One of my favorites from 1995, still play it weekly.
Praise: Man, what an utterly addictive game. This is probably the only game from back in the day I still play. I love that it’s available on iOS, making it my go-to on the bus, toilet, or when taking breaks at work. Sound design and graphics are great for what they are, and all the classic action is still there and very engaging. The ship selection is altered and stripped down, but gotta say I love the triple blaster Wasp starter. Overall, hard not to recommend this game.
Criticisms: I do really miss the build your own ship feature, and I’m not a huge fan of the squadron construction (having to fill out every slot-as I recall the windows version you could go it alone for godly medals). Friendly fire seems to be a much bigger issue in this game, objectives aren’t viewable after mission start. And I’ve noticed bumping into other objects slows you down much more than on windows; I used to rely on sideswipes to make tight turns, but even a glance grinds you to a halt on iOS. Perhaps the worst change is lack of commands available to your squadron. I really miss “search for enemy”. it would also be nice not to have to watch the whole battle unfold after you eject/space/die if there’s a friendly squad you don’t control hanging in the battle. Finally, the “go” button should be bigger, and if I could wave my magic wand I’d love a landscape orientation option.
That’s a lot of nitpicks, but don’t mistake my love for this game. I basically just want more Critical Mass on my phone! The classic desktop version is easily one of my favorite games of all time, but this is a solid, addictive port.