…………………………………………………

R-Type Game Review

R-Type is a 1987 horizontally shooting arcade video game developed by Irem. It’s a classic shooter that I played on the Sega Master System emulator.

The player controls a star ship, the R-9 “Arrowhead”, in its efforts to destroy the Bydo, a powerful alien race bent on wiping out all of mankind. The R-9 can acquire a glowing orbicular device called a “Force”, protecting it from enemy fire and providing additional firepower. As is the case with many games released back in the eighties, the storyline behind it is actually quite good, but of course it’s only explored post-game while reading upon it.

………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………..

Being slower than most other classic shooters for better and for worse, this game is all about A.I. pattern memorization as that is crucial if you want to ever successfully beat it. Your spacecraft has two guns. One is always shooting if you hold the shooting button. It’s weak, but the fact that it’s always on will make you feel that it’s more powerful than it is. The more powerful gun is the wave canon, which you can hold to power it up and then shoot. This is a classic shooter system that really worked here.

But the one mechanic that made R-Type different than other games of a similar type is the auxiliary device called a Force. This glowing orange ball basically follows you around and you can either attach on the front or from the behind, which then you can release in the corresponding directions.

It’s a perfect power-up weapon if you have to get rid of whole lineups of enemies and it’s by far my favorite thing about this entire game. The fact that it can fire on its own when released and that it serves as a defense mechanism as well only goes to show that it’s the most essential weapon in your arsenal.

………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………..

Each level ends with a boss and the bosses are the standouts. The game only has eight levels, which makes it overly short, but because most are exceedingly difficult, it will still prove to be a lengthy gaming experience, especially without save states. The first level is too easy, but it ends with a terrific boss called Dobkeratops, who is this grotesque creature that is so well designed. The second level is less memorable and maybe even easier than the first.

The third stage is quite short, but the giant ship that you have to fight here is quite imposing and a lot of fun to go against. It takes up most of the screen, making the fight claustrophobic and intense. The fourth stage is my least favorite. The boss isn’t hard, but the stage is filled with some sort of weed plants that take up every single part of the screen, making shooting through them extremely difficult. It’s an annoying level.

The fifth stage is memorable in its snakelike creatures while the sixth one is frustrating in its enemy placement, but undeniably an intriguingly tough challenge to beat. The seventh level is more cluttered and not as memorable as the rest of the game while the eighth and final stage is also cluttered, but strikingly hard and benefiting from a very well realized final boss fight.

………………………………………………….

…………………………………………………..

Graphically, R-Type is phenomenal, especially for the time. The creature designs resemble something from an H.R. Giger property. ‘Alien’ continually sprang to my mind while playing this artistically inclined SF game that features incredible art direction. The grotesque nature to these bosses is what separates this game from many others. The soundtrack is also excellent and fittingly dark and brooding. The atmosphere is quite creepy and otherworldly throughout while also being immensely claustrophobic.