Rebel Galaxy Outlaw has been announced with a trailer.

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Find out more at RebelGalaxyOutlaw.com

Well hello there! Sandar D'Truz is very pleased to announce Rebel Galaxy Outlaw. We'd settle for nothing less than the universe's most trustworthy spokesman to break the news. Spokes-person. Spokes-alien? Whatever.

In "Will There Ever Be A Space Game I Want to Play?", RPS's John Walker starts out cynical about Rebel Galaxy, then changes his tune.

I think this process has helped me better analyse what it is I do want from a space game. It sure as hell isn’t shopping and spreadsheets. I think what I want is the basics here, minus the trading, and with one hell of a dose of story. The narrative in Rebel Galaxy is some absolute dross about a missing aunt, a mysterious object containing an AI who’s lost her memory (FFS), and it pretends that your replies make a difference. The idea of having something like a Mass Effect plot, but where my primary roll isn’t trotting about on the ground and hiding behind waist-high walls, but flying about in my Firefly-class ship, blowing up baddies (or goodies) and looting the crap out of the universe. But with some motivation! Some reason for doing it, beyond a feeble nothingness like here, or the “freeform, open world” excuse used by so many other space shopping games.

And without a single fucking spreadsheet, thankyouverymuch. I’m putting off doing my real life taxes just fine on my own.

As for Rebel Galaxy, well, you’d do well to read Brendy’s review of it from a couple of months back, and I largely agree with his complaints (other than the music, the darned fool). Although I think the game he’d prefer would be wildly different than the one I’m after. I’m in no way interested in the ludicrous complexity and anonymity of Elite. Perhaps, maybe, one day someone will create a story-driven space game with fighty-fighty ships. But I fear if they do, they’ll fill it full of spreadsheets, because bloody hell, they always do.

More information.

Great article about the making of Rebel Galaxy and the history of the devs:

And Then There Were Two: The Making of Rebel Galaxy – Chapter 1

Navigating a series of professional peaks and valleys, Erich Schaefer and Travis Baldree consider leaving Runic Games to form a new development studio. Their team: just the two of them.

And Then There Were Two

Written by David L. Craddock

Chapter 1: Downsizing

From the Rubble
A dirt path cuts through the heart of Tristram’s town square and leads into the mouth of the cathedral, lolling out of the entryway like a profane tongue. The path is well-trodden, frequented by millions of gamers offline and on Blizzard’s free Battle.net server. Back and forth they walk, receiving convalescence from the healer, implements of steel from the blacksmith, and information as old and mystical as the town elder who disseminates it. Then they follow the path back to the cathedral, stepping into the blood-red light that pours from its maw, letting it swallow them whole.

Erich Schaefer knows that path better than anyone. He should. He paved it.

In 1993, Erich and his brother Max cofounded Condor, Inc., with David Brevik, a mutual friend they met while working at a clipart company called FM Waves. They ran Condor on a shoestring budget, hiring programmers and artists to plug away at meager contracts for console games such Justice League Task Force on Sega Genesis and a few football games for Nintendo’s Game Boy.

[...]

VGBlogger have a positive review of Rebel Galaxy.

Rebel Galaxy is a visually stunning game. Flying at warp speed through star systems rich with junk and ice and asteroid belts is truly a sight to behold. Flying too close to a planet and having the gravitational friction heat and blur the screen is another wondrous touch. Volleys of missiles and streams of lasers aiming with deadly accuracy at your spacecraft is a feast for the eyes. Hell even the size and scope of ships is truly mesmerizing. The initial ship players begin with pales in comparison to the massive size of a Dreadnaught class ship. Underneath the gorgeous hood, every ship has different turret loadouts and carrying capacities, and the speed and handling for each craft feels markedly different (and that’s a good thing).

One final item that can’t be overlooked is the music. Rebel Galaxy has a fantastic rockabilly sentiment that is highly reminiscent of the TV show Firefly. It’s a sort of twangy trucker rock ‘n roll that adds a wonderful layer to the game’s atmosphere. However, for players who grow tired of the same tracks playing over again and again, the developers offer an option to load custom music when the game launches, which is a nice touch.

Currently Rebel Galaxy is available only on PC/Mac, but Double Damage has plans to launch the game on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One at some point in the future, so console gamers have great things to look forward to. Players who enjoy a good story will not be disappointed. Players who love tactical combat will not be disappointed. Players who love visually stunning space battles and exploration will not be disappointed. In other words, Rebel Galaxy is a gem of game that should not be missed.

Thanks Eye.

Malaysian Gamer has reviewed the Space RPG Rebel Galaxy:

There aren't many games out there like Rebel Galaxy. Sure, it's in space, you fly around a ship, you can fight or trade. But at its core, Rebel Galaxy is a very different style of space game. There are similarities here to an action RPG... but it's not really an action RPG. Read on for my review of Rebel Galaxy.

[...]

There's so much more to Rebel Galaxy. You can be a bounty hunter, a smuggler that trades illegal stuff, a pirate preying on traders. It’s a massive game that you can jump in, do your money making run, and hop out. There’s certainly an element of grind and repetition that might throw off some people, but if you get into the whole amass wealth to get the biggest ship this side of the galaxy and be a space cowboy, you’ll love it. Rebel Galaxy is best played in spurts rather than one long session. It’s a surprisingly great first title for a new indie studio with great price too.

Gamasutra with some interesting background info:

How 2 Torchlight devs used new tricks to build an old-school space game

Game development has changed significantly in the last twenty years, and as many developers push through a daunting discoverability problem it's worth taking a moment to study how others have adapted to thrive in the midst of that ol' "indiepocalypse."

Erich Schaefer and Travis Baldree are a prime example. The pair went indie last year, forming the two-man studio Double Damage Games, and last month they released their debut game: Rebel Galaxy, a sprawling Elite-esque space game that quickly climbed into Steam's top charts.

[...]

Patch 1.0.4 for Rebel Galaxy improves a lot of things:

Here they are!

1. Tons of escort mission improvements. Escorted ships will blow the crud out of any asteroids in their way. Your ship also won't noodle off into the distance if they react to damage from other ships. Also, escort missions are always to outposts - not stations just on the other side of an annoying planet. Lots of good stuff.
2. Can disable camera shake from the launcher if it makes you ill
3. Fixed a rare mission-related crash
4. Nasty Surprise mission doesn't have as huge of a Faction penalty
5. Antimatter drive mk1 and EMP Nova weapons aren't available ( they weren't intended to be for sale, and EMP Nova doesn't even work!)
6. Fixed a few mission spawns that were confusing/inappropriate factions
7. Mission waypoints on a jumpgate also show the NAME of the target system
8. The Radovich is no longer flagged as a miner. I.E. it won't independently decide to blow up asteroids on your behalf.
9. Fixed rare secondary weapon swapping crash.
10. Fixed super-rare case where a bunch of moons around a planet would cause a station to spawn IN a planet
11. In cases where the window is resized from the desired resolution to something that actually fits on the desktop, mouse aspect ratio is corrected so that mouse clicks aren't 'off'
12. AI turrets properly take into account range increase from range extenders in all situations
13. Fragment Recovery mission Hexxite is indestructible until revealed by a pulse
14. Korian Super Swarm mission tweaked
15. Militia bribe chance increased
16. Player turrets now have extra simulation ticks in low-fps situations to prevent bobbling in low FPS. (hopefully)
17. Meet Zenya mission - conversation activation range doubled, and an additional tip reminding you to scan ALL traders was added.
18. To reduce exploitability, traders will only offer to purchase between 1 and 5 of your cargo components ( no more guaranteed high-priced sale of 20 meteoric diamonds, sorry! 

Here are a bunch of reviews for Rebel Galaxy, many of which have been spotted by Eye.

Wolf's Gaming Blog

Despite the fact that the entire game essentially boils down to flyin’ and fightin’ Rebel Galaxy is without a doubt one of my favorite games of the year. Make no mistake, I’m not saying it’s one of the best games of the year; that repetitive structure will put a lot of people off and the combat isn’t exactly deep, but it has clicked with me  and I can see it potentially making my list of top games of 2015. Once it grabs hold of you it doesn’t let go, demanding that you keep flying through the Verse’, grabbing more gear and new missions. It’s the Torchlight of space, and while it doesn’t offer the same level of complexity as other space sims on the market it brings to the table its own charms.

IGN, 8

In some ways it’s a bare-bones game, but in the proud tradition of classics like Wing Commander: Privateer and Freelancer, Rebel Galaxy makes a lot out of a little by giving you the freedom to captain your ship as you please and pursue your own fortune in a region of space loaded with pirates and opportunity. While it's not as deep as it first appears, fun and fast naval-style combat and a vast explorable galaxy made me want to try out each of its different styles of captaining, and kept me happily blasting away.

Grogheads (a review by two persons)

Rebel Galaxy is sure to survive on our systems for a long, long time. The fast-paced action and interaction (with NPCs and Stations) coupled with an immersive look and gritty sound makes buying Rebel Galaxy a great deal for the space privateer.

Gone wiht the Win, 9

This game is fun, and I’m pretty much loving every second of it. There’s so much going on, from getting that next upgrade, from blowing up that next frigate, whizzing into pure chaos just to nab a dead drop item in between thousands of crisscrossing missiles and energy beams burning a hole in my hairy aft. Rebel Galaxy has left me thoroughly impressed and completely addicted. This game is huge. This game is long. This game is everything you ever wanted out of a modern Privateer sequel, or a spiritual homage to Firefly. Thanks to Rebel Galaxy, it will be a long time before I pry myself out of this captain’s chair.

Coin-op

Overall, Rebel Galaxy is a fantastic space opera you shouldn’t miss.  With hours upon hours of gameplay built with a huge dose of player freedom, you will receive a huge bang for your gaming dollar.  It is out on Steam on October 20, 2015 for $20 USD and plans to show up on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in the future.

Grabit Magazine, 4.5/5

For a long time, one game has held a special place in my heart for being the closest thing to the Han Solo experience I've always wanted. Freelancer, released back in 2003 by veterans of the classic Wing Commander series, consumed many, many hours of my life. It was my definitive space adventure - until now, that is. Rebel Galaxy is everything Freelancer was, but better. It's an incredible achievement given the size of the team behind it. Double Damage consists of just two guys: Travis Baldree and Erich Schaefer, previously of Runic Games, the studio responsible for the Torchlight series. They didn't work entirely alone - they hired art and music contractors to assist them - but for the most part, Rebel Galaxy is their child. They deserve to be proud.

Eurogamer

Rebel Galaxy certainly isn't bad, not by any stretch, and hidden amongst its repetition there are pockets of excitement just waiting to be found. It's satisfying the first time you pummel a new and powerful class of ship into space dust, or exciting when the game's plodding plot finally puts you in a new place with new things to try, but these moments are not only too few and too far between, they also make everything else feel like a diversion. Another routine Space Duel is a diversion. Warping into another asteroid field, which you have to tediously navigate your way back out of, is a diversion. While it's great that there are emergent events happening out in space, most of these are also just another diversion.

Giant Bomb play through Rebel Galaxy for 44 min offering there commentary on proceedings.

This game is giving me a serious Freelancer vibe which is a very good thing indeed.

Good reviews for Rebel Galaxy keep coming:

High-Def Digest:

Introduction

Developed by Double Damage Games, 'Rebel Galaxy' is a capital spaceship sim. Double Damage is led by Erich Schaefer, co-founder of Blizzard North, and Travis Baldree, creator of 'Fate'. The two previously collaborated at Runic Games, where they made 'Torchlight'.

The Game Itself: Our Reviewer's Take

'Rebel Galaxy' is mostly about space combat, but perhaps not as most players are accustomed to it. The ship is huge, definitely a capital vessel, not one of the tiny dogfighters that can be found in most sims. Most of the enemies, however, are dogfighters. When they swarm together like flies, they become a threat. Even with many of them on the field, the stalwart capital can take a beating. As the pilot I am expected to manage and track all targets, no matter how fast and tiny they are, keep enemy fire distributed across my shields evenly so as to avoid disastrous hull breaches, and blow up incoming projectiles, not to mention actually moving my ship around. Being a spaceship pilot is a tough job, but in 'Rebel Galaxy' it’s also a blast.

[...]

Final Thoughts:

'Rebel Galaxy' comes out of left field - an adept and fun space sim from two developers who have spent decades working on RPGs. If you have ever wanted to fly a capital ship of your very own and blow up pirates (or become one), your opportunity has arrived at last.

Score: 4/5

Brutal Gamer:

You just barely survived your latest skirmish with some bandits, shields are busted. Ammo depleted. You jump to warp toward the nearest space stationCA to patch up whats left of your ship. And then you are pulled out of warp by a group of hostiles. What do you do?

This was exactly what happened to me while playing Rebel Galaxy. Battered and bruised, I thought I was a goner. Hit the boosters and let my hired mercenary tend to the hostiles around us. I was having none of this right now, I needed to repair my ship. Now.

You are a young budding pilot who recieved a cryptic message from your Aunt Juno, leading you to strike out and find her. Find her you do, and along the way you will mine asteroids, scavenge wreckages, deal with aliens and battle space pirates. Are you a do-gooder? A shifty privateer? Perhaps a crafty space trader? I’ll bet you land somewhere in between.

[...]

If you enjoy RPGs, simulators and/or Sci-fi, then you will want to pick up Rebel Galaxy.

Available October 20, 2015 on Steam and GOG.  Playstation 4, Xbox ONE and Mac versions will be available later in 2015. Check listings for announced date.

Run to your nearest Commodity Market and grab your copy today!

Score: 9.5 / 10

TMC:

In a backwater region of space, a single vessel embarks on a tireless crusade to bring Justice to the people. In an indistinguishable system, another ship undocks, bristling with mining lasers, to make its way to a nearby asteroid field in search of hidden riches. And elsewhere, a third craft sets off hunting miners, traders, and merchants; a captain out to make name for themselves as a pirate, the law be damned!

[...]

Even in the face of those minor flaws, though, Rebel Galaxy looks to be a solid single-player entry into a genre rapidly filling with multi-player offerings. While it may not feature the slick ship design of Star Citizen, or the massive combats of EVE Online, Rebel Galaxy does give its players something none of the other recent offerings do: a sandbox game where they can get their fix for explosions and making money in a quick, limited investment of time. If you’ve got half an hour, you can get in a mission, maybe two. And if you have more time, longer missions and battles await - all in a backwater cluster of systems in a part of the galaxy where decent people are scarce, but opportunities abound.

Rebel Galaxy gets more praise at Tech-Gaming:

One of the downsides of a risk-adverse game industry is that developers often stick with proven concepts instead of trying out new ideas. Generally, this approach could be used to retrace the careers of Erich Schaefer and Travis Baldree, the duo responsible for Torchlight and its sequel when working together at Runic Games. Previously, each had worked on number of preceding hack-and-slash titles- with Schaefer having a hand in the creation Diablo 1 and 2 while Baldree labored on Mythos and Fate. Review the resumes of each developer, and the notable deviation you’ll find is Schaefer’s involvement in Hellgate: London, the ill-fated action-role playing game that tried to transpose the loot-and-lumber formula into a first-person perspective.

With the release of Rebel Galaxy, the two-man team tackle a completely different genre, offering an involved space-sim that adeptly balances accessibility with intricacy. While the PC title might not have the complexity to woo players seeking an excessively complicated simulation, those looking for an open-world excursion may want to ease into the threadbare upholstery of the captain’s chair.  Commandeering a succession of increasingly powerful vessels, you’ll assume the role of either trader or trader as you pursue economic success in a star-scape teeming with sycophantic scoundrels. [...]

Rebel Galaxy is indie gaming at its best. Removed from the burden to kowtow to crowdsourced backers and the type of focus testing that’s ubiquitous for larger publishers, the title lets two auteurs chase their ambitions. While some might be content with seeing Schaefer and Baldree continue Torchlight until the fun and funds began to whither, Rebel Galaxy feel like a project that’s driven by passion, with the duo (and a handful of contractors) building the game that they would want to play. It’s good enough to make you wonder what other wunderkind and hampered by the lure of design conformity.

Summary : Until Stardock makes good on their Star Control reboot, this is the open-world, antagonistic galaxy you’ll want to trade, fly, and fight in. The latter is especially strong, with Rebel Galaxy’s combat outshining most space skirmishes of the last decade.

Score: 86%

Gameplay - 90%
Story - 75%
Aesthetics - 90%
Content - 90%
Accessibility - 85%

Thanks Eye!

Jeff Sproul from Game Tabloid, must have been very happy to review Rebel Galaxy as he awarded it a solid 10.

All in all, this is a fantastically developed game. I literally can’t find anything lacking. Some might feel that the game is made for a more casual space sim crowd, but I don’t feel it has lessened the game in any way. There is perfect blend of simplicity, features, and gameplay, and Rebel Galaxy pulls this off better than any I’ve seen. It’s full of content, looks great, and plays even better. The controls are very smooth, though I certainly felt it was best enjoyed with a controller (though this is not necessary). So if you’re a fan of space sims or space arcade games, this is certainly worth a purchase as well. Speaking of which, the game will release on Steam October 20th at the the extremely more than reasonable $20. In fact, the game is a steal at this price and I was honestly quite shocked to find out it would be launching at such a low cost. It has higher quality and more content than most games price $50-$60, but Double Damage has decided to make an amazing game and put it at an amazing price. What more could you ask for?

Thanks Eye.

Rebel Galaxy is announced for October 20. Here's some unedited gameplay:

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A little unedited gameplay with narration, showing a small slice of what you can expect from Rebel Galaxy. Thrill to the dulcet sounds of my voice! Dude, who smacks their lips that much? Jeez.

The swashbuckling space-adventure Rebel Galaxy will be released on October 20.

Here's the trailer:

Rebel Galaxy is a swashbuckling space adventure, with action-packed combat, exploration, discovery, trade, and “negotiation” with the outlandish denizens at the edge of the known universe.