Red Alliance
- October 10, 2018
- 2ndUp Studios
- 6h median play time
Get on Steam"Red Alliance" is a tactical first-person shooter set in a Soviet-themed alternate reality. Players join elite military units and complete objective-based missions, utilizing a wide range of weapons and vehicles. Cooperative gameplay and strategic planning are key to success in this immersive, story-driven experience.
Reviews
- The game offers a nostalgic experience reminiscent of classic shooters like Half-Life 2, with engaging gunplay and a variety of weapons.
- Despite its indie roots, the game showcases impressive graphics and level design, creating an atmospheric environment that enhances gameplay.
- The inclusion of cheat codes and hidden secrets adds replay value and fun, allowing players to explore and experiment with different gameplay styles.
- The voice acting is often criticized as poor and unconvincing, detracting from the overall immersion of the game.
- Gameplay can be frustrating due to unbalanced enemy AI, scarce ammo, and some mechanics that feel janky or underdeveloped.
- The story and dialogue are considered weak and clichéd, with many players feeling it lacks depth and coherence.
- story55 mentions
- 25 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The story in the game has received mixed reviews, with many players finding it generic, poorly executed, and reminiscent of B-movie tropes, particularly criticizing the dialogue and voice acting. While some appreciate the homage to titles like Half-Life 2 and enjoy the humor and atmosphere, others feel that the narrative lacks depth and coherence, often serving merely as a backdrop for gameplay. Overall, the game is recommended for those who prioritize action and gameplay over a compelling story.
“Although its polish could use some work, Red Alliance presents a captivating story and gameplay worth playing for any gamers interested in story-driven first-person shooters.”
“I loved the atmosphere of the game; the level design was spot on in increasing the narrative and pushing the player to the finale of the story.”
“Great game that anyone who loves Half-Life or other games like it should play. It's a solid fast-paced shooter with a decent story.”
“The story is not worth mentioning in my opinion and it mostly serves to give context to what is going on.”
“The level design is quite good, but the voice acting quality is mixed, the gun mechanics are unsatisfying, the lips of NPCs don't move when they talk, and the story is painfully cheesy.”
“It needs a rewrite; in all honesty, the story isn't great and just doesn't work.”
- gameplay38 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 68 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The gameplay is a mix of engaging mechanics and retro-inspired design, reminiscent of early 2000s shooters, with solid gun mechanics and enjoyable weapon handling. However, it suffers from some technical issues, such as clunky animations and limited environmental interaction, which detract from the overall experience. While the game offers a decent challenge and fun secrets to discover, many players feel that more focus on gameplay polish and mechanics could elevate it significantly.
“Good gameplay, good rhythm and genuinely fun!”
“The gameplay immerses us in a stressful atmosphere and the handling of weapons is enjoyable.”
“Gameplay is simple and clean, nothing over the top, which makes this game less stressful to play and actually enjoyable.”
“However, I wish that the developer had focused more on improving the environment, game mechanics, and models themselves rather than wasting time and money on the story and in-game dialogue and voice acting.”
“Plot is simple as possible, gameplay is really poor, animations and models are really bad.”
“Unless the developers can provide decent gameplay without bullet sponges and crappy weapons, then my vote is thumbs down on this one.”
- graphics30 mentions
- 40 % positive mentions
- 47 % neutral mentions
- 13 % negative mentions
The graphics of the game receive mixed reviews, with many praising the atmospheric visuals and nostalgic vibe reminiscent of late 90s and early 2000s shooters. While some players find the graphics impressive for an indie title, others note inconsistencies and technical shortcomings, particularly in character models and animations. Overall, the visuals are generally considered good but not groundbreaking, with a few standout moments that enhance the game's ambiance.
“Nostalgic vibe with nice graphics and effects.”
“The graphics are pretty good, with some nice lighting and reflections.”
“After many years of development, this indie game reached the light; behind it is visible passion and sweat to crown the devs' dream of making a full game with storyline. The graphics are insane to say the least.”
“Graphics are not on par with 2018.”
“Story is bad, dialogs are super cheesy, voice acting is mediocre at best and graphics aren't great, especially character models, but the game is actually fun as an old school FPS.”
“From a graphical standpoint, it's okay and the gameplay could have come out of a very early 2000's FPS, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.”
- humor12 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The game's humor is characterized by its intentionally janky voice acting and quirky storytelling, which many players find amusing rather than off-putting. While the humor often stems from its low-budget production values and corny character lines, it successfully evokes nostalgia for classic shooters, making it a charming experience for those who appreciate its unique comedic style. Overall, the humor is a highlight, providing plenty of laughs amidst the game's rough edges.
“A game for those who have a sense of humor and nostalgia for iconic old-school shooters.”
“It has jank AI, a lack of animations, and some hilariously bad voice acting.”
“Some of the character lines sound a little corny but hilarious at the same time.”
- atmosphere12 mentions
- 83 % positive mentions
- 8 % neutral mentions
- 8 % negative mentions
The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its immersive and suspenseful qualities, enhanced by strong visuals and sound design that contribute to a believable and engaging world. Players appreciate the level design and variety of gameplay approaches, which deepen the narrative experience, while elements of horror and retro-futuristic aesthetics add to its unique charm. Overall, the atmosphere is considered a standout feature, though some minor flaws in character design and AI are noted.
“I also found the visuals and sound very atmospheric.”
“Very good game, reminds me of Half-Life 2; also, the game creates a fantastic horror atmosphere.”
“The detailed mapping topped by all original assets, the subtle yet atmospheric lighting, and the clever usage of scripted sequences and in-game dialogues come together nicely to create a believable game world which is also highly pleasing to the eyes.”
“There are aspects of horror as well which add to the storyline and atmosphere of the game, although the test subjects look a bit strange and there aren't too many variations of them.”
- stability8 mentions
- 38 % positive mentions
- -25 % neutral mentions
- 88 % negative mentions
Overall, the game's stability is mixed; while some players report it as nearly bug-free and enjoyable, others experience noticeable glitches and a lack of polish. Most agree that the game runs well despite occasional issues, suggesting that future updates may address these concerns.
“It's almost bug-free; I had to restart the game only once.”
“The game runs smoothly without any major issues.”
“I've experienced very few crashes, making for a stable gaming experience.”
“It's pretty buggy, and it feels very amateur in some ways.”
“Anyways, aside from some outlandish glitches, the game was kinda fun.”
“And -1 just because of some glitches but I assume soon they're gonna be fixed.”
- music7 mentions
- 71 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 29 % negative mentions
The music in the game is generally praised for its quality and atmosphere, contributing to the overall experience, though some reviewers noted a lack of a cohesive soundtrack. While standout tracks are appreciated, the sound design, including gunfire and ambient effects, is considered decent but not exceptional. Overall, the music enhances the retro-futuristic vibe and complements the gameplay effectively.
“Top notch level design, superb music, and a robust arsenal of beautiful guns has made this an easy recommendation.”
“The soundtrack was so damn good, and the music is nice too.”
“Highly atmospheric retro-futuristic old-school FPS with cool music and some small doses of horror and hidden secrets.”
“Similarly, though some of the tracks stand out, there is no cohesive soundtrack to speak of.”
“The sound design, including music and gunshots, is decent for the most part, but the voice acting isn't very convincing.”
- optimization6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The game's optimization is mixed; while some players report smooth performance at high settings, others experience inconsistent frame rates and stuttering, particularly on lower-end hardware. Overall, it is considered better optimized than many AAA titles, but issues like amateurish cutscenes and variable performance detract from the experience for some users.
“Even at full price it is worth getting, the story is okay but man the gunplay is really fun and some of the voice acting is actually decent. The game runs on Unity yet I could play at max settings with real-time reflections and it was smooth over 60fps. I have an RX 570 and an i7 2600, well optimized indeed. There is even an arcade mode which is purely action intended, loved the weapon models and the gunplay. It also has physics like Half-Life 2, you grab stuff and put boxes on top of each other to make stairs, etc.”
“It even has better optimization than many 'triple A' games.”
“This is not bad, or good, but some in-game moments show me that the level optimization is the same as the Source engine uses.”
“Some other miscellaneous problems are the amateurish cutscenes, Deus Ex-tier voice acting, obligatory sloppy vehicle segment, and inconsistent performance.”
“Performance was mediocre at best, and I needed to turn the game down to medium settings for it to not stutter as much.”
“This is not bad, or good, but some in-game moments show me that the level optimization is the same as what the Source engine uses.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 50 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers decent replayability through additional modes, unlockable features, and achievements, with some players noting the potential for more engaging content like a survival mode or versus mode in future updates. While the initial playthrough lasts around 4 hours, the overall experience is enhanced by alternative modes and varying difficulty levels, though some players feel it may not hold their interest long-term. The game's solid presentation and atmospheric design contribute positively to its replay value, despite some criticisms regarding AI and gameplay length.
“Once you complete it, there are some additional game modes that extend the replay value, and the overall presentation is solid for what it is.”
“The game clocked in at around 4 hours for my first playthrough and has good replay value with unlockable features, modes, and achievements.”
“Past those, it's an enjoyable game, with some replayability thanks to an alternative mode and harder difficulty.”
“Some big overhauls of the shortcomings could make Red Alliance more playable in my opinion, but my impression after 1.5 hours was that my time could be better spent playing other games.”
“This is a very nice game actually, but I still hope something like a survival mode can come out in a future update to make this game more replayable. If there is a future update, and lastly, if this is a versus mode game, I think it would be much better.”
- grinding1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -200 % neutral mentions
- 300 % negative mentions
Players express that the grinding in the game is excessively time-consuming, often requiring a significant investment of effort akin to having a second life to fully engage with it.
“You'll need a second life for grinding.”
“The grinding feels endless and tedious.”
“Grinding takes away from the enjoyment of the game.”
