Rebelstar: Tactical Command - Final Play

I have a confession to make - when it comes to computer games, I am very much a “What have you done for me lately?” kind of player. With so many interesting games out there, and so little time, I find it hard to stick with a game when play begins to bog down. You know that point. It happens some time after the first third of play, when you have figured out the interface and been exposed to all, or nearly all, the equipment, enemies, and the other components of the gaming experience. And once you are there, you need a strong storyline, interesting opponents and continual, even if more gradual, growth for your characters, to keep you glued to the glow of your screen.

And I’m particularly tough in that regard. “Keep me interested!”, I demand. “Make it exciting and new!”, I scream. “Satisfy me NOW!”, I bellow. I admit to being cruel at these points. Some of the best games of all time have collapsed under the pressure, as I leave them for the next pretty face. And, I’m sorry to report, Rebelstar: Tactical Command is my latest victim.

Now don’t get me wrong, there was a lot to like in Rebelstar. The intricate balancing between characters and equipment gave some variety to gameplay. For a GBA game, the graphics and sound were above average. I liked how “Line Of Sight” was integrated into game play, and how easily you could display where each character, including the enemy, was looking. Rebelstar also excelled in another important staple of a tactical games, opportunity fire. This is where a character can fire during the opposing team’s move. You save up some action points just in case you have the opportunity to fire when your enemy moves into your line of sight. I liked how realistic Rebelstar did this, where both your skill with a weapon, as well as how many points you saved up, contribute to your success rate in opportunity fire.

But there just wasn’t enough variety in game play. Nearly every level was “Clear this map”. And most weren’t really even a challenge. Play carefully and you could usually clean it out first time through without taking much damage. And because the game chose for you how your abilities increased, your ability to customize your characters was minimal. After tediously doling out equipment to your squad members, you’d proceed to clear out the level, get a small cut scene for your efforts, and the story would plod along. After a bit, psionics, a kind of mind attack, was added, but it still played out like another weapon, minimally customizable.

I did get through the buggy level, which added to the frustration, as I forgot about it the first time. There’s a level where you have to destroy eggs, and if you happen to use fire to do it, the level won’t end, so use something else to destroy the eggs! I lasted only a couple more levels and there just wasn’t enough to keep me going to the end.

So, to wrap it all up, play this game if you enjoy a good, clean tactical system. While some times it can be hard to figure out exactly where a character is, it is a smooth system. Don’t play it for an involving story line, or if you want any strategic play, like base building or tech trees. It is a nice little diversion, but unfortunately, not one for a long term affair.