How Good Is R Type?

Phil12 · Post by **Phil12** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:17 pm

is it better than Gradius? I've never played one.

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Thu May 22, 2008 1:24 pm

In my experience, R-Type is about spending hundreds of attempts to learn stage routes and safe spots, because it kills you like a complete asshole. Unlike Gradius, which is more about fast dodging and learning how to deal with stuff that escapes your line of fire.

Actually, why don't you just play it? Most platforms that have R-Type games on them are faithfully emulated by this moment.

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:37 pm

moozooh wrote: Actually, why don't you just play it?

Phil12 · Post by **Phil12** » Thu May 22, 2008 2:45 pm

Just Wondering

Fenrir · Post by **Fenrir** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:26 pm

moozooh wrote:In my experience, R-Type is about spending hundreds of attempts to learn stage routes and safe spots, because it kills you like a complete asshole. Unlike Gradius, which is more about fast dodging and learning how to deal with stuff that escapes your line of fire.

Actually, why don't you just play it? Most platforms that have R-Type games on them are faithfully emulated by this moment.

I quote.
Also, is this a +1 thread?

Frederik · Post by **Frederik** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:30 pm

Fenrir wrote: Also, is this a +1 thread?

I´m afraid so.

Serious answer:
Your question is a very vague, broad one. Making such loose topics usually should be avoided, especially if you´re asking if something is good, bad, or "overrated". Since some people love R-Type and others hate it, it´s best to just try it out yourself. And as moozoh said, R-Type is just a completely different type of shmup than Gradius.

(Besides, WTF YOU HAVEN´T EVEN PLAYED R-TYPE? Just do it and never tell anybody again.

)

FIL · Post by **FIL** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:44 pm

I kinda like R-Type Leo, but R-Type isn't my thing usually.

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Thu May 22, 2008 3:44 pm

lol R-Type III backwards scrolling section

dpful · Post by **dpful** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:05 pm

I don't think they're that different. I thought you had to think fast and memorise in both of them.
Main diff for me is the gradius powerup mechanic is very distinct. R-types charge shot is distinct.
I'm more into r-type personally. I think r-type II and gradius IV are about on even ground as far as mad credit feeding 3 feet of screen goes.

Wan't hard core sci-fi, play r-type's
Wan't a little Oprah music (IV) and a hot-rod spaceship thrown in, play gradius's

I always thought R-type's seemed a little more balanced and fair than Gradius's

*edit*
Best r-type--- R-type II
Coolest r-type---- R-type delta
(R-type Final is bullshit>>>>>>over-city spaceship level)

Best Gradius--- Gradius IV
Coolest Gradius---- Gradius Gaiden
(Gradius V is better than just about anything, but I don't think it really represents the tradition as tightly as any of the others).

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:08 pm

in R-Type you have to memorize EVERYTHING

glitch · Post by **glitch** » Thu May 22, 2008 4:53 pm

how good is R-Type? well, let's see, i think, roughly, somewhere around, say, 42.

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:13 pm

http://shmups.system11.org/viewtopic.php?t=20220

gamingjustin · Post by **gamingjustin** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:47 pm

How good is R-Type? Quite.

If you want to compare, I feel there's more memorization involved in R-type than Gradius. There are many ways to get through R-Type, but you'll probably find yourself developing more of a solid pattern than you would in a Gradius game. I also agree that R-Type is a trial and error kind of game.

Then again this is completely biased so just disregard everything.

Ozymandiaz1260 · Post by **Ozymandiaz1260** » Thu May 22, 2008 5:48 pm

Phil12 wrote:How Good Is R Type?

Very.

EDIT:

gamingjustin wrote:How good is R-Type? Quite.

Michaelm · Post by **Michaelm** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:19 pm

Ask not how good the game can be for you, but how good you can be for the game !
Anyway, you should atleast get to level 3.
Though it was way cooler in '89 for me

HardcoreOtaku · Post by **HardcoreOtaku** » Thu May 22, 2008 6:50 pm

Phil12 wrote:How Good Is R Type?

Is it any Good!!

mandatory playing for any SHMUP fan, of course its showing its age now but its still one of the greatest shooters of all time! its was THE killer app for the PC-Engine!

Phil12 wrote:is it better than Gradius? I've never played one.

IMO R-Type is easier than Gradius, I played through the first loop of R-Type again recently and finished it with out too much bother, still great fun though.

Dremark · Post by **Dremark** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:00 pm

Phil12 wrote:is it better than Gradius? I've never played one.

I love it. I recently started playing it again on my PS3 and it got me interested in playing shooters seriously, which is why I'm here.

I loved the game back in the 80s too though. I remember playing the Master System port pretty heavily, although I don't think I ever made it though stage 3 back then.

Turrican · Post by **Turrican** » Thu May 22, 2008 7:21 pm

glitch wrote:how good is R-Type? well, let's see, i think, roughly, somewhere around, say, 42.

So R-Type is the ultimate answer to the meaning of life!

Phil12 · Post by **Phil12** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:04 pm

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. It looks like I'm gonna have to give it a go.

professor ganson · Post by **professor ganson** » Thu May 22, 2008 9:15 pm

Yep, R-Type is simply a masterpiece. For people who like puzzles in 2D outer space. One of my all-time favorites.

nimitz · Post by **nimitz** » Thu May 22, 2008 10:38 pm

If you like Gradius V you will like the R-type series.

It's all about ambience, making use of "pods" (gradius V options vs Force) and memorization. That being said it's nothing like Gradius I to IV

like moozooh said, the Konami's Gradius"es" (not Gradius V) are about fast dodging and dealing with certain situations, very intense games.

The R-types and Gradius V are more about learning levels, enemy patterns, Bosses and how to make good use of the Pod(force)/options.

moozooh · Post by **moozooh** » Thu May 22, 2008 11:21 pm

Definitely, earlier Gradiuses are much more hectic. The control over GV's options given to the player made it much more strategic, which also had an impact over the level design, which indeed became more r-typeish. The high loops/difficulties aren't as reflex-intensive as, say, Gradius III, but when the game overwhelms you like that on the first stage, you know it's going to get really busy later on. :)

R-Type is still far more an asshole to the player than Gradius V. The latter at least "warns" the player before killing them.

kengou · Post by **kengou** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:14 am

I personally can't stand R-Type. It forces you to memorize everything to even survive. It just feels really unfair when you die.

innerpattern · Post by **innerpattern** » Fri May 23, 2008 1:34 am

I enjoy R-type and Gradius in small doses but in general I don't really like horizontal shmups, maybe I just haven't found the right one yet.

Hardstepah · Post by **Hardstepah** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:01 am

r-type delta and r-type final are badass. you need to play these, in fact every r-type is a good game. just pick one. if you want up to date graphics then go with r-type final. thats the best one of the series anyways. how has nobody ever played an r-type game anyway?

Mischief Maker · Post by **Mischief Maker** » Fri May 23, 2008 2:13 am

My R-Type Final review on Caltrops:

Zillions of actually really cool unlockables like new ships to fly! How ya like me now in my FLAMETHROWER R-Type??? Too bad no one thought to make actual fun levels to fly them in. Boss fights are 100% pattern memorization.

Perhaps even more irksome than the lousy levels was the "play for X amount of hours to unlock Ship Y" mechanics. Why not reward the player with new ships in return for getting a high score with ships or accumulating so many points instead of entering the invincibility cheat, turning off the TV, and going to do something else?

Or even better, have all the ship unlocked from the very start! I already worked several miserable hours to earn the money I paid for the stupid game. I don't need to spend my increasingly small amounts of leisure time pretend earning. The only real purpose I can see behind unlockables is they encourage players to buy the game instead of just renting.

PainAmplifier · Post by **PainAmplifier** » Fri May 23, 2008 5:14 am

R-Type Final is one of my favorites, and when it comes to the unlockables, the only part that was annoying was the sheer length of those last few that had insane flight time requirements. (aka 120 minutes on the previous fighter.)

Anything that was 30 minutes or less was fine. 60 Minutes was at the extreme range of my tolerance. Especially on the crappier ships.

I liked the alternate 'levels', but honestly they didn't quite go far enough with that. They really could have used a few more and/or alternate arrangements of other levels as well.

One thing I found interesting, was on the first level your flight path changes slightly depending on how fast you kill the spider midboss. I wish they had done that in a few other places as well to spice things up a bit more.

As it is I think the average time per level is roughly 5 minutes. So 30 min is just 6 levels. I cleared a lot of the time reqs on the ships I disliked the most, just by flying them only on the first level, then switching to a better ship afterwards. A few games later and the ships were unlocked without too much hassle.

I also liked the ending song enough to go out and buy the album that it was on. (Blue Man Group - The Complex) I'm glad we got that track instead of the original, it really sounds great during the ending and fits the tone of the game extremely well.

...and a question for anyone who might know...does R-Type Final have Rank? I swear that the boss of the second level (Negus O Shin, a hanging sack boss) has a massive amount of hitpoints when you reach him...but if you die and come back from the checkpoint, he drops extremely easily even though you won't be fully powered up when you get back to him. (I tend to suicide on him waaay to much...)

NAVVARR · Post by **NAVVARR** » Fri May 23, 2008 8:36 am

I have a personal fondness for R-Type- i played it and completed it in the arcades of my youth, along with R-Type II and then Leo when it appeared.

Each incarnation of the series has always brought something new to the experience and each has been of an extremely high standard.
Even the much criticised 'Final' brought the series to a close with a marathon, almost epic battle to the end. I'm about 1/2 way through unlocking the ships and yes, it does get a bit boring in parts playing the same level- so i just go back to it when i'm in the mood to unlock the next ship.

Someone on this forum suggested that Rtype Final -might not be the 'final' Rtype- it was suggested that the meaning of 'final' in Japanese wasn't a straight translation to the English- meaning more 'ultimate'. -Hope so!

-If they were to announce a new Rtype for the 360, wii or PS3 -i'd have to seriously think about getting one.

Klatrymadon · Post by **Klatrymadon** » Fri May 23, 2008 10:13 am

thats the best one of the series anyways.

Hmm, I dunno, mate. To be very picky about it, Final features almost none of the environmental negotiation that the series built its reputation on, so while it's certainly a lovely game, it's not really an exemplary R-Type experience. Delta also got rid of some of the series' level design trademarks, actually, but it still manages to be my favourite.

Personally, I think the best starting point is either the original game or Delta. II and III are fantastic, too, but require a big time investment, which could well put Phil off at this point.

it was suggested that the meaning of 'final' in Japanese wasn't a straight translation to the English- meaning more 'ultimate'. -Hope so!

Unfortunately, Kazuma Kujo stated in a recent Retro Gamer interview that it was called 'Final' because they wanted to draw the series to a close and give the fans a 'definitive' R-Type. The game didn't quite feel like that for some of us, however...

Regulus · Post by **Regulus** » Fri May 23, 2008 3:25 pm

Eh... the original requires a larger time investment than III. IMO, III's got the most forgiving difficulty in the series. Even the backwards scrolling section takes very little time to memorize, and if you really need a crutch, the Cyclone Force makes things a lot easier.

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