Review: The Red Star (PS2)

The Red Star is lucky to see the light of day, as it was originally developed by Acclaim and set for release in late 2004. However, Acclaim’s well-documented fall from grace saw the title left in a state of limbo until XS Games stepped in and snapped up the rights, finally releasing it as a budget title after some spit and polish from the original development team.

The Red Star certainly looks and sounds like a game that’s two years old and it plays like one that’s fifteen years old. Even the plot feels dated. The story is played out in an alternative-history version of Russia, lifted from the graphic novel of the same name, where big guns, high technology and magic all co-exist (don’t they always?). The player is charged with liberating the country from an evil tyrant. This task is completed by traversing a number of side (and occasionally vertically) scrolling levels, obliterating any enemies that cross your path. Whilst this might all sound very old fashioned in the age of the 'sandbox' game, this is the sort of gaming that Gamestyle grew up with and had subsequently forgotten about – where timing, quick reactions and nerves of steel are compulsory requirements for playing.

Ostensibly, The Red Star is a side scrolling beat 'em up but it soon becomes clear that the title wants you to do more than just hit things. A block and shoot button are provided and although a meagre three buttons might not sound like they will provide for a particularly thrilling combat experience, the combat system proves to be surprisingly deep. It's easy to string combos together, seamlessly moving from defence to offence. Launching a well timed, successful attack is immensely satisfying. Mastering the Red Star's combat system quickly is vital as the game delights in throwing plenty of diverse opposition at you from the outset. Specific tactics are required to beat specific enemies. For example, some enemies will be invulnerable to gunfire. But don’t expect to fight enemies one by one, they'll attack in numbers and of course, an assortment of different enemies will attack, so you’ll have to dodge ranged attacks whilst going toe to toe with the opposition.

However you won't be able to just shoot or block your way out of trouble. Your guns can overheat if used too much and your shield's energy will deplete. You'll have to wait a few moments before they are ready to be used again, so some caution will need to be applied to ensure that you aren’t left defenceless. Upgrades can be purchased at the end of each level, including the ability to make your gun cool down faster, as well as new guns and armour, so the problem can be tackled to a degree. Nevertheless, the need for some caution is an interesting juxtaposition against the frenzied pace of the game's action.

A special word is reserved for the game's bosses, and that word is spectacular. Both the mid-level and end-of-level bosses are incredibly well designed, with some ingenious attack patterns. The 'boss' is a phenomenon that seems to have become less relevant as games have evolved and it's nice to see The Red Star isn't afraid to make them an important part of the game.

There are elements of The Red Star that frustrate and perhaps reveal the game's relative age. For example, there are no mid-level checkpoints, so even if you get all the way to the end-of-level boss only to be defeated, it's back to the start you go. This is particularly galling as often levels require the disposal of several sub-bosses en route to the end, all of which will require defeating again. This is also an aggravating design oversight as the end-of-level bosses are unforgiving and it’s possible that several attempts at defeating them will be required, just to learn their attack patterns. The target lock-on is also broken, often failing to target the nearest enemy when pressed, which can lead to difficulties when fighting a number of enemies. There’s also no way to cycle between targets. Another irritating design flaw is the ability to knock enemies off screen, leaving them still able to hit you, but them out of reach of your attacks; surely this sort of thing was eliminated during the 16-bit era?

The Red Star’s longevity could also be questioned. There are two characters available for use from the start, with a third unlocked when the game is completed. Sadly, the initial characters are a little stereotypical – the fast yet weak female character and the slow yet strong male character. But, the selection of characters does mean that the game has some replay value as each character requires different tactics to succeed. A rather splendid two player co-op mode is included. But whether replaying the game with a new character, or playing in co-op, the game itself never changes and although it’s as hard as nails at some points, it isn’t the longest game we’ve ever played. An 'Arena' mode is also unlocked when the game is completed, which is probably best described as being a Smash TV clone. Completion of arenas with a sufficiently high ranking unlocks a number of cheats for the main game, including a new difficulty level. The Arena mode is an enjoyable aside, but doesn’t really compensate for the shortness of the main game.

It would be easy, and churlish, to label The Red Star as a cross between game X and game Y when it more than capably stands on its own two feet by offering an intense combat experience. Whilst The Red Star might lack the polish of newer titles and suffers from some design flaws, the gameplay at its heart is absolutely rock solid and will conjure up memories of games gone by for the more discerning and mature gamer.

Rating: 7 / 10

Words by Andy Lucas