BYTE-SIZE REVIEW
R-Type Dimensions
By Shaun Hatton - February 4th, 2009
Today, one of my favourite childhood games got the HD treatment. No, not dodgeball. I’m talking about R-Type. It was the first game to scare me yet I kept going back to it, getting just a little better and going just a little farther into the mysteriously creepy Bydo Empire with each attempt.
Now, R-Type and R-Type II are part of the same download in the excellent R-Type Dimensions for Xbox LIVE Arcade. The game will set you back 1200 points, but if you’re a fan of shoot-‘em-ups, this should be a part of your games library.
At first glance of the new 3D HD graphics, it’s hard not to think of another XBLA shooter: Aegis Wing. Both games feature beautiful, deep environments and a snail-paced stage scroll. The original R-Type titles had some of the coolest pixel art of its time, and its 3D update – while pretty – is truthfully a little distracting at times (not to mention strange). The graphics hint at a 3D environment, so it’s therefore silly that the movement is still on a 2D plane, especially while using the new “CRAZY” camera angle. This new viewpoint is interesting at first, but regrettably changes the play dynamic and makes some of the enemies look really lame since they were designed with only 2D in mind. Thankfully the camera can be reset to its default position and the updated graphics, when viewed from the side, look very nice.
There are other visual options in the game, too. With the push of a button, the game’s original pixel sprites will fade in, replacing the 3D graphics with a seamless transition. There are two options for that, too: You can choose to have full screen original graphics or choose (why, I don’t know) to have the original arcade cabinet shown. While in this view, you can see the control stick and buttons of the cabinet respond to your input on the controller.
The sound in R-Type games has always been outstanding, and this hasn’t changed in R-Type Dimensions.
But the most important thing about shooters is the game-play. I was glad to find out that the game plays just as it should. In fact, it seems to be more difficult than I remember it being (of course, I haven’t played it in a long time). My only complaint is that in the “CRAZY” camera mode, it’s hard to determine how much space you’ve got in front and behind the R9 Starfighter, and so collisions are more likely. In this mode, it’s also a little trickier to aim the Force upgrade (which is a key strategy to defeating most of the bosses).
Overall, this is one of the nicest classic game re-vamps I’ve played, and its inclusion of a fancy two-player mode gives the game some added longevity. It’s time once again to blast off and destroy the Evil Bydo Empire.
