The Red Star review (PlayStation 2)

Blimey, it’s actually here! One thing you can say about The Red Star – it’s sure been a bumpy ride. The game was originally due to be released at the tail end of 2004, though there was that little hic-cup of publisher Acclaim going under, which seemed to be the final nail in the coffin as far as the game was concerned. Then, inexplicably (and fortunately), Take-Two announced it had acquired the game in early 2007, which brings us tidily to the game’s release this summer.

One thing you can say about The Red Star is that it’s certainly not a deceptive title; simply by glancing on the back of the box you know what you’re going to get – old school, side-scrolling action. Based loosely on the Christian Gossett comics of the same name, the game tells the story of an alternate reality in which the USSR has become a misguided super power fused with arcane magic’s and fiendish goings-on, and it’s up to you to put things right.

For Mother Russia

You take control of two characters, each one possessing his/her own unique attributes and abilities. Your brutish looking grunt possess unrivalled stopping power and strength, while his female partner tends to favour the nimble side of things, being able to move and attack much faster. The premises couldn’t be simpler; you travel to the right side of the screen, blasting your way through a variety of foes of all shapes and sizes, as you traverse sprawling ships and industrial wasteland. As the quote on the back of the box so eloquently implies, it’s a thrilling mixture of Streets of Rage meets Ikaruga.

Of course, the immediate perception with this kind of game is that things get real old, real fast. Not so, in this case, for The Red Star actually manages to captivate you throughout much of the game. While you’ll battle your standard grunts for a fair portion of the action, the game splits things up with the aid of boss fights, usually facilitated by a hulking mass of mechanised terror of some kind. The action switches to an over-the-head shooter at this point, where you’ll be forced to indulge in some pretty tight moves as you foe blasts patterned laser balls et all at you. Needless to say, you have to be quick on your feet. Likewise, strategically, some of the tougher foes require you to use a particular method to dispatch them, either because they are immune to gunfire or melee attacks. Mixing things up is the only way you’re going to survive, and the game does an admirable job of keeping the action fresh, avoiding inevitable monotony to set it.

Red Alert

The controls are suitably intuitive, and it’s merely a case of holding down R1 and then pressing Circle to fire your projectile attacks, or Square for melee combat. Applying pressure to the analogue stick will allow you to execute more advanced manoeuvres, although your characters don’t exactly have the most expansive array of techniques to perform. Still, what is there gets the job done, and it’s shaken up enough to warrant interest. The game isn’t devoid of niggles, though, with the most gruelling being the fact if you die, you’re forced to restart the entire stage again.

While each level isn’t particularly lengthy, it’s still a pain to have to sludge through everything again, especially since everything is played identically to your first run (although I’ll concede, that could very well be a blessing in disguise since it lets you get through it quicker) Likewise, healing items are sparse at best, and seemingly only pop up after you’ve beaten one of the many bosses on offer. Still, if you’re finding it a chore on your own, you could always invite a mate round and play through the games satisfying co-op mode; there’s even an extra character to unlock if you manage to reign victorious.

True Colours

The Red Star isn’t particularly a great looking game, though it retains some comic-book-inspired visual standards. The areas are quite sharp and in places pretty detailed, in a cohesive mechanised sort of way. Characters are bold but somewhat blocky, but the animation is top notch. The sound effects are adequate and fitting to the action at hand, with a decent score, but largely uninspired. The game doesn’t boost much in the way of a story, with what limited narrative there is simply told through one-dimensional character portraits, although this honestly should not come as much of a surprise. However, fans of the comic book series are likely to be disappointed by nothing more than superficial references to the main source material.

Overall, if you’re going to complain about The Red Star, then perhaps you should evaluate what you’re getting for your money. It’s only £20, it’s nothing fancy, but it delivers as it is meant to – a decent, side-scrolling action romp, with admirable multiplayer offering and enjoyable gameplay. This, comrade, is well worth an investment.