It’s not without severe faults though, I admit. Of the playable characters available only the twin pistol wielding woman is worth investing time in, and you’ll likely find yourself having to restart the game at some stage after realising the whole process would have been much easier if you’d managed to get S ranks on the earlier stages, netting you a bounty of points to spend on delicious upgrades. It’s irritating not being able to replay earlier levels to recoup points you missed first time around, but again; as the experience is free from the ball and chain of cutscenes and scripted events, playing through the game again from the start rarely feels like much of a chore, and is generally enhanced by the fact that the second or third time you restart you’ll find yourself effortlessly blazing through bosses that seemed hellish first time around.
After firing up a game with a friend of mine we quite frankly just couldn’t put it down. Even after dying on the same boss for the sixth time and storming off for a cup of tea we found it impossible to not go back for just one more go. The realisation that the only way you’re ever going to be able to beat the level you’re stuck on is by starting a new game is something that might be a real turn off for some, but personally I found storming through the game again and again an absolute joy, replacing my early C rank fumbles with S rank perfection. I’m aware that when breaking it to your co-op partner that it might be an idea to play through the first 14 levels again they might have a tendency to look at you as if you’ve just pissed on their grandmother, but if they’re really your friend then I’m sure they’ll forgive you. Still, if you’ve any concerns then let them play through a few missions alone to get a feel for the game first, and before you know it you’ll be locked and loaded for a few days of techno-communist-button-bashing-madness.
Most people will take one look at this game and write it off as derivative, repetitive, and plain budget title; but they’re idiots. The Red Star is a perfect example about what games should be about: It’s a title that does nothing revolutionary, but the mechanics are so beautifully polished that you’ll be having far too much fun to really give a damn about innovation. Oh, and you can buy a copy pretty much anywhere for about a fiver. For what it is, what it does, and what it costs - The Red Star is mere inches off perfection. Dust off your PS2 and hire a friend; you’ll be hard pushed to have more fun with £5.
