ChopLifter: Crisis Shield

THE BAD:
High difficulty

SUMMARY:
Fans of the old Choplifter will be shocked--this baby plays more like Microsoft Flight Simulator(PC) than the side-scrolling shooter you remember. But is it any good? Yes and no. Controlling these choppers is purposely complex:You must account for gravity, momentum, and wind, all while counteracting the helicopter's tendency to rotate against engine torque. It's technical stuff, so at first, you'll be crying out, "Damn you, equal and opposite reactions!" But with practice comes precision, and if you persevere, you'll have your Huey hovering like a hummingbird.
Although the drab, PS1-quality visuals aren't very inviting, the imaginative mission concepts are. Rescue guests from a burning hotel, snag hostages from a Speed-ing bus with a bomb aboard, and herd escaped animals back into the zoo. These tasks are memorable but freakin' hard due to the touchy controls and some poor game design(like cut-scenes that constantly interrupt your delicate rescue attempts). Overall, it's a creative game, but also an ugly and frustarating one.