After Burner: Climax is the latest installment in the After Burner series, which has been going strong for quite some time. As in the previous games, players take control of an airplane from a third-person perspective and engage in combat with foes while avoiding enemy fire and rockets and navigating through canyons and other tight spaces. The gameplay is quite similar to that of an arcade, and it requires rapid reactions. The legendary F-14 Super Tomcat from the earlier games has been replaced with an F-14D Super Tomcat, and two new aircraft, the F/A-18E Super Hornet and the F-15E Strike Eagle, have also been added to the game.
In the default EX arcade mode, multiple mission branches lead to a different set of objectives. Sometimes it is necessary to combat the adversaries, while other times, it is necessary to use friendly fighters to assist; sometimes, it is required to use stealth, and sometimes it is essential to follow and eliminate a specific target. Two primary types of firepower are available: normal cannon fire, which is effective at close range, and rockets, which can only be fired once they have been locked on. In addition, there is a Climax gauge that can be used if it reaches its maximum capacity. The passage of time is slowed down, and numerous foes can be targeted at once. A moment as the aircraft exits the Climax mode, simultaneous rocket fire is directed at all of the targets that have been designated. Cannon fire and rocket fire are limitless, so the player does not overuse any of these abilities. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid being hit by enemy rockets by quickly moving up, down, to the left or right, or by performing barrel rolls. It is similar to the game that came before it in the series in that there is a restricted amount of maneuverability rather than total freedom. However, it is possible to adjust the airplane’s speed.
Throughout the game, players can earn EX unlockables, allowing them to modify the arcade mode further and make available a variety of paint schemes, including Standard, Camouflage, Special, and Low Visibility. In addition to that, there is an alternative scoring mode that grants an infinite number of credits.
