Flatiron Review

Flatiron is a briefly entertaining shooter that harkens back to the days when shoot-em-ups were straightforward and simple to play. Such simplicity is a double-edged sword when it comes to longevity, but it does have its moments.

With a backdrop that’s distinctly reminiscent of old silent movies and coloring that reinforces that image, Flatiron certainly looks quite stylish. That’s what will initially draw you in to find out what else is there. While your ship automatically moves along, you can dictate where or what you fire at. Unusually, rather than opting for taps you control fire by swiping on the boat to direct your guns. It doesn’t feel as intuitive as simply tapping and you’ll find yourself floundering after a time, never fully convinced that you’re targeting well. Then again, it is at least, different from the rest. Even if that’s not always a good thing.

As you progress waves of aircraft will come flying at you, but there’s also the peril of icebergs and mines keen to damage your ship. You can withstand a fair bit of damage, which is very convenient given that the threats never really let up. On random occasions, you can benefit from a gun upgrade or health boost that can really makes a difference. It’s all a bit too random though, meaning you don’t actually feel in control of your own destiny. A lack of checkpointing also means it feels a bit soulless and meandering at times.

Reinforced by a lack of expansion outside of each session (don’t expect to implement any permanent upgrades here) and Flatiron feels a little too old fashioned to be particularly worth recommending. It might look quaint and appealing, but odds are you’ll forget about it all too soon after playing it.