Back in the saddle: Rebel Galaxy prequel coming early next year
Double Damage announced Rebel Galaxy Outlaw today, a prequel to 2015's Rebel Galaxy [official site]. Admittedly, I can't remember much of the characters and story from the original, considering how little I played. But Outlaw stars Juno Markev, suddenly pulled back into the life of a smuggler and outlaw as she tracks down her husband's killer. Things go south at a dusty, galactic watering hole, she loses her ship, and starts off Outlaw indebted and flying around in an old bucket.
What's new otherwise? Well, 360-degrees of flight, for one thing. Double Damage has some choice words for all the people that complained about the X-axis-only combat, but they succumbed anyway, and now, with a little gameplay twist of their own, give us a full sphere of movement. There's over 20 hours of music, too. Not sure if it's all new, but the grungy-as-heck soundtrack from the first one had me sold on the game in the first 10 seconds, and that sound is definitely in effect in Outlaw. Also, while there's still an emphasis on combat and more combat, it looks like Outlaw invests more into world building, which is always a plus for me. The ships have a '90s sensibility to them that I can appreciate, and the cockpits look lifted right out of Wing Commander, and landing pads right out of Privateer, both of which I can also appreciate. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw might just finally sell me on the whole idea behind Rebel Galaxy.
I tried real hard to like the original Rebel Galaxy. The dirty, nasty soundtrack; the Wild West table setting; the flat-planed combat (made it more like naval combat, which I can appreciate). But I'd made the mistake of thinking the game wouldn't be so heavily focused on combat, but boy howdy, it is super focused on combat. Couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting another ship-to-ship fight. Just hardly any downtime at all. And just swimming in wide circles with my opponent, trying to head them off at the pass, got old quickly.
Regardless, Rebel Galaxy was an indie darling, and I'm happy it found enough of an audience to warrant a sequel.
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is aiming for an early 2019 launch on PC, PlayStation 4, and Switch.
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw Announced
Double Damage Games Announces Follow-up Prequel to Smash Indie Hit Rebel Galaxy
(Seattle, WA) - August 31, 2018 -- Independent developer Double Damage Games today announces Rebel Galaxy Outlaw, a blue-collar space combat adventure packed with outlaws, explosions, gleefully unrealistic spaceflight, and a hell of a soundtrack. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is a sort-of-prequel to 2015’s Rebel Galaxy, this time dropping you right into the cockpit and doubling down on the roadhouse vibe of the previous game. Rebel Galaxy Outlaw features high-octane space combat, over 20 hours of subspace radio, side activities like billiards and dice poker, plenty of sketchy characters to meet, and sketchier jobs to take on. Nobody’s saving the universe around here - they’d settle for saving a couple of credits. It’s aiming to launch Q1 2019 on PC, PlayStation 4, and Nintendo Switch.
“This has got to be the most ambitious game I’ve ever worked on,” said Travis Baldree, Co-Founder of Double Damage Games. “We took what worked from the last title, and then went a little crazy. It’s got a stronger focus on story and place, a huge jump in detail, and while it still works great for folks with a HOTAS at home, I think we’ve managed to make space combat accessible and fun for everybody else in a way that nobody has managed before. We’ve got a lot more to share in the months ahead”
Rebel Galaxy Outlaw is a prequel to 2015's Rebel Galaxy, set 34 years prior in a series of star systems closer to old Earth. You'll inhabit the role of Juno Markev, an outlaw and smuggler who went straight and settled down until events conspired to drag her back into the life. After an encounter in a shady watering hole goes bad, your ship is trashed, and you find yourself in debt to an old friend and casino owner who gives you a rustbucket and some words of advice. Packed with exciting combat, unique ships, and over twenty hours of great music, Rebel Galaxy Outlaw drops you into a retro future steeped in blue-collar Americana.
