A textbook example of a totally awesome side-scrolling shoot ’em up!

Story

After the last struggle against the horrible Bydo, things were finally starting to look bright again. The joy wasn’t long lasting though, as astronomers detected an unidentified meteorite headed towards earth, and it did not show any sign of burning up and dissolving in the heat of the atmosphere as it approached.

Soon all kinds of strange reports started emerging; electronically controlled weapon systems started to go haywire causing hundreds of casualties, and the temperature rose in some areas. Moments later the Bydo retaliation was a fact. The military defense forces responded to the attack but to no avail. Who will defend earth and head out into space and reclaim the Bydo infested space station?

The Game

R-Type Delta is the fourth game in the R-Type series of side-scrolling arcade shoot ’em ups. This is a Playstation exclusive release which lives up to its predecessors in terms of gameplay, difficulty and intense action. A few new additions are added to the success formulae like support for game saves, ability to choose from three different fighters and unlockable bonuses.

The game is in 3D for the first time which allows for some really nice effects that previously were not possible. Your goal is simply to blast everything that stands in your way and destroy the evil Bydo bosses. Now and then you’ll find power-ups that alter your weapons and upgrade your force – that is to say the pod that can attach to your ship as a shield, or detach and give a wider range of support fire. Using the force to your advantage is a key part of the game.

Content

Before you head out on this dangerous mission, you need to select what fighter you want to pilot. The R9aII is known from the previous games and is a standard type fighter with capabilities to inflict mass damage with its frontal Shock Wave Cannon. The R-X Albatross is an experimental prototype that uses a Tentacle Force. That’s basically a force that has two arms that flail around with formidable strength. Last but not least is the R-13 Cerberus that is a military special unit that uses the latest technology to target enemies with its Lightning Shock Wave Cannon.

I find that the different ships are well-balanced – depending on which one you pilot you can use different strategies to defeat your foes, so it becomes a matter of play style and preference.

Another new aspect to R-Type Delta is the ability to collect power from the Bydo with the force. When the dose meter reaches 100%, your force starts to flash, and this allows you to unleash a devastating force blast that has the potential to destroy everything in sight – even bosses if used right.

Throughout the game you’ll fight the Bydo in seven different levels. The game starts on earth, where you fight the wicked bio-metallic creatures and mecha robots causing havoc in the Asian metropolis. After that it’s time to visit a Bydo infested facility that has been partly submerged in water. Later you head out in space to pursuit the Bydo and fight the swarming enemies, basically where ever they manifest themselves.

The developers and designers of this game certainly has succeeded in making the environments in the levels interesting combat zones. Every location is unique in itself and you won’t see any tedious repetition of old tricks and effects here. The added depth that the 3D graphics allows is used to its full extent.

The boss fights are unique challenges in themselves, as they execute a pattern of attacks which you need to learn how to avoid and counter. The force can be used to your advantage here, and is often the key to victory.

As usual in these games you die from one single hit. That fact alone sets the difficulty level rather high as the enemies are numerous and very trigger happy. Should you die, then you’re stripped from your extra weapons and power-ups and forced to replay from last checkpoint. The checkpoints could certainly be more generous and you’re only allowed three lives per continue anyway. On the other hand, powerful weapons can make some parts of the game seem like a breeze. It should be said though, that this is a pretty hard game overall – a real challenge for fans of the genre.

Controls

It’s easy to play R-Type Delta because the controls feel so right. You’ll need to zigzag through enemy bullets and oncoming enemy attack forces, and even though the game is challenging enough, even on the easiest difficulty level, you won’t be able to blame the controls. With a press of a button you can send out your attached force to act as an external cannon, and you need to maximize its potential by playing it smart. In narrow spaces it might be better to have the force attached to the ship to grant you some extra protection as movement may be restricted. In open areas where enemies are spread out across the screen, it might be preferable to send that force out to do its job as support fire.

Graphics

The graphics in R-Type Delta follows the same art direction as the previous games, but renders it all in 3D. It’s very dark and gloomy but has these wonderful colorful cascades of bright neon lights which creates some eye-catching contrasts. It also features lots of well thought out futuristic design on the backgrounds, robots and ships. The lasers are glowing with full vibrancy, fiery explosions scatter debris all over the screen, the backgrounds are more than just mere backdrops for your battle, they are full with activity and you never know when something jumps out at you from there. As cool as that is, it also poses a problem – it can be quite hard to distinguish enemy bullets and other hazards from background props and effects in some places. But all in all the graphics are excellent. It runs at a steady frame rate and makes this game an unforgettable experience!

Sound

The music is very appropriate to the theme – its ambient electronic beats will keep you focused on the enemies approaching and at the same time hold you in a steady grip. The music certainly has a darker and gloomier tone than the previous R-Type games and that is a wise decision in this case. The sound effects consists of everything from weird Bydo creature screams, sizzling lasers and booming explosions. They have even added a muffle sound filter when you ship is under water – nice touch!

Summary

In my opinion, R-Type Delta is an instant classic in every aspect. It’s probably associated with its legendary difficulty, and that is rightly so. But let’s not forget that this gem has everything a shooter game should have and then some. There are many weapons to try, the levels are varied and challenging, the visuals are awesome and the shooting is solid. Without a doubt, this is one of the most satisfying shoot ’em ups ever released. A personal favorite.

Developed By: Irem
Published By: Agetec
Version Reviewed: Playstation
Genre: Shoot ’em Up
Players: 1
Released: 1999