Bomber Crew is tense, exhilarating and often purposely overwhelming. The main drawback here sits with the game’s mouse-suited UI and its, at times, frustrating moments of play. Persevere, however, and you’ll find a deep, complex and engaging experience that’s massively rewarding. Don’t be fooled by its cutesy and colorful design, because if anything, Bomber Crew means business.

Players are challenged to use their strategic muscles both in building their plane and crew and when taking them into action, with build choices having a significant impact on gameplay. Challenge Mode provides an alternative to the campaign and a chance to experiment with different builds while completing wave objectives. Altogether, it's well worth the plane ticket.

Even with the grind that hits at later levels, I kept telling myself to do just one more mission. It’s a little intimidating and overwhelming at first, but stick with it for an hour or two and you’ll start to make sense of the complexity and chaos, resulting in a lot of enjoyment when missions start to go the way you expected. Don’t be like me and initially judge it by its cartoonish visual style, as there’s some serious strategy involved with each bombing run to ensure your crew survives.

Combining strategy, action and roguelike permadeath, Bomber Crew is thoroughly enjoyable, and well worth a look.

Bomber Crew is a fantastic first achievement, and flitting between micro and macro management is both stressful and rewarding in equal measure. That said, the game can’t decide if it wants to be a quirky management sim or a hardcore roguelike, so splitting the difference has weakened the whole.

There is a high chance that the initial few missions, as players get to grips with the touchy controls, depth of the mechanics and difficulty of the war, will turn many casual gamers away. And that would be a shame because once you get past the opening segments, and really get to grips with what Bomber Crew is all about, will find a rather fun management style affair that brings much joy.

Love it or hate it, what was done with Bomber Crew was done mostly right. While there are a few disappointing aspects, the overall experience can be a great one. There is plenty to do and hours to spend if you enjoy the core concepts. The graphics aren’t going to win any awards, but do manage to have their own sense of charm. If you’re into World War era games and bombers, you may even have a deeper appreciation.