Like mama used to make
The shoot ‘em up genre has been around a long time. There are several familiar names including Darius, Gradius, and of course R-Type. Each one might seem identical to the uninitiated, but each one brings its own flavor. It is also a genre that is so niche that most releases are ignored by the majority of the gaming community. So, when R-Type Final 2 was announced to be coming I was excited. I grew up playing these types of games and they are a great palette cleanser in a world of a lot of paint-by-numbers types of games. R-Type Final 2 keeps the formula from previous games while adding a ton of quality of life enhancements and of course some of the best presentation in the genre, but it also comes with a price tag to match it.
R-Type has always had its own style and pace. Final 2 continues that with a more methodical approach to the genre. There are no screens full of bullets and constant blasts of speed. Instead R-Type is more about taking time to move through the levels and planning your path and knowing when to use specific powers. Each ship has a front-loaded device that can be launched, and power-ups are added to creating multiple ways to take down foes. The game is also extremely challenging with one hit leading to death. I like that this version offers up plenty of difficulty options so players of any skill can join in the fun.
MSRP: $39.99
Platforms: XSX (reviewed), XSS, XB1, PS4, PS5, Switch, PC
Price I’d Pay: $29.99
Each level is delicately designed to feature narrow paths and hordes of uniquely designed enemies. The game looks absolutely jaw dropping on my OLED TV. Watching the neon lasers fly back and forth while grotesque alien creatures funnel out of the ceilings and floors is truly a treat for the eyes. Keeping track of all of this while knowing which attacks to send out are crucial. I like that the team at IREM have added the ability to hold down the trigger for constant fire, seeing as R-Type games have always made players manually press for each shot.
Every stage in the game feels unique and fresh and usually ends with a screen-filling boss that rounds out the experience. I loved making it to the next one to see what insanity they would come up with. There are power-ups along the way and dying for me was less about doing it again than it was losing my super powerful attacks.
There are also a ton of customization options for this entry. Players can change the gender of their pilot as well as their gear and colors for the gear and ship. There are a ton of ships to unlock too so it adds replay value outside of racking up higher scores. There is even a photo mode to take a dramatic screenshot of your pilot and ship. This all seems weird as the pilot during game play is so miniscule it nigh impossible to make out my customizations.
The biggest qualm I have with the game is a common occurrence with these nostalgic titles. The price to entry is steep. This is not a $20 or even $30 game, which will turn off some users. Asking $40 or even $60 in the case of the Deluxe Edition is very steep for a title like this. Granted this is a niche genre that people like me will definitely want to jump into, so I get it, but that makes it less appealing for those wanting to check it out when word of mouth gets around.
R-Type Final 2 is a wonderful follow-up to a classic series that I will always be down for more of. The steep price will turn off some, but once you get into the action it truly is one of the most satisfying genres around. I want more games of this type, but I feel like we will continue to see less and less of them as time goes on. I am always happy to jump into one whenever they release though and fans of classic shmupsdefinitely need to check this one out.
Review copy of game provided by publisher.
