Some game principles may be old, but they are by no means ready for the retirement home. A new game on Steam proves this, where a helicopter warms up the nostalgia of many fans.
What kind of game is this? Since November 20, 2025, Cleared Hot has been in Early Access on Steam. In it, you play as a helicopter and shoot all kinds of ammunition from the air at enemies, buildings, and other helicopters.
The developers advertise “impressive physics effects,” which are probably important for such a helicopter shooter. With a rope and a magnet, you can also transport cargo to various locations or crush enemies with them.
Your own troops can also be transported by helicopter from point A to point B, allowing for perfect positioning for attack and defense. So, not only skill in shooting is necessary, but also tactical action is required.
Over a week after release, the title has now reached a rating of 98% with 1,628 votes (as of November 30, 2025, at 9:20 AM). In the comments, fans write about what they love about the game – and often, it has already convinced them in less than an hour.
Helicopter awakens nostalgic feelings in players
What do players love about it? Many of the votes on Steam remind players that the helicopter shooter is like titles that hit the same note. Among the mentioned games are classics like Desert Strike or Jungle Strike.
A commenter writes that “The old ones will know what I mean,” but he cannot speak for the younger crowd. After just 40 minutes, user Huuuu Huuuu knew he had seen everything he needed to know – in a positive way.
The game is like the old classics, just with more advanced physics effects. Others agree, stating that many have not even spent an hour in the game:
- Andreas played for about 36 minutes and explains: “Very good work for a Unity game! Hats off. Good controls and nice, funny story. It’s fun!”
- L3HM4NN invested about the same amount of time in the shooter: “Desert Strike or Nuclear Strike reimagined and cool, super fun. The game delivers what it promises! Short, action-packed, and just fun.”
- Latrinenzombie sums it up after about 54 minutes: “Absolute gem.”
In the comments, new mobile games like Hellcopter are also mentioned. The game attracts not only old veterans but also players who discovered the genre through newer games.
However, one should not overlook the 2% who gave the game a negative rating. In these comments, the technical requirements are criticized, being far too high for this visual quality. Furthermore, the playtime of about 3 hours is still much too short, which is probably due to its status as an Early Access game.
Cleared Hot is packed with love for helicopters. Players in Battlefield 6 would wish for such a passion for the hovering giants of the skies. There are many problems, but no solution for it: pilots from Battlefield 6 demand more love for aircrafts from EA, but the infantrymen are not interested in this at all
