Rogue Flight has 90s prestige anime painted all over it. From its AI-gone-bad narrative to its progressive rock music, the game makes it abundantly clear that it will be a nostalgic deep dive into the earlier days of anime. Yet, that’s not the only reason it’s so charming.
Truant Pixel’s heartfelt letter to the rail shooter genre also stands out as a distinguishing factor. Through and through, Rogue Flight is a fast-paced shooter that’ll keep the engines hot for hours, gluing you to the screen as you spot little pixels and particles that make use of every fun gameplay mechanic you can think of.
Once in a neon blue moon, a game comes out that kindles a newfound spark for a genre you were never familiar with. Rogue Flight did that for me, and I can’t wait to tell you about how awesome this game is.
Fly Back Into the Era of VHS
Before diving into what makes Rogue Flight such a fun gaming experience, it’s essential to talk about how it looks and sounds. When I wasn’t admiring a Gundam-esque mecha shooting at me as I skillfully maneuvered my plane through space debris, I was actively triggering slo-mo combos in an attempt to take worthy screenshots.
Rogue Flight’s art direction is akin to a style where Neon Genesis Evangelion gels with Star Fox; asking you to switch on the VHS filter (which can be triggered in the settings) and go back in time a little. All of this is carefully woven together by a gripping narrative with outstanding voice-acting. The premise is simple: you’ve got 72 hours before things go very, very wrong.
These 72 hours are divided into nine unique stages in the Sol system that bring to life a distinct set of enemies and challenges. Every stage feels like a carefully knitted sketchbook of modernized retro elements — neon lights, techno-futurism, and plastic textures that give the game a polished, arcade look.
This also reflects through the game’s soundtrack. Imagine what would happen if an anime intro song had elements of the progressive rock genre, and turned into a symphony that told the game’s story through aerial warfare in space.
Button-Smashing Is Beneath You, Captain
I’ll be honest with you; Rogue Flight is a difficult game. It looks like a simple arcade title on the surface, but beneath its cozy charm, it’s a challenging rail shooter that will test your dogfighting skills. The game’s fast-paced combat had me barrel-rolling, parrying, dodging, and switching weapons.
Even though I wish the game didn’t make me restart it so many times, all was forgiven as Rogue Flight hooked me with its design. While I appreciate the PlayStation 5’s technological prowess, I genuinely believe it’s up to developers to make the best of it.
I’m beyond impressed with how Truant Pixel made the most of the DualSense wireless controller’s haptic feedback. The adaptive triggers respect the weapon being fired and the controller’s speakers amplify the parts of the game’s sound design, including Nadia’s commander’s voice as she flies the Arrow.
Moreover, the controller input took me by surprise. Moving the right trigger lets you perform a slo-mo combo that does area-of-effect damage to unlucky enemies in your vicinity. But, pulling it downward lets you collect power-ups and boosters.
Nosediving Into Disaster? “Rogueflight” Elements to the Rescue!
I wish I paid more attention to the importance of barrel-rolling ahead of time. You see, pressing R1/L1 lets you do a cool little spin to dodge oncoming attacks, but you have to time them right to successfully parry them. Otherwise, your shields go down, your pride goes down and you go down.
But, that’s okay. Every new attempt lets you fail about three times. Then, it’s game over. You start from the first stage all over again, but this time with newfound wisdom. Since every stage has a distinct way of dodging and countering attacks, every playthrough will feel a little different.
For instance, there’s a stage where you need to avoid the enemy plane’s jetwash as you shoot its engines down. In another stage, you need to take out the enemy’s defenses before being the wingman to their demise. All of this led to a learning curve that I got a hang of after multiple playthroughs.
Rogue Flight cleverly uses roguelite elements here to keep things fresh. Between every stage, you can modify the Arrow’s tactical and defensive traits. Better shields and more weapons do the trick. Once you’re at the base, nicer colors for the Arrow help too, so you don’t look like a newbie in outer space.
A Zero Gravity Experience Way Ahead of Its Time
Quite literally. Because we’re way ahead of the ’90s era when arcade games felt like quick pastime activities. Insert coin, play a game or two, live out the geek lifestyle, and that’s it, right? Well, Rogue Flight does all of that with a modernized touch, making it a game that’s fit for every modern gaming platform.
I won’t spoil you with story bits but do know that the game has a non-linear approach to its narrative, giving you ample choice when it comes to multiple playthroughs. Overall, its story never suffers due to its gameplay. On the contrary — it lifts its narrative with an ambitious gameplay loop that’s bound to keep players engaged for several hours.
And, of course, Rogue Flight’s stunning animations, slick combat mechanics, and masterful sound design make it a game I can easily recommend to anyone, not just someone who’s a long-time fan of rail shooters.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to boot up the game again just to listen to that cool intro song with the epic guitar riffs. Someday, I hope I get to experience Rogue Flight as more than just a video game. Maybe as an anime? A pilot can dream.
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