Rebel Raiders: Operation Nighthawk |
PS2 |
||
Review by Matt Paprocki |
XS Games |
Action |
|
Graphics: 4 |
Sound: 5 |
Gameplay: 4 |
Overall: 4 |
Rebel Raiders doesn't try to be anything more than what it is: a
budget title. This small $20 flight game makes up its own physics, gameplay mechanics, and
cheap story to provide quick, tight arcade action. Unfortunately, its budget gets in the
way of forcing out the repetitiveness, unavoidable bland graphics, and total lack of
multi-player.![]() Altitude meters, radar, and wingman control isn't important to Rebel Raiders. That stuff clogs up the shooting. You don't even need to worry about ramming yourself full force into a mountain. Worst case scenario only has you losing a few points off your shields, which are replenished by taking down any enemy. Missiles don't even need to be outmaneuvered. You'll need to roll out of the way when they gain speed (by watching the trail behind them), and this is generous. Taking down air targets is not a problem. Ground targets are nearly impossible. Since your missiles don't lock on, you'll need to get in close to deal damage, and that leads to a lot of lost shield energy. It's around this time you realize how awful the graphics are, complete with needlepoint mountains, horrible textures, and pasted sky. Even with its flaws, Rebel Raiders does provide some excitement. Barreling through a canyon at full throttle, taking down multiple foes with a single blast of rockets, and not having to worry about smashing into a wall is unbelievably satisfying. What happens here is repetition. ![]() Fans of shooters might find something here to enjoy. The feel of turning on a dime, unique evasion, and total focus on blowing things up are all reminiscent of the games we used to play. As a quick overnight rental to play through the first few missions (you'll see it all by that point), this is worth giving a go. Anything longer only exposes everything it does wrong. |