It should, at this point, be stressed that since crossing paths back in 1987 this reviewer has been a devout R-Type fan-boy for whom ‘The Force’ has nothing to do with Star Wars. This deserves mention because the game’s very nature makes it easy-pickings for pessimists and genre aficionados alike; the sparse and rigid choreography, the trial and error, the general absence of speed. Any negative comments aired in this review – and there are a good few - are uttered with a heavy heart.
The good, auspiciously, is the first thing Final provides; visually it’s a near magnum-opus for the genre. Irem have clearly wrestled down the PS2’s mischievous architecture and made it shine; there is as much light-sourcing here as you could hope to find in a shooter. There is, in fact, very little that doesn’t glow in some way or other, whether it be impact points, projectiles, muzzle-flashes or exhausts. Models and textures, for the most part, provide a very crisp, alias-free experience.
The only quirk with Final’s look is one which, thanks to personal preference, will either improve or degrade the overall experience: tone. The series has, until now, been a consistently colourful one, bristling with vibrant environments from the outset; with Final things have most definitely changed. A close comparison would be Konami’s PS2 update to the Contra series: Shattered Soldier. Both games are very clean, sober, often washed-out affairs aesthetically, although they manage to remain profoundly atmospheric experiences. Many players will accept this new direction, and find the sheer spectacle recurrent in Final to be more than compensatory; others may and inevitably will beg to differ. They may also, then, find issue with the game’s aural design.
Sound in Final has been brought into line with the new aesthetic. Gone are the catchy, often eccentric BGM compositions of earlier R-Types, now replaced by a decidedly minimalist soundtrack of transient breakbeats and hushed ambience. Luckily, this is part of a well-articulated premise; the sound effects are in stark contrast, representing some of the most effective and substantial thumps and rumblings to come out of any action game the PS2 has seen.
To the gameplay – the area of R-Type Final which will surely leave gamers divided. There can be no doubt that Irem adores its original creation beyond measure, and who can blame them? Whether as a result of this self-appreciation or of some stark fear of disembodying the franchise, every subsequent instalment has featured a heavy dose of homage/derivation; in short, every new R-Type is built like the last one. Screaming examples this time round include a dual-layer water level akin to that of R-Type Delta, a general familiarity of boss encounters, and yet another revision of the first game’s ingenious third level (the one with the big ship). Compared to classics such as Einhander, Ikaruga, Radiant Silvergun and R-Type Delta there is, admittedly, very little original material to shout about here. Some will argue this to be shallow, sloppy level design; others will hail Irem’s desire to revisit its roots with a fond farewell (especially come the end of level four). Similarly, for many, the love for the series will be such that they forgive, and largely expect this caveat of the game’s design; again, however, others may not.
The time-honoured bastions of the series’ play-mechanics are religiously included. In fact, while both the SNES and PS1 chapters toyed with the idea of multiple ships in the R-Type hangar, the PS2 hardware has sanctioned a quite astonishing range of 99 selectable, unlockable models. While many are similar (some frankly indistinguishable), there are some great variations on the traditional R-9, including all the versions which have previously appeared. Formerly an arbitrary upgrade, the flight speed of these craft can now be toggled between four settings via the shoulder buttons. The series’ pivotal asset, the bolt-on weapons platform known as ‘The Force’, receives a similar degree of attention; as does the complimentary arsenal of support weapons such as missiles and satellites (two primary types of each). Effective use of The Force is rewarded in the form of the ‘dose gauge’ which can be built up to unleash devastating smart attacks. Furthermore, each ship you choose to pilot can be tailored prior to combat with custom colours and weapons.
Final challenges you to a handsome range of five difficulty levels – ‘Baby’, ‘Kids’, ‘Human’, ‘Bydo’ and ‘R-Typer’. While this demonstrates a respect for the wide cross-section of players and levels of competence the game will probably attract, the balance isn’t entirely successful. Start things off at 'Human' - medium difficulty - and you will walk this game within a day or two; steel yourself for the brutal heights of 'R-Typer', however, and things start to make a bit more sense. Everything perks up; drones spew newly acquired firepower while your own arsenal packs a more modest punch. Certainly a few thousand bullets short of Ikaruga’s fury; thankfully not the patsy suggested by the lower settings.
Surplus to the main challenge of R-Type Final are a variety of play-modes and novelty features. Undoubtedly the most curious is the ‘AI Vs’ option – a ship-to-ship spectator mode not dissimilar in concept to, of all things, Pokemon Stadium. While this peculiar addition will surely garner its fans, personally speaking it appears an ill-conceived, poorly executed and principally pointless distraction which could have made way for a more fruitful set of Arrange modes. The obligatory Score Attack is present, providing data for each of the ships you choose to pilot but no additional challenge. A welcome extra comes in the form of multiple museum and gallery features. Unlocked ships, Bydo adversaries and finely-drawn CG art await those who persevere.
R-Type Final elicits decidedly mixed emotions. There will undoubtedly be those who, having cut their teeth on onslaughts such as GigaWing and Mars Matrix, will feel somewhat let down by the sparse, reheated level design on offer here. For those with a passion for the series, however, there is a huge amount to enjoy; Irem have crammed a wealth of features into a perfectly serviceable shooter, playable at five diverse difficulties. Visually the game is striking, often jaw-dropping (though occasionally too-much-so for the PS2 to handle successfully and without slowdown). For the fans, then, this game is a must-have - a satisfying, appropriate send-off to one of arcade gaming’s towering legends, and something many will be playing for a long time to come.