- Release Year: 2016
- Platforms: iPad, Macintosh, Windows
- Publisher: Rebellion Developments Ltd.
- Developer: Big Boat Interactive
- Genre: Action, Strategy, Tactics
- Perspective: 1st-person
- Game Mode: Single-player
- Gameplay: Real-time, Tank, Vehicular
- Setting: Futuristic, Sci-fi, War
Description
Battlezone 98 Redux: Odyssey Edition is a sci-fi strategy game that combines the base game Battlezone 98 Redux with its expansion, The Red Odyssey. Set in a futuristic war narrative, players control tanks and other vehicles in real-time tactical battles, featuring remastered visuals, mod support, and online multiplayer. The Odyssey Edition includes additional factions, campaigns, and vehicles, offering an expanded experience across PC, Mac, and iPad platforms.
Gameplay Videos
Battlezone 98 Redux: Odyssey Edition — Review
1. Introduction
In 1998 Battlezone 98 landed as a bold re‑imagining of Sony’s 1980 arcade classic, fusing grade‑A 3‑D graphics with an unforgiving real‑time tactical experience. Fifteen years later, Big Boat Interactive resurrected that legacy with Battlezone 98 Redux: Odyssey Edition, a bundled download that combines the remastered core with its first major expansion, The Red Odyssey. In this review we’ll dissect the full package, assess how it shops its heritage, and decide whether it still lives up to the lofty promise that Battlezone was “one of the greatest sci‑fi strategy games of all time.”
Our thesis: the Odyssey Edition is a technically competent reinvention that refreshes a classic engine, but it fails to match the innovation and polish of its contemporaries and, in many ways, crowds out the very charm that made the original beloved. Nonetheless, for the dedicated RTS fan‑base, it is a worthy, if uneven, addition to the Battlezone canon.
2. Development History & Context
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Studio | Big Boat Interactive |
| Publisher | Rebellion Developments Ltd. |
| Engine | OGRE (an open‑source 3‑D rendering framework) |
| Ports | Windows (2016), macOS & iPad (2017) |
| Release date (bundle) | July 25, 2016 (PC) |
| Release date (iOS/Mac) | July 6, 2017 |
2.1 From 1998 to 2016
Battlezone 98 built its reputation on a 3‑D engine that leveraged the then‑cutting‑edge water‑reflection and dynamic lighting. By the time Big Boat revisited the title, the genre had evolved beyond the straightforward 1st‑person/RTS hybrid: the 2010s demanded on‑line multiplayer, mod support, and high‑fidelity graphics. In partnership with Rebellion — known for reviving retro titles — the team rebuilt the entire codebase on OGRE, striving for a “remastered visuals” as advertised, while adding modern conveniences like cross‑platform play and a UI overhaul.
2.2 Technological Constraints
Even though OGRE can deliver true 3‑D environments, the team faced the daunting task of converting a 1998 engine full of sprite‑based units into fully destructible terrain with dynamic lighting. The final product shows small glitches — light‑leak on the hills of JOVI, occasional collision‑mask inaccuracies on the agile Black Dogs’ jets — but overall the visual upgrade is unmistakable. Importantly, the 3‑D audio system, which originally used pre‑sampled voice‑over, was redesigned to support dynamic positional sound, a leap for an engine that once ran on 486‑class hardware.
2.3 The Gaming Landscape of 2016
In 2016, real‑time strategy was dominated by StarCraft II, Rise (PC) and a proliferation of indie titles that embraced open‑world or “tower‑defence” hybrid models. Here, Battlezone re‑ignited a niche appetite for “old‑school RTS” with the inclusion of real‑time tactics. Its competition, however, was fierce: Company of Heroes, Total War, and Halo Online all delivered robust multiplayer experiences. Battlezone’s focus on a single-player campaign and a steep learning curve limited its broader appeal.
3. Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive
3.1 The Core Campaign
Battlezone’s story unfolds across the Jovian system, where the climactic conflict pits the US Forces against the Russian Federation and a mysterious Chtonian portal. As the player piloting an individual tank, you command squads in layer‑by‑layer encounters—from the subterranean tunnels of Ganymede to the sprawling floating cities of Europa. The original 1998 narrative treated war as a near‑tom‑down technodrama; Redux maintains that tone but couches it in more cinematic cut‑scenes.
3.2 The Red Odyssey Expansion
The Red Odyssey, re‑released in the bundle, extends the narrative by introducing two new factions:
- NSDF Black Dogs – A mercenary, hard‑edge detachment funded by the New Space Defense Fectorie.
- Chinese Red Army – An ideological response, adopting a craftier, guerrilla‑style play approach.
With 23 new missions and over 30 new vehicles, the DLC deepens the story with alternate flashbacks to the Cthonian conflict, exploring the under‑used theme of power‑politics in a space‑faring age.
3.3 Dialogue & Themes
The dialogue is crisp and purposeful, with a notable fashion for terse one‑liners. For example:
“Maintain formation. Do not let them break your shield.” – Field Commander Harris
Thematically, it wrestles with resource control in frontier wars, the ethics of uninhabited planetary bodies, and the notion of control vs. survival in a zero‑gravity environment. Its meager use of emotional arcs keeps the experience largely procedural, but the expansion’s added intertwining stories of hidden factions add a palatable layer of intrigue.
4. Gameplay Mechanics & Systems
| Sub‑topic | Summary |
|---|---|
| Core Loop | Tactical maneuvering (1st‑person) + Macro control (RTS) |
| UI | Modernized HUD with on‑screen joysticks for iOS, minimal HUD on PC |
| Units | Tiled squadrons, stealth jets, hover tanks; multiple units/characters control |
| Combat | Real‑time with auto‑fire (iOS only), aim assist (iOS only) |
| Progression | No traditional XP or arms upgrades; weapon & vehicle upgrades hinge on in‑mission rewards |
| Unique Mechanics | Cthonian portal that can warp units; cloaked vehicles carved into new missions |
4.1 Tactical Design
Each mission feels like a tightly choreographed bout. The 1st‑person diagonal‑down view retains the feel of the original while providing steeper depth perception than 1998’s flat map. The autonomous unit AI is competent but sometimes unforgiving: a visually placed unit can go silent as soon as an enemy appears, forcing the player to micromanage every turret. The UI allows macro‑commands via hotkeys or touch input on iOS – a welcome enhancement for handheld play.
4.2 Vehicle & Asset Refresh
UGC tells us the expansion provided “new vehicle textures” and “remodelled vehicles”. In practice, the updated models show improved polygon count and more realistic paint jobs. However, many vehicles look like high‑resolution re‑skins rather than fully redesigned hardware, with only aesthetic differences from the original 1998 roster.
4.3 Multiplayer & Mods
The original mapped out an online competitive model, but it remains erratic due to server instability and limited matchmaking features. Big Boat emphasized mod support in promotional material; however, the community pool is scant, largely due to the limited library of custom maps and lack of a built‑in workshop. The iOS version unfortunately does not share any multiplayer functionality with the PC/Mac releases, creating a fragmented player base.
4.4 Recurring Flaws
- Collision Issues – GPS‑based terrain can trigger “ghost collision” between units, especially in tight corners.
- Learning Curve – The interface demands an extended tutorial segment; newcomers often get overwhelmed by the sheer number of command options (formation, turret selection, defense AI).
- Sound Overlays – Despite being labelled as “enhanced lighting”, the audio layering (engine hums, ambient crackles) often feels over‑mixed, drowning important tactical cues.
5. World‑Building, Art & Sound
5.1 Visual Style
The classic Battlezone was distinguished by its flat, retro‑modern design, a feel that today can read as “retro‑futuristic.” The Redux remaster smooths the geometry, uses higher resolution textures, and introduces dynamic weather (steam plumes, orbital auroras). Yet the core color palette remains dull blue‑tinted—the hallmark of 1998 console graphics. Innovations such as dynamic lighting on the Jovian moons shine through, but a persistent lack of environmental variety—mostly barren mineral corpses—cuts off more immersive worldbuilding.
5.2 Atmosphere & Thematic Cohesion
The atmospheric engine, recovered from OGRE, attempts to simulate variable light intensity; however, the game rarely uses these effects to enhance the storytelling. The human struggle on the moons is conveyed through a series of cut‑scenes, but the visual transition into the Cthonian portal scenes is often under‑scaled, lacking the cosmic grandeur that could be imagined.
5.3 Sound Design
The original’s sound pallets were first‑generation, but the Redux version tried to modernise with positional sound and dynamic layers, including verb reverb tailored to the open macro spaces. That said, the UI beep tones often clash with in‑game audio, making it difficult to gauge when an enemy silhouette lands in the peripheral view. Voice‑overs are crisp, with emotive delivery, but the ambient noise is bland, missing the sense of a bustling orbital base.
6. Reception & Legacy
6.1 Critical & Player Ratings
| Platform | Average Score | Rating Breakdown |
|---|---|---|
| PC (Steam) | 1.1 / 5 | No listed critic reviews; single player rating. |
| iOS / Mac | 1.1 / 5 | Similar absence of community reviews. |
The lack of critical coverage is sobering: no major outlet defined a stance on the title. The MobyGames community’s single rating suggests a niche but largely indifferent reception.
6.2 Commercial Impact
Despite promotion on Steam, the game infamously under‑performed, languishing below 10,000 downloads compared to its 2016 contemporaries. The iOS version sells at roughly $10, reflecting a “budget” model for retro nostalgia.
6.3 Influence on the Genre
While Battlezone 98 Redux did not spark a new wave of retro RTS remasters, it did prove that relocation and basic re‑engineering of a classic engine could be effected with analog UI hugging a 2010s polish. Indirectly, its modular use of the OGRE engine and a champion of mod support paved the way for subsequent small studios to pick up older franchises and build modding communities.
6.4 Evolution of the Bardock Legacy
Post-Redux, Battlezone 2 (2024) and Battlezone: Combat Commander – Remastered dropped notable improvements: improved AI, a full cross‑play system, and a modernized campaign narrative. In that context, the 2016 edition often reads like a bridge that failed to solidify a flagship franchise.
7. Conclusion
Battlezone 98 Redux: Odyssey Edition is a respectable, if not spectacular, homage to a forgotten RTS staple. It delivers:
- Remastered visuals that lighten and clarify an otherwise dated 1998 engine.
- Expanded content via The Red Odyssey, with extra factions, vehicles, and missions.
- Portability across Windows, macOS, iOS – making it a widely playable nostalgic experience.
What it struggles to achieve:
- Innovative gameplay – the core loops feel dated and can overtax new players.
- Polish – technical glitches, audio inconsistencies, and a fragmented multiplayer ecosystem hinder immersion.
- Narrative depth – the story stays rugged and linear; thematic ties are poorly explored.
In the canon of Battlezone, the Odyssey Edition stands as a commemoration that missed its mark. For ardent fans, it remains a valuable artifact – a faithful door into a 90s era of RTS. For the broader audience, especially in the modern war‑strategy scene, it lags behind more refined contemporaries.
Verdict: A niche relic worth experiencing if you appreciate retro RTS history, but unlikely to upset the balance of the genre’s modern standards.