Video Game / HAWK: Freedom Squadron

Get your jet ready and fight back!

HAWK: Freedom Squadron is a mobile free-to-play Shoot 'Em Up for Android and iOS. It was developed by Moscow-based company My.com and released on January 2017 worldwide.

The nation of Verdia is being invaded by the hostile Atroxians, led by a mysterious figure known only as The Autocrat. Several brave volunteers from all over the world have come in aid to the Verdians to fend off the invasion with their powerful aircraft and BRObots, which are Attack Drones that impart new abilities on the aircraft they accompany. As the Verdian resistance forces contend with the invasion, they encounter several high-ranking Atroxian officers piloting massive vehicles, and learn more about the Atroxians' true motivations.

The game features two chapters so far: "Reign of the Autocrat", which spans 120 stages from the initial invasion to the defeat of the Atroxians, and "Fate of the Victors", an ongoing (as of September 2017) chapter depicting the aftermath of Atroxia's defeat.

The Google Play store page for this game is here.

The App Store page is here.

In January 2019, My.com released a space-themed clone of the game called Space Justice.

---

HAWK: Freedom Squadron provides examples of:

• Abnormal Ammo: Most of the planes have standard missile and laser weapons, but the Buzzsaw plane uses circular saw blades as its secondary weapon.
• Attack Drone: The BRObots accompany your plane into battle, providing additional firepower and giving you a rechargeable special attack unique to each BRObot.
• Battleship Raid: The boss of Stage 100 is a massive flying fortress that you must enter and destroy the main power core from within in order to completely destroy.

• Co-Op Multiplayer: A major component of gameplay in this game is being able to recruit players worldwide to help you in most story missions. Helping other players rewards you with a unique kind of currency that can be used to purchase items in a special shop.
• Deflector Shields: A force field is available as a powerup, allowing you to absorb one hit without damage. Some large enemies and several bosses use shields to protect themselves occasionally. The Flamer plane automatically generates a shield every 45 seconds when it does not have one.
• Endless Game: The Arcade mode, unlocked after clearing stage 20, lets you play stages in increasing difficulty until you die.
• Energy Weapon: Several of your planes have this as their subweapon, such as the aptly-named Laserbite and the Gambit, a smaller version of Red Queen's boss ship. Several bosses also use this against you.
• Engrish: Some of the text in the English version of the game have minor grammatical errors.
• Escort Mission: Several stages have you protect another aircraft from oncoming enemy forces.
• Even Evil Has Standards: Red Queen is shocked when the Autocrat finally reveals his ultimate plan to melt the polar ice caps to flood the world, betraying him and defecting to your side.
• Flunky Boss: The boss of Stage 110 employs Galaga-like waves of insectoid drones to provide both defense against your attacks and offense.
• Gravity Is Purple: The BROBot Flea gives planes the ability to shoot a dark purple black hole that slowly moves forward and deals heavy damage to enemies as well as destroy most of their bullets.
• Heel–Face Turn: In the final stage of the first chapter (stage 120), Red Queen, who had been a Recurring Boss throughout the first chapter, turns against the Autocrat when she discovers his ultimate plan to melt the polar ice caps and flood the world.
• Heroic Sacrifice: In the final stage, Red Queen rams her ship into the force field barriers protecting the Autocrat's ship and the final defense array protecting him, so that the final fight against him can begin.
• Invulnerable Attack: The Overdrive attack, which renders your plane invincible while it fires off a powerful attack based on its subweapon.
• Kill It with Fire: The Flamer plane uses a flamethrower to attack enemies. Some enemies and bosses use flamethrowers as weapons as well.
• Large-Ham Announcer: GET READY! GREAT! EXCELLENT! IIINNNNNCREDIBLLLLLE!
• Last Chance Hit Point: The aptly-named Phoenix plane can survive lethal damage and repair 20% of its damage. The BRObot Scarab gives any plane it accompanies this same ability. This ability is very useful in Patrol missions, where most sources of damage kills you in one hit.
• Macross Missile Massacre: The Greataxe and the Katyusha use homing missiles and dumbfire missiles in its Overdrive respectively. The BRObots Beetle and Crusader fire missiles primarily.
• Magnetic Weapons: The Sniper plane uses a railgun as its secondary weapon.
• Malevolent Architecture: The Patrol missions (denoted by Roman numerals on the map screen) turn off your ability to fire, and have you navigate through tight corridors filled with moving blocks, rotating laser blades, and missile barrages.
• Master of None: The Sparrow plane is the plane you start out with when you begin the game, beginning at Rank C. Other planes you can acquire soon after, such as the Laserbite and the Greataxe, quickly outclass it. Even with its final Rank S evolution, its increased Armor pales in comparison to the offensive prowess of almost every other plane.
• Microtransactions: This game uses this business model. Gems are the premium currency, and they are used to evolve your planes and your BRObots, continue a stage after dying, and purchase parts from the Contraband store that are otherwise either very rare or appear too randomly to gain easily.
• More Dakka: The Patriot plane uses endless waves of bullets as its only weapon. The Wraith plane has a variation of this, with a wide spread rapid-fire barrage of bullets for its Overdrive attack.
• Ramming Always Works: The Overdrives of the Defender and the Dragon allow those planes to heavily damage enemies by colliding with them. Some bosses try to ram you as part of their attack patterns.
  • In the final stage, Red Queen rams her ship into the force field barriers protecting the Autocrat's ship and the final defense array protecting him, so that the final fight against him can begin.
• Recurring Boss: Several major Atroxian antagonists make regular appearances as bosses in later stages after the first time you encounter them.
• Regenerating Health: The Patriot plane repairs itself for every kill it makes. Several BRObots grant planes regenerating armor.
• The Remnant: The overarching story of the second chapter, "Fate of the Victors", so far. Even after the defeat of the Autocrat, the Recurring Boss Atroxian officers you had fought in the first chapter continue to hold out and oppose you, except for Red Queen, who had defected to Verdia at the end of the first chapter.
• Shaped Like Itself: Atroxian officer Doom's ship has a face on it that looks just like his face.
• Shock and Awe: The Blitzer plane uses crackling beams of electricity as a subweapon.
• Teleport Spam: Red Queen's ship teleports constantly during the second phase of the boss fight against her.
• Videogame Flamethrowers Suck: Averted. The Flamer plane uses a short-ranged flamethrower as a secondary weapon, but its high attack power and defensive capabilities make it a powerful plane to use, especially up close.
• Wave-Motion Gun: The boss Hammer uses this against you as an attack. Several stages have massive beams appear out of nowhere, serving as obstacles. The Eagle plane has a smaller version of this as its Overdrive attack.