After Burner Climax

After Burner Climax is pure arcade. Pure fun concentrated in a game in which time goes much faster.

After Burner Climax is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting new entries into the downloadable space. SEGA managed to preserve most of the intensity and all of the fun of the original game, and this latest iteration packs in a few extras that complete the package in a meaningful way.

Beyond all of the enhancements and extras, After Burner Climax’s bargain price of 800 Microsoft Points ($9.99) makes it a must own.

Climax’s brand of dogfighting is certainly straightforward and repetitive, but it’s also ludicrously fast-paced and highly addictive. Hardcore flyboys might sneer, but most others will have a hard time tearing their eyes from the screen.

Simple and short, yes, but also one of the purest arcade games for the next generation consoles. A must have for classic game lovers.

Truly climactic entertainment.

It is one of the most fun experiences in the services it was released and at the same time enhances the value of the same, offering tremendous value for the money invested.

After Burner Climax sets out to be exactly what people expected it to be — a port of an arcade game — and nothing more.

An old fashioned arcade game, colorful and funny like games from Sega used to be.

Just like a climax in real life, After Burner is fun for a few moments, but once you've peaked for the night you're ready to move on to the next good time.

After Burner Climax's a very interesting title, with an outstanding graphic engine and an intense gameplay-style that arcade lovers will appreciate. Its lifespan is shorter than expected, but it's worth the money if you're looking for some quick fun. It deserves the try.

After Burner Climax definitely delivers in the explosions, thrills and fun, but much like a Half Minute Hero, it's over before you know it.

Whilst it does have a small number of disadvantages, it’s a well-developed game that contains enough content to justify the 800 Microsoft Points price tag - definitely one to consider.

At 800 points, After Burner Climax offers a whole lot of retro value for the fans.

It’s bold and brash, and for as long as your interest holds, pretty good fun too.

You need to be either a fan of the series or have a highly competitive nature and want to see your name high on those leaderboards if you want this title to have a decent amount of shelf life. If you do not fall into these categories, the long lasting appeal of Climax is going to be very short lived.

For all its speed and visual attraction, Climax lacks the tactile thrill of OutRun's drifting and can often feel more like a frantic scramble to paint the screen with your cursor than a measured challenge.

Afterburner Climax is a great, and reasonably priced way to play the arcade game in the comfort of your own home, but it's a remarkably simple game that will leave some people wanting a lot more.

Ask yourself if you totally likes retro gaming and playing games over and over until you really master everything in it. If you don't, you'll probably end up playing After Burner Climax 2-3 times and get bored. But if you do, look no further. After Burner Climax is absolutely the game for you with insane speed and action, old school style.

Only the most talented see the credits first time around. [Issue#59, p.104]

After Burner Climax is an old-school arcade game. Your motivation is high scoring only, and that‘s it. Playing through all levels takes you about 30 to 40 minutes, so don‘t expect too much.

The sleek, superficial action of After Burner Climax is thrilling in short bursts but not deep enough to last.

After Burner Climax is just like a rollercoaster: after a few rides you've gotten your thrill and then you want to try another kind of ride.

It is a exhilarating experience planning a classic fighter game such as After Burner, but the exhilaration is simply too short to justify the 800 points required to buy it.

The arcade on-rails flight combat action of the “good old days” is certainly present and accounted for. But unless that’s what you’re after, you would be better off leaving After Burner Climax grounded.

The graphics may have improved but this is still the same old After Burner - for better and worse.

The first impression you will get is positive. Unfortunately, that quickly fades. After several hours you’ll be bored with the game due to a lack of depth and content. After Burner: Climax is only recommendable if you love hunting for high scores and eternal online leaderboard glory. If not, then wonder if you really want to spend ten euro’s on this.

Popcorn arcade action that's far more exciting to watch than it is to play. [July 2010, p.120]

It's a simple game, from a simpler time in video game history. Maybe not the best there was, but definitely far from the worst. Would I spend $10 on it? No. Am I glad I got to play it to make sure? Yeah.