An unexpected, but quite fun, change in pace.
posted by VTMarik (PALM COAST, FL) Nov 30, 2008
Member since Feb 2006
2
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gamers (67%) found this review helpful
The R-Type series of side-scrolling shooters have been around since the early 1990s, and enjoy a well-deserved place in gaming history alongside games like Gradius and Darius Twin. This, however, is not a shooter. This game takes the universe of R-Type and places it into the framework of a turn-based RTS.
The gameplay mechanics are pretty basic. You move your fleet along a hex-based playing field and attack enemy units when they are in range. The battles are short animated clips much like those found in the DS game Advance Wars: two opposing groups of ships firing at each other and then displaying the number of ships lost (if any) afterward. Outside of the choreographed battle sequences, the only action in this game is moving your fleet around on the hex-grid and picking up the occasional bonus item. After completing missions, you can unlock CG artwork (which you can assign to be the Title screen or Loading screen backgrounds) and cutscenes.
This simple concept drives the game along the story line that has fueled every R-Type game since the original: You are part of Earth's last line of defense against the parasitic and ravenous Bydo Empire. However instead of being the sole pilot against a horde of enemies like the traditional games, you are the commander of a fleet of ships tasked with taking the fight to the Bydo in a last ditch effort to save Earth.
If you are expecting a game in the mold of the traditional R-Type series then you will be sorely disappointed by this game. If, however, you are interested in tabletop games such as Battletech and other turn-based RTS games like the Romance of Three Kingdoms series by Koei then this is definitely a game you should take for a spin.
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