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The original Aviator Arcade was an entry in the 2014 RGCD cartridge contest, a short but sweet three-level shooter much in the vein of classic vertical scrollers such as Tiger Heli and Twin Cobra. This sequel is effectively an expanded version of the 16K original, with improved graphics and audio, covering ten levels and fully PAL/NTSC compatible.

The world is under threat once again [Sigh!], so as a member of the EDF you are assigned to jump into your trusty helicopter, take to the skies, and fight back, alone, against the terrorist insurgence.

Your steed is equipped with a reasonably powerful forward gun and three smart bombs that can damage everything on screen. Colliding with enemy combatants or being hit by their fire reduces your energy and, when all energy is lost, that's one life down. Lose all your lives and it's the ubiquitous game over.

At various points in each level, you encounter different power-ups, acquired by shooting them. A few refuel your energy, others dispense different weapon systems such as double fire, rapid fire, homing missiles and lasers. The key to survival is knowing which weapons will be more useful in the upcoming sections. Occasionally, you can earn another smart bomb. End-of-level bosses take many, many hits before dying. However, as the plot progresses you are required to leave Earth and take to space to carry on the fight in new craft. What new challenges and hazards await you there?

Aviator Arcade II is well presented with inter-level screens, and offers a few options including having autofire on, meaning the fire button triggers the smart bomb instead - although you then must be wary about accidentally shooting weapon pods. Three difficulty levels are available; the latter two rewarding the player with a staggered percentage bonus to their score as a reward for being harder to complete.

This reminds me of games like SWIV and SEUCK, with a few bolted-on bells and whistles such as the extra weapons and selectable levels. The graphics and sonics are adequate enough and in some ways very similar to SWIV, although the repetitive enemies are disappointing. However, the plot and graphic progression is good and reminds me of the better arcade games as it takes you into areas unknown. So far, so reasonable.

The challenge kept me going for a while, mainly because losing a life takes you back to the start of the level, but there's a reason why checkpoints aren't necessary in this game: each level is fairly short, and needs a lot of bullet expenditure. At its heart - though it's rather limited - what's there is well done but ultimately fairly uninspring. In a word (or two), it's an OK shoot-'em-up, professionally made - shame there's not enough to it for my liking.

There's a lot to like in this, reminiscent of arcade classics like Tiger Heli and Flying Shark. Graphics are well-defined, music and sound build atmosphere and the way the levels change gives you a real sense of progression (along with changing vehicles).

The briefing screens and on-screen messages work well, and it's great to have the feedback of the ranking system and statistics screen appearing after the game is over. But having to start over the (relatively short) levels when you die becomes frustrating; from a technical perspective it should have been possible to add checkpoints.

While there are three difficulty settings, the actual challenge within each level varies - and the addition of energy barriers renders some sections trickier than others. The original 16K game (included on the disk/cartridge) was a strong foundation to build on, but this falls just short of being a soaring success.

Aviator Arcade was a fun entry in the RGCD competition, so as a fan of Toaplan shooters I looked forward to the sequel. The level design is good, gradually drawing the player in and getting him used to the mechanics before unleashing some frantic sections, certainly in the lead up to every boss fight.

There is no noticeable slow-down either, even with a lot going on on-screen. One problem is that, as you acquire weapons by shooting the weapon pods rather than having to collect them, it can actually be easy to accidentally swap weapons (especially if you are using autofire). Still, that's what learning the levels are all about; a de facto requirement of most shooters to figure out the best route of survival.

Thankfully, Aviator Arcade II is addictive and challenging enough to warrant repeated play and, as higher difficulty levels yield a score bonus, trying those modes isn't just about the challenge, it's a welcome addition.

Presentation 89%
Well presented, with the scoring system and the in-game messages.

Graphics 87%
Good variety in the sprites and backgrounds, changing as the game progresses.

Sound 89%
Pumping tunes and strong sound FX.

Hookability 87%
Easy to grasp and addictive.

Lastability 80%
A long-term challenge marred by the frustratingly short levels.

Overall 79%
Get to the chopper and start blasting! Short-term thrills from a polished vertical shoot-'em-up.