Star Rangers Review

Overall, Star Rangers lacks the detail and depth that make an engaging spacecombat simulator.

For some reason, the game designers at Interactive Magic thought it would be ingenious to combine all the rough and dirty action of a western with the light speed world of a space combat simulator. In short, it doesn't work. In attempting to put a new twist on the space battle genre, the company has only created a game with a dated feel that isn't nearly as entertaining as other space combat simulators on the market.

Star Rangers' graphics lack the texture and detail found in other simulators. The exterior views of the ships look ordinary and the interior shots are just as plain and sparse. Even more disappointing are the space graphics, which look a great deal like the Microsoft Windows starfield screen-saver.

The music and sound in Star Rangers are also lacking. During battle, the soundtrack may simply stop, making the overall flight experience even less enjoyable than it already is. Sound effects are equally disappointing, and when your lasers strike a target, it sounds like someone is shaking a ping-pong ball in a can.

Even with all of its failures, however, Star Rangers is not a complete bomb. The warp drive is a neat feature. When you warp to another area, you actually have to navigate through an energy tunnel to reach your destination and, if you fly off course, you can wind up in a completely different area. Also, at its low price, Star Rangers is a deal compared to many games that cost at least twice as much.

Overall, Star Rangers lacks the detail and depth that make an engaging space combat simulator. If you're looking for an inexpensive way to blow a few hours, it's not bad; but if you're looking for something special in graphics, sound, or story, you won't find it here.

The Good

  • N/A

The Bad

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