HighFleet, Konstantin Koshutin’s stunning action strategy, will launch on Steam later this month.
I’ve had my eye on HighFleet’s flaming skies for quite some time since it’s a beautifully haptic battle sim. You lead a vast, airborne imperial war machine, recruiting and refueling troops across the land while repelling attacks from nimble rebel forces. Battles are pseudo-strategic situations in which you strike with your flagship while deploying lesser vessels to fight for you.
The presentation is what truly sells it. Battles take place on fuzzy analog displays that flicker, shake, and bloom with each missile strike, while UI components are represented by in-fiction knobs and levers. Fraser played HighFleet earlier this year, and while the game’s intricately layered mechanics were a touch intimidating, this tactile, diegetic interface helped pull the entire gorgeous jumble together.
“You may use your compass, ruler, pencil, and eraser to plan your path on the map display when you wish to drop your ships into a city, for example. It’s intimidating, but it also demands to be interacted with, and this is one area where the game’s tactile nature truly shines. The sound effects then amplify the illusion of commanding this fleet of steel monsters.”
HighFleet will be available on Steam on July 27th.
