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Rogue Flight Review (PlayStation 5)

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Rogue Flight Review, Rogue Flight is a breathtaking arcade space combat game inspired by the landmark style of 80’s and 90’s prestige anime. Traverse the Sol system and join a flight force voiced by a veteran cast, featuring Japanese talent from Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gundam, Naruto & One Piece, and English voice talent featured in Overwatch and Fallout 76, League of Legends and Marvel’s Avengers. Jump into true stylish arcade action with a huge host of spacecraft upgrades, game modes, and multiple narrative paths.

Rogue Flight Review Pros:

  • Decent anime-inspired graphics.
  • 1.52GB download size.
  • Platinum trophy.
  • Japanese and English voice choice.
  • Graphics settings – VHS effect, film grain, and flash effects.
  • Five game difficulties – Easy, casual, standard, hard, and extreme.
  • Controller settings – aux audio (controller speaker), picture-in-picture camera, full motion effects in cockpit view, portrait, vibration, and inverted Y axis.
  • Extras menu – credits, classified, sound test, accolades, and database.
  • Ship customisation – callsign, badge, trim, Aero mode, tact mod, and UI color.
  • Shmup gameplay.
  • Awesome cutscenes and interactions that go for a retro game mixed with VHS filters.
  • Opening tutorial section.
  • Solid shooter controls.
  • End of level Breakdown.
  • In-game interactions as you play.
  • You can shoot (hold down the button), paint and shoot missiles, reflect and deflect shots, and barrel roll left and right, and these are just your initial abilities.
  • Multiple choice options in the story.
  • A very visceral and unrelenting game.
  • Combo counter that increases the pitch of the noise when building and also gives a rank and replenishes some shield energy.
  • Stunning locations you fight in.
  • Third-person view but you can play cockpit first-person view with a button press.
  • A game that anyone can enjoy but it has a lot of tools and mechanics for the more Shmup veterans.
  • Many game modes and customisation options to unlock.
  • Fantastic voice work.
  • Using the controller speaker adds a lot more immersion to the game.
  • It’s really satisfying when you rack up these huge combos.
  • Has all the polish and playability of a CAVE game.
  • The game is difficult but the polish, the atmosphere, and the sheer enjoyment of playing the game keep you coming back time after time.
  • The shot of adrenaline that the SHMUP genre needed.

Rogue Flight Review Cons:

  • It’s a very busy screen at all times so making out enemies, projectiles, pickups, and hazards is a lot and can be overwhelming for some gamers.
  • Judging how close a pickup is can be a game in itself as you have to slow down in order to pick anything up and that time is limited so you really need to time it.
  • At times I felt like I had no idea what was going on.
  • Boss fights are huge bullet sponges and it’s not always clear where to shoot them, they are so large that they can block your view.
  • Only the one game mode until you play a large chunk of the game and the the new modes start to filter in.
  • Doesn’t do the whole score chaser mechanic early doors.
  • You cannot remap the controls.

Related Post: Barbie Project Friendship Review

Rogue Flight:

Official website.

Developer: PERPETUAL

Publisher: PERPETUAL

Store Links –

PlayStation

  • 9/10
    Graphics - 9/10
  • 9/10
    Sound - 9/10
  • 8/10
    Accessibility - 8/10
  • 9/10
    Length - 9/10
  • 10/10
    Fun Factor - 10/10
9/10

Summary

Rogue Flight impresses with its anime-inspired graphics and a manageable 1.52GB download size. The game offers a platinum trophy and the choice between Japanese and English voiceovers, enhancing its appeal. Players can tweak graphics settings with options like VHS effects, film grain, and flash effects, and choose from five difficulty levels ranging from easy to extreme. The controller settings are comprehensive, featuring aux audio through the controller speaker, a picture-in-picture camera, full motion effects in cockpit view, portrait mode, vibration, and an inverted Y axis. The extras menu is packed with credits, classified information, a sound test, accolades, and a database, adding depth to the game.

Customization is a strong point in “Rogue Flight,” allowing players to personalize their ship with callsigns, badges, trim, Aero mode, tact mods, and UI colors. The game’s shmup gameplay is complemented by retro-inspired cutscenes and interactions, enhanced with VHS filters. The opening tutorial section is well-designed, and the shooter controls are solid, making the gameplay experience smooth. Players can engage in various in-game interactions, including shooting, painting and shooting missiles, reflecting and deflecting shots, and performing barrel rolls. The game also features multiple-choice options in the story, adding a layer of interactivity.

“Rogue Flight” is a visceral and unrelenting game, with a combo counter that increases the pitch of the noise as it builds, providing a rank and replenishing some shield energy. The locations are stunning, and the game can be played in a third-person view or a cockpit first-person view with a button press. It caters to both casual players and shmup veterans with its many game modes and customization options. The voice work is fantastic, and using the controller speaker adds immersion. Racking up huge combos is satisfying, and the game has the polish and playability of a CAVE game. Despite its difficulty, the polish, atmosphere, and sheer enjoyment keep players coming back.

However, the game’s busy screen can be overwhelming, making it hard to distinguish enemies, projectiles, pickups, and hazards. Picking up items requires precise timing, which can be challenging. At times, the game can feel chaotic, and boss fights are huge bullet sponges that can obscure the view and make it unclear where to shoot. Initially, only one game mode is available, with new modes unlocking as you progress. The game doesn’t emphasize the score chaser mechanic early on, and the controls cannot be remapped, which might be a drawback for some players.

In summary, “Rogue Flight” offers a rich and immersive experience with its detailed graphics, extensive customization options, and engaging gameplay. While it has some drawbacks, such as a busy screen and challenging boss fights, the overall polish and enjoyment make it a standout in the shmup genre. The game’s combination of retro aesthetics, solid mechanics, and immersive features provides a shot of adrenaline that keeps players coming back for more.

Jim Smale

Gaming since the Atari 2600, I enjoy the weirdness in games counting Densha De Go and RC De Go as my favourite titles of all time. I prefer gaming of old where buying games from a shop was a thing, Being social in person was a thing. Join me as I attempt to adapt to this new digital age!