Fightback for iPhone

WHAM! POW! Clobber some criminals in this superb action game

Fight your way through a city overrun by thugs in this 80's-style action game for iOS.  

Meet Jack

Fightback stars Jack, a man who looks like a combination of Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwartzeneger, and Jean-Claude Van Damme circa 1989. He's on a mission to rescue his sister from the gangster, Drogo. Jack has to go through every building in the city, floor by floor, beating up or killing gangsters along the way. Each level is timed and has about three to five waves of enemies who attack you with their fists or a slew of weapons including bats, knives, and butcher's cleavers. After each level is completed, Jack earns cash which can be used to buy protective equipment, upgradeable weapons, clothes, or raise his attack and defense.

In the earlier levels of Fightback, Jack can get by only using his fists and kicks, but in later levels it's necessary to use a gun. The game also has a mode called "The Streets" that has never-ending waves of criminals where you can collect cash and prizes along the way. Jack is limited to six bars of stamina, so you can't play the game (free) nonstop for hours. However each stamina bar takes about five minutes to recharge so you won't find yourself waiting too long.

Like many freemium games, Fightback offers inapp purchases. However these aren't mandatory to have an enjoyable experience with the game.

How to play

You control Jack by either tapping the screen to perform a simple punch or kick or by swiping your finger to perform more complex punches, kicks, crouches, jumps, and dodges. In earlier in Fightback levels you'll find your self tapping the screen mindlessly to rack up high combos, but it's not long until you're mastering counter punches and jumping over flying butcher's knives. To use Jack's weapons, simply tap on the gun icon in the lower left corner of the screen. This will slow down time and allow you to tap on the enemies you want to shoot.

At times the controls in Fightback can be slightly unresponsive when there are lots of enemies on screen throwing projectiles (e.g. you do a high kick instead of jumping), but this only happens occassionally. 

Overall, combat in Fightback isn't complex, but it will require dedication and focus.

How it looks

Fightback has incredible graphics that are especially sharp on tablets. Each character is well-detailed (though you'll see plenty of repeated character models) and it looks closer to a console game rather than something from an app store. The sound is what puts the game over the top. The music for Fightback is mostly made up of dark synth tones mixed in with the sound of helicopters and police sirens that adds to the setting of a dystopic future. A great amount of detail has also been put into the sound effects: almost everything makes a sound. From the clink of knives to Jack's footsteps, the audio significantly adds to the ambiance of Fightback.

The Verdict

Fightback is a well-designed and fun action game that is sure to please fans of classic action films and casual gamers alike.