Freaky Flyers

"Aviation, video clips, 2 discs, many characters and a bad aftertaste."

Freaky Flyers is a cartoonish little airplane racing game with a diverse multitude of characters (each with many minutes of video clips), many detailed levels, 2 discs, and gameplay that seems lacking in many, many ways. But, don't get me wrong, it is still a pretty fun game.

~Storyline~ 10/10

There is no really absolute storyline in this game, because each of the characters has their own unique story! From wannabe movie actors to big-bosomed chicks, every character has a reason to enter the Freaky Flyers race and each part of their quest is told using crisply animated video clips, which are one of the great points in this game. So, I give it a ten.

~Graphics~ 9/10

The graphics in this game, while cartoony, are really impressive. Each character is expertly animated in the races and their videos. Their planes, however incredibly small they are, are also animated well, and go along nicely with the greatly detailed backgrounds. Speaking of the backgrounds, all the backgrounds in each level are crisply defined down the to the very last cranny. Although, sometimes blockiness can be found, it is nullified by the other graphics.

~Sound and Music~ 9/10

The music in the game is excellent, especially the theme song. The only problem is that the music volume is set to a default of 50%, thus limiting many people to appreciate the game's music. Any way, the sounds are good, too. Although the phrases the characters say after a while get annoying, most of what should be taken up by miles of boring text has been replaced with voices, and each level is briefly described by the obnoxious announcer.

~Controls~ 9/10

The controls are pretty basic. Control stick is look, R is gas, L is break, A is guns, Y + a direction is do a stunt, X is use items, Z is to toggle your aim and B is rear aim. It's okay, but I just hoped there was something to change your view.

~Gameplay~ 6/10

The gameplay is what you'd expect from a aviation racing game. You can go on adventures to unlock stuff, just plain race, do a 1 on 1 dogfight, and play some minigames. There are many powerups, which include missiles, hovering bombs, shields, boosts, and more. Also, each race has 6 mini-objectives that you can complete to help you win the race. That includes stuff like collecting enough of a certain item, shooting targets, destroying monsters, etc., which will open up things like extra powerup slots and extra boosts. But, do you remember when I said that the Gameplay was lacking? Well, here's why:

1. The levels are a bit too detailed. I mean, it is rather hard to find things in the levels because they are just too big and long. You could search for hours to find bigfoot to complete an objective, and when you do you're suprised at how many times you pasted it. This problem could have been easily avoided if there was an option to change your view into first-person and scope out the level better, but of course there is none!
2. The loading times are way too long. The time it takes to load is 15-20 seconds per race. You wouldn't think that's too bad, but it also applies to when you restart the race! Not to mention having to switch discs all the time.
3. The computer players in the races rely on being cheap, and sticking you with having to complete objectives. If you don't believe this, then watch them as the race starts. They instantly zoom off, leaving you in the dust to struggle and try to catch up. Not to mention, there is no way to get a boost at the beginning. The only way to finish a race in 1st or second (which is required for some races to win) is to finish all the objectives perfectly and shoot down your opponets. Therefore, the entire race doesn't depend on skill, just completing objectives and the luck of computer AI.

~Overall~ 6.4/10

All in all, this is just an airplane racing game with cheap races, cool movies and music, and lots of characters. It's fun, if you can get past the bad parts, but otherwise you should stay away.

~Rent or Buy?~ Rent

I say rent because it's fun for about 5 days (or at least to me) and then the bad ''aftertaste'' kicks in. Although if you're a big racing fan, go ahead and buy it.

Reviewer's Score: 6/10, Originally Posted: 09/22/03