E3 2017 - Rogue Trooper Redux Hands-On Impressions

Published: June 15, 2017 9:03 PM /

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As far as comic anthologies go, I've always believed that there's a "big three": Tales From the Crypt, Weird War Tales, and 2000 A.D., and it just so happens that one of these three is owned by a video game developer. After Rebellion purchased 2000 A.D., they developed Rogue Trooper, a 2006 third-person shooter based on the 2000 A.D. character of the same name and his weird and wonderful world, where blue-skinned super soldiers fight in a brutal civil war on Nu Earth. The game was decently received, but much like Rebellion's previous 2000 A.D. adaptation (and one of my favorite shooters of the 2000sJudge Dredd: Dredd vs Death, it has received a sizable cult following over the 11 years since its release.

I gotta be honest, I'm not part of this particular cult. Not because Rogue Trooper is bad or anything, but rather because I actually never got a chance to play the damn game. However, when I got a chance to get my hands on the upcoming Rogue Trooper Redux, a complete remaster of the original with all new models, lighting, and particle effects, the remaster pays off. Rogue Trooper Redux is beautiful, with the new models working in tandem with a vibrant color palette that looks like it really did come straight out of a comic strip.

The gameplay, however, doesn't seem like it's changed at all. While I obviously can't confirm this is true thanks to a distinct lack of personal experience, it sure feels like a third-person shooter from 2006. Now, this may read a bit like an insult, but I assure you that it's not. Rogue Trooper came in a weird time where the modern third-person shooter was still coming into existence, and it holds the unique honor of being one of the first shooters with a cover system, predating Gears of War by a good few months. Besides that innovation, it's very standard shooter stuff: lots of aiming, shooting, and blowing baddies away with well-placed grenade.

While I missed Rogue Trooper the first time around, I really enjoyed my brief time with Rogue Trooper Redux. Who knows - maybe I'll be the latest member of the Rogue Trooper cult.

Rogue Trooper Redux will release on PC, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and the Nintendo Switch in the near future.

If you want to know more about this and other announcements happening at E3 then be sure to check out our E3 2017 Coverage Hub.

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| Staff Writer

Filmmaker. Entertainment critic. Genre film aficionado. Has bad taste and hot takes.