Game review: FoxOne Special Missions Free

The advent of smartphones has been a boon for casual users, who just want simple games to pass the time between other commitments.

Developers responded by creating games specially for phones. These games still need to make money though. Unfortunately, this resulted in the birth of the "freemium" model.

Under the "freemium" model, game apps are listed as free on the app stores such as Google Play or iTunes. This attracts people to download the game. However, in most cases, players quickly discover that their progress through the game is impeded by incredibly difficult levels which can only be overcome with special booster packs... which must be bought using real money.

Of course, some people do go on to purchase the boosts. But most people simply give up at this point, and uninstall the app. After all, there are so many other free games to try.

For consumers, the "freemium" model is annoying to say the least. I do understand that from the developers' point of view, the "freemium" model is a necessary evil in order for them to sustain themselves as a viable venture. However, surely there are other ways to achieve this aim without pulling what is essentially a bait-and-switch trick?

So imagine my delight when I found FoxOne Special Missions Free and tried it out. It does follow the "freemium" model but doesn't whack you over the head with it.

You can buy in-game cash using real money, but shouldn't need to. The game is quite generous in rewarding you with plenty of cash just for actually... you know, playing.

The game is an arcade-style warplane flight simulator. It puts you in control of a large variety of fighter jets and throws you into frenetic battles against diverse enemies on the ground and in the air.

Level one gives you the venerable F-5 and tasks you with destroying a radar station guarded by some helicopter gunships and MiG interceptors. The radar station is the primary objective and blowing it up constitutes an immediate mission success. This can be achieved by shooting it with an Air-to-Ground Missile (AGM) or unguided rockets, dropping a GPS-guided smart bomb, or strafing it with your nose-mounted cannon. However, to maximise your rewards, you should kill all the supporting assets first. Look for the grey boxes which highlight the positions of the enemy helicopters and planes, point your nose as directly towards them as the situation allows, wait for the red outline to appear around the targets meaning that your guided missiles have locked onto them, and fire! For each kill, you are awarded cash. At the end of the mission, you will get ribbons depending on how well you did.

Cash is used to add more advanced aircraft to your hangar. For example, you can unlock the F-14 Tomcat, F-18 Super Hornet, or the MiG-29, and use them in missions! Later stages will definitely require better planes like these, as they can take more hits from enemies before crashing, fly faster, are more agile, and carry more weapons. Cash is also needed to replenish the missiles and bombs your plane uses up during battle, although these armaments are quite cheap and shouldn't bankrupt you. In the event you do run out of money, you can replay the first few easy levels as many times as you need, to stock up on cash again.

The beauty of FoxOne is that it doesn't try to be too realistic. Yes, I'm praising its lack of realism. Many simulators want to pack too many mechanics in, causing the whole game to become unplayable. Imagine having to juggle throttle, yoke, and weapons while keeping track of airspeed, virtual horizon, and locations of enemies, all on a tiny phone screen. Then you get blindsided by a missile and your plane immediately dies. How frustrating is that?

In FoxOne, the controls are delightfully simple. Your left thumb steers the plane, and your right fires the weapons and activates the speed boost as needed. The game is also quite forgiving when it comes to death. Missile hits will reduce your health but won't kill you instantly. Driving into the ground or a building will destroy you straight away obviously.

That's not to say the game is easy. The warbling tone warning of inbound missiles will turn your palms sweaty, and engaging in dogfights with fellow jets will make your heart race. You will need excellent hand-eye coordination and tactical sense to come out on top in air-to-air battles. Do you know why they are called dogfights? It's because they resemble a dog chasing its tail. The aircraft will go round and round, each trying to get behind the other until one succeeds in locking on with a missile and blowing the other out of the sky.

Some missions also pit you against the clock, so you'll need to get the job done fast while surviving everything else! And a few scenarios even take place in cities, with enemy vehicles and helicopters hiding in the streets. A cool and steady hand is indispensable here! You will have to guide your fighter in a high-speed cat-and-mouse thrill ride, swooping between skyscrapers with your wingtips inches away from their windows, to root out and get rid of those pesky bad guys.

FoxOne Special Missions Free is a joy to play. Simple and intuitive controls, addictive gameplay, and a willingness to let you just get on with the game instead of forcing you to part with your hard-earned money, combine to form a complete package of fun and excitement, ideal for making those dreary commutes or slow workdays disappear in a blaze of smoke and fire.

FoxOne Special Missions Free
Available for Android on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skyfox.foxoneSMFree&hl=en
(Version for Apple also available)
Genre: Wartime flight simulator
Average playtime: each mission can be completed within 15 to 30 minutes
File size: slightly under 100MB
Suitable for children: Yes, no depictions of gore or sex
Rating: 4/5