The Red Star

Visually there's nothing like it--it is a purely artistic endeavor and as shooters go there's nothing here not to love. [Dec. 2006, p.81]

If you're an action-shooter fan, looking for a pleasant distraction, the game delivers a quality experience, considering the $20 price tag. However, if you're a fan of the comics and were hoping for some of the glorious art style and heavy plot twists, you might just wish that XS Games had left The Red Star on the shelves to rot.

It doesn’t feel quite as polished as Konami’s PS2 Contra titles, but the bosses are large and feature a similar robotic look that many of the Contra bosses are known for.

Despite spending years on the shelf, The Red Star ably delivers a unique and challenging blend of beat-'em-up and top-down shooter action.

The game can grow repetitive over time, but being able to use three multitalented superheroes helps the game significantly -- especially with two players working together. In addition, the graphics and sound excel, and at only $20, it's an essential purchase.

Although enhanced graphics and special effects would have improved the game cosmetically, there's no denying that the mechanics are dialed-in and the developers have some damned good heads on their shoulders. Add in the fact that it retails for a rock-bottom $20 brand-new, and The Red Star and becomes the next surprise hit that's on every B-list hound's radar.

Self-esteem issues aside, The Red Star is a great game that stands on its own, despite the hardships its development went through.

I'd suggest you treat The Red Star like you would a dead dog full of lovely cream cakes: ignore the stench of old mank and dig right in to the deliciousness!

Simple, harmless entertainment, an old school arcade game jazzed up (a little) for today's gaming generation - and as such, it does just fine.

Purely from a gameplay perspective, it works.

It's cheap and it made us cheerful with its retro gameplay and easy-going difficulty levels. [Issue#153, p.85]

Where The Red Star is best is in its combat system, which brilliantly blends melee attacks, shooting, and blocking defenses. There's an almost poetic beauty with the mastery of these, as you unconsciously perform incredible attacks by switching between and blending the three.