R-Type Delta: HD Boosted Review

R-Type Delta: HD Enhanced Review

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a remaster of the 1998 PSX classic R-Type Delta. Franchise R-Type has been known for many years as the quintessential side-scrolling arcade space shooter. And the original R-Type Delta was popular among its peers.

But how does this venerable title measure up to modern standards? The answer depends entirely on two factors: how good of a shot you are and how patient you are.

In the dystopian future of 2164, the Bido aliens have invaded Earth, destroying its technology and seeking to destroy humanity. You must stop this threat with your R-Type starfighter and all the upgrades you can get. But the true cost of saving humanity may be more expensive than any hero than a bear…

A piece of gaming history

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is both addictive and frustrating. This dark, classic sci-fi shooter follows a lone pilot venturing into the unknown. I mean this game is merciless when it comes to enemy placement. This requires you to have incredibly fast reflexes and excellent memory for the future.

You can choose from three vehicles: the standard Delta, the trickier Albatross, and the supernatural Cerberus. Each of them has different weapons and, accordingly, a different play style. However, they are all quite fragile. One minute of carelessness can destroy you.

The controls are simple: you have a pay attack, a high-speed shooting mode and a powerful Delta weapon. However, mastering these controls will be a challenge, and positioning and speed control will become your best friends.

There's no save system, although you do have a few checkpoints to work with. If you run out of lives, you will have to start the game from the beginning. The key is to block enemy fire with the Force and avoid incoming enemies.

This game is grueling, frustrating, and incredibly fun. I'm not a fan of shooters, but I played until my arm hurt. The desire to try again and see if I could get a little further was the hardest enemy in the game.

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a beautiful and grueling sci-fi epic

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a great series of amazing retro space shooters. I'll be very honest here. With its polygonal models and 90's sci-fi design, this game feels dated. However, it also looks amazing. The HD enhancement brings to life the dark world of R-Type's battling Earth, which sent shivers down my spine. I can see why so many shooters of the time imitated this series.

The dark sci-fi aesthetic is excellent, the enemy designs are fun, and the sound design is truly impressive. There is not a single bad song on the soundtrack. And the various glows and ominous howls of battle add a nice splash of color and noise.

The game itself is not very long: you only need to complete seven levels. However, completing the game will likely take you several days even on the easiest difficulty level. This game was made for an era where a single game required enough replay value to justify months, if not years, of entertainment.

However, the spectacle scenes can be extremely frustrating. Moreover, the time must be accurate. Cleaning R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is far from a simple squeeze of lemon. Anyway, this is…

Complex Complex Lemon Complex

R-Type Delta: HD Boosted has three difficulty levels that roughly correspond to easy, medium and hard. However, unless you're a shooting veteran, they are inherently hard, harder, and harder.

Luckily, the game has a practice mode where you can hone your skills on certain obstacles. This is extremely useful for sections that require complex maneuvering and testing strategies for boss battles. And it has an invulnerability setting in case you can't time it perfectly.

Each level is handcrafted and requires very specific strategies to complete. While different ships have different options, much of the gameplay comes down to figuring out the optimal position for each obstacle. In this sense, the game is mostly trial and error.

Overall, R-Type Delta: HD Boosted is a glorious blast from the past that takes no prisoners. If you're a challenger and enjoy memorizing level layouts, this is the game for you. And if not, try it anyway. It's merciless, but incredibly exciting.

***Switch code provided by publisher***