Maybe I have a soft spot for on-rails shooters, or maybe it’s the bass-heavy, rave-reminiscent music that aviation It certainly helped that it was Mad Fellows’ first rhythm shooter that had me hooked for weeks when it launched in 2017.
Sadly, in 2024, there aren’t many rhythm games left, which is a shame because it’s one of my all-time favorite genres. I think a lot of you probably grew up with Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which is why rhythm games hold a big place in your hearts as well. But let’s not forget about products like the Vib Ribbon or more recently the Hi-Fi Rush. When this type is given room to breathe, it’s an excellent place to be.
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Well, you can imagine my joy when I read this Airline 2 is real and coming to PC and Xbox soon. The game will launch first on Xbox Series X/S – which makes sense, since the original game found a small, loyal audience there – before coming to PC a little later. Will be available on Xbox Series X/S on October 15, 2024. PC gamers need not worry, however: starting on October 14th, you’ll be able to play a near-final version of the PC version as part of Steam Next Fest.
“As we turn our attention to the PC Steam version of Aaron 2, we are delivering a nearly completed demo of the game to PC players,” said Paul Norris, creative director at Mad Fellows. “Not only does this give them a taste of what’s to come, but it also provides us with valuable feedback.”
The demo showcases some of the game’s key features; you can try out some of the game’s tracks to see what on-rail rhythm shooting is all about. It might look a little basic, but the minimalism of the game inspires a certain flow state, and honestly I think it ends up feeling like a Tetris effect at times. High praise, that one.
Judging from the demo I played, this assessment feels more accurate than the first one, thanks to some quality upgrades and the overall tightness of how Aaero 2 controls. There’s also online co-op, which means you and friends around the world can listen to Monstercat’s uninterrupted music and work your way up the competitive leaderboards together. In fact, Norris explained that multiplayer is the main focus of the game this time around.
“From the beginning, I have insisted that if Aero2 has multiplayer capabilities, it needs to support both local and online play,” he said in a press release. “A lot of times, I get excited about co-op gaming, only to find it’s limited to local play.
“Integrating online gaming into Aero2 brings many additional challenges. Game mechanics must be carefully designed to reduce the impact of latency between players. On top of that, the certification process for online gaming is much more complex.
For a tiny studio, Mad Fellows really created magic with this little light show. Frankly, this is an audio/visual crack that I can’t wait to dive into for a few weeks when things calm down a bit in the AAA gaming world.
As far as I’m concerned, it’s two against two, crazy partners. keep it up.
