Do you know how to condense a game, movie, sandwich, etc., into the simple equation "x meets y" when describing it? There is a temptation to do that in "Star Renegade," but I think I'd get a nosebleed if I tried. Many games lift shiny ideas like magpies to decorate their nests, but this is more like a tragic accident involving two Steam libraries involving a pair of matter transporters.

So, in order to keep my philosophical thoughts from bleeding, I'll pick out one of my most important comparisons, the roguelike. Specifically, the post-FTL model, which is a branching path of nodes. In this case, these nodes are divided into three planets and a mothership (yes, much like the four acts in Slay the Spire), and you encounter a battalion of invaders from another dimension and a motley crew, "Guardians of the Galaxy" style.

If you lose your entire squad, you are knocked back to where you started. However, the game is eager to show that this is not such a bad thing. By next time, there are new abilities and characters that can be unlocked by spending two currencies. And if you fail: ...... ---bzzzt---

Oh, hi, this is Alex from Earth-2880. As I said before, the only comparison is "Into the Breach". In Star Renegade, the timeline closes with each game over, and the next game takes place in a parallel universe. The Alex you once knew is gone forever, and in his place is me. Because, like the hero of Star Renegade, I look and sound exactly the same in every world. You never set foot in the wilds of the Multiverse, nor does your main hero, Win Cyphex, become a cartoon pig or a self-deprecating noir detective. Even abilities are the same, unlocked along a predetermined path rather than a blossoming tech tree, so the only real difference between you and your alternate universe self is due to the tools you find and equip along the way. In my case, I got a fancy mechanical keyboard with tactile switches for +10 typing, so let's hope that's enough--- bzzzt---

Hi, this is Alex-0079: JRPG. Not because Star Renegade is a JRPG, but because it takes all the basic elements of a JRPG and condenses them into something that can fit into normal life without the need for logistical Tetris. There's the old-fashioned overworld where the party gradually comes together, banter is exchanged as bonds are formed, and hero sprites waddle around crushed like conga lines. But in this game, the entire galaxy-spanning quest is completed in five or six hours. At that point, in most "Final Fantasy" games, you can barely get out of the starting town.

At first glance, the combat seems to be straight out of a 16-bit era JRPG. Heroes and villains politely agree to line up on opposite sides of the screen and alternate attacks from an ever-growing menu. But when played like an RPG, ---bzzzt---

it's a magpie. No, "Star Renegade" is a magpie, using the familiar game appearance to mislead you until the best ideas hatch in the nest of your brain. The only people fooled by these tricks are those below Alex, so they are all gone now, like tears in the rain of multiverses. I am from the Tactics Gamer timeline and I am here to tell you why combat will never bore you.

Every turn unfolds along a 60-second timeline; think XCOM: Chimera Squad or the initiative track in D&D. If you can strike before your enemy, you can strike a critical blow to your enemy. Critical hits can inflict additional damage, special effects, and most importantly, set the target back a few seconds. If you can generate enough pushback, you may be able to pull your opponent completely off course and make him fail to go. Of course, the enemy will fight back as well, so it is important to balance the big hits, which tend to be slower, with speedy first strikes.

While there is some lucrative rock-paper-scissors business, the timeline is the source of some of the game's most clever strategic decisions and the best moments when you finally find a way to postpone a fatal blow. The combat UI will probably make you start over a couple more times. To be fair, there is a lot to convey, but all too often important information is lost in a cloud of flashy FX, damage figures, and too many icons with no explanation. Not that this is a problem for the brains of a good tactics gamer like myself, of course, but I never am--- bzzzt---

Gosh, the ragged pixels, the blue-pink color scheme, and the overworld's mountain of corpses love visuals that " Reminds me of "Hyper Light Drifter" doesn't it? ---bzzzt--- Hi, I'm Alex from a dimension where I've played "Fire Emblem Three Houses. I am pleased to inform you that "Star Renegades" has a version of the level-up support cutscene where the two characters share a bonding moment. ---bzzzt--- Alex-0451, I'm here to tell you how "Star Renegades" references immersive sim games. No, I'm kidding. ----but there is a nemesis system like in "Shadow of Mordor". Still, it was enough to curse the name of Mirax Vance to the heavens for wiping out his previous squad and sparing his second vengeance with his last shred of strength intact--- bzzzt---

You see why I was worried about nose bleeds? If you're attracted to one aspect of Star Renegade, there are better games elsewhere. However, if you can tolerate the occasional dimensional slippage, there's a lot to like about this game.