R-Type Tactics review (PSP)

Fans of the R-Type series will recall the hectic gameplay that punished players for even a split second lapse of concentration and forced them to memorise the levels through trial-and-error. So many will find it weird that Irem's latest R- Type game is not the intense shooter but instead a strategy game.

Initially, things aren't too bad. Despite the CG intro failing to build any excitement, when you start playing the game itself, you find it's actually pretty fun. There is great satisfaction from one of your units surviving an attack and then taking the enemy unit. It's also a joy to gain new units (usually by finding what's known as "spoils" on maps.)

Lastly, the hectic pace may have disappeared, but the intense feeling is still there as you try surviving against heavy odds, especially during a stage where there is a "boss".

But while R-type Tactics is a decent game, it feels unpolished. The CG battle animations are decent, but no way spectacular and what's worse, they take a while to load up. Thankfully, you can turn them off, but then this has the unfortunate consequence of making the game slightly boring. And while the story - told through a series of briefings - is functional, but fails to light that spark that keeps you motivated thought the whole game.

And therein lays the main problem. Once you're a quarter of the way through the game (and there's 57 missions), you feel you have seen what the game has to offer. There is the chance to be on the Bydo side, but that's only after doing 30 missions for the Earth's side. Basically, unless you have lots of patience and desperately need to play a challenging strategy game.

It's a shame that R-Type Tactics flaws outweigh its good points as there is potential for a interesting and fantastic departure from the usual shump action that R-Type is known for. But if only Irem tried harder then we wouldn't have something that quickly becomes boring and dry.

6/10

Gabriel May