Phoenix Review

I imagine that when the pioneers of video gaming sat around in their figurative garage, they imagined a video game that had space ships and so many things flying around the screen at the same time that they could hardly think. They wanted madness! Information overload! They then created Space Invaders.

The problem all along wasn't the lack of thought, it was the lack of technology. Jump to modern day and my tiny little iPhone can pump out silly amounts of action without even breaking a sweat (would that cause water damage?). Phoenix, the latest "bullet hell" shooter for the iOS platform, has the on-screen action down to a science, only letting you see what's going on/ breathe when the enemy kills you.

Phoenix is one of the rare genre games that gives you no lives, no bombs, and no wingmen. It's just you and a crazy amount of weapons upgrades against the world. There are also no levels, so after you beat one boss you just jump right into the next. For some, this is a detraction because individual games can only go on for so long, but for me, my mind can only take so much bullet hell at a time.

The best thing about Phoenix is that you never feel completely hopeless in your game play. There are so many weapons upgrades and so many health boosts that skilled gamers will be able to play for quite some time - well, compared to other bullet hell shooters. I would't say that you'll be playing for half hour stretches, but a good 5-10 min game session definitely isn't out of the question.

If you are a fan of the genre, you will definitely enjoy Phoenix. It is, without a doubt, one of the better "bullet hell" shooters in the App Store.

Question: Does anyone know if this game is at all connected to the TI-83 classic of the same name?