Rebelstar: Tactical Command

Rebelstar: Tactical Command is a turn-based tactics video game developed by Codo Technologies and published by Namco for the Game Boy Advance in 2005. It's the fourth game in the Rebelstar series. The game was created by Julian Gollop, who has previously designed UFO: Enemy Unknown, Laser Squad and the original Rebelstar games.

Rebelstar: Tactical Command
Developer(s)Codo Technologies
Publisher(s)Namco
Producer(s)Pierre Roux
Mark W. Brown
Designer(s)Julian Gollop
Gez Fry
Programmer(s)Nick Gollop
Steve Moorhause
Artist(s)Denis Istomin
Dmitry Chernenko
SeriesRebelstar 
Platform(s)Game Boy Advance
Release
  • NA: September 6, 2005
  • AU: October 6, 2006
  • EU: October 13, 2006
Genre(s)Tactical role-playing game[1]
Mode(s)Single-player, multiplayer

Gameplay
A gameplay screenshot of Rebelstar: Tactical Command

Unlike in the UFO: Enemy Unknown, there is no base building, resource management or research. During combat, the player controls a squad of single-character units and must accomplish various goals. Units have a certain number of action points, which are renewed at the beginning of every turn. Each action, from turning to walking to shooting consumes action points. Therefore, they are only allowed to perform a certain number of actions per turn.

The player may also pick up and use weapons from dead enemies and allies. As ammunition is limited, it is sometimes necessary to loot a corpse in order to keep fighting. As units specialize in different areas, it is important to adopt a strategy that will fully utilize the strength of each of the many weapons used. It is also possible for a character to act as a medic, using a medikit to heal comrades.

Every time a unit damages an enemy, heals an ally, or uses psionics, it gains experience points. Once they have enough, they gain a level which raises their attributes such as strength, constitution, and intelligence at random. They also gain one skill point which the player can assign to a skill of their choosing, such as heavy weapons, hand-to-hand combat, medicine or stealth. Thus, as the game progresses, each unit becomes stronger and they may specialize in a type of weapon or skill above all others.

Plot

In the year 2117, a race of aliens known as the Arelians have enslaved the human population of Earth using their henchmen, the savage Zorn. They insert implants into infants' brains at birth, to be able to track them. As soon as someone turns 30, the aliens take the person away and nothing is known about their subsequent fate.

The main character, Jorel, after losing both his parents to the alien invaders, decides to flee south to Mexico to join the rebel forces and fight the alien invaders. Thanks to his strong psionic resistance, his brain rejected the implant and he brings new hope to the desperate human race looking for a leader.

Later, the true nature of the Zorn and Arelians is revealed. The Arelians, bored of the collective mind of the alien race, enslaved the humans for entertainment. The Zorn, in return for helping the Arelians, were to be allowed to eat any human above the age of 30.

Reception
Rebelstar: Tactical Command
Aggregate scores
AggregatorScore
GameRankings77.83[2]
Metacritic78[3]
Review scores
PublicationScore
GameSpot7.8/10[4]
GameSpy4/5[5]
IGN7.7/10[6]

Rebelstar: Tactical Command was well received, having an average score of 77.83% at GameRankings.[2] It received positive reviews from GameSpot (7.8/10),[4] GameSpy (4/5)[5] and IGN (7.7/10).[6] The game would be highly praised for adapting the combat mechanics of the highly detailed and acclaimed PC strategy series but would also receive criticism for sub-par presentation, a lacklustre storyline, and lack of link-mode support.[5] According to a retro review by GameFan, "everything in Rebelstar is spot on, from its plot to the game’s difficulty curve."[7]

Cancelled sequel

The game was supposed to be followed by the cancelled sequel Rebelstar 2: The Meklon Conspiracy.[8][9]

gollark: I am NOT giving you access to that.
gollark: osmarks internet radio™ is managed from this web UI.
gollark: Bees this utterly.
gollark: Oh, Ampache.
gollark: It appears to be password locked, does it support MPN SSO?

References
  1. Gollop, Julian (May 25, 2005). "Rebelstar: Tactical Command – Dev Diary #1 (GBA)". GameSpy. Archived from the original on August 25, 2012. Retrieved 2008-01-26.
  2. "Rebelstar: Tactical Command for Game Boy Advance". GameRankings. 6 September 2005. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  3. "Rebelstar: Tactical Command for Game Boy Advance Reviews". Metacritic. 2005-09-06. Retrieved 2014-05-18.
  4. Bob Colayco (6 September 2005). "Rebelstar: Tactical Command Review". GameSpot. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  5. David Chapman (13 September 2005). "Rebelstar Tactical Command". GameSpy. Archived from the original on 3 May 2009. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  6. "Rebelstar Tactical Command". Gameboy.ign.com. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  7. Neil Reive (16 July 2011). "Rebelstar: Tactical Command RETROspective". GameFan. Archived from the original on 16 May 2012. Retrieved 16 January 2013.
  8. Gollop, Julian (2013-11-29). "Rebelstar 2 - The Game that Never Was". Gollop Games. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-18.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
  9. Gollop, Julian (2013-11-30). "Rebelstar 2 - The Enemy Characters". Gollop Games. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2014-05-18.CS1 maint: BOT: original-url status unknown (link)
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