Rebelstar: Tactical Command is a turn-based strategy game in the same vein as X-Com, and is based off the Rebelstar strategy game setting. The developer, Codo Technologies, is composed of staff who have worked on games such as Laser Squad Nemesis, X-Com, and the original Laser Squad and Rebelstar Raiders. R:TC offers a similar style of play, and it may appeal to fans those titles and turn-based strategy games.
In Rebelstar: TC, players take control of a squad of 6 soldiers in a series of battles against an alien oppressor. The main character is Jorel, a young recruit to the rebel cause against the antagonist Arelian species. As the game and story progresses, Jorel will rise up the ranks to lead and recruit additional characters, each with a particular specialization of skills. In addition to fighting the Arelians, players will also do battle with the brutish shock troops of the Zorn, the insect-like Fraylar, and a variety of lesser creatures and robots.
Gameplay revolves around the player completing a series of battles in order to progress the plot. Prior to the start of most missions, players must select the characters that will participate in the battle and equip them appropriately. Rebelstar: TC offers a wide range of weapons, including melee, assault rifles, SMGs, sniper rifles, and heavy weapons. Firearms may also offer different firing modes, such as single shot, limited burst fire, and full automatic. Other equipment include different types of body armor, grenades, power cells, and medical kits. Characters have a number of statistics that govern their movement, speed, weapon use, stealth, and other skills. As the game proceeds and characters perform various actions, they gain experience points and level up. Each level up provides an opportunity for the player to add skill points to a chosen skill. The greater the skill rating, the better the character can perform or utilize weapons and equipment.
The battles themselves are turn-based in nature, with the player moving and performing actions with his characters, then the enemy side doing the same once the player is done. Each character has a pool of “Action Points” to spend on actions during a turn. A character can thus perform a series of actions until he or she runs out of points. These action points refill at the beginning of the player’s next turn. Players can also spend all of the character’s points to place him on “Overwatch.” On this mode, a character will spend his stored action points on firing on any enemy that comes into his view, which is useful if you wish to have a character cover certain areas. Battles also take into account line of sight, terrain deformation (ie: walls blown up by explosives), and morale. All of these features give quite a number of tactical options and considerations to the game.
