The first thing you’ll notice when starting Rogue Flight is the game’s outstanding opening cutscene—a thrilling mix of 2D and 3D animation that sets the tone before you even reach the main menu. Another short cutscene at the start of a new game explains the story.

Three years ago, the AI defense system A.R.G.U.S. turned on its creators, wiping out Earth’s planetary defense systems in a 72-hour war before bombarding the planet’s surface and nearly extinguishing humanity. The survivors were forced underground, hiding in the shadow of the artificial intelligence that remained above. That is until they discovered ARROW, a revolutionary single-seat fighter with unparalleled speed and agility. As the last human with any flight experience, it’s up to you to take the fight back to A.R.G.U.S. and save the last remnants of humanity.

All of this is conveyed in two cutscenes that encapsulate the feeling of ’80s-’90s mecha anime better than anything I’ve seen since Gunbuster.

Therein lies the glorious, beautiful tone of Rogue Flight. The game is unapologetically nostalgic for the action/space anime of the late 1980s and 1990s. Gundam, Gunbuster, Patlabor, and to a lesser extent, Harlock and Bebop—Rogue Flight feels right at home alongside any of them, capturing the feel of the genre in everything from its story, characters, ship designs, landscapes (or skyscapes/spacescapes?), and, above all else, its soundtrack.

Oh, that glorious soundtrack! Rogue Flight features melodic rock/metal tracks with a high-adrenaline, hopeful, and suspenseful feeling that perfectly captures the vibe of those exciting anime space battles you’d watch on your VHS player late one Saturday night. The soundtrack features the work of Fat Bard, with additional music by Rinn, and the stellar opening cutscene features vocals by J-Pop artist Itoki Hana, adding another layer of authenticity to the game’s anime inspiration.

Speaking of authenticity, Rogue Flight features a talented and well-known voice cast in both English and Japanese; the Japanese VAs have accolades, such as working on Sailor Moon and Neon Genesis Evangelion.

If this review is starting to read like I’m Rogue Flight’s biggest fan, it’s because I am. When I started the game, I had low expectations. Having done no research and having no clue about the game’s inspirations, I thought I was in for yet another flavorless bullet hell space game. I was instantly blown away by the feeling of excitement and the gorgeous visuals, both in the cutscenes and in the actual gameplay, which feels hectic, fast, and dangerous—all while making you feel like the relentless hope of humanity conquering impossible foes beyond the stars.

Rogue Flight’s gameplay is deceptively simple. The game uses clever camera tricks and stellar (pun intended) scene work to make you feel like you’re in an impossibly fast-paced dogfight. In reality, the game is very manageable, putting your ship on “tracks,” so to speak, and tasking you only with dodging, maneuvering, and shooting enemies on a 2D plane (pun, once again, intended). You never have more to worry about than dodging projectiles and quickly killing enemies to keep your combo meter up.

As simple as the game is to figure out, that doesn’t mean it isn’t fun to play. Again, Rogue Flight uses phenomenal visuals and music stings to make every second of each level—all nine of which are unique—feel incredibly exciting. With how fast-paced and hectic everything feels, you’ll find yourself thankful that you have relatively little to keep in mind to actually play, allowing a fine middle ground between focusing on dodging and shooting your enemies and being fully immersed in the amazing feeling of being a protagonist in one of the most exciting eras and genres of anime. That is, of course, on the normal difficulty; harder difficulties demand more and more of your attention.

Old anime isn’t the only thing Rogue Flight pays homage to. The Star Fox comparisons are pretty obvious, but the game also reminds me of old arcade machines—mechanically, in presentation, and in the way it utilizes lives and game overs. If you die during your Rogue Flight campaign, you’ll be returned to the main menu and made to start again. There is a rogue-lite mode you can unlock later, but getting it requires you to conquer the arcade-machine-style story mode that makes you cling desperately to each of your three lives.

Rogue Flight is, without a doubt, an iconic and unforgettable game. It pays strong homage to one of the most exciting eras in anime history, and yet, as clear as the inspirations are, the game never feels derivative. Built on a strong foundation of beloved inspirations, it still feels unique, with a solid identity of its own—an identity steeped in hype and excitement that’s hard not to immediately love.

With excellent art/presentation, exciting breakneck bullet-hell gameplay, an engaging story, and one of the best video game soundtracks I’ve heard in a while, it is impossible for this reviewer not to recommend Rogue Flight. Every aspect was clearly made with love, both for itself and for iconic series of the past, and I can’t imagine anyone trying this game and earnestly saying they didn’t like it.

Try Hard Guides received a PC review code for this game. Find more detailed looks at popular and upcoming titles on our Game Reviews page! Rogue Flight is available on Steam, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch.