Rogue Flight: An Arcade Space Combat Game Inspired by '80s and '90s Prestige Anime

Rogue Flight is an upcoming arcade space combat game that draws its inspiration from the "golden age" of anime, specifically the iconic styles of the '80s and '90s. If you're a fan of the high-octane, visually stunning anime classics from that era, this game is shaping up to be a nostalgic throwback to everything you loved about that time—and, of course, there’s a dash of StarFox in there too. With its release scheduled for later this year, there’s an announcement trailer below to give you a taste of what’s to come.

Flashy Combat Meets Narrative Depth

According to its Steam page, Rogue Flight will have you performing acrobatic maneuvers in your customizable spaceship, blasting away enemies across nine different stages. If you’re into branching narrative paths, you’ll have the freedom to explore multiple story outcomes, giving the game some replayability. For those who want an extra challenge, there’s an unlockable roguelite mode, which likely adds the spicy flavor of permadeath to your spacefaring adventures.

But let’s get to the real selling point: the aesthetic and tone. The game draws heavily on the vibe of prestige anime—the kind of shows where sad, doomed characters pilot mechs or spaceships while wrestling with existential dread. Think Neon Genesis Evangelion but with more space dogfights and fewer trips to therapy.

A Star-Studded Voice Cast for Both Subs and Dubs Fans

The marketing around Rogue Flight leans heavily into its star-studded voice cast, featuring Japanese actors from anime giants like Sailor Moon, Neon Genesis Evangelion, Gundam, Naruto, and One Piece. If that means something to you, great—these actors have voiced some of the most beloved characters in anime history. As for me, I’m more of a “dubs” guy, because, well, I watch anime on a second screen while gaming, which means subtitles are out of the question. But for fans of English dubs, the cast includes familiar voices from Fallout 76, Overwatch, and League of Legends.

Either way, whether you’re a subs purist or a dubs multitasker, Rogue Flight has you covered with its top-tier voice talent.

Melancholy, Mechs, and Space Ships: The Real Draw

At the end of the day, while the game’s combat looks fun and flashy with its spinny, rock-music-backed space battles, what really catches my interest is the vibe. There’s something endlessly appealing about the idea of tragic characters piloting these massive, unstoppable machines, externalizing all their sadness and melancholy into a giant, horrifying weapon. That’s what the best of those ‘80s and ‘90s anime were all about—themes of doom and isolation wrapped up in cool mechs or spaceships.

And really, who doesn’t dream of turning their existential dread into a badass, heavily armed spacecraft? I know that’s how I feel about my fleshy human body most of the time, but at least in Rogue Flight, I’d get some cool control panels to go with it.

Rogue Flight is set to launch later this year. So, whether you’re here for the space combat or the anime feels, get ready to jump into a world where you’ll blast enemies to pieces while pondering the futility of it all.