After an incredibly positive response from our new TouchArcade Free Play feature last week, we’ve already nailed down another fantastic title for you to grab for free. Arc Squadron ($2.99) from developer Psyonix is an arcade-style space combat game built using the Unreal Engine, so it’s definitely a visual showpiece title.
Beyond its great looks, though, lies a visceral behind-the-back rail shooter with a heavy influence from the classic Star Fox series. An intuitive touch control scheme translates your taps, drags and swipes into firepower, barrel rolls, and deft ship maneuvers. The controls are what really appeal to me about Arc Squadron, as it feels like you have real hands-on control over your spacecraft, almost like it’s an extension of your finger, and it’s much more satisfying pulling off cool moves using a scheme like this as opposed to some plain old virtual buttons.
If you’re still waffling on whether or not to take advantage of this freebie promotion, you can check out our TA Plays video of Arc Squadron from before its release or read our full 5 star review from when the game launched back in October. Here’s an excerpt from that review:
When it comes to a game focused on accuracy and precision, pin-point controls are an absolute must. This is an aspect that ARC Squadron nails, and I think puts it above any other similar games. Rather than focuses on virtual joysticks or buttons, ARC utilizes a simpler control scheme that allows you to move your ship with a simple touch-and-drag.
I’m a huge fan of the control scheme in ARC Squadron. Movement feels so intuitive, and the auto-fire is an excellent move, letting players focus on other aspects. Maneuvering your ship simply feels natural, which is a rarity for me.
One other thing worth mentioning about Arc Squadron is that it’s a lengthy game with tons of levels to play through, and should last you a good long while. This is especially true if you buckle down and go for full 3-star completion of every level, which is no easy feat. Though it does recycle environments to fill out its sheer number of levels, Arc Squadron somehow manages to still feel fresh throughout, and it’s an exciting ride. Oh, and since its release Arc Squadron has been updated to include iCloud support, a higher sensitivity option for the drag controls, and new items in the shop.
We hope you enjoy taking Arc Squadron for a spin during this TouchArcade Free Play promotion, and feel free to visit our forums to leave your thoughts or questions about the game and join in on the community discussion. We’ll be on the lookout for more games to feature in the Free Play program, so keep your eyes glued to TouchArcade for all the best news, reviews and deals in the world of iOS gaming.
To read more about the TouchArcade Free Play program, check out our introductory post: Introducing TouchArcade Free Play – Get Amazing Games for Free where we lay out what it takes to be a Free Play game, and how often you should expect to see awesome freebies. To stay on top of future TouchArcade Free Play titles, bookmark http://toucharcade.com/freeplay and download the TouchArcade app (Free) to get push notifications of when they go live!
