Fans of
the old arcade-style game, it’s time to rejoice.
If you
plunked a stream of quarters into an old arcade game called R-Type, then Fresh
Games, Irem Software and Eidos Interactive has just the treat you’ve been
waiting for. R-Type Final, a PlayStation2 release, captures the joys and essence
of the old arcade shooter while bringing fresh environments to the effort.
For
those blissfully unaware of what this title is, here is a synopsis. You have a
ship that moves up and down, left-to-right-left-right on the screen. Enemies pop
up in your path, some shooting at you, some laying down debris and mines that
will damage or destroy your ship. You shoot them, avoid the obstacles when
necessary, and move as far right as you can until you reach the end of the
level. Load time – new level, repeat, though against tougher opposition.
The
enemy is the Bydo, a living weapons system that has self-replicating properties.
Almost 500 years have passed since the first encounter with the Bydo. Four wars
were fought and in each instance, humanity was victorious. But the Bydo kept
returning, stronger than before. And now it has returned, for a fifth and final
showdown.
But
humanity has a surprise in store – new ships and weapons. This war, the final
battle, will either see the Bydo destroyed, or humanity.
The
game itself is a progressive romp through levels that will challenge, whether at
the ‘baby’ difficulty setting or all the way up to the R-Typer (most difficult)
setting. Ships can be customized with color, missiles and Bits. (Bits are combat
support units that attach to your fighter.)
As the
game begins, you have the option of selecting from one of three ships. As the
game is also about collecting data of the Bydo, you can select from scout ships
to collect data faster. The progression is quite simple – the further into the
game you go, the more data you collect on the Bydo, and the better equipped you
will ultimately become.
Weaponry ranges from the wave cannons, and force weapons, as well as missiles,
POW armor power-ups.
From
this point, the game becomes a simple affair: enter a level, destroy everything
you can without having your ship destroyed and traverse the field all the way to
the right to fight through to the next level.
The
game’s sound is well done, and a nice adjunct to the action, but that is not the
real star of this title.
Remember, this is a side-scrolling title, and in spite of that, R-Type Final
sports wonderful three-dimensional backdrops. The effects are also very nicely
done.
Ok,
R-Type Final, in many ways, harkens back to the old arcade days, but this game
looks very good and plays well. It is a great diversionary title, rife with
action and some minor strategic game play. If you want to relive the days of
yore, when you gathered around the huge arcade machines and frantically pounded
fire buttons and slammed the joystick around like a jackhammer, then this game
is perfect. Yes, the control elements don’t require that manic manhandling and
abuse the big arcade machines took, but this game captures the spirit of the old
titles while upgrading it graphically for the next generation of gaming systems.
Gameplay: 7.8
This is
an arcade game, albeit with some serious graphical upgrades. It is also a
side-scrolling vehicle, so expect limited movement, as well as load times for
levels.
Graphics: 8.5
The
three-dimensional graphical elements are superb. While the whole format is
familiar, that does not stop this game from being a lush and colorful journey.
Sound: 7.7
The
sound does a nice job of supported the graphical elements.
Difficulty: Medium
This is
a game that gets progressively tougher as you go, and contains five difficulty
levels to challenge any player.
Concept: 7.8
The
interface is simple, and this is a nice update on an old favorite game.
Overall: 8.1
R-Type
Final has a nice options package, terrific graphical elements and is quite
enjoyable. The old arcade, side-scrolling game never looked this good. If you
are going to update a game, it’s very nice to see if done so well.
