by Garni Gharekhanian

Created on: May 20, 2008   Last Updated: May 25, 2008

First Class Flurry, recently released by Viqua Games, stars Claire, a flight attendant who suddenly lost her job due to the bankruptcy of Starlink Airlines. However, as Starlink re-emerged from bankruptcy, Claire is called back to her old job. She has to help return Starlink back to its former glory, starting from Economy Class. On the way, she has to make sure her passengers are happy with their in-flight service.

What I like about the game play is that it is fairly flexible, as the game can be started on any continent. In addition, there are two sets of scores, the overall score, and the upgrade points score, in which the latter is based on the overall happiness of the passengers at the end of the flight. Combination bonuses are also given for serving multiple passengers in one sitting. As a flight is completed, more and more items and upgrades are unlocked. These items include hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, treats, soft drinks, and the first aid kit. Upgrade points can be used to purchase upgrades, such as better carpet, shoes, training, and trays, which will help Claire do her job as efficiently as possible, therefore making the game easier to play. These upgrades will definitely come in handy as the game gets progressively fast paced.

However, if you are playing on a laptop in particular, you would have to click on an item hard enough, which can become a problem in the later levels, and there are 50 levels, or flights in the entire game. I made it through 11 levels in one hour, which is fast enough. However, I would recommend that you play the game using an actual mouse, not the touchpad that is built into the laptop.

First Class Flurry has an arcade-game feel, and doesn't take itself too seriously. It is a reminder of similar games, in which a waiter or waitress has to serve customers in increasingly shorter time periods. In addition, the help feature can cause the game to crash and exit. Nevertheless, it is very easy to play, at least in the first few levels, so don't bother with it as there is a good tutorial of the game just before certain levels. In addition, if you happen to fail a level, the game gives some advice on suggested improvements so you can pass that level. However, if you want to challenge yourself, there is an Expert goal, which requires more points than is required to pass the level.

In addition, the music can use some improvement, as it can get annoying, especially after playing the game for an extended period of time.

Pricing: US$19.95, but there is a free trial with 60 minutes of play, which is not enough to complete the whole game, so it is a good idea to buy the full version.

Overall: 4.0 (out of 5) (B)

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