History VideoGame / TheRedStar

''The Red Star'' is a 3D SideView BeatEmUp game developed by Acclaim Studios Austin, loosely based on a GraphicNovel by Christian Gossett, which takes place in an alternative future Soviet Union where there's magic. It was originally slated for a 2004 release on the Platform/PlayStation2 and Platform/{{Xbox}} by Creator/{{Acclaim}}, though following their bankruptcy, it would only see release on the [=PS2=] in 2007 by XS Games. In 2010, it was also ported to Platform/PlayStationPortable (lacking multiplayer in this version) and [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]].

# Kyuzo, bodyguard who is slow but does a lot of damage.

''The Red Star'' is a 3D SideView BeatEmUp game, loosely based on a GraphicNovel by Christian Gossett, which takes place in an alternative future Soviet Union where there's magic. It was originally slated for a 2004 release on the UsefulNotes/PlayStation2 and UsefulNotes/{{Xbox}}, though following its publisher's bankruptcy it would only see release on the [=PS2=] in 2007. In 2010, it was also ported to UsefulNotes/PlayStationPortable (lacking multiplayer in this version) and [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]].

There's three playable characters:

The game at first appears to be a 3D {{VideoGame/Contra}}-ish game with BeatEmUp elements, but [[UnexpectedGameplayChange then you reach the first mini-boss. The camera changes to an overhead view]], and you suddenly get [[BulletHell bullet patterns]] fired at you. This happens for about nine out of ten bosses in the game, with up to five bosses per stage for 19 stages.

''The Red Star'' was the last game developed by Creator/{{Acclaim}} before its first bankruptcy. It was eventually published by XS Games, one of Zenimax Media's (Creator/BethesdaSoftworks' parent company) budget game publishing labels.

!!This game provides examples of:

* BigBad: Troika, who also serves as the giant FinalBoss of the game.
* BulletHell: Not all, but the vast majority of the boss fights become this. Complete with a perspective shift to the standard vertical shmup top-down view.

* CoresAndTurretsBoss: Many bosses take this form.

* KillItWithFire: One of Kyuzo's weapons is a flamethrower.

* MissionControl: Urik. Only seen in the stage intermissions.

* SequentialBoss: Sentry, Kontrawall II through IV, Pietrov Rotorkannon F2 through F4, Ikarius.
* ShoutOut:
** By the boatload. The whole game is a love letter to old arcade action. The most obvious are [[{{VideoGame/Contra}} Kontrawall]] and [[VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}} Ikar]][[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} ius]].

* StationaryBoss: Most just sit there and fire at you.
* TheGrimReaper: Skeletal, ghostly enemies with capes and scythes appear in the penultimate and final stages, and Troika himself seems to be going for the look.
* TheManBehindTheMan: Troika is stated to be the chief assassin of the Dark Lord Imbohl in the manual, but said Dark Lord [[AllThereInTheManual doesn't show up in the game.]]
* UnexpectedShmupLevel: Yes, actually. Chapter 08 is a sidescolling shmup battle against the Hydra [=SuperKrawl=]. It's one of the less enjoyable levels, though.
* WaveMotionGun: Kyuzo's protocol attack is essentially a handheld one.

* WeaponOfChoice: Makita does close combat with a hammer and sickle. Kyuzo uses a dual-bladed sword called a "Hook".

* BulletHell: Not all, but the vast majority of the boss fights become this. Complete with a perspective shift to the standard horizontal shmup top-down view.

* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: The Susk Marauder is very different from everything else you fight in the game, being a giant insect and one of the very few bosses in the game that's not mainly a BulletHell style boss.

* LightningBruiser: Makita is the fastest character, and has no problems racking up damage.

* MightyGlacier: Kyuzo is slow, but makes up for it with serious firepower.

* WeaponOfChoice: Makita does close combat with a hammer and sickle.

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%% Administrivia/ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.
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The game at first appears to be a 3D {{VideoGame/Contra}}-ish game (that doesn't actually suck), but [[UnexpectedGameplayChange then you reach the first mini-boss. The camera changes to an overhead view]], and you suddenly get [[BulletHell bullet patterns]] fired at you. This happens for about nine out of ten bosses in the game, with up to five bosses per stage for 19 stages.

[[SimilarlyNamedWorks Unrelated to]] the [[Webcomic/TheRedStar webcomic]] of the same name.

%%Administrivia/ZeroContextExamples are not allowed on the wiki. Please expand them with context before uncommenting them. Thank you.
%%* ActionGirl: Makita
%%* BigBad: Troika
%%* BulletHell
%%* CoOpMultiplayer
%%* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: Susk Marauder
%%* KillItWithFire: Kyuzo's flamethrower
%%* LightningBruiser: Makita
%%* MissionControl: Urik
%%* MightyGlacier: Kyuzo
%%* {{Mooks}}

[[caption-width-right:350:AsskickingPose? AsskickingPose.]]

-> '''!ALERT!'''
-> DECISIVE ENCOUNTER
-> FEALTY IS DUE

''The Red Star'' is a 3D SideView BeatEmUp game, loosely based on a GraphicNovel by Christian Gossett, which takes place in an alternative future Soviet Union where there's magic. It was originally slated for UsefulNotes/{{XBox}}, but was instead released in 2007 for UsefulNotes/{{PS2}}. In 2010, it was also ported to UsefulNotes/{{PSP}} (lacking multiplayer in this version) and [[UsefulNotes/IOSGames iOS]].

Makita, a Nokgorkan rebel who emphasizes speed and fast melee combos.

Kyuzo, bodyguard who is slow but does a lot of damage.

Maya, a "warkaster" (fancy name for war sorcerer) who gets more powerful when the protocol meter is filled. Unlocked after the game has been beaten once.

** A surprising ShoutOut to ''Film/{{Zoolander}}'' of all things: the third mission has a pair of tanks called "Blue Steel" and "Magnum."

* ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld: multikilometer-long MagiTek airships called "Sky-furnaces"

''The Red Star'' is a video game released in 2007 for [=PlayStation2=], originally slated for [=XBox=]. It's loosely based on a GraphicNovel by Christian Gossett and takes place in an alternative future Soviet Union where there's magic.

A [=PSP=] port was released in March 2010 through [=PlayStation=] Network. While largely a faithful port, it lacks the multiplayer. An iPhone version was also released in June 2010.

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A [=PSP=] port was released in March 2010 through Playstation Network. While largely a faithful port, it lacks the multiplayer. An iPhone version has also been announced.

%% ZeroContextExample entries are not allowed on wiki pages. All such entries have been commented out. Add context to the entries before uncommenting them.

Maya, warkaster (fancy name for war sorcerer) who gets more powerful when the protocol meter is filled. Unlocked after the game has been beaten once.

'''''The Red Star''''' is a video game released in 2007 for [=PlayStation2=], originally slated for [=XBox=]. It's loosely based on a GraphicNovel by Christian Gossett and takes place in an alternative future Soviet Union where there's magic.

'''Makita''', a Nokgorkan rebel who emphasizes speed and fast melee combos.

'''Kyuzo''', bodyguard who is slow but does a lot of damage.

'''Maya''', warkaster (fancy name for war sorcerer) who gets more powerful when the protocol meter is filled. Unlocked after the game has been beaten once.

* ActionGirl: Makita
* BigBad: Troika
* BulletHell
* CoOpMultiplayer
* [[GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere Giant Desert Fly From Nowhere]]: Susk Marauder
* KillItWithFire: Kyuzo's flamethrower
* LightningBruiser: Makita
* MissionControl: Urik
* MightyGlacier: Kyuzo
* {{Mooks}}
** [[GiantMook Giant Mooks]]
** ...and EliteMooks
*** Many of the above are FacelessGoons.

* ShoutOut: By the boatload. The whole game is a love letter to old arcade action. The most obvious are [[{{VideoGame/Contra}} Kontrawall]] and [[VideoGame/{{Ikaruga}} Ikar]][[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} ius]].

* ShoutOut: By the boatload. The whole game is a love letter to old arcade action. The most obvious are [[{{VideoGame/Contra}} Kontrawall]] and [[{{Ikaruga}} Ikar]][[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} ius]].

!!''The Red Star'' provides examples of:

* WhatCouldHaveBeen: Narrowly averted. Acclaim had the game completed already in 2004, but no one wanted to publish it before Acclaim went bankrupt. Three years later, XS Games luckily picked it up.

* ShoutOut: By the boatload. The whole game is a love letter to old arcade action. The most obvious are [[{{VideoGame/Contra}} Kontrawall]] and [[{{Ikaruga}} Ikar]][[{{Gradius}} ius]].

The game at first appears to be a 3D {{Contra}}-ish game (that doesn't actually suck), but [[UnexpectedGameplayChange then you reach the first mini-boss. The camera changes to an overhead view]], and you suddenly get [[BulletHell bullet patterns]] fired at you. This happens for about nine out of ten bosses in the game, with up to five bosses per stage for 19 stages.

* ShoutOut: By the boatload. The whole game is a love letter to old arcade action. The most obvious are [[{{Contra}} Kontrawall]] and [[{{Ikaruga}} Ikar]][[{{Gradius}} ius]].

* ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld: kilometer-long MagiTek airships called "Sky-furnaces"

* AdaptationDisplacement: There's a comic book too. Good luck finding a copy.

* AdaptationDisplacement: There`s a comic book too. Good luck finding a copy.

* ZeppelinsFromAnotherWorld: kilometer-long MagiTek airships called `Sky-furnaces`

** A surprising ShoutOut to ''Film/{{Zoolander}} of all things: the third mission has a pair of tanks called "Blue Steel" and "Magnum."

[[caption-width:350:AsskickingPose? AsskickingPose.]]

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/theredstar.jpg
[[caption-width:380:AsskickingPose? AsskickingPose.]]