Star Wars: Rebel Assault I + II
- March 29, 2016
- LucasArts
Get on Steam"Star Wars: Rebel Assault I + II" is a pair of classic Star Wars-themed rail shooters.ged Star Wars: Rebel Assault I + II" puts you in the role of a Rebel pilot, battling Imperial forces in high-speed space and land battles. The game features live-action footage, multiple missions, and a variety of vehicles to pilot.
Mac OS
PC
Windows
Reviews
- Offers a nostalgic look at early cinematic gaming, ideal for fans of classic Star Wars.
- Rebel Assault II features improved controls and a more enjoyable gameplay experience compared to the first game.
- The games provide a fun, albeit challenging, experience that can be rewarding for those who enjoy retro gaming.
- Controls are notoriously difficult and unresponsive, making gameplay frustrating, especially in Rebel Assault I.
- Graphics and gameplay mechanics have aged poorly, leading to a lack of engagement for modern players.
- The first game is often deemed nearly unplayable without a joystick, and even with one, the experience can be infuriating.
- story89 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story aspect of the games is met with mixed reviews; while "Rebel Assault II" offers a more original narrative involving the protagonist's mission against the Empire, many find it forgettable and lacking depth. In contrast, the first game loosely ties into the original trilogy but suffers from a confusing and disjointed storyline. Overall, players appreciate the nostalgic Star Wars elements but criticize the execution and coherence of the narratives.
“Rebel Assault 2 features a completely new storyline.”
“Overall great storyline, any stories that are Star Wars related is a treasure to a Star Wars fan like myself.”
“In Rebel Assault 2's storyline, after the destruction of the Death Star, the Galactic Empire has begun production of a new kind of TIE fighters known as the TIE Phantoms, so your job is to discover the location of the TIE Phantoms' production facility, steal one of their TIE Phantoms, and grind the production of TIE Phantoms to a complete halt.”
“While the first game very, very loosely tells the story of Episode 4 (taking countless liberties in doing so and even throwing parts of Episode 5 in the mix), Rebel Assault 2 tells its own completely forgettable and irrelevant story, not without utilizing some set pieces and sceneries from the classic movie trilogy again.”
“The story, at least of the second game, is literally just a retelling of Return of the Jedi, with some small alterations.”
“Combine this with the outdated graphics and sound, the poorly pieced together storyline, and at times atrocious level design, and you got a recipe for a truly awful game.”
- gameplay54 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 63 % neutral mentions
- 7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the titles is characterized as an arcade-style rail shooter set in the Star Wars universe, featuring a mix of space combat and on-rails shooting mechanics. While some players appreciate the nostalgic and action-packed experience, many criticize the simplistic, repetitive nature of the gameplay, frustrating controls, and outdated graphics. Overall, the games offer a blend of cinematic storytelling and gameplay variety, but they may not meet the expectations of those seeking deeper gameplay mechanics.
“Nostalgic trip and pretty fun gameplay.”
“With 1st and 3rd person rail shooter mechanics, you'll fly in many iconic Star Wars crafts, including the T-16 Skyhopper, A-Wing, X-Wing, Y-Wing, Snowspeeder, Millennium Falcon, speeder bikes, TIE Fighters, and even on-foot missions!”
“While I'm not generally a fan of the rail shooter genre, I could forgive it thanks to gameplay variety (satisfying even by today's standards) and a combination of FMV and arcade elements such as a scoreboard which give some replay value.”
“The gameplay is criminally substandard in both games and they were marketed based on how mind-blowing the visuals and the presentation were for a video game.”
“Boring combat, non-existent hit boxes, frustrating flight mechanics, and it still plays better than the new Battlefronts.”
“Gameplay was simplistic and revolved around repeating an action for about 10 minutes, then moving onto the next level.”
- graphics52 mentions
- 12 % positive mentions
- 69 % neutral mentions
- 19 % negative mentions
The graphics of these titles are a mix of nostalgia and dated visuals, with many reviewers noting that while they were impressive for their time, they have not aged well by modern standards. The use of live-action cutscenes and 3D models was innovative, but the overall resolution and pixelation detract from the experience today. Despite the outdated graphics, players still appreciate the charm and iconic Star Wars scenes, often viewing the visuals through a lens of nostalgia.
“This game captures the (corny) charm of the old movies, with fairly impressive visuals for the time.”
“The graphics are surprisingly good considering their age, though sound is a bit spotty.”
“Released in 1993 and '95 respectively, the first title was LucasArts' first CD-only release and one of the earliest titles on PC to use FMV cutscenes, which allowed it to have far more sophisticated visuals than PCs of that era could otherwise have rendered.”
“While innovative for its time with space combat and on-rails shooting, gameplay and graphics obviously are already outdated.”
“Unfortunately in 2021 the graphics are a bit harder to be okay with but I can't give this game anything less than a thumbs up purely for nostalgia.”
“Obviously, the graphics are extremely old, to the point where it's hard to tell what's going on and where you are.”
- music12 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 42 % neutral mentions
- 25 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellent use of the original trilogy soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience with both familiar tracks and lesser-known alternatives from the official soundtrack albums. Reviewers note that the sound effects and music are thoughtfully integrated, drawing directly from the classic Star Wars films, which adds to the nostalgic feel of the gameplay. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's atmosphere and enjoyment.
“Also, the original trilogy soundtrack is excellent, and there was a lot of tasteful use of it throughout every level -- including some alternative tracks that didn't make it into the movies but which did make it onto the official movie soundtrack albums.”
“A lot of effort went into the feel of the games, using music and sound effects lifted directly from the classic trilogy.”
“A lot of effort went into the feel of the games, using music and sound effects lifted directly from the classic trilogy, and in the second game, stormtrooper armor taken straight from Lucasfilm's prop library.”
“The original trilogy soundtrack is well utilized throughout the game.”
“The classic Star Wars sound/music and space vehicles are all there, so nothing to question about those.”
- humor10 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is characterized by its intentionally poor cutscenes and outdated graphics, which evoke nostalgia and laughter from players. Many find the game's difficulty amusing, adding to the overall comedic experience, making it enjoyable for those willing to embrace its quirks.
“The cutscenes are hilariously bad but also very cool and creative at the same time!”
“I'm now 32 this year, the game is still unbelievably hard, it's actually hilarious.”
“Playing it now though ... I have a hard time not laughing at the graphics and how old this game is, but if a person is willing and able to give this game a chance, they will like it.”
- replayability6 mentions
- 17 % positive mentions
- 50 % neutral mentions
- 33 % negative mentions
The game offers some replayability through its gameplay variety and arcade elements like scoreboards, appealing to fans of the genre. However, players without a personal connection to the game may find little incentive to replay it after completing it once. Overall, while there are elements that encourage replay, the lack of substantial content may limit long-term engagement.
“While I'm not generally a fan of the rail shooter genre, I could forgive it thanks to gameplay variety (satisfying even by today's standards) and a combination of FMV and arcade elements such as the scoreboard, which give some replay value.”
“If you have no connection to this game, there's no need to play it, and also, once you're done with the game once, there's not much replay value.”
“While I'm not generally a fan of the rail shooter genre, I could forgive it thanks to gameplay variety (satisfying even by today's standards) and combination of FMV and arcade elements such as scoreboard which give some replay value.”
- atmosphere4 mentions
- 100 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 0 % negative mentions
The atmosphere in these games is consistently praised as a standout feature, contributing significantly to their overall enjoyment and fun. Reviewers highlight the incredible ambiance that enhances the gaming experience, making it a key element of their appeal.
“However, what makes these games so fantastic is the atmosphere.”
“Absolutely, as they are a lot of fun and have incredible atmosphere.”
- monetization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been criticized as a blatant cash grab, targeting casual Star Wars fans rather than offering a quality gaming experience.
“It was a cheap cash grab, solely intended for the average Star Wars fan who just wanted to play 'some Star Wars video game'.”
- optimization2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- -50 % neutral mentions
- 150 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance, with users reporting frustratingly low frame rates, such as 15 fps, which detracts from the overall experience.
“The game suffers from severe performance issues, with frame rates dropping to an unplayable 15 fps. It's hard to enjoy anything when the optimization is this poor.”
“I was really disappointed with the optimization; the game runs at a frustratingly low frame rate, making it nearly impossible to engage with the content.”
“The lack of optimization is glaring, as the game struggles to maintain a decent frame rate, which detracts from the overall experience.”
- stability2 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for its lack of stability, being described as old, dated, and plagued by bugs.
“This game is old, dated, and buggy.”
