This new shooter checks out a lot of my boxes, but I think it's missing something I can't quite put my finger on.
Let's have some feedback!
2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
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VideoGameCritic
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MSR1701
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
I was tempted to get the Switch version, but ultimately was turned off by the graphic art style; unless we're talking PSX-style 3D, I GREATLY prefer pixel art for my shooters whenever possible, especially for a series with such a history as R-Type.
Good to see it get a good score (though for a different system
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Good to see it get a good score (though for a different system
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Matchstick
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
I loooooove shoot-'em-ups, but I've just never been the biggest fan of the R-Type series.
My biggest gripe is the checkpoint system, where, if you die, the game boots you back to some arbitrary point earlier in the stage. I greatly prefer games that let you pick up right where you left off (the Darius series, MUSHA, Ikaruga) versus games that punish you so harshly for dying, especially in games where your ship can only take one hit.
Though it makes you restart the entire level when you die, I've always liked the system in UN Squadron where taking a hit forces you into a Warning Mode and, if you can avoid damage for a few seconds, you'll cool down and be able to take another hit. Classic shooters that either start you right back where you died or give you a one or two-hit buffer before you are forced to restart get much more play from me.
Does this R-Type have a checkpoint system like the older games, or do you get to start right where you left off after you lose a life? I don't recall seeing a mention of that in the review. It'll go a long way in determining whether I pick this one up for myself or not!
My biggest gripe is the checkpoint system, where, if you die, the game boots you back to some arbitrary point earlier in the stage. I greatly prefer games that let you pick up right where you left off (the Darius series, MUSHA, Ikaruga) versus games that punish you so harshly for dying, especially in games where your ship can only take one hit.
Though it makes you restart the entire level when you die, I've always liked the system in UN Squadron where taking a hit forces you into a Warning Mode and, if you can avoid damage for a few seconds, you'll cool down and be able to take another hit. Classic shooters that either start you right back where you died or give you a one or two-hit buffer before you are forced to restart get much more play from me.
Does this R-Type have a checkpoint system like the older games, or do you get to start right where you left off after you lose a life? I don't recall seeing a mention of that in the review. It'll go a long way in determining whether I pick this one up for myself or not!
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BlasteroidAli
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
It is a great review I am glad I did not buy it. It just does not look like it has the chops to beat the Premier Shooter of all Time.. what game am I talking about? Trevor McFur in Crescent galaxy of course.
Though if it was a bit cheaper I might be tempted. Although I do not have a Switch or a ps4 so I am not going to be playing it anyway. I may get one at some point. You can never say never.
Though if it was a bit cheaper I might be tempted. Although I do not have a Switch or a ps4 so I am not going to be playing it anyway. I may get one at some point. You can never say never.
Last edited by BlasteroidAli on August 6th, 2021, 6:25 am, edited 1 time in total.
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GeoX
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
“It’s easy to run out of real estate and put yourself in a corner”
Hey!
Nobody puts baby in a corner!
Hey!
Nobody puts baby in a corner!
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VideoGameCritic
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
GeoX wrote:“It’s easy to run out of real estate and put yourself in a corner”
Hey!
Nobody puts baby in a corner!
Well done. I can't imagine many of my reviews evoking quotes from Dirty Dancing.
Believe me when I say that was not my intention.
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BlasteroidAli
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
Joking aside it looks to be a great game. If I had a ps4 it would be a worthy purchase. Well at 20 bucks tops. What I like about the review is that it says what is great about the game then tells you what is off and why it got a b instead of an A. R type was one of those games when it first came out, it was like wow. It lead the pack and this game seems like it wants to but need more work on the later levels.
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Matchstick
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
I was poking around on the Switch eShop the other night and noticed this game had a demo. As I was still curious about how it played and how the checkpoint system was implemented, I decided to give it a go.
Yep, same classic R-Type checkpoint system. Sigh. The game's difficulty isn't punishing by any means, but man, are you ever dead meat if you lose a life and have to fight your way back to the boss with no powerups. Sure, R-Type isn't the only game to do this, but I guess I was just curious if it had a more modern checkpoint / rewind system or not. No dice.
One thing that didn't get mentioned in the review is the questionable amount of paid DLC content. By my guess, there are at least three different "Mission Packs" that are for sale in the eShop for around $25, total. All together, they add 7 more stages to the game. I... don't know how to feel about this.
Granted, the game seemed to have a solid amount of content for a classic shooter, but locking 7 stages behind a DLC paywall seems a little sketchy to me. Not to mention that the game goes for $40, with the DLC bumping the price up to around $65 - AKA, standard retail price for a modern game. I don't think this is a coincidence.
Were these missions included in the PS4 version, or is this DLC only present in the Switch version?
Yep, same classic R-Type checkpoint system. Sigh. The game's difficulty isn't punishing by any means, but man, are you ever dead meat if you lose a life and have to fight your way back to the boss with no powerups. Sure, R-Type isn't the only game to do this, but I guess I was just curious if it had a more modern checkpoint / rewind system or not. No dice.
One thing that didn't get mentioned in the review is the questionable amount of paid DLC content. By my guess, there are at least three different "Mission Packs" that are for sale in the eShop for around $25, total. All together, they add 7 more stages to the game. I... don't know how to feel about this.
Granted, the game seemed to have a solid amount of content for a classic shooter, but locking 7 stages behind a DLC paywall seems a little sketchy to me. Not to mention that the game goes for $40, with the DLC bumping the price up to around $65 - AKA, standard retail price for a modern game. I don't think this is a coincidence.
Were these missions included in the PS4 version, or is this DLC only present in the Switch version?
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Matchstick
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
Welp, almost a year since my last post, I have officially taken the dive and bought this game for myself. I managed to snag a physical copy for the Switch. It's gotten some pretty substantial upgrades and added options in recent months, and based on what I'd read, most of the changes were for the better.
However, now that I've spent some time with it, I find the review on this site to be missing a few aspects.
For starters, the review mentions that the ships are slow and hard to maneuver. By default, there are dedicated buttons for adjusting your ship's speed in-game (faster or slower) which I mapped to the L and R buttons. I use this feature frequently! The only other shooter I've played that springs to mind that also lets you adjust your speed in-game is MUSHA, which is one of my all-time faves. This is a most-welcome feature in my book.
Also, the review makes no mention of the ability to build / unlock new ships, or the in-game currency that is awarded based on how you perform in each stage. Not only can you unlock dozens of ships, you can customize them, as well. You can also change how your pilot looks by buying them new flight suits or casual street clothes. My current ship is the default model, painted hot pink with a lime green canopy.
There are also decals you can apply to the ship, and you are allowed to re-size and place them wherever you want. Best of all, however you customize your ship is how it is displayed in-game, which really gives you the feeling of making the game your own. You can choose different classes of ships, change their loadouts, and customize how they look, then launch them and kick some alien butt. What's not to like?
The in-game currency can also buy special "tickets" that grant some game-breaking options, such as retaining your powerups after you lose a ship. As this has been one of my biggest hangups with the R-Type series, I am glad to have the option to not be reset to square-one every time I get blasted.
When first playing the game, I noticed an option to skip the first-person launch sequence entirely. The review seemed to mention this intro in a negative light, and while I like it, having the option to skip it is a plus.
My question is, are these features new, or were they present in the game when The Critic reviewed it back in 2021? It's hard to tell these days, as it seems nearly every modern game is getting constantly upgraded after release. I should mention that I have bought *zero* DLC for the game, and just let it update normally to the current version (1.4?) before I played it for the first time.
Really, it feels like a much different game than the review here led me to believe. I'm glad I tried it for myself!
However, now that I've spent some time with it, I find the review on this site to be missing a few aspects.
For starters, the review mentions that the ships are slow and hard to maneuver. By default, there are dedicated buttons for adjusting your ship's speed in-game (faster or slower) which I mapped to the L and R buttons. I use this feature frequently! The only other shooter I've played that springs to mind that also lets you adjust your speed in-game is MUSHA, which is one of my all-time faves. This is a most-welcome feature in my book.
Also, the review makes no mention of the ability to build / unlock new ships, or the in-game currency that is awarded based on how you perform in each stage. Not only can you unlock dozens of ships, you can customize them, as well. You can also change how your pilot looks by buying them new flight suits or casual street clothes. My current ship is the default model, painted hot pink with a lime green canopy.
There are also decals you can apply to the ship, and you are allowed to re-size and place them wherever you want. Best of all, however you customize your ship is how it is displayed in-game, which really gives you the feeling of making the game your own. You can choose different classes of ships, change their loadouts, and customize how they look, then launch them and kick some alien butt. What's not to like?
The in-game currency can also buy special "tickets" that grant some game-breaking options, such as retaining your powerups after you lose a ship. As this has been one of my biggest hangups with the R-Type series, I am glad to have the option to not be reset to square-one every time I get blasted.
When first playing the game, I noticed an option to skip the first-person launch sequence entirely. The review seemed to mention this intro in a negative light, and while I like it, having the option to skip it is a plus.
My question is, are these features new, or were they present in the game when The Critic reviewed it back in 2021? It's hard to tell these days, as it seems nearly every modern game is getting constantly upgraded after release. I should mention that I have bought *zero* DLC for the game, and just let it update normally to the current version (1.4?) before I played it for the first time.
Really, it feels like a much different game than the review here led me to believe. I'm glad I tried it for myself!
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Stalvern
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Re: 2021/8/4: Playstation 4: R-Type Final 2
Matchstick wrote:By default, there are dedicated buttons for adjusting your ship's speed in-game (faster or slower) which I mapped to the L and R buttons. I use this feature frequently! The only other shooter I've played that springs to mind that also lets you adjust your speed in-game is MUSHA, which is one of my all-time faves.
Thunder Force III and IV do this too.