Alright, let’s dive into this whirlwind of thoughts and impressions that is “Carrier Deck,” the game that, for some reason, had me dreaming of bureaucratic chaos on a floating city.
So, boom, you’re an Air Officer or something like that on a ship that’s literally swimming right in the middle of world hotspots. A real-time management game, they said. And I thought, “Okay, sounds wild!” But instead of wild, it’s more like, “Where’s that manual?”
Jumping into this, you’re totally in charge of all the planes doing their thing. Kind of like being the conductor in an orchestra, except with jets and a ton more stress. And it’s you against the clock, coordinating take-offs, landings, you name it. Except, you get to handle it all while thinking, “Am I on an aircraft carrier or stuck in line at the DMV?”
So, there you are trying to handle missions across eight regions. Yes, eight. Each one cranking up the difficulty and complexity until your hair’s standing on end, practically sizzling like, you know, when your fork accidentally connects with a microwave (don’t ask).
Now, let’s chat tutorials. Oh boy, do they love a good ramble. Over-informative, yet somehow vague. It’s like those people who talk a lot but say very little. You’ll find yourself scratching your head, thinking, “Did I just get instructions, or was that a soliloquy?” You might even end up on a mission, absolutely clueless as to what the heck is going on because the tutorial was busy reciting poetry instead of teaching you how to actually play the game. Not particularly helpful, right?
Visually, meh. The same ol’ carrier scene, time after time. It’s like living groundhog day. It doesn’t exactly dazzle, and your eyes might wander off in search of a more stimulating view. The PlayStation 5 somehow feels like it’s been asked to run on one of those old-school PCs. Clunky doesn’t even cover it. Loaning itself to PC style navigation, it made me want to throw my console through a window — kind of cathartic to even imagine that now.
Wait, back to music! The soundtrack… has its moments? Or maybe it’s just playing the same tune to hypnotize you while you frantically juggle a dozen tasks, sometimes aiding your stress levels more than soothing them.
And ah yes, trophies! For anyone keen on nabbing that Platinum trophy, there’s a trophy collection waiting with open arms. They’re positioned like hurdles in a marathon — some you leap effortlessly; others, you’ll trip and roll. Trust me on that. And whatever you do, just keep moving that cargo, apparently it’s a thing.
To sum up, it stumbles where it could leap. This game does have heart. Somewhere, under that cumbersome interface and murky tutorials, there’s a premise that wants to be better. Until then, probably appealing only to those who dream about aircraft carriers then. Maybe with a bit more polish, it could get its sea legs for real.
Oh, priced at $11.99 for both PlayStation 5 and 4. Feels about right, if you ask me.
Oh right, almost forgot: This is based on a copy I got from the folks over at Ultimate Games. Cheers to them, I think.
