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.
Reviews
- Rebel Assault II offers a cool story and beloved live-action cutscenes, making it a nostalgic experience for fans.
- The gameplay, while challenging, is still enjoyable and can be completed in a short time, making it great for quick gaming sessions.
- Both games provide a unique look at early cinematic gaming, blending live-action footage with graphics for a classic Star Wars experience.
- Rebel Assault I is nearly unplayable without a joystick, with horrendous controls that frustrate players, especially on modern systems.
- The graphics and gameplay mechanics have aged poorly, making it difficult for new players to appreciate the titles.
- Many players find the difficulty spikes and lack of proper control options to be infuriating, leading to a frustrating gaming experience.
- story46 mentions
- 24 % positive mentions
- 67 % neutral mentions
- 9 % negative mentions
The story across the "Rebel Assault" games is a mixed bag, with the first game loosely retelling events from the original trilogy and featuring a confusing narrative structure, while the second game offers a more original plot involving the fight against the Empire's new TIE Phantom fighters. While some players appreciate the live-action cutscenes and the nostalgic connection to the Star Wars universe, others find the story forgettable and poorly executed, often overshadowed by gameplay issues and outdated graphics. Overall, the narrative may appeal to die-hard Star Wars fans, but it lacks depth and coherence for a broader audience.
“Overall great storyline; any stories that are Star Wars related are a treasure to a Star Wars fan like myself.”
“The story isn't anything to get too invested in, although it's decent enough and the entire thing is acted, unlike the cuts to cartoon images of characters talking in Rebel Assault 1.”
“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.”
“No story, no purpose, and terrible controls.”
- gameplay27 mentions
- 30 % positive mentions
- 59 % neutral mentions
- 11 % negative mentions
The gameplay of the titles is characterized as a nostalgic, 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 fun and variety, many criticize the controls, simplistic and repetitive nature, and outdated graphics, suggesting that the experience may not meet modern gameplay expectations. Overall, the gameplay offers a blend of cinematic storytelling and action, but it is often described as frustrating and lacking depth.
“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.”
“While innovative for its time with space combat and on-rails shooting, gameplay and graphics obviously are already outdated.”
“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.”
- graphics26 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 footage and 3D models was innovative, but the overall quality suffers from low resolution and pixelation, leading to a somewhat janky experience. Despite these shortcomings, the charm of the classic Star Wars scenes and the nostalgic value still resonate with players, making the graphics a point of both critique and fond remembrance.
“These titles blend live-action footage with graphics for a classic Star Wars experience.”
“The graphics are surprisingly good considering their age, though sound is a bit spotty.”
“This game captures the (corny) charm of the old movies, with fairly impressive visuals for the time.”
“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.”
- music6 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 17 % neutral mentions
- 50 % negative mentions
The music in the game is highly praised for its excellent integration of the original trilogy soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience with both familiar tracks and lesser-known pieces from the official soundtracks. Players appreciate the nostalgic feel created by the classic sound effects and music, which are faithfully lifted from the original films, contributing to an immersive atmosphere. Overall, the effort put into the audio design significantly elevates the gameplay.
“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 did make it onto the official movie soundtrack albums.”
“The original trilogy soundtrack is well utilized throughout the game.”
“The classic Star Wars sound and music are all there, so nothing to question about those.”
“A lot of effort went into the feel of the game, using music and sound effects lifted directly from the classic trilogy.”
“It was a lot like playing the old Star Wars arcade game, but with better graphics and music.”
- humor5 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!”
“This game is 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.”
- replayability3 mentions
- 33 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 67 % negative mentions
The game's replayability is somewhat limited, as players may find little incentive to revisit it after completing it once. However, the combination of gameplay variety, satisfying mechanics, and competitive elements like scoreboards can enhance replay value for those who enjoy the genre. Overall, it appeals more to fans with a prior connection to the game.
“While I'm not generally a fan of the rail shooter genre, I could forgive it thanks to the gameplay variety (satisfying even by today's standards) and the combination of FMV and arcade elements such as the scoreboard, which give it 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 a combination of FMV and arcade elements such as a scoreboard which give some replay value.”
- atmosphere2 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 the overall enjoyment and immersive experience. Reviewers highlight it as both fantastic and incredible, enhancing the fun factor of the gameplay.
“However, what makes these games so fantastic is the atmosphere.”
“Absolutely, as they are a lot of fun and have incredible atmosphere.”
- monetization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy is criticized as a cheap cash grab, targeting casual Star Wars fans looking for a simple gaming experience rather than offering substantial value or content.
“It was a cheap cash grab, solely intended for the average Star Wars fan who just wanted to play 'some Star Wars video game'.”
- optimization1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game's optimization has been criticized for poor performance, with some users reporting extremely low frame rates, such as 15 fps, which detracts from the overall experience.
“It just didn't have anything that enticed me, and had pretty bad performance (15 fps?! Why would I want that in 2019?!).”
- stability1 mentions
- 0 % positive mentions
- 0 % neutral mentions
- 100 % negative mentions
The game is criticized for being outdated and plagued by bugs, which negatively impacts its overall stability.
“This game is old, dated, and buggy.”
