R-Type Final

"Thank you Irem!!"

Main Features

- pretty graphics
- good, solid gameplay
- lots of ''hidden'' level variations, and 100 ships (replay!)
- history and story of R-Type explained a bit more

Graphics

R-Type Final really pushes the PS2 in the graphics category. The screen shots you see on web sites just do not do this game justice, as good as they may look. Upon seeing this game on your own TV -- even a cheap one -- you will realize how much work was put into making this game look great. The R-Type series has always had top-notch graphics, and R-Type Final takes it to the max. Just to give you and idea of how much detail:

If you were wowed by the water effects in Baldur's Gate: Dark Alliance (and its sequel), you will more amazed when you see the water effects in this game.

Stage 2 (in one of its many variations) has just as much going on in the background areas as the foreground.

During stage 3, when you shoot down certain objects, you will actually see the object get blasted into tiny pieces, and each bit of debris left behind is shown falling down until it finally hits bottom. Also, near the beginning of the stage, the backdrop is a real-time-rendered view of a large city and it looks very, very realistic.

Explosions -- oh my! When you see the destruction of the first boss, you may have to ask yourself why all the other games don't have explosions that are this amazing!

Regarding Slowdown

Many people complain about slowdown in this game. Yes, it exists (only in certain spots) as it does in any shooter. However, there are stages which are purposely made to animate slowly (e.g. stage 3) in an artistic manner. (The level scrolls slowly, but the enemies move at the same speed as in any other level -- too many people think this is somehow game slowdown when in fact it's all in the presentation of the level) R-Typers who play through stage 3 will realize that in all other R-Type games having a similar stage, the scrolling is always much slower than the other stages -- in R-Type Final, they keep it very much the same as a tribute to the fans.

Gameplay

If you are an R-Type fan, you'll be glad to know that the game has R-Typer difficulty to satiate your thirst for a tough shmup. If you're totally new to this game, there are easier levels to get you started. There's even a tutorial mode!

The controller layout is well though-out, though customizable should you have your own, preferred setup. Not much has changed since R-Type Delta in terms of gameplay -- it's R-Type at its best as usual.

In the really early games in the series, ship speed was determined by power-ups. Now you can manually increase/decrease your speeds (4 different speed levels). There are plenty of spots in which you want to slow down to levels 1 or 2, and plenty in which speed level 4 makes avoiding death much much easier.

Sound

Not much to say here other than it has nothing which will make you groan as you play through the game. The game's music starts off as eerie, and gradually builds in excitement. The 5th level's music is probably my favorite.

Value and Replay Value

- 100 ships to unlock
- ships are customizable in terms of canopy color, body color, bomb type, and missile type
- several stages have several different presentations so that you likely never be playing the exact same game the next time around
- learn more about the story and history of R-Type in the various galleries and museums (unlocked by fulfilling certain conditions)
- at only $30.00, you don't want to miss out

If your a shmup fan, and have the cash, make this game part of your collection! (Ikaruga and the up-coming Gradius V are two others to think about.)

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/05/04