14 DAY TRIAL // Luftrausers, the upcoming arcade shooter from Vlambeer and Devolver Digital, has finally received a concrete release date, as it will debut on March 18 for the PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, and PS Vita platforms.
Luftrausers first started life as a small Flash-based browser game called Luftrauser and experienced quite a lot of success. After spending time on other projects like Ridiculous Fishing or Nuclear Throne, Dutch studio Vlambeer has finally decided to create a standalone version of its arcade flight-based shooter.
Thus, Luftrausers was born and has now received a concrete release date across all platforms, as it will go live on March 18 for the PC, Mac, Linux, PS3, and PS Vita.
In case you forgot, Luftrausers sees players pilot their own Rauser, a plane that can be dynamically altered with unlockable parts. You can choose what sort of weapons you have, but also what bodies and propulsion systems are fitted onto your Rauser.
After that, you're launched form a submarine and you must complete one of the over 100 missions and goals packed into the actual game. These involve surviving dogfights in the air but also destroying enemy battleships or submarines.
The action is hectic and, thanks to the global leaderboards, you can always compare your progress with others online. Throw in the community challenges that task players with working together to meet various goals, and there is a lot of content in the arcade game.
"White-knuckle battles against a crimson and cream sky harken back to the pure arcade shooters of the past with tight gameplay, ridiculous combos, and challenges that can only be mastered by the most elite rauser pilots in the world," Vlambeer said on Steam.
"Unlock unique weapons, plane bodies, and propulsion systems to radically alter your fighter in over 125 deadly combinations. Each daring configuration not only radically alters how your rauser handles and attacks but also rearranges the dynamic soundtrack crafted by Kozilek."
Besides making the game available for pre-purchase via the Steam service and the Humble store with a 10% discount, Vlambeer and Devolver Digital are also offering a very special Air Raid pack that includes one DRM-free download of Luftrausers but also 100 keys for the game on Steam. The price, however, is a rather exorbitant $750 (€546).
As of yet, Luftrausers isn't available for pre-order on the PS3 or PS Vita, so don't hold your breath, as Sony only offers this for big, triple-A titles on its PS Store.