R-Type Final Review

Developer	Irem
Publisher	Eidos
Genre	Shooter

The gaming landscape has changed drastically since 1987 when the first R-Type game hit the scene. No longer are shooters required playing for gamers and no longer do they flood arcades and home consoles. Gone are the Thunder Forces, the Raidens, and the 1942s. In fact, outside of less than a handful of releases per year, the shooter is all but extinct. It’s funny, then, when noting how gaming has changed, to also note how R-Type has remained the same. Seventeen years later, the formula is set in stone and hardly deviated from, which is also a testament to how solid these games are. And while R-Type Final does nothing to stray from the franchise’s history, that is in no way a bad thing.

Gamers unfamiliar with the R-Type franchise may be surprised to find out that it’s not the typical frantic, white-knuckled shooter. It can best be described as an “intellectual shooter”, if such a thing even exists. R-Type has always relied on strategy, reflexes, and a healthy dose of memorization in a 2D setting. Oh, and it’s always been tough as nails. You’ll get no handholding in the R-Type universe.

Gameplay - As stated earlier, R-Type Final doesn’t deviate from the formula that made the franchise legendary. Rather, it embraces it, fleshes it out, and nearly perfects it in every way. In this final battle, your job is to rid the universe of the Bydo, the “living embodiment of evil”, once and for all. To aid you in your quest, Irem has included an astonishing 100 ships to unlock. While the differences between each are few, it’s still a nice option to be able to choose between so many spacecrafts. To make things more interesting, you’re allowed to customize the colors and capabilities of each ship. This adds a whole new element to the game, giving you the ability to custom fit your ship to the requirements of the next level and thus improving your chance of success.

As with any shooter worth its salt, R-Type contains a load of upgradeable weapons and features, the most important one being the “Force”. The Force is an indestructible pod that can attach itself to either the front or rear of your ship and be shot out at enemies or absorb enemy attacks. The Force also receives the same weapon upgrades your ship receives, essentially turning it into a remotely controlled second ship. By pressing the X button, you can detach the Force from your ship. Once detached, simply press the X button again to call it back. Learn to use the Force well [calm down, Star Wars geeks] as mastering it will help loads throughout the game.

The levels are superbly designed, throughout – except for the oddly barren first level, which at times is practically devoid of both enemy and scenery. Oddly, this break in action pops up a few times throughout the game and you’ll be flying around wondering when the next onslaught of enemies will strike. This peculiarity aside, R-Type fans will be ecstatic when they reach the staple “Big Ass Ship” level, an R-Type standard that requires you to gradually destroy a massive Bydo ship bit by bit. In a clever twist, each level now contains multiple paths to discover, adding an even deeper element of variety.

While the basic fundamentals have remained, unfortunately, another thing that hasn’t changed with R-Type Final is the slowdown that has plagued this series since the beginning. When the screen gets cluttered up with scads of Bydo ships, the game starts chugging like a freight train. To the R-Type faithful, this may seem like an endearing flaw, but to us, we’d much rather have our shooter run silky smooth on the PS2, thank you very much.

The game features various modes of play, should you need a break from the grueling solo action. One of the more bizarre modes is the AI Vs. Mode, in which you customize a fighter’s tactics, send him off into battle, and watch how he fares. Also included are an elimination-style Championship Mode and a Battle Mode, which is not quite what we were hoping for. Rather than allowing you to face off against a friend, you face off against a friend’s customized fighter. In the end, none of these modes will get much attention, as single player is the most compelling aspect of the game.

Graphics - Visually, it’s hard not to be impressed by how far R-Type has come. The game has always wowed shooter fans, but the power of the PS2 brings it to a whole new level. The level designs are absolutely gorgeous (for the most part) and there is an incredible amount of technical eye candy to behold. Enemy explosions light up the screen, and the amount of detail given to the scenery is quite impressive.

I mentioned the slowdown above and unfortunately it is a factor in the enjoyment of the game’s visual department. All of the skillfully designed enemies and beautiful backgrounds are sometimes difficult to enjoy when distracted by painful slowdown. It’s a shame Irem couldn’t get this part of the game taken care of.

Sound - And what would a killer shooter be without a killer soundtrack? R-Type Final is a bit more techno than its wanky guitar rock older brothers, but the fit is a good one. There’s nothing like a solid kick drum and an electronic-based riff to get you into the right frame of mind (trance) for a shooter. Concentration is key in a game like R-Type and the music used throughout enables that perfectly while melding seamlessly with the onscreen explosions, gunfire, and enemy blips. Brilliantly executed.

Bottom Line - Personally, it’s sad for me to see a series that I grew up with come to a close. Shooters are a dying breed and R-Type has always ranked among the shooter elite. With R-Type Final, we get a game that pays tribute to its legacy by going out with a bang. It does so not by trying to add too much or expand too deeply, but by mastering the style it has become known for. While the game suffers from a bit of slowdown and some oddly noticeable breaks in the action, R-Type Final does the franchise proud.

Simply stated: despite a few minor flaws, R-Type Final is a must-own for all shooting fans. The end.

Review by John Luedtke