A shooter with a defense layer
Rogue Star Rescue is a top-down twin-stick shooter with bullet-hell waves and a tower defense twist. You blast through more than 10 planets, and at the end of each level a mini-boss arrives with waves of minions. Before that happens you gather traps and resources, then place them so they slow, block, push, spike, burn, freeze, or shoot at the incoming enemies. Traps can be upgraded, and managing what you carry and where you put it matters a lot in the later levels. Alongside your main gun you have grenades on a button, plus upgradeable buddies with their own fighting abilities. The game also carries a persistent leveling system: each level gives attribute points you can spend on strength, speed, health, traps, or luck, so your character keeps growing across runs.
Playing it as a group
Online co-op lets up to 4 people explore the galaxy together and progress as a team, with exclusive multiplayer content on top of the shared run. If you are in the same room, couch co-op shares one screen for up to 2 players and needs no internet connection. Either way you are not alone in the fight: you rescue teammates along the way, and they fight beside you against the aliens, with dialogue that keeps even single-player runs interactive. Heroes come from an elite team, each with a unique set of special abilities, and new ones unlock by reaching specific outcomes.
Before you start
The story is nonlinear. You choose which planets to visit and make decisions that decide the fate of the galaxy, with dozens of possible outcomes depending on your path and who you rescue. Death is permanent within a run, but the leveling system carries over. Three difficulty modes are available: Wimpy, Normal, and Insane, so a mixed-skill group can pick a level that suits everyone. Expect a challenging, dense game built to hold your attention well past 50 hours, with plenty left to discover after the first ending.