Thunder Helix

About

Thunder Helix is a single player simulation game. It was developed by David Walters and was released on March 21, 2024. It received very positive reviews from players.

THUNDER HELIX Pilot deadly helicopter gunships, battle enemy forces and complete dangerous missions within a thrilling desert warzone!Featuring: Exciting campaign with multiple objectives, or play randomised scenarios. Pilot multiple types of helicopter with unique abilities and specifications. Pick up ammo, fuel and rescue friendlies with the on-board winch. Missions take place in dawn, day …

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

95%

Audience ScoreBased on 198 reviews

story10 positive mentions

replayability3 negative mentions

Thunder Helix is a nostalgic throwback to classic DOS flight simulators, successfully capturing the essence of games like LHX and Desert Strike.
The game features intuitive controls and charming retro graphics, making it easy to pick up and play while providing a fun experience.
Despite being in early access with limited content, players are excited about the potential for future updates and additional missions.

Currently, there is only one campaign mission available, which limits replayability and raises concerns about the game's future content updates.
Some players find the flight model to be overly simplistic and lacking in realism, which may not appeal to those seeking a more serious simulation experience.
The game may feel barebones at launch, with some users expressing disappointment over the limited amount of content for the price.

story
82 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
12%
84%
4%
The game's story aspect currently features a limited number of missions, with only one campaign mission and a free-flight scenario available at launch. Players express excitement for future content, including a mission editor and additional missions, while noting the potential for replayability through different helicopter choices and mission approaches. However, the lack of variety and randomization in the current missions has raised concerns about replayability and overall depth.
- “The gameplay loop is straight from the strike series; campaigns (there's only one at the time of this review) are a single flight broken into a series of mission objectives.”
- “Currently there's 1 campaign mission (it's desert strike-style so there's multiple objectives with different types of targets all over the place), a free-flight practice scenario, and 3 helicopters, so there's a decent taste of what's to come, and I'm very much looking forward to seeing this one develop.”
- “Taking off from a ship, like in Merlin, coming in over the coastline like in F-19, low in the desert, like Desert Strike, doing missions like in Gunship... everything just comes together perfectly.”
- “There's only the one mission right now, but all this makes me feel good about the potential depth of the finished game.”
- “Yes, it's early access, but it is currently one mission with no randomization or anything to add replayability.”
- “But I'm sensing some nostalgia misguiding these other reviews as with only one campaign mission (as of writing) that lacks replayability with no variation in enemy placement or count.”
graphics
46 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
26%
67%
7%
The graphics of the game are celebrated for their nostalgic, retro aesthetic, reminiscent of early 90s DOS-era visuals, including charming 320x200 VGA and EGA styles. Players appreciate the simplicity and authenticity of the graphics, which evoke fond memories of classic flight simulators and tactical games. Overall, the visuals are described as gorgeous and clean, successfully capturing the essence of old-school gaming.
- “Thunder Helix effortlessly re-creates the feel of these early 90's games down to the mock DOS prompt startup screens and the bright chunky VGA (or EGA!) graphics.”
- “It really nails the authentic 320x200 VGA/EGA DOS game look, and the vector environment graphics are just pure nostalgia.”
- “The graphics are gorgeous if you are into this art style, and I'm still undecided if I like the EGA or the VGA graphics better.”
- “The graphics are made in a late-80's, early-90's style and totally nail the aesthetic.”
- “A 1-1 recreation of old EA titles, a high fidelity helicopter sim with retro aesthetics, a challenging masterclass in old school tactical sims... no.”
- “The graphics are made to look old school.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The gameplay of Thunder Helix features a central campaign loop reminiscent of the Desert Strike series, allowing players to launch from a warship and tackle various objectives in a flexible order. Players can pilot different helicopters, each offering unique gameplay experiences, and the controls are praised for their responsiveness. However, some users noted a lack of clarity regarding certain mechanics, such as rearming and refueling, which can lead to confusion.
- “The central campaign gameplay loop of Thunder Helix closely follows the same model as Desert Strike - you launch from a warship offshore in your helicopter of choice and proceed into an area of operations where there are several objectives that you can choose to largely tackle in any order.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it takes the free-form parts of Desert Strike and combines it with the sim aspects of Gunship 2000, LHX, and Thunderhawk.”
- “You get to fly different helicopters, each of them with some different gameplay types.”
- “I wish there was a little bit more information on gameplay; I spent 30 minutes trying to figure out how to rearm/refuel because I thought the ammo crates and fuel barrels were enemy targets.”
- “The gameplay loop is straight from the strike series; campaigns (there's only one at the time of this review) are a single flight broken into a series of mission objectives.”
- “Gameplay-wise, it takes the free-form parts of Desert Strike and combines them with the sim aspects of Gunship 2000, LHX, and Thunderhawk.”
humor
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is highlighted by the amusing presence of camels, particularly during the "camel party" on the destroyer, which adds a lighthearted touch to the gameplay. Players find the comedic elements, such as the fun of winching and the overall aesthetic, to enhance their experience, making it enjoyable even for newcomers to helicopter flying.
- “Also, the camel party on the destroyer is hilarious.”
- “I love the aesthetic; the first campaign shows what this game is about super well, and the camels are hilarious.”
- “The winching is hilariously fun and satisfying when you're able to do them really quickly.”
replayability
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
13%
49%
38%
Despite being in early access with only two missions, the game offers notable replayability through multiple helicopters that require different strategies and a motivating highscore system. Players can approach missions in various ways, enhancing the experience even with limited content. Overall, while the current lack of randomization may limit replayability, the diverse gameplay mechanics provide enough variety to keep players engaged.
- “If you're concerned about replayability, don't be. Think about all of the different ways you can accomplish a mission - waypoints in reverse, other helicopters, flying low/high, etc.”
- “Yes, it's early access, but it is currently one mission with no randomization or anything to add replayability.”
- “On launch, this has only 2 missions, a free flight and a single campaign mission, but with 3 flyable helicopters that all fly and fight pretty differently, giving some replay value even with just the 2 missions available.”
- “Also, there's lots of replay value with three different helicopters that require different approaches to the missions and a surprisingly motivating high score system.”
stability
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Overall, users report that the game runs smoothly and effectively on the Steam Deck, successfully evoking nostalgic memories. Stability appears to be a strong point, with no significant issues noted.
- “Runs great and evokes all the right memories.”
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
- “Runs great on the Steam Deck.”
music
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
The music in the game is minimal, which aligns with its 90s pseudo-simulation style, making it a fitting choice for the overall aesthetic.
- “Almost no music, but this is a 90s pseudosim, so that's kinda on-brand.”