PLEASE NOTE: There seems to be frame drops in our PC footage where there was none in actual gameplay. There was no indication this was happening when recording or editing, and we're not really sure if this is a Windows Record issues or a Vegas one, but over seven hours of capture was affected. Regardless, the PC version played at an unwavering 60FPS at 1080p even when gathering footage, and we stand by our assertions, even if the footage may not match our descriptions and findings. We apologize for this unforseen hiccup.
Great video. Wouldn't be awesome if they released a physical R-Type collection containing every game in the series, including R-Type tactics. Oh man!!🤗👍
@@StudioMudprints Yes! Ive been tempted to pull the trigger on that many times. Of course, it would never get played but would look magnificent on my shelf.😄👍
One thing to consider if you're picking up the Switch version: I've lost two runs because the game crashed while loading a checkpoint on one of the final stages twice (7.1). It's the only level I don't have unlocked as a result, but the game does recognize that I saw the enemies on that stage.
I'm having a great time with it. Dying a ton yeah, but it's so addictive! Great review, which helps to explain certain nuances and get a better understanding of the game.
Nice! This is my first R-Type game I've really gotten into and I like it. The load times inbetween the lives is a bit long for my taste but that just makes me want to die less. I wish there was someway to do local or online coop and share ship designs.
One thing I loved so much about R-Type Final was the amazing atmosphere. It was just so unlike any other Shmup in that respect. And then there was all the WTF'ery in it as well. Sad that Final 2 didn't continue that trend.
@@StudioMudprints i dunno if we still have artists like the ones who were in old irem nowodays. even in doujin/indie... though Blazing Chrome dev came close with their Contra homage, art wise
@@StudioMudprints i mean that such people are not presented in game industry during last ~16 years... Perhaps when old veterans retired, new blood didn't come to take the fire
As as fan of R-Type, and playing on PC, I agree with this review, but as a fan of shmups in general I also agree with Mark MSX's (Electric Underground) criticism. My biggest gripe, is the pause on death.
Agreed! I found that fans of Fortnite, Call of Duty, etc, that happen to create so called "shooter based" sites as afterthoughts or experiments, simply cant grasp what this series is, & has always been. If you like,or have a slight interest in shmups, ( reguardless of styles, & or differences ) hands down, theres no better site on RU-vid, than here. #facts
Honestly this game is falling victim to absurd amounts of rage post reviews after people just got demolished by it's difficulty. Go look at the user reviews on metacritic lol. People claiming the game is bullshit and not fair while admitting they couldn't beat the second level on practice difficulty. Meanwhile people actually into shmups are starting to no miss clear it on r-typer 3 difficulty.
Love it. I'm really glad you pointed out the default speed issue. It should be something the player can set in the Options menu. I'm not sure whether R-Type Final had that, but I don't recall having to furiously reset speed after every death in that one. Maybe it defaulted to 3? I don't remember. Despite all its flaws, I am super happy to have another pretty good R-Type to play. I loved Final and I'm liking this very much, too.
@@StudioMudprints I have gotten used to resetting the speed, but it's something that could so easily have been addressed. Knew I wasn't imagining Final keeping my preference back in the day.
God yes, resetting the speed every life gets annoying, i even looked for an option to change the default since it seems such an obvious feature. Would also like the option to restart a stage at game over given some of the mid stage checkpoints are hell. But instead we get the option to rename the stages. Go figure. Hopefully they'll patch these things in along with the missing ships and online leaderboards.
I really like that you're actually going through the actual mechanics of the different systems in the game. The other two reviews I watched spent most of the time just talking about how it feels as a shmup player, which is fine, but it's nice to see a more distanced, objective review.
Thanks. We may specialize in shmups, but our approach has always been to allow anyone, particularly brand new players or gamers outside of the genre, to learn and understand the intricacies and appeal of a game that's "only" 30 minutes long in the eyes of a layman. It requires a bit more of a clinical approach, but I think it works.
Nice review! I still think the low input latency on Switch makes it feel plenty playable, but after getting the full game and playing it, the long load times really stick out like a sore thumb. Still solid as a handheld shooter, but I double-dipped on the Series X version and it plays, looks, runs, & loads like a champ! I was at a party last weekend and chatting with a guy that bought the PS4 version, and he said he likes the game but one thing that was driving him nuts was the flickery rotating lighting effects with the force, which aren't on the Switch version, so I guess for a few select people the less advanced lighting effects are a plus for the Switch version, lmao.
Very good in-depth review Sir. While I never played Delta or the OG R-types. (Started with Super,3 and Final) I've been a fan of the series. So I'm I'm enjoying it very much despite some drawbacks. In regards to stage 3. I see the point others are making but when I first saw it I thought "Thats kinda Retro like" and moved on. Didn't seem to be a big issue or I'm just dense. Haha Will say the R-9F Andromulus Force is extremely OP. Especially maxed out. Just let the fella kill bosses fast.
I thought it was neat looking at first too, but then I fell down the rabbit hole with more and more jumping out as I payed closer and closer attention. It's nothing that can't be fixed or updated though!
Very good summary. I thought the game needed a bit more polish in certain areas. Something you forgot to mention -- performance on the Series X. This game is optimized for the newer gen Xbox console and useses smart delivery. The overall performance is fast running around a stable 60 fps with little to no texture drawing.
Good to know, though without a Series X (or any xbox beyond a 360 for that matter) there's no real way we could have known. Still, that's a great feature.
We also need to talk about the junction in stage 5. Basically there are 4 crystals, 3 of which take you to a different ending, and a 4th one, a gray one, that seems to take you whichever way the game feels like. I've been chatting with the R-Type Discord, and even they seem stumped as to what it does or why it's there. However, your comments about this game feeling unfinished does lend credence to the possibility of a 4th path l being patched in down the line. Maybe something similar to the 'Bonus Stage' in Final 1? If you know, you know.
That seems plausible. Quick aside, we kept this detail out for fear of spoilers. Some viewers have gotten real touchy over even extremely vague expectations for first time players going through blind.
@@serraramayfield9230 Yup, one death and you're done! Used the invincibility code just to see how bad it gets and....Christ, even on Baby mode I couldn't pull that off.
I'm really digging it too. I just wish Etherium was better distributed. Grinding 6.1 is getting boring. Still, I'm getting better: i can get to stage 6 on one life with the Leo2
@@StudioMudprints I can definitely agree that the grind can be a bit much… However, I think you even said it yourself in slightly different words; R-Type’s gon’ R-Type. :p
Fantastic review. This game needs more love. I swear half hte reviews are reviews from people who don't like it because they don't like R-type or just rage reviewing after this game utterly destroyed and frustrated them with it's difficulty lol.
Yep, making your way thru bullet patterns is one thing, surviving an R -Type game on a "decent difficulty" level ,is something much more sinister, & rewarding
@@ronniepatterson2827 I consider myself pretty good at shmups and Normal was kicking my ass. Play the game more and i'm doing pretty good at it. it's just all about treating each room like a puzzle. It is so rewarding when you come up with a clever solution to a screen that's kicking your ass.
Agreed. I cant count the "ahh hahh" moments ive enjoyed from this series as a whole, starting with Super R-Type back in the olden times lol. I LOVE this stuff : )@@nunyabusiness9056
Really nice and in depth review. I agree that stage 3 looks like you're fighting a child's toy but it's one one the only music track that stands out for me even if it would fit right in on a corporate shareholders video. I'm playing on base ps4 and have not noticed any performance issues, but that may only because I don't have a point of reference with the pc version so anyone thinking about getting PS4 and worried about framerate, it's fine. Are you sure there's 7 dlc stages planned though? I assumed it would be two stages per pack and they were just going to skip out super r type since it's a remix of r type 2.
The frame drops are noticeable for people that are sensitive to it, but yes, its 100% serviceable, and quite a step up from Switch. According to the DLC pack descriptions on Steam, it is 2, 2, and 3 stages.
I like R Type Final 2 more than 1. However, it doesn't mean it's perfect. I agree the DLC and all ships should have been included. Right now, it feels like an unfinished game and a cash grab for the DLC. From the Kickstarter goals achieved, I thought they intend on including those stages with the game, so I felt a bit deceived when I found out it was paid DLC. Stage and enemy designs are a bit bland and uninspired, but the visuals are sharp and great. I played it on my PS4 Pro with an SSD and there was no problem with load time (same as PC on an SSD) or performance. The one thing I like most is that the control was spot on, very responsive. Right now, only 54 ships are available to unlock, which I have already done by replaying level 3, yes ugly level 3, on practice difficulty over and over again using the ship Happy Days to one shot the boss and it took me a couple of days to unlock all the ships. I would give the game 7/10. I do enjoy it a lot. I just want more ships so I can unlock and I hope they do not charge money for them either. I don't mind supporting them by paying full price for an unfinished game, only so that they can make another, but milking the players for unfinished ships that were supposed to be in the game is where I take a stand. BTW, Delta is my favorite R Type game and is in my top 3 favorite shmups of all time.
Felt like a cash grab as well. I ordered the "collectors edition" back in January because a hard cover art book was part of the offering. However, made the announcement that it would change to the cheaper softcover but, the backers would still get a hardcover. Outside of the Rare Earth R-9 model...I didn't see the benefit of buying this over the Inaugural version. The controls are a hard gated 8-way but are not fluid. I'm using a Crown arcade stick with no physical gate. The jarring movement got me killed in tighter spaces. They could have at least offered an extra ship or the included DLC for the difference. The "Collectors Edition" came in at a hefty $90 after tax.
@@MrRawnch I ordered the collector's edition as well just for the model. While I'm not mad at the softcover artbook, I just felt a bit disappointed that I paid $90 for an incomplete game. Now they want $20 for the DLC? I might get it when it's on sale, but they have lost a lot of good will from me.
@@StudioMudprints Its such a gamble with stuff like this because the window of opportunity is so small for CE's these days. Crowd funded games are mostly 70/30 when it comes to polish. I don't understand how most experienced indi devs get 30% over their budget requirements and have colossal misses like this. All and all, I'm not totally disappointed and there are some feel good moments. Very grateful for all of the in depth detail this channel provides.
I picked up Digital Deluxe (PS4) playing on PS5. I haven’t noticed any of the issues that happen on the PS4 but I’m only on stage 2 so far. Stage 1 is a breeze but stage 2 is kicking my ass 😂. The demo had pop-in at one spot when the camera is zoomed into the ship at first but I didn’t notice it in the full game.
R-Type Final was Rocky V. This is Rocky Balboa. A welcome return to the essence of what made R-Type so unique back in 1987. If this truly is good-bydo, then it's the send off the series deserves. Agree this isn't the finished product, but the good news is it's not being positioned as such and the devs are working on adding features and improvements based on player feedback - which can be shared with them here: www.granzellagames.com/contact. Thank you for your brilliant review! 🙌
On a side note, its surprising (and sad) how much character you lose when you go from pixel graphics to 3D polygon models. The level one boss in this game looks like a squashed plastic toy compared to the iconic screen filled version of the original. Give me pixel art in my shooters, any day!🤔
speaks more of Granzella's weak 3d skills though? idk, ps1 era r-type delta or g-darius has much character for me (especially g-darius' punk looking bosses that are so sharp with lowpoly that it becomes edgy), YMMV
i think nowodays only enthusiasts in doujin or indie can allow themselves to pixelart games, cause its kinda almost "lost art" and takes much more time and patience to create, especially if animation-heavy like fightings..
Gotta give it to companies like SNK and Vanillaware in that regard. Granted, SNK shifted to 3D a while ago, but can you imagine a shmup developed by Vanillaware? It would be insane.
I totally agree with you on the DLC cash grab. There is absolutely no reason that these stages couldn't have been included. I'm a sucker for R-type though so, I immediately bought the stage pass. It's turning out to be quite the expensive shmup. Especially since I had to pay customs in the EU because it was shipped from the U.K
You're telling me! I bought the PS4 version to cover, but then it turned into PS4 and Steam, then PS4, Switchj and Steam, then PS4, Switch, Steam and Steam DLC... I'm stopping it there lol, I'm only getting the DLC packs for PC ahaha
@@chilly6470 The delta stage is stage 1 fyi. I"m also not sure i agree with the dlc being a cash grab. Even without the dlc this is the most content rich r-type game yet and it's also the cheapest r-type game. It also had a very very tiny budget. I bought the stage pass dlc, which brings this to SEVENTEEN stages for a full price release. No previous r-type comes even close to that and ALL of them were full price releases, throw in the 99 ships with more coming and this is far and away the most expansive r-type game yet.
I hate to say it, but the performance issues are unacceptable. A game like this should be able to run flawlessly on a toaster. The use of Unreal with its effect spam is baffling. I'll take a tighter, more focused experience like R-Type III over this every time. Maybe one day they can get back to that design philosophy.
I mean it's a pretty lovely game. I run it on a pretty moderate pc and it runs at 1440p at like 120 fps. The only platform i've heard with poor performance is the switch. Let's not forget R type final 1 ran like complete ass with massive slowdown present on ps2. There aren't a lot of games that come out that can run on a toaster anymore.
I don't like how the game's explosion effects look and sound muted and underwhelming when you destroy enemies. I'm so used to shmups where destroying enemies always felt incredibly visceral and satisfying, but here in comparison it feels very weak. Compare, for instance, the destruction effects in R-Type Final 2 with (say) Crimzon Clover, and you'll see and hear a world of a difference. Perhaps some brief but violent screenshaking (at least for enemy kills when you kill them using charged up attacks) would have helped made the destruction feel better. Missing content aside, the amount of existing content and customization that is in the game looks great, through I do agree the unlock requirements make it an unnecessarily tedious grind. Was unlocking new content this equally tedious in R-Type Final 1? I never played that game. Also, ignore the Nintendo Switch apologists. They will always robotically and mindlessly defend any kind of shitty performance on their handheld tablets as "fine". They do that for every game, and I'm not even exaggerating. It's the reason why you have games like Deadly Premonition 2 being able to get away with shipping on that console with performance that drops it to single digit framerates during combat.
To me the sound effects actually works well with the slower pace and style of the game. Also the visual effects of enemy has a similar style, as if the enemies are dissolving rather and exploding.
i loved deadly premonition 1 and D4. but when deadly premonition 2 ended up "meme game" with 15 fps... swery, get back to SNK instead, please? i need new kizuna encounter or last blade..
Pretty fair review, the game is flawed and requires polish, but the bones are there. It is brutal if you don’t know your ships perfectly and levels (it took me 300 deaths to clear R-Typer 200 of which was 6.0... it feels like the concert master was almost required) Also here’s a feature you get for buying it now - roadmap says you get Rtype final 3 for free.
That.... was a headscratcher when I saw it. At any rate, we're definitely going to return to this game when everything is in place, though I'm not triple-dipping again. It'll be PC 😆
Given how instrumental the force pods are to ship survivability against the bydo forces you would think by now the craft would just ship with them already attached?
I thought R-Type Final was a mediocre game, the series low point (close to Leo which I don't regard as a legit R-Type at all). This one seems similarly plodding and dull, only with most of the dev's energy being spent on shiny visuals. The fact that it's unfinished / DLC-laden seals the deal: No thanks.
Is there a stage selection in this game, or do you always have to start it from Stage 1? How do you select DLC stages? Are they available only in Score Attack mode? How do you get more credits for play? Or are you stuck with 3? Thanks!
Stage select exists, but only for score attack. DLC stages are added as a seperate selection under main campaign when selecting Start Game from the Hangar. 3 credits to start, then 10 through pilot rank-up from normal play, then 30 through pilot rank-up through normal play, then infinite when the game is cleared on any difficulty, no 1cc required. Hope this helps!
I agree this game needs a couple more updates to truly shine, but I knew you guys "got" what this series has always been & would judge it accordingly. So frustrating seeing this already neglected genre getting slammed by those who claim to know & love shmups. Talking shit like : oh its all trial, error, & memorization, as if most vidoegames arent exactly that " looking at you Bloodbourne bosses & Dead Soul everthings lol" Thank God for hardcore shmup sites, spitting facts at hardcore shmup fans : )
Sorry, stupid question, what are the final number ratings given out of? I assume 5.00 is max but I wasn't sure if it might go up to 6.00, 7.00, 10.00, etc.
The game where I challenge myself in using the worst ship for that particular stage in R-Typer for no good reason other than boredom and hoping one day other players will see the and wonder how, and try to beat it.
This game looks fantastic, I'll definitely be grabbing this for the Xbox later on. It's nice to see more shmups and other unique games being brought to physical media for the Xbox, early on the Xbox got the shaft from 3rd party games most likely due to Microsoft screwing themselves with the original Xbox One reveal.
It's great to see PC ports of Japanese games are no longer second class citizens. Finale 2 plays great on my 12 core gaming rig and Intel Iris powered laptop.
No, unfortunately no option for that exists. I never felt it was an issue in actual play, as the positions of enemy bullets never changed with regards to 3D perspective.
Yes. Natsuki got "Great" cost-to-value on our scale, and Ginga Force got "Excellent". It goes: Impossible, abysmal, terrible, bad, iffy, good, great, excellent from worst cost to value to best. At 40 bucks, it's fine for what's here, but if it were actually complete, with better features, an engaging online aspect, ect. it could have gone to excellent. So yes, good, but not great.
Well first, its value is *less* good than the others (again, great and excellent on our scale) which you can see in each of thier respective reviews. Second, while it may cost a little more, this also has more stuff to unlock. There's a super scientific method here and we're standing by it 🤓
Hi!!! My son is a big fan of R Type Final and asked me to get him the R Type Final 2 on Nintendo switch but not so sure what's the difference between the regular edition and the deluxe edition!? Could you be able to explain the difference to us!? Thanks in advance!!
Great review! Many reviews just seem to dump on this game like it sucks. It’s has issues, but it’s still good. Speaking of oddly sexual things in this series, level 7.2 has space dragons flying around while mating and making whale noises.
I would have loved to pick this one up for my Switch but the presence of DLC and choppiness pushed me towards the PC version. I only buy Physical on Switch if I can get a near complete version.
I remember being a bit perplexed about your view that Final was the best of the series and that Delta was a bit claustrophobic. Surely that's the whole point of the R-Type games? Along with them being sadistic.
I stand by it. For what it's worth, I had a better time with Third Lightning than Delta by a country mile. Arguably a much harder game. The thing about Delta is that everything is so big and densely packed. No other game in the series does things that way.
@@StudioMudprints certainly agree that III is the best of the sprite based games. The difficulty is manageable compared to the the first two games. Shame being a SNES exclusive it never got ported to anywhere else or included in the PS 1 R-Types collection. I'm undecided on Final 2, seems a bit pricy for what it is , at least on the store.
@@ostravia Yeah, I have to agree. This game is TOO DAMN EXPENSIVE for what it is. I don't understand what it is with Japanese devs charging exorbitant prices for what in reality is $20 shmup releases. They pulled that same bullshit several years ago when Taito released Dariusburst Chronicles for $60 without the included DLC. IT NEEDS TO STOP.
@@shinbakihanma2749 Yes and I bought it!. However it is a far better game with endless stages and made by true aficionados. Maybe it would be better if Taito made the next R-Type Final... LOL!!!
@@ostravia wat, not only was it made on a small ass budget but it's longer and has more content than any r-type before and wasn't a full cost release lol. This is literally the first r-type game ever made that wasn't a full price game. Adjusting for inflation it's probably the cheapest and most content rich r-type game ever made and made on the smallest budget.
Wait, R-Type games have always had those awkward enemies and crap? I've only played Super R-Type III (I think)....you know...the one with what I call the "Sperm Boss"? xD
Sorry but this is a 40 € Game... and for a 40 € Game there are too many Problems... Bullets lost in Explosions, Bullets that not register... Empty Sections... thump fiddling... Plays more like a Puzzle Game... (Level Design)... 1st Day DLC FOR A SHMUP?!? A Stage Pass? No Thank you... Natsuki Chronicles is at 20€ and it's a Full Package... Back to Leo & Delta
To be fair, playing like a puzzle is typical of Rtype in general. But yea, we would have given it better scores across the board if it were complete and better populated/designed. I still rather enjoy the PC and PS4 versions tho, and we're revisiting in the future.
R-type has always been a shootemup that plays like a puzzle game. Also weird that you like Delta and won't even give this a try. If you go on any R-type or shmup fan site that's the game this is being compared to the most. It's like the level design and pacing of Delta compared with the exhaustive ship catalog and branching paths of Final. Sorta the best of both worlds.
@@StudioMudprints What i mean with too strong a Puzzle Game... Delta or Dimensions... gives you breathing Room... aka the Puzzle can be solved multiple ways... i don't feel that with Final 2... it's too... One-Sided... And thank you for your inside... cheers
@@nunyabusiness9056 Thank you for your kind comment... i will revisit Type 2 in the Future... like Mudprint, will wait for a more "Complete" Version or a Version with some Bugfixes under her Belt... I like Delta because there is no Downtime in the Levels... Yes, I agree... Ship Catalog & branching Path keeps my finger itching for more... but for now i will wait what the Devs will do with the Franchise... because as i mentioned 40 Bucks... are 40 Bucks (for me) cheers from sunny Zermany
It lets me down on controls because I use a Wico leaf switch and they only programmed digital in the release. Frankly unforgivable given the amount of people who played the game in the 80’s. True analogue would have been better given the lineage of the title.
Fix texture and element popping on the PC version. \Users\(username)\Saved Games\RTypefinal\Saved\Config\WindowsNoEditor Open Engine.ini with Notepad or some other text editor and paste the following to the end of the file: [consolevariables] r.TextureStreaming=1 r.Streaming.FullyLoadUsedTextures=1 r.Streaming.PoolSize=0 r.Streaming.HLODStrategy=2 r.Streaming.FramesForFullUpdate=0
Also, playing this game in a desktop window lowers the fps, (borderless window doesn't have this issue). So I'd reccomend borderless window or full screen. I have an RX 6700 XT and in the radeon software setup for this game I use: Frame Rate target control: 60fps (important to prevent stutter from fps mismatch with the display) Anti lag: on Enhanced sync: on I get average of 91fps with ultra settings at 4k without the frame rate limiter or a steady 60fps with it turned on (smooth movement is critical in this game which is why I limit it to 60fps)
It's a 16:9 game, so not really. You can stretch it, but that's not ideal. Dariusburst AC supported ultrawide because of its 32:9 aspect, and its gameplay was fashioned around that. Rtype final 2, not so much.
If you still have drift problems (Do you have them anyway?) you should definitively patch your Joy-Cons. I own a Day-One Switch. I had Drift Issues, but the many patches did fix it. Esspecially at the point of game release and date of review...
@@StudioMudprints Your problem is rather your Joy-Cons were worn out, due to heavy usage as tester. But its not the initial drift issue, even though its same behaviour. But all Joysticks will wear out at some point. Would be interesting to see a strip down of your Joy-Cons. To see the abrasion of these carbon parts ^^.
I've replaced 6, SIX, joy-con sticks so far. After the first replacements, I just bought a pack of several sticks for future repairs. It works for me, but well... far from ideal...
Quick aside: My joycons have actually never seen heavy use, or much at all. I primarily used a PDP wired controller with a very good d-pad and 90% of the time i played docked. 100% now. It's crummy, but yea, Joycons are hot trash, unfortunately.
I want to say yes, but i don't know fir sure. Nor if they'll end up being part if the "normal" total if so. Of course, that means the game will never be truly complete for everyone else.
Mostly because Irem was originally getting into slot and pachinko originally, and they refocused and went into that market post-tsunami in 2011. Software developers from Irem formed Granzella, so ostensibly, Irem still is, just not in name.
THIS GAME COULD HAVE BEEN EPIC UNDER THE RIGHT DEVELOPERS! THAT REDUX GAME THATS LIKE R TYPE PUTS R TYPE FINAL 2 TO SHAME! GRAPHICALLY THEY SHOULD NOT HAVE USED THE UNREAL ENGINE! IT IS NOT HOW R TYPE GAMES HAVE LOOKED IN THE PAST
I hear that XSX has additional technologies that allow it to run better on the hardware. Playing on PC though, I'm certain XSX is very similar or, ideally, identical.
No, it definitely was, especially from a level design standpoint. It has issues, like ridiculous slowdown, but I enjoyed its stages way more, and its stage variants were challenging to access and achieve.
I don't like it at all, it's fun to unlock new ships and so on, but you're left with the same tedious levels to grind through, which are no fun whatsoever. The art is not great until nearly the end of the game and it all just feels hollow and low effort.
Oh, and it's at least 3 ships that haven't been made to be put into the game yet, one of which blocks an entire branch. Edit: No wait, it's at least 5. I only have 41 unlocked at the moment.
I like stage 4 and all of the 6 and 7 branches. Only three feels particularly awful to me. It wouldnt feel so terrible is we just got more of the green element is all
