Piloteer Review

Developer: Whitaker Trebella
Price: $2.99
Version Reviewed: 1.1
App Reviewed on: iPhone 5

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I had my first experience with Whitaker Trebella’s Piloteer several months ago during GDC, and my opinion hasn’t changed much (read: at all) since then. It’s still super-awkward to control, it’s still incredibly difficult, and it’s still ridiculously fun.

You control a nameless (but you get to name her so I guess she’s technically not nameless) inventor who’s just made the world’s first jetpack. Since she presumably doesn’t have the same knack for PR as she does for tinkering, she’s going to have to pull off some impressive stunts in order to convince the rest of the world that she’s on to something. This is, of course, much easier said than done.

Tapping and holding the left side of the screen will activate the bottom and rear thrusters on the jetpack while tapping and holding the right activates the one on the front. This by itself complicates getting from point A to point B a fair bit, but the thrust you get from each side isn’t entirely balanced. In other words, flying around is very, very awkward. QWOP levels of awkward. On purpose, of course.

Progression in Piloteer is a matter of finding various challenges that are spread throughout a level, then completing them. It usually takes several tries, but once you start to finish a few of these feats you’ll unlock a new area to fly crash around in, with its own set of challenges. There’s also a free flying mode for those who just want to wobble their way through an area without any pressure, but it seems kind of unnecessary since you can do the same thing in the campaign - just don’t start any of the challenges.

You should know that Piloteer is a very difficult game, though. It may not look it, or even sound it, but it is. Simply flying a few feet and landing on a bench can feel like a monumental task when you’re still getting used to the controls. And even after you get familiar with this quirky brand of flight it’s still very easy to sabotage yourself by holding a button down for too long. Or not long enough. Or not pressing it at the right time. Fortunately restarting is instantaneous. And you can share your successes (and failures) via Everyplay.

Piloteer is probably the most bananas flight - simulator, I guess? - that I’ve ever played. It’s weird, tough as nails, and captivating all at once. I can’t help but love it for all those things.