The Red Star (video game)

The Red Star is an action video game, based on The Red Star graphic novel.

For the graphic novel providing the setting of the game, see The Red Star.
The Red Star
Developer(s)Acclaim Studios Austin
Archangel Studios
Publisher(s)XS Games
Designer(s)Stephen Dupree
Peter Ong
Ara Shirinian
Composer(s)Nelson Everhart
Platform(s)PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, iOS[1]
ReleasePlayStation 2
  • PAL: April 20, 2007
  • NA: April 23, 2007
PlayStation Portable
  • NA: March 17, 2010
  • EU: January 5, 2011
iOS
June 22, 2010
Genre(s)Action
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Plot

The story is based on graphic novel of the same name. It is set in a futuristic, magic-using Soviet Union, which uses floating Skyfurnaces (magical ships) and Warkasters (sorcerers) to conquer its enemies.

Gameplay

The Red Star is a mix of several video game genres like beat'em up and shooter. The action is seen from the isometric perspective, with the goal of walking around and fighting enemies along the way.[2] RPG elements are also apparent as players have the option of upgrading certain attributes of a character depending on how well levels are completed. The players can choose between three characters: Makita who relies on speed and fast movements, Kyuzo who is slow but resistant and strong and Maya with a balanced approach of speed and power.[3] Maya is unlocked by beating the game once. Losing a life at any point will force a reset to the beginning of the current stage.[4]

Development and release

In 2003, Acclaim Entertainment signed an exclusive agreement with Archangel Studios to develop a video game based on The Red Star. At the time, it was in development at Acclaim Studios Austin with a scheduled release date in 2004.[5] Ray Peña and Stephen Dupree were given the roles of art and design team leads respectively. Acclaim used an in-house level editor, which allowed them to create a Smash TV-like prototype by using the existing assets from Vexx and Turok Evolution.[6]

The Red Star was originally scheduled for release for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox on September 4, 2004.[7] The first time that gamers could get their hands on The Red Star was in August 2004 on the Official PlayStation Magazine Demo. Game Informer made an early review on both the PS2 and Xbox versions.[7] The Xbox version was made in parallel with the PlayStation 2 version. It was completed with a press review copy circulating among gaming publications, including Game Informer,[7] but it was never commercially released.

After Acclaim went bankrupt in 2004, XS Games took the publishing rights to the game.[6] The PSP port was released in March 2010, exclusively through PlayStation Network. XS Games announced the iOS version of The Red Star on March 5, 2010, for release in Spring 2010.[1]

Reception
Reception
Review scores
PublicationScore
iOSPS2PSP
1Up.comN/AB[8]B[9]
Destructoid4/10[10]N/AN/A
EdgeN/A6/10[11]N/A
EurogamerN/A7/10[12]N/A
Game InformerN/A7.5/10[7]N/A
GameProN/A[13]N/A
GameSpotN/A8.1/10[14]N/A
GameSpyN/A[15]N/A
IGNN/A6.9/10[16]6.5/10[17]
OPM (UK)N/A(OPS2) 6/10[18]
3/10[19]		8/10[20]
PSMN/A6/10[21]N/A
Aggregate scores
GameRankings76%[22]74%[23]74%[24]
Metacritic66/100[25]72/100[26]71/100[27]

The game received "average" reviews on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[25][26][27]

Notes
  1. ^ Vo, Long (October 6, 2006). "The Red Star Review (PS2)". The Next Level. Archived from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved January 29, 2019.

References
  1. Mosley, Jason (March 8, 2010). "Coming Soon: 'The Red Star' – Both a Top Down Shooter and Beat 'Em Up Game". TouchArcade. Retrieved March 8, 2010.
  2. Freeman, Will (May 13, 2007). "The Red Star Review". VideoGamer. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  3. Freeman, Will (May 13, 2007). "Test: The Red star". Jeuxvideo.com. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  4. Kohler, Chris (June 15, 2007). "PlayStation 2 Games Bring The Pain". Wired (magazine). Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  5. Calvert, Justin (June 10, 2003). "Acclaim signs The Red Star". GameSpot. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  6. Suckley, Matt (March 8, 2018). "Following The Red Star - Acclaim's Last Stab at Making a Masterpiece". Kotaku. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
  7. Juba, Joe (October 2004). "The Red Star (PS2, Xbox)". Game Informer. No. 138. GameStop. p. 124. Archived from the original on January 8, 2006. Retrieved January 28, 2019.
  8. Kennedy, Sam (April 24, 2007). "The Red Star (PS2)". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 18, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  9. Kennedy, Sam (March 26, 2010). "The Red Star PSP Review". 1UP.com. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on June 1, 2016. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  10. Carey, Sean (July 8, 2010). "Review: The Red Star (iPhone)". Destructoid. Enthusiast Gaming. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  11. Edge staff (May 2007). "The Red Star (PS2)". Edge. No. 175. Future plc. p. 95.
  12. Lyon, James (April 29, 2007). "The Red Star (PlayStation 2)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  13. Glasser, AJ (June 11, 2007). "Review: The Red Star (PS2)". GamePro. IDG Entertainment. Archived from the original on December 7, 2007. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  14. Davis, Ryan (May 4, 2007). "The Red Star Review (PS2)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  15. Joynt, Patrick (May 14, 2007). "GameSpy: The Red Star (PS2)". GameSpy. IGN Entertainment. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  16. Seff, Micah (June 7, 2007). "The Red Star Review (PS2)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  17. Miller, Greg (March 22, 2010). "The Red Star Review (PSP)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  18. "The Red Star (PS2)". Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine. No. 84. Future plc. April 2007. p. 77.
  19. "The Red Star (PS2)". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. No. 7. Future plc. June 2007. p. 101.
  20. "The Red Star (PSP)". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future plc. June 2010. p. 117.
  21. "Review: The Red Star". PSM. Future US. July 2007. p. 85.
  22. "Red Star for iOS (iPhone/iPad)". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  23. "The Red Star for PlayStation 2". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  24. "The Red Star for PSP". GameRankings. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 30, 2019.
  25. "Red Star for iPhone/iPad Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  26. "The Red Star for PlayStation 2 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  27. "The Red Star for PSP Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
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