Red Star

One part Final Fight, one part Ikaruga

Hybrid shooting and brawling games are nothing new -- titles like Crimson Sea have already tread that ground with some success. However, according to the developers of Red Star, no game has ever been able to combine melee and shooting elements to bring a sophisticated high-paced action game -- until now.

Based on the graphic novel series by Christian Gossett, Red Star takes place in a futuristic parallel universe combining magic and technology. The world of Red Star focuses on the battle between a despotic Eurasian empire (the Reds) and a ragtag rebellion force (Gorkas). Magic is called Protocol, and enables soldiers to whip up telekinetic shields, project maps, teleport, and enhance physical abilities.

Not content with being a simple button-mashing action game, Red Star allows for a lot of finesse in control. The shoulder buttons can be used to strafe or turn, allowing you to efficiently dodge the flurry of bullets that bosses can rain down while keeping your target locked on with your gun. Melee combat allows players to set up their own combos depending on the timing and type of attack used.

The three main characters from the graphic novels are selectable characters: Maya, a sorceress who specializes in protocol spells; Kyuzo, a slow but powerful fighter; and Makita, a fast fighter with shorter reach than Kyuzo. With two player co-op play, the special Protocol attacks can be combined from each character to launch a stronger attack, similar to the Dynasty Warrior series. Each character also has their own custom melee and shooting weapons, which can be upgraded. You are given a performance rating at the end of each level, and will have more points to allocate depending on your speed and efficiency in passing the stage.

Even with the pre-Alpha version, the game was looking sharp, potentially brining more refined action than other recent games, which a lot of times stretch themselves too far by implementing too many control "features." Playing part of the first stage, the beautiful graphics brought to life the foreboding settings of the graphic novel, and the shooting and fighting elements coalesced seamlessly. Delivering complex and high-paced action, action gaming fans will want to keep an eye out for Red Star when it comes out in October.

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