R-type Dimensions

Retr0gamer

Has anyone else picked this up?

I think most regulars will know by now that I don't know a lot about R-type and haven't the slightest bit of interest in the series It's currently on XBLA at 1200 points. It seems a bit steep but you are getting R-type 1 and 2 together. The ports are quite faithful to the arcade games, with their headache inducing low res graphics. However there is a 3D remake mode as well. I think the coolest thing is that you can switch between the two on the fly. The 3D does look rather nice with some lovely effects like the lighting and water effects in R-type 2. There are also some weird filters that make the 3D have an 8-bit retro effect. Totally pointless but worth messing around with once. Still being the purist I like to play it with the old 2D graphics.

There are three niggles though. The first is the 360 controller. It's dreadful for these games, it will let you down. The other is that if you are going to re-release a classic then don't change anything! Why the hell does the battleship at the end of Stage 3 take so much damage? It used to take just one charged up blast to take it out. Now it takes much more which is pointless because if you have gotten to that point it's a boring exercise to keep doing it and the 360 controller can't be relied on for the precision needed to do it. It's all in widescreen but it's really 14:9 and they just gave a bit more space at the end of the screen which means if you are used to the old games it makes it look like you have more room to maneouvre than you really have since you stop dead before the end of the screen.

Anyway I'm hoping more people buy it since I'm the only one on the leaderboard. Hoping for some challenge especially since I got shown up at the last high score challenge and was beaten. No. 182 in the world at R-type 2 and 382 at R-type at the moment Can do much better at R-type 1 but not at R-type 2 because that is a nasty tough little bastard of a game. At least it's better than playing that awful R-type Final and will tide me over until my japanese psn points come in and I can get R-type Delta

Mr E

I played the demo myself last night. Can't say I noticed any difference in Level 1 anyway (apart from the upgraded graphics). Seemed to be the same difficulty and 2 charged blasts took down the boss.

Not sure if the updated graphics are enough to warrant paying €15 for a game I've played hundreds of times before (I'm not overly familar with R-Type 2, so that might be incentive).

Retr0gamer

It is extremely faithful to the old games other than that silly level 3 thing. R-type 2 is really good but be warned, it's considered by many to be one of the toughest games in the genre. I find it extremely tough, I can't get off level 2 without continuing and I've beaten Ikaruga with 4 credits.

For anyone that moans that Ikaruga and Ninja Gaiden 2 are tough there is an infinite mode where you have infinite lives and continue from where you died. It's kind of essential for newbies really because it's a tough game to get good at quickly.

DeVore

R-Type.... the poor mans Nemesis.

Might pick this up though I agree 1200 is a bit steep for a rehash. Braid was worth it but I dunno...

DeV.

Mr E

Poor mans nemesis.... ouch.

Now thats one game I'd love to see given a revamp -- update the original, Salamander and Vulcan Venture, package it up as one game, and I'd pay 1200 in a heartbeat.

DeV - try the R-Type demo - its a nice update.

Retr0gamer

DeVore wrote: »

R-Type.... the poor mans Nemesis.

Might pick this up though I agree 1200 is a bit steep for a rehash. Braid was worth it but I dunno...

DeV.

Ouch! Much prefer R-type myself but Gradius 2 and Nemesis? I really don't want to choose which one I like more

As for a gradius/nemesis revamp, Konami are doing one for Wiiware:

http://www.wiiware-world.com/news/2008/09/first_impressions_gradius_rebirth

Out already in japan.

Vyse

I this on the PC-Engine (well R-Type 1, part 1) but I might give it a whirl. Don't think I ever passed the first boss, that orange looking one:)

Helix

tell you one thing, this game is bloody tough

ShawnRaven

DeVore wrote: »

R-Type.... the poor mans Nemesis.
.

Bit harsh there, i'd have given that honour to Salamander.
Two things stopping me from buying this after playing the demo. 1) 1200 xbox points isn't great value for cash when you've only 200 points worth of achievements to grab. Playability is exactly the same, which isn't a bad thing, but when i have MameX installed on an Xbox 1 with both games on it, i really don't stand to gain from it in the long run.

I do like the 3d mode though.

ShiverinEskimo

Was thinking of picking this up - was playing R-Type III on the DS a couple of months ago. Still as hand-achingly difficult as ever.

ShawnRaven

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The other is that if you are going to re-release a classic then don't change anything! Why the hell does the battleship at the end of Stage 3 take so much damage? It used to take just one charged up blast to take it out. Now it takes much more which is pointless because if you have gotten to that point it's a boring exercise to keep doing it and the 360 controller can't be relied on for the precision needed to do it.

I noticed this as well!! I bit the bullet and decided to unlock the demo. I'm enjoying it so far, spent most of tonight playing it, Some of the old tricks do not work and level 3 is one. In the arcade, i used to fire the pod backwards and then move my ship down so that it would hit the sweet spot and blow the ship up in seconds. I had the blue laser and the thing just wouldn't destroy. The mothership sank due to inactivity and I made it to level 4.

I'm well stuck on level 5, Always got wasted on that level in the arcades too.

Shinji Ikari

Yeah, I got it. It's pretty expensive but you do get two tarted up classic shooters.I like it. Sadistically difficult,more so than Ikaruga in a way, but you do have an option of infinite lives so...

Retr0gamer

Ikaruga isn't all that difficult really. The R-type games, particularly R-type 2 are horribly difficult. I've beaten Ikaruga with 5 credits. I've gotten to the final bosses of both R-type games with infinite continues and could never beat them.

Shinji Ikari

Yeah,Ikarugas hard but fair while R-Type was designed as a quarter muncher. Having said that,I defy anyone to finish Smash T.V. without using a single continue. It's an achievement and I think the person who came up with it was having a laugh or something.

Retr0gamer

Actually R-type is a very fair game. Every situation is possible. There's no unfair deaths in it at all. It's just that finding the optimal way through it is very tough and pulling it off even tougher. In a way Ikaruga is exactly the same, except a lot easier.