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R-Type was one of the first shooters to actively employ the concept of strategy in a side-scrolling shooter, primarily through the use of the "Force Unit." As before, the Force Unit is an indestructible satellite that can be strategically mounted on the front or back of your ship, in addition to being launched into remote corners of the screen to deal with enemies before your ship arrives there. Not only is this useful, in many cases it is essential to completing an area and surviving. R-Type Delta has two new ships in addition to the original, each with its own unique satellites and weapons. One ship sports a tracking Force Unit that seeks out enemies when launched, while the other is "anchored" to the ship with a stream of destructive energy. Strategic use of these satellites is essential to the game's completion, and thus each type of Force Unit will require you to employ different attack strategies. In addition to the satellites, you can charge up powerful bolts of energy with which to lash out against the Bydo empire. Each ship's charged weapon is different and has two stages of charge. Finally, you can absorb enemy damage with the Force Unit to build up a use of the Delta Weapon, a graphic spasm of pure destruction. Beyond those basics, R-Type Delta is essentially another side-scrolling, polygonally based shooter in the vein of Einhander or G Darius. Each of the game's seven levels features the requisite midbosses and bosses, multidirectional scrolling, and bullet dodging. Unlike some other shooters, most of this game's difficulty comes from the levels themselves, rather than the bosses. All of the game's bosses have several impressive and inventive attacks, but many die too quickly to really be appreciated. R-Type Delta is a hard game, for sure, but you are rewarded with additional continues the more you play - theoretically, anyone can win this game if they spend enough time with it.
Like all of the recent series updates, R-Type Delta spares no expense in the aesthetics department. The traditionally 2D series has been completely made over in beautiful 3D, sporting the kind of graphical polish one would expect from Square. Each of the game's levels is interestingly detailed and never feels repetitive like many of Einhander's staid levels did. In addition to myriad little graphical touches, R-Type Delta uses tons of effects and transparency to give the game an excellent sci-fi look and feel. The enemies are equally varied, each sporting unique explosions and attacks. Many enemies and bosses are taken right from the original games and modeled in 3D, adding a pleasing nostalgia to the experience for R-Type veterans. R-Type Delta is much more colorful than the traditional PlayStation game, almost to the point of being garish. All of this graphic polish does come at the cost of the game's frame rate, however. The game's speed drops are noticeable but never interfere with gameplay and are even welcome at times. The game's sound is top-notch, scoring the game with a catchy fusion of rock and techno that changes with the game's surroundings. For example, diving underwater in the second stage changes the music to a much mellower, aquatic variation on the stage's theme. Sound effects are somewhat underplayed but still effective. In addition to many new sounds, a number of classic R-Type sound effects are present to take the nostalgia one step further.
If there's one PlayStation shooter to own, R-Type Delta is that shooter. Despite a handful of frustrating parts, R-Type Delta gives shooter fans exceptional gameplay, variety, and replay, in addition to carrying the spirit of the original on in style. --Peter Bartholow
--Copyright ©1999 GameSpot Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of GameSpot is prohibited. GameSpot and the GameSpot logo are trademarks of GameSpot Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
How To Update A 2D Shooter,
By flaviolius (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: R-Type Delta (Video Game)
Many people (including myself) consider R-Type to be the premiere side-scrolling shooter series in existence. When the 3D (OK, actually 2.5D) R-Type Delta was announced, I was skeptical. How could Delta live up to the 2D glory that was R-Type, or R-Type Leo?To say it did would be an understatement. Irem and Agetec have crafted the best side-scroller on the PSX, and perhaps the best modern side-scroller. You take your pick of three R-Type ships (with a fourth hidden), the R9, R13, or RX, each with its own unique Force Module and individual weapons, and invade seven levels of dark, bio-mechanical Bydo Empire-ridden evil. Enemies from previous R-Types are included, but in full menacing polygonal 3D, and even the level designs are from the old games, but again, redone for the 3D generation. Delta is more than a great-looking package, however - it succeeds in creating an immersive universe that sucks you heedlessly in, including a haunting soundtrack that shifts to reflect the on-screen events. Of particular note is the 5th level (dubbed by me as the "Sewer Level"), in which you must dodge your way among drifting pipes and other garbage, weird alien slugs firing on you the whole time. It's suitably murky and bubbly -- almost smelly. And the boss will be familiar to R-Type fans.... Gameplay, thankfully, remains 2D. You scroll from right to left, charging up your force module, and laying waste to the droves of semi-organic Bydo enemies that are an R-Type trademark. The R9 has a standard module, the RX's homes in on the enemy and fires remotely, and the R13's is connected to the ship by a deadly and fully manipulative stream of energy. Each ship has a Beam weapon and a screen-wasting Delta weapon, and the pyrotechnics involved are blissful creations, with no slowdown. The ships handle differently enough to make mastery of each a daunting, yet rewarding task. R-Type has never been a bullet-dodger, but relies strictly on patterns and memorization. And like the prior games, Delta is a very tough nut to crack, even on the Easy difficulty. A true Delta master will not be satisfied until Hard difficulty is conquered with all 3 (make that four!) ships. It's advisable to master control of your Force Module, as well as recognizing when to raise or lower your ship's speed (easily done with the shoulder buttons). Thankfully, Free Play can be obtained through a few hours of play, and trust me, you'll need it! R-Type Delta offers old-school gameplay in new-school clothes, a formula many have attempted, but few have succeeded to such a degree as this. Long-time fans of R-Type may be turned off by the 3D graphics, but rest assured, the gameplay is solid as ever. Hopefully Delta will win the series some new fans. You will not find a better side-scroller on the Playstation.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A high quality shooter that ranks up w/ the best on PSX!,
By A Customer
This review is from: R-Type Delta (Video Game)
The fabled R-Type returns with a 32-bit look and the power ofit's predecessor's reputation behind it. R-Type Delta is the firstshooter in the series since 1993 when R-Type III hit the Super Famicom. Is it worth the wait? Well, does the sun still shine? R-Type Delta may not look as sharp as the original R-Type with it's classic hand drawn artwork and crisp details but in this age of polygons and 3-D special effects, Irem can't be faulted for going with the textured polygon flow. The graphics in Delta are reminescent of what we've seen in Einhander and Philosoma but the brilliance of Irem's graphical work and unique enemies are unmistakable. Galactic worms with translucent sheen arc across the screen as they weave and dive, flitting airships move in oscillating patterns, carriers fly and jump with retro rockets glaring. The game runs silky smooth and the control offers just enough resistance to make the ship feel substantial as you pilot it through alien worlds. The original R-9 and R-13 ship models return along with a new bruiser called the R-X. We haven't been able to check out all the power-ups yet but the bolt-on weapon is standard issue weaponry along with an assortment of laser and missile enhancements. Delta also borrows a variant of a power up move from Mega-Drive classic Gaiares where you can absorb an enemy ship's energy to power up a new mega weapon deemed Delta. Devotees of the R-Type mythos will revel in this new version of the classic series, it's a fitting tribute to one of the greatest shooters in video-game land. New inductees will find Delta a high quality shooter that ranks up there with the best on the Playstation.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
wow,
By Clint (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: R-Type Delta (Video Game)
I'm impressed. I never thought it would be this good, tons of hidden stuff, great unique levels, great effects.The only thing bad is the cg is a little weak, but I didn't buy it for that anyway.
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