A surprise hit by indie developer Double Damage Games, Rebel Galaxy feels almost like Cowboy Bebop or Firefly would (or should) if you turned them into a video game.
I was a bit surprised when I first encountered Rebel Galaxy on Steam. With so many big names out and about in the space-sim genre, such as Elite: Dangerous or Star Citizen, I was pleasantly pleased by Rebel Galaxy's simpler yet very satisfying feel. In keeping with the standard for the genre, you make money hunting pirates for bounty, hunting traders for their cargo, or hunting . . . asteroids, I guess? I mean they just sit there, unless the pirate on the other side of it decides to blow it apart and launch a surprise attack. That's fun too.
Combat is engaging. No kidding, right? What I should say is that it's fun. You fly around on a 2-D plane in a 3-D world, so some of the complexity is reduced, but the challenges still remain. With broadside based weapon systems, you're a ship of the Seven Seas of Space, just waiting for the right moment to open fire with all cannons, lasers, missiles, etc. right up their sterns. And it's not just a piece of cake. Kiting works to a point, but the AI is pretty good about not letting you dance without slapping you hard.
And the soundtrack. Oh. My. Goodness. I'd say they hit payday. The soundtrack is what makes this game feel like Cowboy Bebop or Firefly. It has a very cowboy-ish feel, and fits the dirty, gritty, yet undeniably humorous world quite well.
The graphics are nothing to write home about, but are still pretty good. On the plus side, people like me without cutting edge PC's and 80 GB RAM can still enjoy it.
Yet another good part is the procedurally generated content. Like most gamers, I started gaming before it was really a "thing," so needless to say, when it's done well, I'm quite glad. And Rebel Galaxy does it well.
Two things I didn't like so much about the game. Fighters you encounter may move in 3D to a degree, which can throw off your aim. The other thing is that some of the side missions are essentially repeats of the same thing, just with a few variables (location, people involved, etc.) So I don't doubt the game will get a little monotonous over time, but so far, I've continued enjoying the variety, and with at least 20 ships to try and customize (which you can do a lot of), Rebel Galaxy looks like it will entertain me for many hours yet.
So far on Steam, it has a Very Positive rating, with 205 positive and 16 negative reviews. Not bad at all. It's 10% off right now, for $17.99, so you are a fan of either Cowboy Bebop or Firefly and want to give it a shot, now's a good time to get the game.
Disclaimer: I did not receive a copy of the game from the developer nor was I paid by them or an affiliate to write this review. This review is based entirely on my own experience with the game.
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