2020-01-01_PC_Gamer_(US_Edition

T

his sci-fi RPG doesn’t exactly make the

best first impression in its early demo

build. After some supremely forgettable

exposition about a space rebellion and a

corresponding evil empire, it launches into a

barrage of bad chat between our rugged hero and

his antagonistic robot helper.

both my scrappy party of rebels and the

merciless cyborgs out to stop me.

SMART BOMBS

And it’s in these battles that Star

Renegades reveals its brains, too. Along

the top of the screen runs a timeline of

events for that turn. Enemies telegraph

their actions, so you always know not only

what they’re going to do, but exactly when

they’re going to do it relative to each of

your party’s attacks.

The question of what to do in response

each turn is a surprisingly complicated

one. Different attacks and abilities play

with the system in different ways. Some

can simply interrupt enemy actions,

spoiling them completely—but that’ll only

work if you’re fast enough to hit before

they do. If not, perhaps another character

needs to deal concussion damage, which

knocks enemies further back in the

timeline, to create an opening.

Your foe might follow that up with an

uninterruptible blast, at which point you’re

forced on the defensive. But if your tank

can leap in to guard the squishy gunslinger

being targeted, they’re free to still fire off

some shots—perhaps slaying a lesser

enemy to mitigate even more damage.

Even just over the course of this short

demo, an intricate dance emerges.

There’s a hint of Into the Breach’s tricky

strategy about it. You always have all the

information—the challenge is in what you

choose to do with it. Enemy attacks are

big and powerful, forcing you to always be

looking for the perfect counter each round

within the game’s web of rock-paper-

scissors-like interactions.

The result is a rare feat for a turn-

based RPG: Every move in your arsenal is

important. Spam your high-damage

attacks, and you’ll be dead in no time.

Victory means knowing when to defend,

when to distract, and when to strike.

Robin Valentine

EVEN JUST OVER THE

COURSE OF THIS

DEMO, AN INTRICATE

DANCE EMERGES

PLAYED

IT

How do you save the universe

from evil? It’s all in the... timing

STAR RENEGADES

But it doesn’t take long for Star

Renegades to start showing off its more

appealing side. As I start making my way

around its overworld map, I’m struck by

the colorful 2D art-style. It’s tempting to

think there’s nothing new under the sun

when it comes to indie pixel art, but

thanks to crisp detail and some really

clever lighting effects, the game’s chunky

environments stand out from the pack.

The effect is heightened further when

I’m launched into my first turn-based

combat. Animations are hugely

expressive, and attacks showy and

dramatic, lending bags of personality to

Gamename

PREVIEW

RELEASE

Spring 2020

DEVELOPER

Massive Damage, Inc

PUBLISHER

Raw Fury

LINK

starrenegades.com

NEED TO KNOW

Between fights, you explore a

gorgeous overworld.