R-Type Final PlayStation 2
R-Type Final Image
Metascore
79 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 50 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 16 Ratings

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0 out of 10
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  • Summary: It all began in 1987 with a revolutionary arcade shooter called R-Type. Now the classic shooter is back for a final appearance with new features and the same exciting, revolutionary gameplay that started it all. Use the unique Force System to power-up your ship as you choose and send it into battle against the evil Bydo. With over 100 ships to choose from and an almost unlimited amount of customization options, R-Type Final is the definitive shooter on the PlayStation2. [Eidos Interactive]… Expand

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 41 out of 50
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 50
  3. Negative: 0 out of 50
  1. GameReviewer
    95
    Its flawless execution combined with the sheer amount of unlockable features and variety of gameplay makes this the pinnacle of the shooter genre today. A first class game and the perfect swan song for this much loved series.
  2. TotalPlayStation
    85
    Irem has, possibly more than any game they've made in recent memory, crafted a shooter that is at once faithful to the challenge of the original shooters that came before it, and utterly accessible to anyone experiencing it for the first time, and they've thrown in a remarkable amount of depth and just plain fun to keep both sides equally true to the source material. R-Type Final is a blast, plain and simple.
  3. Armchair Empire
    85
    Despite R-Type Final’s high level of difficulty’s ability to bring out the masochist in all of us, this title is a wonderful close to an amazing series.
  4. PSM Magazine
    70
    A solid, if somewhat slow-paced, shooter that offers up loads of ship variety and a good amount of challenge. [Mar 2004, p.37]
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User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. SrinuV.
    10
    To those who treat mould-breaking games as life's milestones; those who can still smell the silver coins on their fingers ... this is dangerously close to the best in the genre.… Expand
  2. StarlessBB
    10
    You know, for some reason I have always sucked completely at horizontal shooters. I can play the crap out of a vertical one but not a horizontal. But I have ALWAYS felt at home with the horizontal R-Type series, one of my favorite game series of all time. And this game is probably the best in the genre, at least aside from space shooter masterpiece Ikaruga. BUY IT. There is so much content in this game it's unbelievable.… Expand
  3. Fighter17L
    8
    Over 100 ships to unlock, Very high replay value!! The only major problem with this game was the slowdowns, my god. Anyway, if you are a R-Type fan, BUT IT NOW!… Expand
  4. llamayarmybar
    6
    Almost unplayable, but such a majestic way to go out right IREM? Lack of consumer interest in the series in Japan aside, IREM have put together a nice little parting gift to likely their niche of fans here in the West and mostly in the East. Its suitable given that R-Type Delta came out so long ago its like chewing on year old potato chips in terms of game play innovations. Its the same game with a few minor exceptions and many would also argue that the better game is in fact the former. I would argue simply- this game was not made for this hardware. The Playstation 2 was a beast back in 2000 and it tore through to the finish line by being modestly more powerful than the Dreamcast (although this was never seen after SEGA pulled the plug). However, that doesn't mean that every game that was made for it ran well on the hardware. Shadow of Colossus chugged, God of War chugged, and R-type final nearly died right out of the gate. When I started the first level and bumped into an astonishingly large robotic crab I though their was something wrong with my Playstation, but it turns out that the game was just trying to look too awesome apparently. Its practically unplayable and although slowdown was an issue periodically in the R-type series it was never meant to still be an issue this far in. Even more disappointing is the lack of care by even hardcore fans when it came to the issue at hand. Even they would claim it made large fire fights easier to get through and they practically welcome the lurching frame rate right into their game play experience. Its unacceptable, though many put up with it God of war II, a title that admittedly pushed the hardware to the extreme end of its capabilities possibly even slightly less that Shadow Of the Colossus did, and we're supposed to be excited when a horizontal space shooter can't keep up that 60 frames per second? That reason that was arguable the bread and butter of the argument as to why the Playstation 2 was quote "better" than the Dreamcast hardware. It could output those frames per second at a nice consistency that looked so fluid to the human eye. R-type final boasts a meandering 60 FPS while dropping to below 30 FPS in very "busy" sections. Its frustrating because it ruins the experience of the game when you're eye keeps detecting that motion is no longer smooth anymore on you're TV. Even worse the sudden speed ups can get you killed very easily. What an upsetting finale for such a great series.… Expand

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