R-Type Final

Death & R-Type

I’ve been thinking about writing on R-Type for some time now. It’s one of the finest series that the industry has produced and I’ve always enjoyed the excellent design of every entry Irem has made. But recently, I’ve been thinking about R-Type Final. See, the R-Type series is known for its punishing difficulty—all of its games are excruciating exercises in pattern memory and strategy. Fans of the series, like myself, know this and love it, as well as the imaginative and bizarre variety of challenges presented to the player by the nefarious Bydo Empire. R-Type Final, the last “true” chapter in the series is no exception; however for me it has remained memorable for a reason other than its excellent contribution to the genre—the sadness that permeates every aspect of its design.

R-Type Final

Final is definitely the odd child in the family. Let me try to explain this, in a spoiler-heavy way.

R-Type Final’s menu screen shows a dormant, discarded Force Bit submerged in slowly lapping waves, lacking its normal, vibrant orange glow. Anyone familiar with the series will find this interesting­— that the first image we are presented with has such a stark, resolute finality: R-Type’s severed head is served to us on a platter before we even set out; the symbolic Force Bit is not only a casualty of Operation Last Dance, but perhaps also of the changing climate of video game design that ended the series? The classic catchphrase “Blast off and strike the evil Bydo empire!” is conspicuously absent. There’s no glory to be had on this somber day, oh no. Okay Jules, that was dramatic! What next?

Let’s start at the beginning: the story. Traditionally, R-Type is straight ahead no-brains sci-fi, nothing more than a façade to justify blowing up enemies of all shapes and sizes. Irem saw it fit to update this with the release of R-Type Final by fleshing out the mythology somewhat. Unlike many blast-a-thon shooting games, R-Type Final is better for it, now the story suitably seems significantly more tragic. For those who are unfamiliar, which likely includes even the vast majority of R-Type fans, let me fill you in.

In the 26th century, mankind created the Bydo as sentient weapon systems. They were stored off-planet in a large containment facility, however somehow they managed to escape. Realizing the danger the Bydo presented, the humans of the 26th century fought to destroy them. They were quickly overwhelmed by their own creation. Using a ‘portal’ device (and this is where it amps up the eyeroll-itude factor) they sealed them into a pocket dimension that existed outside the traditional confines of time and space. The Bydo managed to survive this attack, and eventually they found a way out of their dimension, emerging supremely evolved, angry, and quite alive—in the 22nd century, 4 centuries prior to their creation. Naturally, the first item on their agenda was to try to destroy the human race that would eventually create them. The 22nd century humans, having much more primitive technology, had no way of defeating the Bydo until they created the Force Bit, which is essentially a Bydo entity with a shock-collar, an immensely powerful beast they have a measure of control over. The R-Type games chronicle the struggle of these humans. It’s not the most compelling story out there, nor is it exactly plot-hole free, but I think it clearly accentuates the theme of unfairness, desperation and suffering that is so central to the conflict of R-Type Final. The humans of the 22nd century are made to bear the consequences of a people they never even knew: their descendants. This is also a concept that makes the story simultaneously stupid from some angles and incredibly clever from others, all of the cyclic cause-effect paradoxes that are typical of time-travel naturally come into play, but perhaps the most important one is that it speaks something for the character of the humans of any time, something we can relate to. That is; that humans are by nature power-obsessed, and they will inevitably doom themselves with their incessant curiosity, and that others—innocent bystanders included— will pay for their mistakes. The immense unfair burden of the 22nd century humans also serves to highlight the positive power of that same curiosity in quelling the Bydo permanently.

R-Type FinalBut this feeling of futility is not only relegated to the introductory text in the game’s manual, rather it is effected throughout the game very intelligently. Unlike other iterations of the series  which had upbeat music and lavish, animated introductions as you jumped into the cockpit, R-Type Final starts each mission with no more than a bleak quote from the unnamed pilot you control or a member of your oppressed race—completely devoid of the sense of glory encouraged by its predecessors. The dark and somber mood of the music, setting and story depict a world resigned of hope, scraping together the remnants of the once-fiery war effort for a swinging, wild punch through the haze of defeat in the hope that it may strike home. Most of the levels in the game, despite executing very competent shoot-em-up level design, also induce feelings of aloneness and isolation though masterful combinations ambient electronic music and set-piece timing and journeys through arid deserts and the featurelessness of deep space. Having said that, there are still plenty of R-Type’s signature crawls through claustrophobic caverns bristling with Bydo baddies, which do their important part in creating the tense, controller gripping moments that are so central to the genre.

As well as this general tone there are a number of eerie encounters in the game included for the fans, such as the overrun research laboratory that houses famous horrors from previous R-Types, or finding the R-13 Cerberus that was taken by the Bydo in R-Type Delta deep in the belly of a dank cavern, fondled by the fleshlike fronds an unknown organic beast. Other ways this mood is conveyed are less overt—and quite surprising. One of the centerpieces of the game is the Hangar, which (with a lot of unlocking) will house 101 different models of spacecraft; all of which have different characteristics and can be piloted in the game. This is one of the most enjoyable places to hang out when playing R-Type Final, not only because of the ability to browse all of these ships (including every ship from every game that Irem has ever made and a lot more), but because it is also a warehouse of information. Each ship in the hangar has a description regarding the technical development of the ship; thus giving us a peek into the lives of the scientists and engineers desperately trying to counter the Bydo threat. As time goes on and you inevitably unlock some of the more advanced prototypes you get a true feeling for this desperation: many of the later models are much less restrained in their control of the Bydo component of the craft’s technology, and the extent of their madness is realized: horrific-looking, pulsating, fleshy creations that represent mankind’s willingness to achieve victory no matter the moral consequences.

Ultimately, though, it’s the feeling of death and hopelessness that accompanies any of the three endings that serve the final blow. The “normal” ending, assuming you do all of the things that the game wants you to, ends up with you facing off against the largest of the Bydo after one of the weirdest levels in shoot-em-up history. After lodging your Force Bit inside the behemoth, the glass on your HUD cracks, warning lights go off and the screen shudders, leaving you to begin the tense, minute-long charge up of the last shot your Wave Cannon will fire. Meanwhile, the area is in turmoil—the wounded Bydo is obscured by a twirling mass of metal and organic matter encroaching slowly on your position. Finally you are able to release the shot that will destroy the Bydo core and end the game. After the shot is fired and strikes home, the game immediately scrolls the credits. The camera gently swoops around your broken ship, now useless, as you drift through space. No way to get home, no fanfare. Ouch.

It’s more complicated than that, though. When this game was being made, it was from the outset designed to be the final R-Type in the series. I imagine, for people who had followed the series, that this game is something like a funeral—not only a poignant modern day reminder of the wonderful moods and the exciting gameplay past champions of this genre have given us, but that they deserve, finally, an honorable way to be put to rest.

Days of yore

Recently I’ve been working on my arcade cabinet a lot; perfecting the software side.

Wait.

Okay, first thing’s first. I finished my arcade cabinet! Months ago..

..and I didn’t post about it.

Well, anyway, since then I’d not had too much time to work on it until recently. I still feel a bit weird about it since I only really know a few people who can enjoy using it that much, and realise I’m mainly doing it for myself. I suppose that’s as well. Nonetheless, I have been putting a lot of effort into making it really cool to use, and at this point it has about 100 games on it in an interactive menu system with cute little video previews that I am making by hand. All of the games pretty much work perfectly although sometimes the little PC sitting inside it groans a bit under the stress I have put on it (originally designed to be a cheap lightweight media PC). Despite this it works well even as an emulator of some of the mid-gen 3D systems like the PSX and Saturn, which makes some awesome games like Radiant Silvergun, R-Type Delta, Guardian Heroes and Gradius Gaiden possibilities to play. Nice!

My brother Ivan is moving here in about a week and he has expressed interest in playing some games on it with me – very much looking forward to that! There are a lot of games we used to play as kids that we could revisit and let the nostalgia flow. On the occasions I have spent playing games on it with people I usually end up having a really good chat and a generally relaxing and fun time.

Going back and playing some of these games makes me realise how much in general game design has changed over the years. More specifically, so many games now are mired in realism, both aurally and visually, even those with fantastic themes! A modern game with very impressive visuals like God Of War III is championed as a visual tour-de-force in these times, yet compare it to a crappy old brawler like Metamorphic Force with its candy-coloured lizardmen and typical 90s verve it feels almost flat. There’s much to be said for the correct usage of both designs: wonderful games like Silent Hill and Demon’s Souls just wouldn’t make sense without the ominous atmosphere afforded by such designs. Still, this sort of thing should be a design choice, not a design requirement!

Bye!

Jules

Streets of Rage 2

Streets of Rage 2. For some reason, I can never get tired of this game. It seems like I should. At a glance it is merely another formulaic cookie; cut from the same mould established by golden-age greats such as Double Dragon and Golden Axe.

streetchoob

It’s embarrassing, too! My favourite game—Shadow of the Colossus—is a sensitive, meaningful masterpiece. However Streets of Rage 2—a game which revolves around punching badly-dressed hooligans in the face—would almost definitely sit somewhere in my top ten beside it, cheesy neon-accented brashness and all. But before this all starts to smell like another nostalgia-infused harkening back to the good ol’ days: sleepovers with friends, Coca-Cola cans piled high, chips ‘n’ dip and Genesis games, I think it bears mentioning that I am not alone in this. SoR2 is regarded as one of, if not the best beat-em-up game ever made. Almost twenty years after release, sit anyone down in front of the game and in five minutes they are having fun. That’s clever.

Like many other classics, SoR2’s most notable achievement was striking the right balance with all of its elements, but it didn’t hurt that the game was, and still is incredibly beautiful. Well, maybe “beautiful” isn’t… quite the right word. Kitsch, maybe. Vomit-inducing overindulgent 90s palettes outfit the outlandish ensemble of enemies. Denim-clad knife-wielders, wrestlers, kung-fu experts, ninjas, and bikers round out the more sensible side of the spectrum, while robots, S&M mistresses, jetpack-soldiers and overweight fire-breathing baseball players add a helping of the bizarre. While the cast is tight enough for you to become familiar with each enemy’s attacks, the variety—both in terms of appearance and challenge—is pleasantly diverse, even when compared to modern titles such as Castle Crashers. The heroes you play are similarly gaudy. Max, a gigantic wrestler, Skate, a teen who gets around on rollerblades, Blaze, a thoroughly underdressed martial arts expert and Axel, the American hero (completed with white T-shirt and jeans). Colourfulness is continued into the locations you are taken to as you progress through the game. SoR2 could have been another field trip to the wrong side of the tracks, but instead there are wrestling stadiums underneath baseball fields, secret jungle island bases and amusements parks. Yeah! Implausibility, that’s more like it! Even the more predictably styled early levels have charm. Low-key jazz plays in the first stage’s dive bar, the level boss Barbon calmly polishing a glass. Later, you challenge him to a fight out the back amongst the rubbish bags and trash bins, the rain pounding down. Brilliant.

boat

Each character has marked strengths and weaknesses, and provide very different gameplay experiences. Although there is an impressively varied moveset at your disposal including holds, throws and team-up attacks, the game is very button mash friendly and can be enjoyed thoroughly without the more advanced techniques. Besides, it’s really more in keeping with what SoR2 is all about. Fighting feels brutish and solid. Loud cracks account the strength of each blow and screen shakes punctuate heavy impacts. Combos are delivered slowly and deliberately. It’s brash and grungy. Whenever I go back and play Final Fight I can’t help but think they were truly missing that feeling; the barbaric, severe dirtiness of street fighting.

Which neatly brings me to the soundtrack. Yuzo Koshiro is considered a decorated veteran of video-game soundtracks but in my opinion SoR2 was his best. The persistent squealing and chirping of old video game music can be pretty rough on the ol’ ears, especially since chiptech music has itself evolved into a sophisticated genre of its own and our standards have changed. SoR2’s tracks play the strengths of Genesis hardware masterfully. The techno-pop vibe has a dirty edge to it with plenty of distorted samples and thumping beats, and really helps keep the game moving at a wild clip.

jungle

The game as a whole has aged remarkably well. Although graphics and sound have improved significantly since its release, it thrives within the restrictions and stands as one of the most solidly presented games of its time. Beautiful pixel art, responsive controls, huge groups of characters on-screen, two player co-operative play, excellent music. It had everything. Castle Crashers, one of XBox Live Arcade’s best selling releases proves that people still enjoy this genre, and don’t require the expansion of scope that arguably killed off simpler games like this (well, until the cheaper price point of downloadable games came back). Even now it remains extremely popular, with downloadable releases on all three current-gen consoles.

The right words to describe why SoR2 is so good have for years eluded me. I think now it is finally clear; and that I was before delving too deeply. The “secret sauce” didn’t ever exist. SoR2 is the distilled, chimeral evolutionary finale of the genre. That’s not to say that it is some mad scientist’s amoral beast, haphazardly sewn together from the limbs of the best stock. No this was no fluke. SoR2 wasn’t created with hyped zeal, nor was it just rolled off the production line. It was created with a consummate, focused understanding of the beat-em-up genre; add more features and it becomes too complicated, take features away and the taste is bland. SoR2 is just right.

[10/10]

Arcade Cabinet Progress

Hm, I didn’t really keep updating my progress. Since the last update a lot of stuff has happened. The controls finally shipped as well as the keyboard emulator (I-PAC). The keyboard tray was added. I think of all the visible components it kind of looks the most hacky, but thankfully it will be almost completely obscured, so that isn’t really going to be a problem. Also, once painted black I have a feeling it will probably be much less obvious. Once the monitor arrived, I made a VESA mount out of some cheap pine and leftover blocking. It is definitely the most cheap looking part of the whole cabinet but it will be invisible except to the most prying eyes. Additionally, it seems that finding Metric M4 screws (VESA standard) is a big deal in the US. Plan in advance if you ever make your own VESA mount!

So, what else…

When we had friends staying over they helped me put the control panel together and get started with the wiring of the CP internals. That all went really well, aside from having a lot of trouble finding the right quick connects for the awkward size of the Cherry micro-switches. I’ll probably take some good pics of the inside of the CP when I am putting it all back together, at the moment it is more-or-less entirely disassembled in order to paint and finish the panels that make it up. Once all wired up I tried the control panel with Fet and then Ann later on. It felt incredibly responsive and authentic—I think it’s going to be very fun once all is in place.

A lot of things got in the way of progress for a little while, but Ann and I put some really good work in this weekend, filling all of the screw holes in and sanding the whole thing down so that it was lovely and smooth. On went the paint and suddenly the look of the whole cabinet is completely transformed! I’m happy with the result at the moment but there is still some more finishing work to do. Have the paint the CP and the keyboard tray, and possibly touch up the cab a bit too. After then, varnish!

The end is in sight! Hopefully by the end of the week it will actually be in some complete, workable form! Wish me luck.Sanding away...