game to offer a wholesome emotional experience, particularly appreciating the journey through to the last level. However, some express frustration with the control mechanics, which may detract from the overall enjoyment.

    • “If you pick this up for a dollar, play through to the last level and then set it down, you'll have had a wholesome gaming experience.”
  • stability1 mentions

    Users report that the game demonstrates excellent stability, particularly on older hardware, ensuring a smooth gaming experience across various systems.

    • “It runs great on older hardware.”
    • “The game maintains a smooth performance without crashing.”
    • “I appreciate how stable the game is, even during intense moments.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

74% average critic score

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Play time

11hMedian play time
22hAverage play time
8hMain story
22hCompletionist
6-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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